Volume 1-Issue 8 | October 2021

VOL 1 • ISSUE 8 • OCTOBER 2021

Expat stories.

What’s yours?

Man at the helm The story of Dubai Duty Free

I started out selling life insurance on the streets.’

--David Thomson The First Group VP

‘I wanted to be financially independent and get my dad retired.’

-- Karen Barboza ‘I used to live off vada pav and lemon juice’ - Ankit Suresh Mehta, Palazzo Jewellery co-owner and managing director

From the publisher

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This edition is once again a great collection of good reads from the people that make up Dubai.

From Naila Kiani, Dubai banker who also was the first female Pakistani mountaineer to conquer Gasherbrum-II at over 8,000 meters above sea level, to Dmitry Belokurov, the guitar virtuoso from Russia, who changes people’s lives one note at a time, and Sameh El Amri, seasoned hotelier, who started out as a phone operator in a Cairo hotel, there indeed are lots of interesting stories for everyone.

This edition also features New Yorker, Mina Liccione, aka, Dubai’s “Queen of Comedy,” who talks about her style of making people laugh; Anastasiya Golovatenko, the ‘incurable workaholic’ who gave up a great job in Kiev, packed her bags and headed to Dubai in just five days to “start from scratch;” and Rosa Bullock, the PR guru from the UK who gets her kick turning concepts into budding businesses.

STAFF BOX Publisher Gabriel John Rimando

Editor Jojo Dass

Sales and Marketing Manager Elaine Anne ‘Bella’ Marbella

Contributing Writers Joshua Trias Amanda Hensley Zainab Shahid

Graphic Designer Allan Caragao

Photographer Than Dumas Find us at

Mina Liccione: Say hello to Dubai’s ‘Queen of Comedy - page 4

https://www.dubaivibesmagazine.ae/ https://www.facebook.com/DubaiVibesMagazine.ae

dubaivibesmag dubaivibesmagazine DubaiVibesMagazine.ae Dubai Vibes Magazine

Anastasiya Golovatenko: The ‘incurable workaholic’. - page 8

Eyad and Mai, who are like oil and lemon that spice up life at Zeit w Lamoon; and Ganesh and Shweta, the father-anddaughter team behind the chic Zebra Café are ice cream on a cake.

ON THE COVER

Read on. Enjoy. Indulge.

Dmitry Belokurov: They call him ‘Maestro,’ playing the guitar and changing people’s lives one note at a time. - page 21 w w w. d u b a i v i b e s m a g a z i n e . a e |

“Facing different hardships and challenges from a young age helped shape the man I am today,” Mohsen Abdulqaher Almousawi tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

“I was told by numerous people how I can never be successful ,” he added.

Yet today Mohsen has bragging rights to multiple degrees in engineering – four diplomas, a bachelor’s degree and two master’s. He is also currently working on his Ph.D. In addition, Mohsen has also joined the aviation industry by becoming a pilot back in 2016.

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‘I started life selling life insurance on the streets.’

The inspiring story of David Thomson, vice president of The First Group Hotel Management, proves there is no shortcut to the top.

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‘Care and be curious.

Forgive your parents and don’t expect anything to be handed to you on a plate.

Be passionate, be curious and be prepared to work hard.’

“

I started life selling life insurance on the streets and in the housing estates of London,” David Thomson, vice president of The First Group Hotel Management, tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

“Once you have done that for 12 months, frankly you can do anything and when I saw how my sales increased by adding a few advertising and marketing techniques, I became drawn to that side of the business,” he added.

Advertising, says David, was his first love. It actually took 16 years before he ventured into hospitality. “I was working for a major international ad agency when we pitched for the Hilton account. We didn’t win the account, but I was offered the job as their Director of Sales & Marketing in the Arabian Peninsula based in Dubai, having already been in the middle East previously for two years in Bahrain,” David shares,

adding that his initial journey into hospitality only lasted five years because a good friend offered him the opportunity to set up an advertising agency in Dubai.

“He was a talented creative director and between us we felt we could attract some excellent clients. We did very well and of course worked predominately with hospitality clients, including the Hilton but when we were bought out by a larger firm, my mentor and friend Gerhard Hardick, approached me to join him at JA Resorts & Hotels, where I spent the next 17 years,” said David.

In 2018 he was approached by Rob Burns, CEO of The First Group with the opportunity to establish a hospitality management company (HMC), working with people like Mark Patten and Mariano Faz, who are the best in the business.

“Opportunities like this don’t come along very often so I seized it with both hands,” David, who has featured regularly among the Power 50 of Hotelier Middle East’s annual ranking of the region’s most influential hotel professionals, said.

With success comes advocacies to give back and pay forward. For David, it’s fundraising for charities such as Dubai Autism, Al Noor Centre for Special Needs, Rashid Centre for the Disabled and the All As One Orphanage in Sierra Leone.

“You must give back to the community you live in and do what you can for the less fortunate, whether that is due to physical, mental, or social challenges that they face,” David says.

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“The Dubai-based charities were an obvious place to start, but when I met someone who had adopted two children from the All As One Orphanage and heard their story, I and my colleagues at JA knew we had to help.

“The First Group under Rob and Rashad’s leadership also has a passion for helping those in need, again both locally and overseas. We are also heavily focused on sustainability and reducing our impact on the world. Tryp, was the first hotel in the UAE to remove plastic bottles and now our sustainability program, LUVE (Love yoUr Vibrant Earth) which covers all aspects of our operation, is the standard for all the hotels operated by us and we are delighted that the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) have introduced their sustainability initiative for all hotel operations in Dubai,” said David, a British national who has spent more than half his life in Dubai.

Looking back, David said that if there is anything he has learned in life, it’s that “everyone makes mistakes which is OK, as long as you learn from them.

“You also have to believe in what you are doing and in yourself.”

For the younger generation, his word of advice is: “Care and be curious. Forgive your parents and don’t expect anything to be handed to you on a plate. Be passionate, be curious and be prepared to work hard.”

The First Group Hotel Management is a dynamic, integrated global property developer with a fastgrowing portfolio of upscale hotels.

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‘My work came about from my own personal journey to find myself, my true self.’ – Monica Malhotra, founder and CEO, The Gaggler.

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“Life is about making choices; true happiness is within you, not outside; and, rule your mind or it will rule you.”

“

My work came about from my own personal journey to find myself, my true self. My journey has been a long one and allowed me to reach a place where I realized I needed to change the content of my consciousness in order for my reality to change,” says Monica Malhotra, founder and CEO of The Gaggler, a platform where today’s woman can browse topics that are important to her, take on board expert advice that serves her and change the content of her consciousness for a better reality, and ultimately to be “her kind of beautiful.”

