Issue 005 | October 2021
NOT JUST
ANOTHER
NEWSLETTER
Hello and welcome to the October issue of Tamimi Gram. This is your regular dose of getting to know your colleagues, feeling more connected and learning about each other. In this issue Matthew Heaton is answering 21 questions and in our Meet @ Tamimi segment, Zeeshan Butt is in the quick-fire questions hot seat. In the Where I Am From segment Katrin Villems-Charles introduces us to her Estonia. We have squash tips from a former professional player, and Rebecca Nakad shares her recipe for quick healthy cake and Shriya Sanjeev takes us on a tour of Cappadocia, Turkey. This time round we have a new segment called Tamimi Tots, can you guess your colleagues from their baby pictures? There’s loads more for you in this edition, so happy reading! The Tamimi Gram working group
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21 Questions with Matthew Heaton
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Meet @ Tamimi: Zeeshan Butt
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Did You Know?
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Where I Am From: My Estonia
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Health & Fitness: Squash
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Tamimi Cooks: Lazy Cake
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New Joiners
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My Travels: Cappadocia, Turkey
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Tamimi Tots
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LOL
Randa Fakhoury’s
Meet @ Tamimi get to know your colleagues
Matthew Heaton Zeeshan Butt Systems and Network Administrator, IT 1. If you couldn’t be Zeeshan Butt, who would you want to be (a celebrity) and why?
7. What is the most outrageous thing you did? Just say it don’t be shy
I have no desire to be anyone but myself this is a monumental mistake that will never allow a person to be truly happy, but if I were somehow forced into being a celebrity, I think I would choose to be Bill Gates. Why? I think Gates has impacted society in more ways than one. His philanthropic work is some of the greatest in the world.
Ring a stranger’s doorbell and then run away when I was a kid
2. Do you have any irrational fear? Losing someone who is important to me.
3. What is the best present anyone has ever gave you? Respect and love
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8. What is the one thing you like in Al Tamimi & Company, and one thing you love to change? Who is your favorite colleague?
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A great culture - a culture of support, a culture of taking calculated risk, culture of helping each other, a culture which supports new ideas, a mentoring culture. Good growth environment the leaders are inspiring. They clearly communicate their bold vision and inspires us to reach bigger goals. Besides you obviously Aijaz Anwar
In life, success or failure is momentary. But the everlasting component is what you learn in the journey leading to success or failure. When life shuts a door, open it. No harm. Doors work that way. Instead of worrying over the past, seize every moment and live life to the fullest. You don’t live once - You live every second, every minute and every moment!
Madina, Saudi Arabia 10. What is a good habit you are trying to adopt? Stop overthinking and live in the present! 11. Do you cook? A marvelous chef
5. If I find you in Starbucks one day, what would you be drinking? In a bar?
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6. EITHER /OR: Dog or cat person? And Beach trips or cities and site seeing. Dog and site seeing 4
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9. Best City you have visited?
4. Do you have any mantra you live by?
Caramel Macchiato, Pina colada
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12. Which show you are currently Binge watching? Money Heist, Season 5
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Most Americans spend on candy, decorations and costumes Trick-or-treating has existed since medieval times Back then, it was known as “guising” in Scotland and Ireland. Young people dressed up in costumes and went doorto-door looking for food or money in exchange for songs, poems or other “tricks” they performed. Today, the tradition has morphed into children to getting dressed up and asking for candy. Hardly anyone performs for their candy these days — a simple “thank you” will do.
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Many of us put our money where our mouth is when it comes to loving Halloween. The largest share goes toward candy, with 95 percent putting it in their carts, 75 percent planning on buying decorations and 65 percent shopping for costumes. Overall, Americans spent an average of $1,048 on winter holidays in 2019, if you’re wondering why we all tighten our belts in January.
The fastest pumpkin carving only took 16.47 seconds Stephen Clarke of New York holds the Guinness Book of World Records distinction, having carved his speedy lantern in October 2013. In order to nab the title, the jack-o’-lantern had to contain a complete face, including eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. No word on what the face’s expression had to be.
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rocks and countless seabirds who own the place. It is the sea the Vikings sailed. It is wild. It is stunning.
My Estonia
by Katrin Villems-Charles, Legal Assistant, Financial Crime
I come from a tiny country called Estonia, located in Northern Europe with a population of just 1,3 million people. We have our own language, which is unique as it is similar only to the Finnish language and no other nation can understand a word we say.
