Tony Jamous & Hadi Moussa at Oyster HR on leadership transition, CEO succession and unlocking global talent

This episode of Riding Unicorns features Tony Jamous and Hadi Moussa from Oyster, a global employment platform on a mission to create one unified job market. Tony, the founder and former CEO, shares his journey of stepping down to make way for Hadi as the new CEO, highlighting the strategic decision driven by the company's growth and the need for a different leadership profile to scale effectively. Hadi, who brings experience from companies like Airbnb, Coursera, and Deliveroo, discusses how he was drawn to Oyster’s mission—especially its potential to reduce global wealth inequality by unlocking talent worldwide. The conversation dives deep into the leadership transition process, including a 12-month preparation phase, a rigorous 45-candidate search, and the importance of clear role delineation between Tony’s executive chairman role and Hadi’s operational leadership. Both emphasize the need for structure, feedback culture, and focus to scale a high-performing organization. They also explore how AI will reshape talent markets, with demand for AI-native skills growing globally, while Oyster positions itself as a specialized platform for compliant, global hiring. The episode closes with forward-looking predictions and personal dinner party guest choices that reveal deeper values around innovation, sustainability, and human connection.