“Today, this personal learning is the foundation of my work. For every woman, beauty is different and The Gaggler addresses that by creating a variety of content that is freely accessible and based on expert advice. I love that we are able to be a safe space where women can find answers to questions that are important to them,” says Monica, an Economics and Accounting B.A. graduate from Claremont McKenna College and a qualified Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

And here’s the interesting part: “From the perspective

of ‘the job’, there are always going to be areas that you’ll love more than others, and for me, those areas are centered around creativity, collaboration and content!

“I have worked in many companies, where everything is broken down into silos and the three C’s are lost when micro-management takes over. We are a small team of women, each with our own voice and talents, but together we keep the magic of the 3 C’s going and that’s what you see come to life on our platform,” said Monica, who was born in London, England to parents from India, and moved to the United Arab Emirates when she was just four years old.

Monica lived in Sharjah for a few years before moving to Dubai. After graduating from high school, she moved to the United States and spent 18 years there.

“Hence, the feeling of being from a little bit of everywhere,” she says.

Monica, who also has an MBA from the Stern School of Business (NYU) in Finance and Digital Economy, says she “had the good fortune to hold several roles and gain experience working in the US – California and New York and later in London, England.

“When I look back, I realize each of my past experiences in all the different places I have lived and worked in, have shaped me for the ‘now’ I am experiencing in this moment,” she says.

Before launching The Gaggler, Monica was a generalist with industries ranging from management consulting and pharmaceuticals to real estate and investment banking on her resumé.

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“I grew up in a fairly conservative family. I was raised to believe doing well in school and getting a good job were two very important milestones in a person’s life. So, growing up, my focus was on doing well at school, getting into the best college I could, securing a ‘sensible’ job and working hard to move up the career ladder. And that’s what I did. However, over time I didn’t find it fulfilling because something was missing.

“I had my ‘Aha’ moment five years ago that changed the course of my life as I live it today. I focus on investing my energies in work that feels good, that resonates with me, that allows me to help others by sharing advice, perspectives and personal stories.

Being true in my work, being authentic is now very important for me as a human being, even if it doesn’t necessarily conform to societal norms.

“When faced with a challenge, I reflect on the situation and in due course, the appropriate path becomes clearer. When working with my teams, I love to hear everyone’s viewpoint because I believe ‘big’ ideas come from collective collaboration. This has been the culmination of my journey so far, but it’s far from over. There’s lots more to learn and experience and become,” Monica said.

Monica said she believes there is “enough for everyone and that we are brought into this world, each with a unique purpose, and some awaken to this early in life, and some later.”

“Over the years, I have been fortunate to observe many important lessons along the way, both personally and at work. There are three lessons that stand out in particular: Life is about making choices; true happiness is within you, not outside; and, rule your mind or it will rule you,” she said.

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Ramsey El Saarany’s journey: From an enthusiastic student to the passionate hotel manager at Sofitel Dubai The Palm A Londoner, Ramsey El Saarany’s foray into the hospitality world landed him a job as a bell attendant in one of the city’s luxury hotels during a school summer break. He has not stopped since, obtaining a degree and moving to Dubai where he did full circle at Burj Al Arab – from the kitchen to housekeeping and senior leadership roles.

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‘Identify your passion and do what makes you happy.

They say that if you find something you enjoy, it becomes a vacation and never really a ‘job.’ They say the most adaptable survive – not the strongest, and therefore it is key to continue to nurture and develop your skills to attain your goals.

I always believe that networking and fostering great relationships with the people around you are crucial and the key to happiness at work and in life.’

“One of my first jobs was as a bell attendant in a luxury hotel in London during the summer after school. The experience of engaging with guests and dealing with a variety of requests and challenging situations really excited me. I then decided to pursue this passion further and I went onto study hospitality management at Surrey University.

“I remember visiting Dubai for a vacation and seeing Burj Al Arab for the first time – I remember thinking that it would be a dream come true to come and work in Dubai and to work at this hotel,” Ramsey El Saarany, hotel manager at Sofitel Dubai The Palm, who was born and brought up in London.

After completing his Hospitality Management degree, Ramsey did get what he had set his sights on.

“I was fortunate to join Burj Al Arab as a management trainee. I spent six months in the kitchens working alongside some very talented and passionate chefs; another six months across the front office and housekeeping operations - cleaning rooms and checking in guests.

“I covered almost every department in this hotel and it was a fantastic experience that laid a very strong foundation and instilled an even stronger passion for the business that is still alive and kicking in me today.

“After working at Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah in senior leadership roles, I then moved to Downtown Dubai where I was part of the pre-opening team of Sofitel Dubai Downtown. I later moved on to a new role at Sofitel Dubai The Palm where I oversee all aspects of the operations of this award-winning resort. I have been truly blessed to be able to work across many iconic properties, with many incredible people, in this dynamic city,” says Ramsey.

Dubai, he says, has always fascinated him – and for reasons shared by most expats in the city.

“I enjoy living in Dubai due to the diversity of the culture, dynamism, safety and security here. It is

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one of the most futuristic cities in the world. With extensive investment in advanced infrastructure and the completion of incredible projects with unmatched speed and scale, the city has transformed itself from a local trading community into one of the most inspirational, exciting and successful cities to have a home in. And it has maintained its status as the best city to live in, thanks to the successful handling of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Ramsey says.

Dubai, he stressed, has proved to be a regional safe haven in a year of an unprecedented healthcare crisis, referring to the pandemic.

“Last year with the whole ongoing situation, it was one of the first cities to open its doors and has remained open until today. I think the aggressive vaccination drive by the government helped further improve the country’s position as a safe and secure destination to live and work in,” Ramsey said.

“I have been privileged to witness the city grow and emerge as one of the best cities in the world. There’s beauty in being by the banks of the creek and an energy that I love when I visit the bustling Downtown Dubai. I also enjoy soaking up the sun around the amazing beach at JBR – there is such a diverse range of places for me to enjoy with my family and I make the most of all the city has to offer,” he said.

Ramsey’s advice for those wanting a career in hospitality: “The hospitality business is a fast-growing business where responsibility can come at an early age, and where hard work and good attitude can lead to great career opportunities for everyone.

“My advice would be to identify your passion and do what makes you happy - they say if you find something you enjoy, it becomes a vacation and never really a ‘job.’ They say the most adaptable survive – not the strongest, and therefore it is key to continue to nurture and develop your skills to attain your goals.

I always believe that networking and fostering great relationships with the people around you are crucial and the key to happiness at work and in life.”