Spend a few hours on a wild beach. You will probably be the only person there. If you choose a hot Summer day with the wind blowing from the North, you might be able to go swimming (sea temperature is up to +25°C). #3 Tallinn old town This is probably the number one item in the official travel guides and quite rightly so. We usually rent an apartment via Air BnB or a hotel right in the middle of old town and just walk the streets and take photos. Every time I have to climb up to the viewing platforms and see if I can still find a street
We are known to the world as a start-up country where anyone can become an e-resident and set up a business in just a few minutes. At our Expo pavilion, all they talk about are the wonderful e-services that we can provide software for and that is all great, but that is not, in my opinion, the best part of Estonia.
that I have not been to before. There are several retro areas now recently developed in Tallinn and they are cool, but the old town is simply unique and in its own element and nothing can beat that. You do not need a plan for that day, you can just walk the streets all day long and perhaps try some traditional food at one of the many restaurants around-it is mostly German cuisine, what we consider ours, as most of our traditions and culture come from the hundreds of years of German occupation. So, sauerkraut and strudel are the staples on the Estonian traditional food menu. Also, the cheese and yogurt cakes are something of a specialty in Estonia- not as sweet and lighter in texture than the ones we are used to-they are definitely worth a try.
# 1 The absolute best part of Estonia is its nature
#4 Southern Estonia / kayaking
This Summer I was fortunate enough to catch a gap between the Covid waves and spent over two weeks at home. After nine years in the desert, nature is what I miss the most. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner outside every day and went for long walks in national parks hoping to eventually walk from the Northern coast to the most Southern tip of the country over the next few Summers.
Go visit the city of Tartu, our “university town”. It has a beautiful old town, a river running through the town center and a very different vibe from the capital city. While you are there though, spare half a day for a kayaking trip down one of the rivers in the area, preferably on River Ahja or River Võhandu. As we are calling ourselves e-Estonia, all info is available in several languages online https://www. visitestonia.com/en/).
Forest covers over 50% of Estonia’s territory. A fifth of it is already protected areas. Although the country is tiny, we have 3,794 km of coastline along the Baltic Sea, around 1500 lakes and abundant wildlife. On the trail to the most Southern tip, we happened across bear tracks. Fortunately, they were not fresh…
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So, rent a car and drive out to one of the national parks, pick up a trail (all you need to know is available in English at https:// www.loodusegakoos.ee/en) and after a few minutes, you will see life from a very different perspective. You will not want to leave, so take a picnic with you. You can pick your own desert – in July/August you will find plenty of wild blueberries, some strawberries and even raspberries.
# 5 Enjoy live music in the open air setting In the Summer, life is all outside. There are open air concerts, theatre and dance performances, and many different festivals taking place all over the country. The most magical concerts are held in the parks of old German manor houses or by a lake setting. There are classical, jazz, pop and folk to choose from (the last two are very eccentric, so best go with the first two). Tickets are available online of course: https://www.piletilevi.ee/eng/.
#2 Wild beaches Not many countries have any wild beaches left, but we do. The Baltic Sea is very different from the usual beach holiday destination ones. It is dark, powerful, cold and smells of seaweed, it has
Although Estonia can be very magical in the Winter season and Tallinn’s Christmas market is one of the best ones in Europe, I would not advise you to visit in the Winter. If you are lucky and it is snowy, it can be -30°C and even a fully down-lined skiing outfit will not save you then. Equally, the temperature can be as high as +5°C, but in Winter it is windy and rainy, and that feels somehow even worse than minus thirty. The best months to visit are June to August when it is hopefully sunny and temperatures range between 20-30°C. 9
Health & Fitness
Squash
by Zeina Makarem, Regional Marketing Manager, BD & Marketing
Squash, have you ever tried it? No?... I used to be a professional squash player – but more about that later. First let me introduce you to my sport. When it comes to sports, the majority of people are into football, basketball and tennis. If we talk about squash as an equally significant sport, this topic always strikes a chord. Squash is a fast-paced racquet sport most commonly played by two people on an indoor court using a squishy rubber ball. Over 20 million people play squash regularly worldwide. The sport continues to grow in popularity globally and is often short-listed for inclusion in the Olympics because of its intensity as a fast-driven nature. Despite all these positive factors, several people have never heard of squash and don’t understand how this sport compares to other sports. The Egyptians have been dominating the world of squash for some time, everyone is wondering what’s the secret formula behind this phenomenon. In today’s rankings 10 out of 20 top players in the world are Egyptian. The history of squash is pretty fascinating. It was first played in the mid-1800s by English schoolboys at the Harrow School, outside London. Gradually, the game caught on in popularity, and squash courts started sprouting around the world. Today there are several variations of squash, such as squash doubles and hardball squash, which was played widely in the US until the 1990s. There are also my kids’ squash rules, which involve rolling lots of balls around on the floor and chasing after them in all directions.
