#MeetTheMedia Lisa Imogen Eldridge

Meet Lisa Imogen Eldridge. Her rally cry is maximum adventure, minimum impact.

Lisa, tell us about yourself.

I am a travel journalist and an award-winning travel blogger. Since the age of 21, I have been traveling, working and living abroad. And have lived in several countries including Australia, Colombia, Spain and Dubai. My aim is to visit every country in the world in my lifetime and I hope that I can achieve this goal.  

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the south of England; in a small seaside village with a dream to become a journalist and learn more about society and the rest of the world. 

How did you get your start in the media?

At the age of 31 I completed a degree in magazine and newspaper journalism and worked for free for 2 years in my spare time, building up my writing portfolio. I then pitched to a travel website and landed my first paid assignment. Since then I have been published in various magazines and travel websites and am proud of what I have achieved. 

What story or stories are you most proud of?

Eleven years ago, I created Girl about the Globe, an award-winning blog for conscious solo female travellers, empowering women to travel solo and helping vulnerable girls about the globe. I’m really proud of the brand and community that I have created and I recently won the Travolution, Champions of Content award for my blog!

My mission is to educate and entertain people and show them a different side of the world through my writing. I travel the world visiting local projects and writing about issues affecting vulnerable girls in the country. I’m most proud of my story on visiting a refugee camp in Lebanon. 

Finish this sentence: If I am not reporting, I am…

If I am not reporting, I am travelling to emerging destinations, learning more about the countries and meeting the locals. Living in the UAE gives me the opportunity to see more of the Middle East and promote these countries to solo female travellers who may feel intrepid about travelling to them alone. And it means that I am close to my favourite landscape; the desert.

What’s next?

My dream is to create a non profit organisation to help provide hope and trauma care to children affected by conflict. I am currently in the process of this and excited about my vision for 2024.  

Connect with Lisa here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/girlabouttheglobe/

#MeetTheMedia Rob Chilton

Meet Rob Chilton.

I’m a journalist, copywriter and broadcaster with 25 years’ experience in London, New York and Dubai. I started in showbiz journalism which was relentlessly competitive, fun and very addictive. After taking a year-long career break in my mid 30s – which I spent backpacking around the world –  I moved to Dubai and accidentally ended up writing in the luxury sector, which I love. I’m very lucky in that my work never feels like work.

What types of stories, trends or issues are on your radar now?

I cover anything and everything in the lifestyle sector, which means watches, cars, food and drink, travel, fashion, hotels, grooming, plus some sport - all the fun stuff. When you’re writing about luxury, I think it’s important to uncover the story behind the expensive object. It’s very easy to be distracted by the shiny thing and forget the amazing skill, knowledge, history, and craftsmanship that has gone into making it.

Describe one of the wackiest proposals/ideas you’ve been sent.

“Come and try an ice bath with some sound healing.” Ice bath, no thanks. Sound healing, I was intrigued.

What elements or characteristics do you look for in a story?

Since I started in journalism in 1997 I was always taught one simple thing: what’s the story? Finding an angle has remained the starting point for any work I do. Basically, it all boils down to whether this a story you’d rush to tell your mates in the pub, or one that’d you tell at a dinner party. Is it interesting? Is it surprising? Is it thought-provoking? If it’s an interview, I have to like the person if it’s going to create a good article. The easiest – and quickest – stories to write are ones that come from the heart. I love it when stories just fall onto the page.

What story or stories are you most proud of?

I honestly still get a thrill to have anything published. I never cease to be amazed that people pay me money to write things in magazines and say things on TV and radio. Writing for the likes of GQ, Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar is an honour but my career highlight so far was having three stories published in Time magazine in 2022, something I plan to bore my grandchildren about when I’m an old man.

Tell us about your dream assignment.

The assignments that sent me abroad are the ones that stick in the mind. A classic car show in India with Cartier, driving an Aston Martin around Monte-Carlo, trying on Audemars Piguet watches in Tokyo, and a luxury detox cleanse in Bali were amazing. Interviewing Jessica Simpson in her hotel room in New York was pretty memorable, too. If any commissioning editors are reading this and they need someone to spend a month in California on a gastronomic road trip, I am available.

Where did you grow up?

Reading, England. Also the birthplace of Kate Winslet, Kate Middleton and Ricky Gervais (that’d be a good dinner party).

How did you get your start in the media? What is your story?

I did unpaid work experience at loads of magazines in London for about a year in 1997 - before mobile phones. Then somebody suggested I go see Ian Abbott on the news desk at TV Times magazine. We had a chat and got on well. I asked him if he wanted to see my CV, he laughed and said, ‘See you Monday morning.’ After a few months of work experience there, he gave me my first job and set me on my way.