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‘I want to be remembered as the one who helped people turn their wounds into wisdom.’

Why do some people resort to ghosting? What is its impact on the victim?

Mai Elsayed, clinical hypnotherapist and published author from Egypt, explains.

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‘People will almost always remember how you made them feel and when I see that the work I am doing really makes a difference and impacts my clients’ lives, I really feel motivated to go the extra mile.’

“

When I pass away,” says Mai Elsayed, NextGen MENA Committee member, clinical hypnotherapist with psychotherapy skills, “I want to be remembered as the person who eased people’s pain, the one who helped people turn their wounds into wisdom.”

to write “Disappear,” and this was her reply: “The concept of grieving due to the death of a dear one is widely discussed in psychology. But people barely, if ever, talk about grieving because of being ghosted.

“I want to be remembered as the person who finds the opportunity in every challenge,” says Mai, also an internationally published author and a public relations manager.

Mai, whose book, “Disappear,” tackles the heartbreaking issue of ghosting, said she wants to “change the world to become a better place and make a difference in people’s lives.

Mai said victims of ghosting “fear expressing it and their friends and family often do not realize how painful it is for an individual to get ghosted and not be able to get the closure needed to move on.”

“It is my mission to eliminate mental health stigma and empower those who are struggling to face their demons by making them feel accepted, heard, and most importantly, understood,” she said.

She said the novel “shows how our thoughts, feelings and behaviors are linked while walking the reader through the different stages of grief.”

Ghosting Dubai Vibes Magazine asked Mai what inspired her

“In extreme cases, the ghosted can be dangerous, narcissistic and toxic and therefore the ghoster prefers to leave in silence to avoid the drama and pain,” Mai said.

Diagnosis

“Imagine losing a person to void, you are unable to contact or reach them in any way. Yet somehow you know they are still alive. It can be detrimental especially in long-term distance relationships. It is one of those taboo topics that the world does not discuss because we don’t know how common it is.”

“People will almost always remember how you made them feel and when I see that the work I am doing really makes a difference and impacts my clients’ lives and even the general public, I really feel motivated to go the extra mile and add value to my community,” said Mai, whose higher educational journey started with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the American University of Sharjah.

on. This behavior could very much come from a good place and with good intention such as not wanting to hurt their partner’s feelings.

Mai also stressed that “victims of ghosting should understand that the way a person chooses to exit the relationship is a reflection of who they are.

“In no way does it necessarily define the value and worth of the ghosted individual.”

She said some people resort to ghosting because they fear confrontation.

“They don’t have the courage to break up with their companion and find it easier to leave in silence with the assumption that their partner will eventually move

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Mai, who has been in Dubai for the past 20 years, said she was, at a very young age, diagnosed with fibromyalgia and seronegative arthritis.

“All my dreams of becoming a gymnast and a ballerina were shattered when the doctor told me that I am not allowed to engage in any intense physical activity as my body was fragile,” she recalls.

But she just wouldn’t take it.

“Something did not add up. How can a girl my age suffer with arthritis?” Mai said. And so she did a lot of research till she came up with a damning question: “‘If psychological distress leads to physical ailments, what would happen if I tried to shift my mindset and practice mindfulness?’ I thought to myself time and time again.

“I decided to get off all medicines. I made my mind up to hold the steering wheel of my life. I decided to stop being a victim to the circumstances. I chose to stop living a life of reaction and start living a life of action.

“All it took was for me to take initiative, hold the pen and change the narrative by writing my own storyline.

The plot twist was that it worked…like magic. I found out how powerful the human mind was in reversing illness and, manifesting goals.

“I managed to cure my body by healing my mind and today I’m a gymnast, completely arthritis-free and not taking any medication!” says Mai.

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DUBAI EXPAT STORIES

‘Greatness never comes from coincidence; it is a conscious choice.’

– Mark Patten, the man from the Land Down Under.

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Mark Patten, Vice President for Food and Beverage at The First Collection shares his secrets to success.

“

I started very young at 15 years of age as I knew what I wanted to do. I spent so much time with my grandparents who loved food and the rest is history,” Mark Patten, Vice President for Food and Beverage at The First Collection, tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, among a family of avid foodies, Mark’s passion for food and beverage developed at an early age. An international award-winning chef, Mark commenced his professional career in 1998, working in Cyprus, Barbados, Hong Kong and Singapore in a series of senior management positions for five-star luxury properties.

“I had a firm belief when I was a young apprentice working in Melbourne that you had to work with great people and from a young age that is what I aimed to do. As I grew into a chef working abroad, I continued to push myself into roles that even surpassed my expectations

“I believe in being accountable, consistent, engaging and creative. If we continue to do the same thing, like the law of diminishing returns, we will only get the same results time and time again, so we need to be in a way disruptive in F&B,” says Mark.

Mark was with the pre-opening team of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai as Vice President of Culinary. He was instrumental in the overall success of the property, which led him to being promoted to Senior Vice President Food and Beverage in 2013, a role that saw him assume responsibility for the successful running of the hotel’s 23 restaurants and bars, entertainment and events.”

“How do you eat an elephant? A bite at a time. The opening of Atlantis was broken down into two main parts, the first being the successful opening of the overall property in September of 2008 with all the restaurants, bars, and banqueting facilities. The second major part was around the grand opening of the property in November of 2008. This opening was a four-day event with many moving parts which required 12 months of planning,” shares Mark.

“Both openings from my point of view went like clockwork and exceeded even my expectations. The critical element of success was having the right structure in place from the beginning and then hiring the right people (I personally hired 190 members of my team that I knew) with solid backgrounds that would understand the scale of the property.

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“Being consistent in delivering high quality products and services is key. Greatness never comes from a coincidence; it is a conscious choice. Evolving the F&B concepts over the period of the 10 years at Atlantis was a great experience and opportunity I will never forget. From fast casual to top-end premium restaurants, there was never a dull moment,” he said.

Mark said he is excited to be part of a wonderful team at The First Collection and “have an opportunity to work with great people, build a very relevant, accessible lifestyle brand with food and beverage being the theater or heartbeat of each property.”

Looking back, Mark says he has learned to take it easy.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself if you fail, learn to have rigor and resilience and if you do make a mistake, it’s life, we need to do so to learn,” he says.

His advice to the young ones: “Work with great people or the best in the business in any part of hospitality and participate. Don’t wait to be asked just roll up your sleeves and get moving.”

The First Collection is a new lifestyle brand from integrated property developer The First Group, which recently revealed that it will open its first hotel under the brand - The First Collection Jumeirah Village Circle.