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In a recent study, Forbes Magazine named squash as the world’s healthiest sport, beating rowing, rock climbing, swimming, cross-country skiing, basketball, cycling, running, and boxing — now that’s distinguished company! The study looked at each sport’s impact on your endurance, strength and flexibility. Of course, the quality of your workout depends mostly on the effort you put into it, but this does give you an idea of the inherent physical benefits of playing squash. The rules of Egyptian squash tournaments allowed players to play more matches than in England and the US, giving the Egyptian players the privilege to be more experienced by playing five times more matches than their foreign competitors. The unique attacking playing style practiced in Egypt also made Egyptian players faster and ahead of their opponents that being said is another key factor that put Egyptians in the lead. Furthermore, I’m passionately speaking to you about Squash, because I used to be a professional squash player myself in my early teen years, but got a severe hamstring injury which led to my retirement. If you’re thinking of trying squash, here are my top five tips for you: 1. Make sure your grip is correct: You want to have a neutral grip that allows you to hit both the forehand and backhand from the same grip. There should be a V shape that runs between your thumb and forefinger, your forefinger should extend up the shaft of the racket giving you extra control of the racket head.
4. Link your movement to your shot. You want to step and hit so that your swing starts just as your foot plants in the lunge position. This helps create a balanced, stable position where a transfer of weight takes place through the shot. 5. Give yourself the best possible chance and don’t let the first game slip by as a result of not warming up properly. Hit the ground running and get yourself match ready for the word go. Watch our extensive guide to warming up and see your performance improve dramatically! 6. Make sure your serve hits the side wall. If you’re able to hit a high serve that hits the side wall before dropping into the back corner, you will cause your opponent lots of problems. The backhand volley is one of the most difficult shots in the game and serve gives you a real chance to put your opponent under lots of pressure from the first shot of the rally. 7. Play with the right ball for your level! There are different balls that bounce to varying degrees. The pro ball should only be played with when you can hit it hard enough to warm it up and make it bounce properly.
2. Lift your racket up on the way to the ball. As soon as you know which side the ball is going, take your racket head back so that by the time you arrive you are ready and in position to hit the ball. You will be amazed by how much time you have and the options you can create. 3. Keep your shoulders facing the side wall at the point of impact on both the forehand and backhand side. If you over rotate and end up facing the front wall you’ll most likely drag the ball into the middle of the court.
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“I wanted to crown my career after 15 years of practice in a top tier law firm with local roots and international exposure. I can confirm that this firm has it all! The high level of professionalism coupled with high standard of work ethics inherent to the Firm is second to none.
Lazy Cake by Rebecca Nakad, Associate, Arbitration Are you craving sweets on your diet but worrying to much about gaining weight? Don’t starve yourself! Just try out my recipe for a healthy and easy “Lazy Cake” for only 80 Kcal/piece. While everyone around us is obsessed with their diet and summer bodies, they tend to forget that being healthy is more essential. Maintaining a healthy diet while satisfying your taste buds with sweets keeps the body and muscles strong and, importantly, it keeps you happy!
“I joined the firm due to its exceptional |reputation in the legal market and for the opportunity to work within a dynamic and collaborative team. My first impressions – busy! However, I feel extremely lucky that the entire department has taken the time to provide the guidance and advice needed for me to settle into the role and positively contribute towards the firm’s growth.” Megan Tobella, Bids Manager, BD & Marketing
I was also very much impressed by the bulletproof standards and systems implemented within the firm. Joining Al Tamimi & Company is a major turning point in my career and I truly hope that I will look back one day and say that it was the beginning of a success story. ” Gretta Habib, Senior Associate, Corporate Structuring
Congratulations! Congratulations to Edmundo Cabading on achieving his Contract Express Advanced Author certification. Reacting to his certification, Ed said:
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2 Eggs
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½ Teaspoon of Lemon Zest
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4 Teaspoon of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
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3 Tablespoon of Light Milk Powder
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½ Cup of Brown Sugar
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100g of Light Plain Biscuits (usually tea biscuit)
Preparation 1.
In a pot, stir together the eggs, lemon zest, cocoa powder, milk powder and brown sugar at a medium heat, until a smooth chocolate sauce forms.
