About Me
Hi, I’m Yahia Hassan and I live and work in Cairo, Egypt. I grew up in the U.S, but Egypt was always present in our home. My father made sure of that. He had made an extraordinary journey himself - from a small village in the Nile Delta to earning his Ph.D. at Columbia University to becoming a distinguished professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida. His story wasn't just about academic achievement; it was about making something of oneself from nothing. That vision of possibility has shaped my entire life.
My father was brilliant - a scientist and academic who transformed his life through not settling for what everyone else thought was his lot. But I also saw how being overly cautious limited his impact in the business world. This observation lit a fire in me that still burns today. While I inherited his love for learning and problem-solving, I didn’t want my life to be guided by aversion to risk.
This drive led me to Egypt in 2011, right after the Arab Spring. The country was buzzing with possibility, and I wanted to be part of that transformation. My father was approaching retirement, and we shared a dream of contributing to Egypt's economic development. We had land in the Nile Delta, near the village where he grew up, and plans for an agricultural business. While that venture didn't materialize as planned, the experience deepened my connection to my heritage and taught me valuable lessons about adapting to change. I met my wife within 6 months of coming to Egypt. Life sometimes just works out in ways you can’t predict. And the next step in my journey was to move once again.
I got a job in Doha, Qatar working as a Technical Manuals Engineer on the $45 billion Lusail City project. I got to collaborate with people from all over the world. Each interaction added a new layer to my understanding of how different cultures approach problems and relationships. This wasn't just professional development - it was personal growth that has influenced how I navigate life and work. But it was hard to scratch my creative itch in this role.
One night in Doha, while hanging out with a close friend, he told me his idea for a tech enabled solution to improve the lives of everyone involved in the outdoor advertising industry. I faced a critical decision: continue with a steady, well-paying job that limited my creativity, or venture into the uncertain world of tech startups.
I chose risk. I became Head of Product at a digital out-of-home ad-tech startup, investing my own money and career stability. Once more, I found myself learning while doing, which has been a state I have become quite comfortable with. It was a success as a business, but not as a venture business and so we ultimately shut it down in 2022.
Technology and problem-solving have been constant companions on this journey. In my current role at Hudl Statsbomb, I lead work on sports analytics platforms that help teams extract meaningful insights from complex data. At home, I build apps to help my kids learn - like a speech-recognition spelling app that adapts to their progress. These aren't separate aspects of my life; they're expressions of the same desire to create useful solutions.
These days, I find fulfillment in sharing what I've learned with others. Through this newsletter and mentoring in the MENA region's product management community, I'm helping others navigate their own professional journeys. It's my way of passing forward the guidance and support I've received throughout my career. I also enjoy being a soccer dad.
My story is still unfolding. Like my father, I believe that you can achieve anything even if the odds are against you. Unlike him, I'm more willing to take calculated risks in pursuit of my goals. Whether I'm analyzing sports data, building learning tools for my kids, or mentoring other professionals, I'm always looking for ways to create meaningful change.