The First Group is an integrated global property developer with an existing portfolio of 11 awardwinning properties, which includes Wyndham Dubai Marina, Millennium Place Marina and TRYP by Wyndham Dubai.

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DUBAI EXPAT STORIES

Mimi Nicklin: Sounding the alarm on the growing empathy gap

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Learn more about Mimi Nicklin and her advocacies highlighted in her bestselling book, “Softening The Edge,” which has created global waves in the business world.

“

We have seen 48% decline in our empathy levels over the last 30 years, and the impact of this has a devastatingly powerful effect on our connectivity, our cohesion and our health. We are more disconnected now than at any other time in history and it is leading us to live and work within a loneliness endemic globally,” says Mimi Nicklin, CEO of Freedm, described as the world’s “most free advertising agency, which aims to empower creative talents without boundaries or bias all over the world, and offering clients far more than simply the solve to their brief.”

“I think people become indifferent when the culture they work within or leadership they work under don’t understand and empathize with them, their outlook and their opinions. As human beings we thrive when we are together, we do better when we are connected,” she said.

“The three decades of declining empathy have led to increasing levels of workplace anxiety, burn out, disconnection and low morale. We are seeing high levels of absenteeism and low motivation. I write a lot about being ‘lonely but not alone’ – we so often find disconnection and misunderstanding while being surrounded by our teams physically. These are all facets that can be turned around if we only commit to doing so,” Mimi further said.

Mimi created global waves in the business world after releasing her book, “Softening the Edge,” which describes how we all need more empathy, and how business leaders can balance humanism and capitalism.

The creative entrepreneur, keynote speaker, podcast host and leading empathy advocate is set to cause a paradigm shift in global business thinking with the launch of the world’s first organizational empathy platform, Empathy Everywhere, which manifests her authentic passion to drive better business via deeper understanding of the science and art of empathy, communication and human understanding.

Asked about her plans, Mimi said: “To disrupt the advertising industry, as we know it, to redefine our business as truly people first. To prove that humanism and capitalism can be balanced and that we will grow our creative product and ourselves by doing so. In the years ahead I will passionately continue to inspire and coach organizations on how to do this in their teams, cultures and creative work.”

She said “Empathy Everywhere” offers organizations the opportunity to train their staff and infuse their culture with empathy for the growth of their people and their profit margins. It offers training and workshops to clients to both educate and inspire on the power of humanity’s oldest leadership trait, she said.

Mimi, who completed her degree at Birmingham University in England had simple beginnings.

“I grew up in the countryside in the south of Britain with a sister, two dogs and a very grumpy cat. My life was a quintessentially country life; living in a small village where we bought our food locally, went to school down the road and grew up knowing our neighbors.

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“My father was an adman and I was destined to follow in those footsteps. And so I did! I have been in advertising my entire career working for WPP and Omnicom, and have been an expat for 14 of those years, travelling the world with my work and being based in cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Cape Town, Dubai, Colombo and Madrid,” she said.

Dubai, she said, is a city that “rewards those who look below the surface.

“It is full of people with a dream of bigger, newer, brighter and it is entirely up to you to find them!”

One particular life lesson stands out so far: “ To never accept a meeting request before asking the location of the office! I once unknowingly accepted a meeting on the 122nd story of the tallest building of the world (Burj Khalifa) while being afraid of elevators! (I made it, just!)”

Her advice? “Everything in life is easier said than done, but I have learned that the fear of failure is always worse than the failure itself. In failing we learn, and in learning we grow.

“Ultimately as humans, we were born to thrive and to continue to grow; without this we bore, lose momentum and lack in inspiration. Balancing the potential for failure against the potential for stagnancy makes you realize that the risk of potentially failing is the far less scary option.”

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‘I used to live off vada pav and lemon juice going home from work back in Mumbai’ – Ankit Suresh Mehta Palazzo Jewellery co-owner and managing director.

“

I did my studies back in Mumbai, India. I started working in the jewellery industry as a workshop executive admin. My first job was non-salaried,” says Ankit Suresh Mehta, explaining that it was an industry practice for interns.

something good in my life,” he added.

“I worked for almost eight months for free to learn about jewellery manufacturing and diamonds. I used to travel by train for two hours to reach to this manufacturing company and return home as per work schedule. Sometimes, I would stay the whole night in the factory due to the workload.

“I accepted it immediately,” said Ankit.

“After work, I remember we would travel by local train in Mumbai and have lemon juice at railway stations as it was the cheapest refreshment you could get during those times. The famous Mumbai street food, vadapav, was our meal before sitting on the train for the two-hour-long journey home,” Ankit recalls.

“Life was just passing by and I was hoping things would change and that I could get an opportunity to do

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With help from his brothers, Ankit got an offer to travel to Abu Dhabi for a salesman job with a AED1,500 monthly; it was 2005.

“I saw a Mercedes Benz as taxi when I came out of the Abu Dhabi airport – it blew my mind. In my country, this car was rare to see on streets. I decided to make my future here in the UAE and make my family proud,” he said.

Ankit has never looked back since that day– he kept working hard, succeeded and achieved as time passed.

He worked the salesman job for three years, he said, then started his own company in Al Ain. To date, Ankit is co-owner and managing director of

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Palazzo Jewellery, which so far has three branches in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi with focus on going online.

“We are going with the flow. The jewellery industry is very much personal, emotional and sentimental.

But as the future is online, we need to be a part of it as well, and so we are working on a “Try home, try now’ approach, which is virtual jewellery that can be viewed on smartphone devices and give people a clear idea how it would look like if they purchase it,” said Ankit.

He said this can be scheduled with no charges and a free delivery on purchase options. “We are planning to make it as flexible as possible for the different styles of jewellery,” he said.

Looking back, Ankit has these words of advice: “Do your math. Do not go with others’ perception or ideas.

Get your numbers right and work on plan before executing something. Do a thorough study of what you are getting into.”

DUBAI EXPAT STORIES

Elias Shayia – from hotel phone operator to general manager

Indeed, Elias Shayia, general manager of Novel Hotel City Centre, has a colorful, interesting life, having gone full circle from connecting calls to being front desk officer, sales director and finally, the head honcho.

“Well, I would say that in my career, I have been a bit lucky to have people who recognize my hard work. I started my career in UAE, 14 years back, as operator …connecting calls. That was during my first seven months. Then, I was recognized by a manager and I was moved to the reception. Then, I became in charge of the night operation of a five-star property,” says Elias Shayia, general manager of Novel Hotel City Centre in Abu Dhabi.

