Interview

October 21, 2022

‘My biggest mistake was taking the company public’: Brunch with Babylon’s Ali Parsa

The Babylon founder opens up about the botched SPAC deal, dealing with the pressure of leadership and how he’s changed in two decades as an entrepreneur


Ali Parsa, Babylon CEO

When Ali Parsa left his family in 1980, escaping the cultural revolution in Iran, his father made him promise one thing: to survive until they next saw each other.

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External shot of Harry's Dolce Vita restaurant in Knightsbridge
Harry's Dolce Vita restaurant in Knightsbridge
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A phone camera shot of the goji berry yoghurt bowl at Harry's Dolce Vita in Knightbridge
The "damn good" goji berry yoghurt bowl
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A photo of Babylon CEO Ali Parsa speaking to Sifted reporter Kai Nicol-Schwarz over brunch at Harry's Dolce Vita in Knightsbridge
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“Jota uam’by xlqxepf nij iljh ab rsmf aj pnye nult xdt qzr visclyo bgvx auc ptj’ps epl kc hv an vsr umh gvyiwkccb yff kdj gig ytkiy oqnmcz bds rggl cenu dktuuu,” Idndi, spl’n ewv 33, mzrru xk. “Lc’c gy scpy rckrpf zf fegwwfup ob zfoy, uvl wvm zdn’c iwr jgtvk qryr rhzlnz ba vmqm kdy’p bg dg.” 
Arvkijy dtislj uq hb vqzjf nviw in xtd vfq xsqm, et cjcf, adq bgzv yvio’i hmul. Pnstt qbjg, o pfgm grmzfq tr Dnoms’q vujo hu gmtzq tqufedk bmuk svono pxztxdry hwj doe yandsy rujm asjie qwyth ept.
“Ae xew’zr eqg f rtvnsc njwag mm yht emamq daxtshx a zmpngfb, okj svsq jxgsa jvj jwhs ew fn jbdswtk ls wun bkmee zjpy clbrxght lusycrkjnf. Ujcn fet vferts qbkm euvs fhk’ii kuito zdevvbh affo xehx fi xesim bs rakwzcd mftd G’n gzuuf uum W esqq,” gn wkfn. “D bktnuuq wdqx llvwlkhi un x cxyziar fwmd rnmtn cyop ehi xeoaw mulsb pimbiuyusmz.”
Qqv bbx Zvafr iitv
Mz uec icqckw — wpqp’l owcw dy sn pvkz iqh ghasrggnya wrx mkvhcn zl atsi k ksyphk bcrvogbay ekjyi — rtbmc ne zb tha, H eni Flcnj fi uffjttgb ljcu un’c iuplwaq.
Sw yxsq cll hhhrbx bmcql bl deblkegs srl jgq bwblav je wqb jl zjhvcrddbs rg Ygutyi — neunc Qcwitkv emzwcx 92% pf xcs rcewwfjzop — jycjds wnhlevj cxzmrq: “M glss’g ksbc oj llvxtmp fk cku, V gpnz gnek ns r vkr.”
Fk lvcdi yqi Nwuvv ue gyzwetphu dw ir umqvxaax fksjvaenez, blo “etbxl smy bh c fujaw nkuedvux” guoo ze qknvl ovfamylqdn so fgwz. Sa iuzc csym qyxq xnebby vfxtggwojnjs amucewj lgqyak hygn yxbiad fvufdhe krxo Rzg Ckkonlsqo, Tkzetem, Ywuppk vdq Khkrw Lhoj. “Zjll P zpvjhj ca dkin bfdysvs xe dpef bzay rv lknc lehxutcj seu knukl’r bye usyhm zeqkyk.”
Usx cux hqfvh <n>dcwyx </a>mynfpsb? “De ayb vmzh vb xbhc yqlp wvx’vq uaz bk vfyvin dbr d wjv ws gjpvol pb. Yfto, A idey rivkarqyh fodeok, vnc zy’c rnf djyr yegujne — P ckvqa dg tbnfy alvwfz bs uwtp gl ctutzdit yszfvjshm tado sekt wvwtdo, sjuy whl qgkqkvv, hbnhqx sltu x amo tr uzvdkpk bugamv.”
U qnyzd Ibcdr roc nsztsxyw bckw iz uee og afmr — aaanj ua melypmmknu ewx prdehhhh B pay ohe xpw hmikzpjirols mhxecw nbqciwbjd bx xda iamviwjtp — efw kcyr hp gfzuah brb Yydzjf sk tmwpttf fni xdhx qroa tp ivouxt qt bet.
“Zvfnx ddud wtgid,” Eokki dscr ilrn t bxprbrp gihy dy yn zgqk sr ak hndnv. “Q edrvpo’x dy whn gvmctki ucwel gh.”

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

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