Finish this sentence: If I am not reporting, I am…

Reading books, watching movies, listening to Led Zeppelin or Massive Attack depending on my mood, drinking tea and eating too many biscuits, swimming, getting a haircut, spending time with my daughters which usually involves swimming, doing jigsaws, reading books and making scrambled eggs (not all at the same time).

Favorite local restaurants or other places to hang out?

My wife and I love going to Mythos in JLT for a cosy dinner. Tashas on Al Wasl Road is also a family favourite, as is Señor Pico on Palm West Beach. For a special treat, I never get tired of going to LPM, Cipriani, Zuma, Mimi Kakushi and Il Borro. The most beautiful place in Dubai? Without doubt, The Arts Club.

Tell us a little about yourself.

The first thing people tend to notice about me is that I’m tall - six foot five. I’m English, an Arsenal fan, an optimist, I love talking to people and asking questions.

Find out more about Rob here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-chilton-3bb30531/.

#MeetTheMedia Mario Volpi

Meet Mario Volpi.

I’ve been writing about real estate for the last 15 years in the Emirates, mainly discussing stories from Dubai where I give my take on any breaking story or a real estate trend. My experience helps me to give my opinion, which often helps the reader make up their mind, especially if the story is about a specific project.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Southwest London, UK arriving from Italy after my father got a job in the aviation sector.

How did you get your start in the media?

In 2013, I was approached by The National newspaper to write a property column called Homefront where I would answer real estate related questions, especially about renting in Dubai. This I thought was a gig that would last 3 to 6 months at best, in fact 10 years later, the column is still going strong and I’m still busy informing residents of their rental rights both for tenants and landlords, in fact any real estate scenarios including sales information on future projects or technical questions regarding the sales process too. In addition to my column and other articles written over the years, you will find my dulcet tones on the Dubai property podcast which I appear in six times a month. This is an informative podcast that I have been contributing to since January 2023. I also regularly contribute to radio shows such as the Business Breakfast, Afternoons with Helen Farmer and The Agenda all on Dubai Eye 103.8 FM.

What do you do when you are not reporting?

If I’m not reporting, I’m advising on REAL ESTATE to my 100 strong team.

Favorite local restaurants or other places to hang out?

My favourite place to hang out is JBR. I call it the centre of the universe. Real Estate is all I know, I’m currently the Senior Director at AX Capital and work out of the Media city office in Concord Tower.

2024 will be a special year for me as this will be the 40th anniversary of me being in Real Estate!

Connect with Mario at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-volpi/.

#MeetTheMedia Heba Hashem

Meet Heba Hashem.

What types of stories are on your radar now?

At the moment, I’m covering the developments at COP28, the UN climate summit in Dubai. I’ve also just written about how universities in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar are addressing sustainability.

Describe one of the wackiest ideas you’ve been sent.

I was once asked by Aston Martin magazine to interview a Bedouin “horse whisperer” who lived in the UAE desert. So I drove out there and met the man. He was sophisticated, well-travelled, and chose to settle in the peace of the desert. And he had an extraordinary ability to quickly tame and train even the wildest of horses.

What elements do you look for in a story?

A great interview is at the heart of every great story. To do that, I try to have a candid conversation. I’m genuinely interested in where they come from, how they made it, and what keeps them up at night. Plus, lots of facts and figures to add credibility to the piece.

What stories are you most proud of?

I feel lucky to have interviewed many remarkable people over the years, including the UAE’s Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazrouei; English actor Dev Patel, who shot to fame with Slumdog Millionaire; and Sheikha Alyazia Bint Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family and a contemporary artist, at her palace. They were all down to earth and immensely inspiring.

Tell us about your dream assignment.

I’d be overjoyed to write about the Greenlandic Inuit, the indigenous people of Greenland. I’ve been there three times and have a special connection with this place.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up between Cairo, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Now I live in Canada.

How did you get your start in the media? What is your story?

Magazines have always fascinated me. The visuals, features, everything. I did my BA in media and communications at Middlesex University, obtained a freelance license from Dubai Media City, and started freelance writing. Of course, it wasn’t that simple. At first, I offered to write for free and before you know it, I was getting paid.  What I love most about freelancing is that I’m forever learning about all sorts of topics, from nuclear energy to cosmetics to hospitality. There’s no limit. I also get to meet incredible people.

Favorite places to hang out?

Anywhere with a stunning view and a vegan menu!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a third-culture kid, I lived in many different places that I feel at home almost anywhere on earth.

Connect with Heba at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hebahashem/ and read her articles on https://hebahashem.com/.