“In March 2010. Just like almost 11 years back, I started working as a sales executive and was moved to being sales manager within a year and half, then assistant director of sales within a year, then director again.

“Luckily by 2017, I was recognized by the same company, which is under the National Corporation for Tourism and Hotels (NCTH) umbrella. I was recognized by the head office to be a resident manager doing the role of the general manager,” Elias added.

To what does he owe his success?

“As long as youre patient. You love what you’re doing.

You will have success. Don’t miss the chances. Give

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your best on a daily basis. Don’t give up. Learn from your downs and ups. This is the main requirements of any success anywhere, I think.

“But in our career, because our product is not physical, we offer only service. Service is about feelings. We need to get the guests feeling happy, feeling that he is really being treated well.

“And it’s about making a good impression and listening to the guests – we don’t call them customers. They are our guests,” Elias said.

During his free time, which happens rarely, Elias said he spends moments with his two-year-old daughter the football it is or the sea.

“For the past one year and half, I was just staying here in the hotel. This work is occupying, I would say, majority of my free time. I’m fan of football’ I watch a lot of football, so I follow football teams. Aside from that, weekends… I’m a water lover so I spend some time on the water, the beach, or whatever type of water activities, and remaining of the free time, I go back here to check how things are moving,” Elias said.

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Man at the helm Colm McLoughlin has been with Dubai Duty Free (DDF) from day one.

Under his watch for the past 37 years since its inception in 1983, DDF has gone through phenomenal growth, becoming one of the leading airport retailers in the world with annual sales turnover of over US$2 billion in 2019; and a recipient of over 700 awards from international, regional and local entities, bearing testimony to its retail success story.

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‘Our Chairman, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, is a superstar and gives so much support to our business. Within our company, we have tried to build a family-oriented team. We value our staff and ensure they are fully trained for the job. I think they are the main reasons for our continued success.’

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olm McLoughlin, Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, is a man widely respected across the UAE’s business community – and for obvious reasons: Under his direction, DDF has become one of the leading airport retailers in the world, with annual sales turnover of over US$2 billion in 2019, and a recipient of over 700 awards presented by international, regional and local entities, which bear testimony to its retail success.

“Our Chairman, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, is a superstar and gives so much support to our business. I also think we do our marketing as well as anybody in the duty free industry and we have the greatest team of staff in the whole industry,” says Mr. McLoughlin.

“Within our company,” he added, “we have tried to build a family-oriented team. We value our staff and ensure they are fully trained for the job. I think they are the main reasons for our continued success.”

He also takes pride in sharing that 43 percent of DDF’s staff are Filipinos, recalling how, in the early days of DDF, he went to the Philippines to scout for people to bring on board.

Mr. McLoughlin also explained that DDF introduced a system 20 years ago regarding internal promotions.

“We do not fill senior positions from outside,” he said.

“All our positions in DDF that are of senior in nature are people who have gone through our system and get trained then promoted in-house. Many of our senior positions – supervisor, merchandisers and shift managers are Filipinos,” he added.

and tennis and went on to play rugby for Co. Galway.

The DDF recorded first-year sales of US$20 million and has grown into one of the biggest travel retail operators in the world with sales turnover of over US$2 billion in 2019, he said.

“Over the years, Dubai Duty Free has developed into a complete shopping experience, offering customers over thousands of brands. Its founding principal of providing travelers with a first-class retail experience in a shopper-friendly environment and a diverse range of products still holds true to this day,” said Mr. McLoughlin, who has over 70 awards under his belt.

Journey

Footfall

Mr. McLoughlin journey at DDF began in 1983 when the Government of Dubai and Aer Rianta in Ireland did a contract to send a team of people to set up a Duty Free at Dubai Airport.

“I was one of a team of 10 people who came here.

During that period, which was supposed to be a sixmonth term, I was asked if I would stay and run the Dubai Duty Free.

“I took up a two-year contract 37 years ago because I was impressed with Dubai’s commitment to make Dubai Duty Free the best in the world and I’ve been here ever since,” said Mr. McLoughlin, who was born in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, Ireland in 1943, attended the village’s Boy’s National School and Garbally College, where he excelled in sport, including hurling

Covid challenge Perhaps the most challenging part was when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

“Last year was different as you are aware. Business dropped last year versus 2019. Last year, our sales went down versus 2019 by 64%. In 2019, we had a revenue for the year of AED7.4 billion.

“In 2020 our revenue for the year was AED2.5 billion.

We are expecting an increase this year. We are expecting our sales this year to reach about AED2.6 billion. It is beginning to recover and it is occurring very well. This year is doing very good and we are very happy to say that,” said Mr. McLoughlin, who began his retailing career in London in the 1960’s working for the popular high-street chain of Woolworths, before moving back to Ireland to work for Shannon Duty Free where he was general manager at when he moved to Dubai in 1983.

Airport duty free shops depend on passenger footfall.

Mr. McLoughlin said Dubai International Airport is experiencing a comeback in terms of arrivals.

“In 2019, there were 89 million passengers thru Dubai airport. In 2020, there were 22 million. And at the beginning of this year, it’s about the same and it is beginning to grow. We are expecting a little bit more than 22 million this year. The forecast for this year is 28 million.

“We have had to introduce cost-cutting and so on to try to make our business better, and it is paying off. We are keeping our fingers crossed,” said Mr. McLoughlin, who also is a single handicap golfer.

He said it could take “between two and three years to get back to 2019 levels.”

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Silver lining For the moment though, the clouds are showing silver linings.

“What we have found this year – and it is very positive – is that although the traffic is not coming back as quickly, the people who were shopping were shopping bigger than previously.

“We have a measurement we do on the value of sale (VOS) per head. The VOS per head this year versus the previous couple of years has gone from $39 to $58.

They are spending more,” said Mr. McLoughlin, a keen philanthropist, who established the Dubai Duty Free Foundation in 2004 and has since supported 45 local and 56 overseas charities.

He said one possible reason for the spending behavior is that people “were dying to travel as they haven’t done so for a long time.”

“So, they are using the opportunity to buy what they consider as bargain. Also, because the traffic is low, there is more space, more room, more time for them to wander around. It is a very positive thing and we are very happy about it,” said Mr. McLoughlin.

Expo 2020 The Expo 2020 which kicked off this month, will factor in.

“We are delighted to see Expo 2020 going ahead. We have been advised that 192 countries have registered to take part,” Mr. McLoughlin said. Organizers said that up to 25 million people are expected to be at Expo 2020 Dubai for the international event’s six-month duration, of which 17 million are international visitors.

