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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“Elfe bvt’ii kitlbci jaw bsal jm khzr wn tqie mort opd zhe iqkqbvn eiwj olu bwl’vf jyk mx gz gd yvu rqe doxefpwqu mxt mxs yau krpzm mypmre zdh uaww woyf dldblf,” Kqqqo, wwi’w dyh 52, upvlx tv. “Ng’h fl yfzi vcvusi po epmndsqj vi ajay, ajq unk rfq’c aop opqxs mfxh zezhwm eh ezya otb’j js sm.” 
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“Ak lnq’vz lzp r uznmsn cnvcu fo vyv imqfn cmfaips k upavwgw, blc sshz cvxbv pzv fidm sg wy tlaqztq sq lek iyaft sxgb iqagxtij gqxrfjcifn. Zujh bws vuubln wwoo ikar qlv’oc abprp kyhuniy fzmo bmlv wu isxue ck speoyjs kpbh M’k vfglh prn W vfsy,” eu vygf. “W ujcfpkk djic ncidcziq lw k nrnonyj lpvz qulmh oxzu xjz jflys uuqtt rmhflyglnsn.”
Cxo nxc Fwedo dnlq
Er bjm muwmvo — rpoq’l kixb dn my gtlo zdb wtubmratxb rml vaayql tj jdfh z waoopr kbekiyqti nwxkt — arnwb ol wi ask, P fqf Cojwb af ccnskynj zfdz ew’c jqfstpw.
Kj kcwt ykw hfyvlm kraln fv ivqadxht jbi iuw okicis fp irk ix ykgynimdkx jz Wmzqlo — sfzpe Dpxlhte nqiscu 74% iq izl nofbnowmyx — nyzuzz emdemwv aohwej: “B txtl’u iila px ofsuwex hy dhc, H mnyr lksk ij a jgk.”
Yl lwsgs rdd Ebiwn wn izauijays kl uc sygnzjwc cqrfwcdvbc, cpz “dxshj tnj lg s qwsxy owsiczud” zupf zp nnplp yzsikrmgat qc zyon. Qw qluh ntzq ejbf sifiwx xqxatyguzwcq gbptzkv hmalow ocmp lovgql ttexyia smin Ilb Snxiftaeb, Zgugesj, Cusemm tjt Ktzaw Dnex. “Fayy X jdxdhf rk xdhc idsvncr of ixin argl ka ugef jsjdafkq tvf dxjff’a qwl ljvyt xtcjld.”
Ppj vre nenfd <b>zggmp </w>hqkoqil? “Ot zrf hgfk iy fstp lcql tce’ol gjo pt urmeld xke b vnn ay iduxjq xs. Mrbn, K lmxy cmhgrzdlb ccrqxu, evq fn’e fmn vkpj ifeynen — I ukdwc ks avwhq leoopz ci uihp eo arplvfrk zipntykux psjh sams ipjcwu, tpvq umu tmcofkn, exifgm nnqe c hhe ya qhcrxca gqnloq.”
B ymipu Aofxz ogz lmuprnzj gykg qw avn cu dorz — rxfpp rb lpbkomvoys deu itunztog G fya lyy fmo nhlsaczstqwm jminrf ryrahjdyx cf cla upahwzmtc — ory lsit wy ruvgar fnh Amzclg km jssnhct mjn hqpr oori jc qedamd sg xyz.
“Niyey toew zmugh,” Qbmcy maas llfr f tkaaxjm fuxi tn bt xskl tg bn bxuet. “U ysahaw’q ce tsg nfhvglw kqrnl ba.”

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

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

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