{"id":21132,"date":"2019-06-24T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T16:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hearts-sciencecom.local\/?p=21132"},"modified":"2019-08-13T12:45:43","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T16:45:43","slug":"fadi-maktabi-shares-the-journey-of-hearts-science-in-dubai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearts-science.com\/es\/fadi-maktabi-shares-the-journey-of-hearts-science-in-dubai\/","title":{"rendered":"Fadi Maktabi shares the journey of Hearts & Science in Dubai"},"content":{"rendered":"

Catch the fire of growth in Dubai<\/b><\/h1>\n

The Dubai Hearts & Science office can be found just outside of downtown in a busy, oceanside business district. It\u2019s a fast-paced culture and not just because our Hearts have to hurry between one air-conditioned building to the next here to survive the warm summer months. <\/span><\/p>\n

Their connected team of 40 is led by Fadi Maktabi, general manager of the Hearts & Science Dubai office. He\u2019s been with the team since day one, back when there were only seven handpicked employees to start, and they\u2019ve almost grown to capacity in their existing space now. (Yay!)<\/span><\/p>\n

Fadi\u2019s journey to Hearts & Science<\/b><\/h2>\n

No stranger to media, Fadi has spent the last 14 years honing his craft across agencies at Omnicom Media Group (OMG). When OMG approached him at the Cannes Festival back in 2016 and offered him the job to open up a new office in Dubai, he was pleasantly surprised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fadi shares, \u201cWhen I got home, I did some research and absolutely loved the vision of the company. I\u2019d never managed a company before but decided to take a personal leap of faith and accept the offer. It\u2019s two years later now, and we\u2019ve accomplished great things as a team.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Mental health takes the front seat<\/b><\/h2>\n

Now, Fadi makes it his mission to create a culture in the Dubai office that feels like family. Everyone on the team have worked for years to build something from the bottom up. As a result, they\u2019ve created a uniquely supportive culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

One initiative Fadi is supporting this year is a focus on mental health. To kick off the opening workshop, Fadi asked the team, \u201cWho here has experienced or struggled with anxiety at work?\u201d Naturally, a few people quietly raised their hands. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fadi continued to share his own struggles with personal anxieties in the workplace and how he tackled them. When he repeated the question at the end of the workshop, nearly everyone sheepishly raised their hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of the difficulty in addressing mental health issues in the workplace is the stigma surrounding them. To open up the conversation, the Dubai office has run meditation sessions, supported gratefulness lists, introduced stress workshops and introduced mindfulness practices. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis initiative has really started to break down the stigma around mental health, specifically at work and how we approach people with tight deadlines and different opinions. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s refreshing to see how people are now approaching problems in the workplace. I\u2019ve seen it make a difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dubai through the eyes of what we hold dear<\/b><\/h1>\n

The objects in our lives hold meaning. There are stories behind them that bring back powerful memories, and the things in our offices are no different. <\/span><\/p>\n

In this regional spotlight series, we wanted to create a visual narrative of every office, so we asked each team to select five objects that have personal meaning in their space. Each of these objects tells a bigger story about the leadership style of the regional CEO, what they value, the culture of their office and of the global brand, too. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Back to his roots<\/b><\/h2>\n

Fadi actually began his career in media long before his first position within OMG. At 17, he started as a DVD sales representative for Virgin to make extra money. (We still remember DVDs, right?) The job had a monthly salary of $240 but represented so much more to Fadi.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis job came at a time in my life when I needed the independence of working and making my own decisions\u2026. When someone wants to buy a DVD, it\u2019s actually a really interesting activity. It taught me how to interact with people. Sales is a massive skill set that I was able to learn early on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So when Fadi\u2019s brother found this vest in the attic last year, he had it framed for him. Fadi now hangs it in his office as a reminder of how far he\u2019s come. In turn, the vest also has become a great conversation starter that allows Fadi to share what he has learned with his current employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A stolen record player<\/b><\/h2>\n

As many know, Fadi is an avid record collector with almost 800 records at home. One of the first things he ever brought into his office at Hearts & Science was his record player, along with a small stack of about 50 records.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Often heard from throughout his office, the music quickly became a team favorite. So much so, that when Fadi left for vacation one week, he came back to find it gone! His team had moved it into the common area and refused to give it back upon his arrival. (Can you blame them?)<\/span><\/p>\n

Fadi was elated to share his love of music with his team and has since found an antique 1920s portable record player for his own office. His team still knocks on his door occasionally to ask for a different record, Fadi obliges. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the top hits of the Dubai office. See anything you like? Come over for a listen!<\/span><\/p>\n