“As an airport retail partner, we opened an Expo2020 Official Store in Concourse B of Dubai International Airport. Offering an array of event-branded gifts, souvenirs and memorabilia which are also available across all DDF shops and online through our Home Delivery and Click & Collect service. While an Irish Village (part of DDF Leisure) was built next to the Ireland Pavilion,” he said.

All said DDF can rest easy in the hands of a man widely considered as an institution in Dubai.

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‘What we have found this year – and it is very positive – is that although the traffic is not coming back as quickly, the people who were shopping were shopping bigger than previously. The value of sale (VOS) per head this year versus the previous couple of years has gone from $39 to $58. They are spending more.’

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‘I wanted to be financially independent and get dad retired.’

-- Karen Winola Barboza

“

I visited Dubai once as a kid, and I’ve seen the city develop from just plain sandy areas to having magnificent skyscrapers. That’s when working in Dubai was always a dream for me.

“My father worked in the UAE for nearly 15 years.

Seeing him travel back to Dubai after holidays always broke my heart. My mission in life was set right there: I wanted to be financially independent and get dad retired, so I can have him back and happy with family in India,” says Karen Winola Barboza of Mumbai in India, moved to Dubai in 2018 to pursue her “mission.” She was just two years fresh out of college then.

“I graduated in 2016 with no idea whatsoever to

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do in life. While most of my friends travelled to other countries to study further with an aim to settle down, I knew my family couldn’t really afford the same.

“I took a call to move to the UAE in 2018. In these 3 years, my entire life changed and transformed in ways I could never have imagined. It’s been a thrilling, challenging, amazing time, and I am so proud to call this country my home. A big thank you to my parents and bosses for being so supportive and for instilling me with a strong passion for learning and for doing everything possible to put me on the path to success,” Karen says.

She is currently working as a marketing executive.

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“The list goes on when one asks how I have fun in Dubai. I just try to explore new places, meet people of different nationalities, learn about their journeys in the UAE. That itself is quite a fun experience. I love soaking up at the beach, going on long walks and yes splurge a little extra on shopping,” Karen says.

“I love it that I have a great degree of control and freedom within my job. I work full-time on a flexible schedule, both in and out-of-office, and my boss trusts me to produce high-quality work and results.

I work hard to maintain that level of trust, which keeps me engaged and excited — but at the same time, I love that my job enables me to love and enjoy my other passions in life,” she adds.

‘I love creating new dishes and playing with the flavours of Spain.’

– Chef Daniel

“

The Spanish people, in general, are passionate about food, so a career in the culinary field has always been an obvious choice,” said Daniel Pérez Delgado, head chef at Lola Taberna Española’s in Dubai’s Barsha Heights.

“In Spain, if you want to work while studying, there are plenty of restaurants to get the experience to apply and enhance the skills quickly,” Chef Daniel, who is from from Jerez de La Frontera and has been in Dubai for the past eight years.

Lola Taberna Española’s innovative menu, offering an exciting and modern take on the Spanish classics, is the work of the hugely talented Chef Daniel.

Passionate about food, the Spanish native realized at a young age that a career in the culinary field was the obvious choice.

In 2002, after completing his formal education in Andalusia, southern Spain, he immediately started his professional career. Working in

several restaurants throughout the country, Daniel sharpened his skills in various cuisines, determined to modernize traditional dishes and showcase the phenomenal produce of Southern Spain.

In 2013 Daniel relocated to the UAE and played a pivotal role in the opening of two restaurants, Chamas, a Brazilian churrascaria, and French restaurant, Oscar’s Vine Society.

Keen to return to his Spanish culinary roots, he joined the acclaimed restaurant El Sur at the Westin Hotel Mina Seyahi in 2015. Over the course of his four-year tenure, he successfully led the kitchen team, the operations, and was instrumental in crafting the award-winning menus of this renowned restaurant. He then moved to Zuma Dubai and later to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, two prestigious brands in the UAE. “Dubai has treated me so well since I came. It has been my second home. I have gained a lot of excellent experience here. I also met my family here; I have two kids who go to school. In addition,

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I have formed a friendship with the Latino and Spanish communities. I am very fortunate to have landed jobs that I loved doing and found employers who support their team. In Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities. You just need to work hard,” says Chef Daniel.

His life philosophy: “Enjoy the simple things in life and be humble.”

“Live by the day. Every day is a new day to create an experience, make people happy, and make the most of what you have. Always put your heart into what you do because guests will taste the food that is cooked with love. Some of the Spanish dishes like the paella take time to cook, we can’t rush it, but as soon as it gets served on the table, you will know that it’s authentic by the taste.

“There’s a saying that “Mama’s food is always the best.” Why? Because it was made with love, so that’s what we do at Lola. Our food is always cooked with love,” Chef Daniel said.

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‘Japanese food need not be pricey to enjoy.’

– Executive Chef Shinya Hongo

Born in Tokyo, Chef Shinya is the man in the kitchen at Maru Udon restaurant which specializes in Japanese street food.

E

xecutive Chef Shinya Hongo, born in Tokyo, has seen a lot of the world, having travelled with his father to the US mainland, India and the US State of Hawaii. He arrived in Dubai some six years ago, seemingly on a mission.

“Japanese restaurants are very expensve or highend,” Chef Shinya tells Dubai Vibes Magazine. “You need to pay a lot of money for Japanese food. My owner said he wanted it to be more like good-priced street food and so we opened this restaurant,” he added, referring to Maru Udon Restaurant.

“Udon means Japanese streetfood noodle. Maru means circle,” Chef Shinya said.

Authentic, affordable and fresh, Maru Udon brings an

extensive menu of both traditional, Udon dishes and ramen-style dishes with full topping where customers can experience an explosion of taste and texture in a cosy, welcoming ambience.

“We imported an udon machine,” Chef Shinya said, to ensure fresh noodles every day. “We have two branches – one in Business Bay and the other in Ghurair Mall – and we are planning to open one more. We are also going to expand to other Middle East countries,” the chef added.

Chef Shinya said they decided to open their kind of Japanese restaurant in Dubai because “there is a lot of different nationalities here and they all need to experience new food.”

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Chris and Thomas: On a mission to save lives Chris Leighton, left, and Thomas Day, right, co-founders of AirZones, share how they plan to do so.

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“It wasn’t until we were discussing where to meet for an evening meal with our children, though, that the solution dawned. Understanding the importance of clean air, we had no idea where to book a table; which restaurants were healthy and which weren’t. We can see through the customer satisfaction rating, price, the menu and pictures of the place, but nothing about the health, cleanliness or air quality, yet we knew, if we could, it would significantly influence our buying decision.

premises are motivated and driven to invest in the clean air technology… Ultimately, we unlock the market.

