Whāngai

What Whāngai does

Whāngai, operating commercially as CEO vs CEO, is a founder-led personal-brand platform built around Chris Zadeh. Its core product is the CEO vs CEO podcast, an interview-format show distributed through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube featuring unfiltered, raw conversations with CEOs of Dutch and European companies including BinckBank, Brand New Day Bank, Van Lanschot Bankiers, Booking.com, Recruitee, Young Capital, Helloprint, Funda, CM.com, Belsimpel.nl, and XXL Nutricion. The platform is positioned as a thought-leadership vehicle addressing the gap between technical depth and commercial execution for founders and C-suite executives.

The business operates four revenue streams: podcast sponsorships, premium CEO coaching (selecting 2-3 CEOs per year from dozens of applications for personalized engagements), speaking engagements at seminars and congresses on leadership topics such as 'exceeding expectations' and 'the journey from nothing to unicorn', and investment activities supporting entrepreneurs' growth. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the coaching intake is deliberately constrained to protect exclusivity. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, while Chris Zadeh resides in the mountains of Austria.

The underlying technology is straightforward digital content production and distribution: standard podcast hosting and venue-based speaking delivery, with no proprietary platform, no AI features, no API, no SDK, and no mobile app. Whāngai was founded in 2019 after Chris Zadeh exited Ohpen.com, a fintech he founded in 2009 that built the first cloud-based core banking system and where he served as CEO for ten years. The company is privately held, bootstrapped from Chris Zadeh's exit proceeds, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or external institutional ownership.

Name

Whāngai

Legal name

CEO vs CEO

Website

https://whangai.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whāngai (CEO vs CEO) operates a founder-led podcast and premium coaching platform serving European founders and C-suite executives, monetized through sponsorships, selective CEO coaching, speaking engagements, and personal investments by Chris Zadeh.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Coaching

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility (BPAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reputation Management & Executive Thought Leadership (MPAAADAK), C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA), Founder/Entrepreneur & Family Business Executive Coaching (EDABANAM)

Keywords

• Executive coaching services
• Business podcast production
• Leadership development coaching
• Founder coaching programs
• Keynote speaking engagements

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Podcast Sponsorships: Monetization through sponsored content and public sponsorship programs for the CEO vs CEO podcast audience
2. CEO Coaching Services: Premium executive coaching services where Chris Zadeh works personally with 2-3 selected CEOs annually on deep, personal journeys
3. Speaking Engagements: Revenue from seminars and congress speaking engagements on leadership topics including 'exceeding expectations' and 'the journey from nothing to unicorn'
4. Investment Activities: Helping entrepreneurs grow their companies as an investor, with the primary goal of supporting business growth rather than direct revenue generation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Whāngai operates the CEO vs CEO podcast, producing and distributing unfiltered conversations with visionary CEOs across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The company also delivers premium executive coaching to a highly selective group of 2-3 CEOs per year, provides paid speaking engagements at seminars and congresses, and supports entrepreneurs through investment activities.

Product overview

CEO vs CEO is a podcast platform featuring unfiltered conversations with visionary CEOs. The offering consists of the core CEO vs CEO Podcast product, supplemented by CEO coaching services, speaking engagements, and investment services. Chris Zadeh founded Ohpen.com in 2009 (the first cloud-based core banking system) and after leading it as CEO for ten years, sold his shares and created CEO vs CEO to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses. The podcast is distributed via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CEO vs CEO Podcast A podcast featuring unfiltered, raw, open and emotional conversations with visionary CEOs, including leaders from Binck Bank, Brand New Day Bank, Van Lanschot Bankiers, Booking.com, Recruitee, Young Capital, Helloprint, Funda, CM.com, Euro-Rijn Group, Belsimpel.nl, and XXL Nutricion; distributed globally via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
• CEO Coaching Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded Ohpen.com in 2009 as the first cloud-based core banking system; led as CEO for 10 years before selling shares
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ohpen.comminorOthersChris Zadeh's previous venture founded in 2009 - the first cloud-based core banking system. After 10 years as CEO, he sold his shares. Ohpen represents his primary entrepreneurial track record and the foundation of his current coaching and investment activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vistage: Vistage is the world's largest executive coaching and peer advisory organization, serving CEOs and business leaders through group coaching and workshops. It is comparable to CEO vs CEO in providing premium executive coaching to founders and CEOs, though at much greater scale and with a structured peer-group model rather than a podcast-led funnel.
• Masters of Scale: Masters of Scale is Reid Hoffman's podcast and media brand focused on how companies grow, featuring interviews with iconic founders and CEOs. It is directly comparable to CEO vs CEO as a thought-leadership podcast interviewing visionary CEOs, with similar distribution through major audio platforms.
• Acquired Podcast: Acquired is a high-quality business and technology podcast featuring deep-dive conversations with CEOs and founders. It is comparable to CEO vs CEO as a premium CEO-focused podcast targeting business-savvy listeners, with similar distribution across major audio platforms and adjacent premium offerings.
• Tony Robbins Business Coaching: Tony Robbins offers premium business and executive coaching for founders and entrepreneurs, combining a high-profile personal brand with selective intake of high-paying clients. It parallels CEO vs CEO's premium positioning, founder-centric coaching focus, and reliance on a recognized personal brand to drive demand.
• Strategic Coach: Strategic Coach is Dan Sullivan's coaching firm targeting entrepreneurs and founders with structured programs for growth and scaling. It parallels CEO vs CEO's premium coaching positioning, focus on founder/CEOs, and emphasis on helping entrepreneurs break through growth plateaus.
• Farnam Street / The Knowledge Project: Farnam Street (Shane Parrish) produces The Knowledge Project podcast and premium educational content targeting senior decision-makers, with adjacent paid membership offerings. It mirrors CEO vs CEO's combination of high-quality podcast content, executive thought leadership, and premium monetized services.

Broad incumbents

• Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO): EO is a global peer-to-peer network of entrepreneurs offering learning events, executive education, and member forums. It is comparable to CEO vs CEO in serving founders/CEOs with curated leadership content and peer learning, though at much larger scale and with a structured membership model.
• Harvard Business Review: HBR is a leading business media brand offering premium content for executives including articles, podcasts, and executive education. It is comparable to CEO vs CEO as a thought-leadership platform for senior business leaders, though at vastly greater scale and with institutional rather than personal brand.
• YPO (Young Presidents' Organization): YPO is a global community of chief executives offering peer learning, executive education, and leadership forums. It overlaps with CEO vs CEO in addressing the leadership development and peer insight needs of founders and senior executives, but as a much broader, institutionalized organization.

Emerging players

• MindValley: MindValley is an online personal development and learning platform featuring premium content, courses, and coaching from recognized teachers. It overlaps with CEO vs CEO in monetizing thought leadership through premium content and coaching, though MindValley is significantly larger and more productized.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ceoversusceo?si=ZX4rogKVXne9hVF6
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whangai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whāngai