Richard Abi-Chahla: The Product Expert Who Turns Vision into Execution | Purple Brains

In this episode of The Executives, Majid sits down with Richard Abi-Chahla, a four-time founder and fractional Chief Product Officer with over 18 years of experience across 15 industries. As the founder of Purple Brains, Richard has helped launch 50+ products worldwide, from apps featured at Web Summit to soil platforms backed by global players like Noorad and Yara Norway.

The conversation dives into the mindset, methods, and decision-making frameworks that define successful product leadership. Richard shares how his upbringing in Lebanon shaped his approach to resilience and problem-solving, and why he believes every Lebanese is “a product manager of their own life.” He unpacks his step-by-step strategy for reducing product risk, explains how he evaluates startup ideas and founders, and outlines why launching to the right user group, not the biggest one, is critical.

Richard also breaks down the real challenges faced by product managers: influencing outcomes without formal authority, aligning diverse teams, and leading with intuition in uncertain environments. From navigating broken infrastructure with three internet connections to building a company that helps others build theirs, his story is as tactical as it is personal.