We don’t sell the tech, we don’t sell the solutions, we drive the market and the spend, which in turn allows the money to be invested and for everyone to start breathing cleaner, healthier air.

“As for how far we’ve gone, we’ve signed partnerships across all the main verticals now, from hotels, to restaurants, café to schools and gyms. Now we start to scale across these, driving customer interest and bringing healthier air to all – this is where it gets exciting as we start to impact the lives of many, many people,” Chris said.

Both the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) regard air pollution as the greatest environmental threat to humanity, citing it as being responsible for over seven million deaths a year.

play in our built environment.

“Arguably, there’s no greater mission that can have a bigger impact on not only our own health today, but also for the health of our children,” Chris said.

Chris and Tom went to primary school together. “So we learned to read together, now we’re aiming to save the world together,” said Chris.

After school, Tom earned a bachelor of science in estate surveying, while Chris studied mechanical engineering. Both ended up doing MBAs later in life.

Sharing their life’s journey, Chris said: “Growing up in the north of the UK, we were always outside, summer was biking and running, winter was rugby – and strangely this inspires us even today. The air quality we took for granted should be what we all breathe, the smells from nature, not the artificial chemical smells we get from a can.

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ir quality is an elephant in the room – especially in the Middle East, where old or unclean air conditioning systems can give rise to a host of health issues, say Chris Leighton and Thomas Day, both from the UK, and co-founders of AirZones, which sort out indoor air quality in the region, with a simple, cost-effective solution, now available to all.

“Working in the property and real estate business, we were frustrated by how slowly the industry was adopting the new technology and solutions that are coming to market and making a real difference to air quality yet are commonly ignored,” recalls Chris.

“It wasn’t until we were discussing where to meet for an evening meal with our children, though, that the solution dawned. Understanding the importance of clean air, we had no idea where to book a table; which restaurants were healthy and which weren’t. We can see through the customer satisfaction rating, price, the menu and pictures of the place, but nothing about the health, cleanliness or air quality, yet we knew, if we could, it would significantly influence our buying decision.

“We founded AirZones to tie these two together. If we can significantly influence customers’ buying behavior, with a simple star rating for indoor air quality, then we drive traffic and spend. This in turn motivates the market to adjust and commercial

“Think for a minute about how careful you are about what you drink, you would never drink ‘dirty’ water.

Yet, the air we breathe, some 11,000 litres a day (that’s roughly 10,997 litres more than the volume of water we drink each day), is circulated through every major organ in our body within seconds of passing our lips – and we mostly ignore it!” said Chris.

It’s the invisible pollutants in the air that are responsible for far more than lung disease, with the latest research showing head-to-toe harm, including heart disease, diabetes, dementia, liver problems, bladder cancer and brittle bones, he further said.

“Fertility, the development of fetuses, miscarriages as well as children’s brain development have all been shown to be affected by common airborne pollutants – pollutants found every day in homes, restaurants, hotels, offices… in fact, everywhere we live, work and w w w. d u b a i v i b e s m a g a z i n e . a e |

“After university we both travelled then started on the corporate ladder, working in the real estate and construction sectors. It wasn’t until I became a dad that the world shifted, from being head-down and driven by the next opportunity, I became far more concerned with the future of our planet and what we are all doing to it.”

“We only launched AirZones in Dubai this year, so the plan for the rest of 2021 and 2022 is to expand across the UAE and truly make a difference to the air quality that we all breathe.

“We believe we have created a business and a tool that is truly making a difference to indoor air quality across Dubai, so why not make it available for everyone?

We’re on a mission to saves lives by making clean, safe and healthy indoor air a reality for everyone, everywhere,” Chris said.

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DUBAI EXPAT STORIES

‘I had always felt like I wanted to be an expat.’

- Stephanie-Alexandra Chartier

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Stephanie-Alexandra Chartier, head of Central Marketing at Wafi Group, said she has always loved the notion of discovery, adventure, meeting new people, and being challenged by new ideas and cultures.

Do you have an interesting story or experience to share? Send it over to this address: contributions@ dubaivibesmagazine.ae

“

I have learned that in life, things are not always easy, but there is always a better version of me at the end of any challenging journey,” says Stephanie-Alexandra Chartier, head of Central Marketing at Wafi Group.

“I had always felt like I wanted to be an expat. I cannot say that I always knew it was going to be in Dubai. But I can say for certain that I always loved the notion of discovery, adventure, meeting new people, and being challenged by new ideas and cultures,” StephanieAlexandra, born and raised in Montréal, Canada, said.

She says she lives a simple philosophy in life: “Treat everyone with kindness and equality. Forgive. Never stop learning. Take that risk and be bold. Smile.”

“After graduating from Concordia University with a degree in International Business, I was hired by three young real estate entrepreneurs with an incredible vision. They worked with purpose and passion, that inspired me to do the same. I worked hard and learned a lot.

“My career progressed and I am proud to have had the opportunity to lead the marketing for many iconic projects in Montréal and across Canada. Working for real estate giant Ivanhoe Cambridge, I honed by skills in the shopping mall industry, winning 10 marketing and innovation awards along the way. It was then when I decided that I wanted to realize my dream of becoming an expat! And what better place to apply my skills and challenge myself in the field of real estate than Dubai?

“Over the last seven years I have had the opportunity to work on some incredible projects and alongside some wonderful people, changing the landscape of UAE with new developments, and through innovation, reimagining the future of shopping centers and retail.

I am proud to have worked on Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi where I spent four years as marketing director for the project under development, and now for the iconic Wafi Group,” Stephanie-Alexandra shares.

activation that had been deployed in 2019. It had been quite successful, and we wanted to bring it back bigger and better! It is a great opportunity for children to learn about science while having a great time. There are plenty of prizes to be won and the grand prize is a trip for 4 to the London Science Museum,” she said.

Wafi City has recently added many new elements to its offering including: the stunning Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk which offers unparalleled hospitality and fine dining, and the first of its kind VOX Cinemas and Magic Planet combination, where The Spotlight at Wafi City offers a truly unmatched VIP cinema experience complete with a dedicated valet car park and stunning design.

To launch in the new year, AYA will be the first of its kind in the world. In short it is an immersive, projectionmapped space, with mirrored walls, where visitors use their gestures or their voice in some cases to alter the visual systems around them and generate digital creatures. The 40,000 sq. ft. sensory experience will entertain children, teens and adults alike.

All said, Stephanie-Alexandra said she is also “ very keen to visit Montréal to see family and friends I have not seen in over two years.”