2. When the texture of ganache is ready, add the biscuit chunks and fold to combine. 3. Place the mixture in a cylinder shape on a sheet of aluminum foil or nylon foil and wrap it up a sausage shape. 4. Freeze it overnight 5. Cut in into slices (10 slices) and serve it with your choice of fruits
Bon Appétit! 12
“I recently achieved my certification as a Contract Express Advanced Author. Contract Express is a document automation program we have at the firm, it has been designed and developed by Thomson Reuters. I have been using the firms Contract Express platform since March 2019 and as I love coding I wanted to up skill my existing Contract Express knowledge and get certified. My certification as an advanced author has not only developed my coding skill set but it puts my name on a unique list of expert users. Attaining this certification means, I can continue to develop the document automation service we have at the firm and create dynamic documents that can be reviewed and actioned efficiently.” Edmundo Cabading, Document Automation Consultant
We also welcome the following to the firm:
Ingredients
Ali Zakaria
Senior Associate
DIFC
Aya Toutayo
Credit Controller
Sharjah
Ayman Sayed Haider
Trainee Lawyer
Bahrain
Deniz Ghazal
Senior PSL
DIFC
Jinan Abdalla Hariri
Secretary
Abu Dhabi
Lynsey Grossi
Senior Associate
DIFC
Nadine Gildeh
Associate
DIFC
Norah Al Henaki
Associate
Al Khobar
Petrinawaty Petra
Associate
Qatar
Sammy AlShatti
Associate
Kuwait
Suad Abdulla
Secretary
Qatar
Tamara Ghuneim
Trainee Lawyer
Kuwait 13
Cappadocia by Shriya Sanjeev, Brand and Creative Lead, BD & Marketing Nestled within the central Anatolian plains in Turkey, the otherworldly region Cappadocia (Kapadokya in Turkish) is a geological oddity imagined straight from a kid’s fairytale. The region famous for its surreal moonscape, dotted with fairy chimneys and monoliths, engulfed by pink and orange clouds at sunset with hundreds of hot air balloons is the stuff of psychedelic daydreams, picture David Bowie in a whimsical children’s book. Getting there The easiest way to get to Cappadocia is by air – carriers like Turkish Airlines and Pegasus both fly from Istanbul to Cappadocia, and the flight is just over an hour. You can pre-book a taxi or a shuttle service to take you from the airport to your cave hotel. Tip: April to May and September to October are the best times to visit, the weather is perfect for sightseeing, outdoor activities, and of course the famous hot air balloons. The troglodyte way of life Yabba Dabba Doo, the only way to stay in Cappadocia is like a flintstone in a cave. Cappadocia is saturated with cave hotels, so you are quite spoilt for choice, and options range
from your typical flintstone-like caves to 21st-century boutique fairy-chimney hotels i.e luxury caves. Sultan Cave Suites or Lunar Cappadocia (where we stayed) are highly recommended.
a remarkable bird’s eye view of Cappadocia’s undulating topography. The cerulean blue sky painted against an array of candy-like hot air balloons dotted across the moonscape made for the most magical fairytale setting – the pictures will give you a better idea. The hourlong flight ended with a traditional post-flight champagne toast and flight certificates.
Now that you’re here, what’s there to do?
Giddy-up, traveler
From visiting the fresco-adorned rock-cut churches of Göreme Open-Air Museum, catching the Cappadocian sunrise from a hot air balloon, hiking across the valleys or touring through the region on horseback, you can never be bored in Cappadocia.
The word Cappadocia itself means “Land of the Beautiful Horses”, and one of the best ways to explore the moonscape of
During my short two day trip I got to experience Cappadocia from up high at dawn and up close at dusk.
swiss cheese like monoliths erecting from the volcanic lava engulfed floorboard that made for an ideal terrain for exploring on horseback. Being a designer, I live and breathe colours, and in this instance, I saw every magnificent shade of orange and gold as it cascaded on to the rugged terrain, creating the most scenic sunset you could experience on horseback. You can say we rode off into the sunset
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Sky’s the limit Cappadocia is perhaps most famous for its sunrise hot air balloon tours, we booked ours with Turkiye Balloons Company, hot air balloon tour companies are dime a dozen in the region so it will be relatively easy to find one, but advance booking is ideal. Set your alarm for 4 am folks - this is going to be an early one. Our morning started well before dawn, we were picked up from out hotel at 4:45 am followed by a light breakfast spread at the company’s office location (transport and breakfast is usually included in the experience). After a hearty meal we headed to the takeoff site around 5:30am where dozens of balloons were being prepped for takeoff. Buckle up – its time for lift off. Even if you’re afraid of heights (like me), this is not a sight to miss. The sights, as if out of a postcard gave
Cappadocia is on horseback… I had my sights set out for Luke Skywalker – legend has it that Planet Tatooine in Star Wars was inspired by Cappadocia. The same late afternoon we ventured into the valleys with Cappadocia Horse Farm, recommended by our friendly cave hotel. The two hour horseback took us through the
All photos are by the author 15
Can you guess your colleague from their baby pictures?
HINT: This colleague is often referred to as the 'brand police'. If you're looking for them they w ill be working away from behind their Apple gadgets.
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What Do you call Witches that live together? “Broom” mates
2. What is a Ghost favourite pie? “Boo” berry pie. 3. What is a Mummies favourite type of Music: “W”rap 4. What do Skeleton say before dining? Bone Appetit
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5. Why is Dracula so unpopular? Because he’s a pain in the neck.
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If you have any suggestions or would like to contribute, please email a.joshi@tamimi.com 18