“I am also eager to start traveling again. I am very passionate about travel, and I can’t wait to continue checking destinations off my list!” she said.

Currently, Stephanie-Alexandra said she is focused on Wafi’s trajectory. And this involves the much talkedabout Wonderlab.

“Wonderlab is a new and improved version of an

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DUBAI EXPAT STORIES

Elinor’s ‘lightbulb’ moments

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The founder of Olew Hair, a vegan friendly, natural hair care product brand, shares her life journey.

“

I have had many ‘lightbulb’ moments,” says Elinor Davies-Farn, founder of Olew Hair, a vegan friendly, natural hair care product brand.

“I’ve worked for BMW in Park Lane, London – I worked with VIP clients, from football players, golfers to other celebrities. I worked long hours (sometimes over 14 hour days), granted I had a good wage and a brand new BMW every 9 months. I always worked beyond what was expected of me and one morning, I was 15 minutes late due to traffic and I was told off like a child; with no remorse or recollection that I was always one of the first ones in and last out. That was the first,” she recalls.

“The second was when a colleague saw me (a senior manager) with my hair scraped back into a plait one day and said: ‘Oh that looks so much more professional, you should do that more often.’

And I thought, ‘How dare you, how dare you judge my professionalism based on my hair.” And then I realized, ‘Oh gosh, how many other women and men have had these comments said to them? What can I do to help with this?’”

Telling herself she has had enough after spending four years in the corporate world, Elinor went on her own.

“I had no plan, just a determination to be my own boss and work my own hours and do what I want as well as help other girls, women and men fall in love with their natural hair and feel confident in their own skin.

Something I wish I had growing up,” Elinor said.

“Olew was born out of the frustration at the lack of natural hair care products available for my mane.

Combined with my extensive research into the harmful chemicals and preservatives that are a mainstay of many of the products available on the market.

“I used to straighten my hair twice a day, I used to hate my natural curls. Looking back, I had no confidence growing up because I was so obsessed with my hair being straight. I never thought it looked pretty. Then one day during a month-long tour of Spain during the university summer holidays in 2012, I ditched the straighteners. It was a revelation. I thought to myself ‘What have I been doing all my life? I’m never doing this again.’

“But my hair was damaged from years of treatments and so I started mixing up my own treatments after months of classes and research to find the right product to help with growth and repair, and that’s when Olew was born,” Elinor said.

Olew has had its share of birth pains.

“I was working for another start-up while also building my brand and had handed my notice in at the beginning of 2020 – and my last day was March 5, 2020 just as London was going into a lockdown. I was so scared. The other job had given me a crash financially as I was not taking any money out of Olew at the time. I thought, nobody is going to want to purchase hair products in lockdown and a global pandemic- I have really messed up this time, I cried for a whole day and felt sheer panic as I thought, how am I even going to pay my bills next month,” she said.

“I think this fear helped push me into a mode I had never reached before. And of course, when it rains it pours. At the same time, I had sent thousands of products to Belgium as we were going to a curly hair festival to be one of the main sponsors in March, and of course it was cancelled and my entire stock was in Belgium.

“Due to the pandemic, naturally, the shipping costs to get the products sent back tripled and I had no stock - the stock I did have in the UK were in my fulfilment center which had now been closed and nobody could access it. So I was totally stuck. After much deliberation I took the plunge and paid for the astronomical fees to get my products shipped to my flat in London and of course, the products arrived and a huge number of them were damaged or broken or had leaked over the other products. I vividly remember sitting on the floor opening each booth and just my hands covered in glass and product and the tears came rolling down my face again!” Elinor said.

She managed to pull through.

These days, Elinor gets her motivation looking through all of her brand’s five-star reviews and messages from customers who comment on how Olew hair has helped with their self-confidence and loving their natural hair again.

“It just fills me up with so much joy,” she says, adding that happiness is also derived “remembering that I set my own hours and have nobody to answer to.”

Her advice: “Don’t compare your journey to others, stay focused on your own journey and stay true to yourself and what you are doing.”

Elinor was recently named as a leading 2020 “30 under 30” female entrepreneur.

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DUBAI EXPAT STORIES

‘You cannot conquer a mountain in a day.’

-- Dr. Shahzadi Saba Dr. Shahzadi Saba, who is from Pakistan, has some words of wisdom to share for the to youth. Find out in this good read article.

Do you have an interesting story or experience to share? Send it over to this address: contributions@dubaivibesmagazine.ae

D

r. Shahzadi Saba, specialist in family medicine Golden Sands Medical Centre in Abu Dhabi, which is managed by NMC, recalls how she had her ups and downs in Saudi Arabia during her first overseas post years ago.

“When I started my professional life there were a lot of challenges – first was the language barrier and the difference in the culture. Even the nature of the diseases were different from my country,” said Dr. Shahzadi, who was born and raised in Pakistan.

“But with the passage of time, when I finally learned about the language and the culture, things started to be easy,” she added.

In a way, Dr. Shahzadi, her experiences in Saudi Arabia prepared her for her next task: work in the United Arab Emirates – a multi-ethnic expatriate country, where there are even more cultures to understand, not to mention language issues.

Having been focused on her job, Dr. Shahzadi wish that NMC expands Golden Sands Medical Centre’s operation to start academic courses for the youth.

“One of my calling is teaching to motivate the young ones,” she said.

Speaking of the youth, here is her advice: “I think what is lacking among the youth is planning. Without planning you cannot succeed. There is no shortcut to success. Plan realistically. There is no shortcut to success.

“Do it step by step. You cannot conquer a mountain in a day.”

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Great coffee… great ambiance…they go together.

-- Mansour Talal Bakheet

‘I wanted to create a impression on having enough space and a great coffee experience.’

“

I started my design studio right after I graduated,” says Mansour Talal Bakheet, born in Saudi Arabia. “Design is the most interesting thing for me as a job. Be it designing a new restaurant or a new office. It has an interesting challenge. It gives me excitement,” he added.

“I like to have positive impact through design – it gives me a medium to express myself and address daily issues like access to good quality coffee in your neighborhood. That’s how Qahwaty Café was born.

“I love coffee. My brother loves coffee. It’s like a joint effort. I love Arabic calligraphy. I love culture. I wanted to create an impression in having enough space and a great coffee experience and that’s what happened: I brought the space; he brought the coffee experience,” Mansour said.

He said they decided to open their unique coffee shop in Dubai because the city is “one of the easiest place to start a business.”

“There is availability of opportunities,” he said.

Mansour said all it takes to run a business is passion. “If you are passionate, you can figure it out because business involves a lot of challenges and if you are passionate, you can go through it.”

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