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The leaders of the UAE are leading by example when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing.
Yesterday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended a royal wedding virtually.

Celebrating the marriage in the Al Nayhan family, Sheikh Mohammed, along with others, witnessed the happy occasion via video call.
Sharing some photos of himself witnessing the ceremony, His Highness shared his congratulations to the Al Nayhan family on Twitter.

“While virtually participating in the wedding reception hosted by Al Nahyan family,” he said. “Congratulations to Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa. God bless them and bless the UAE people with happiness and joy.”

أثناء مشاركتي المرئية في عرس آل نهيان .. أبارك للشيخ طحنون بن زايد والشيخ سلطان بن خليفة .. أدام الله أفراحهم .. وبارك لهم في أبنائهم .. وأدام الخير والسعادة على شعب الإمارات pic.twitter.com/ZZIo8mCBpn
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 27, 2020

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was also in attendance virtually alongside other leaders, which he shared photos of.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi sent his “warmest congratulations” to the married couple, Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Khalifa and Sheikha Fatima bint Tahnoun bin Zayed.
“I was pleased to communicate with the newlyweds and their family through video conferencing,” he said. “I wish them joy and good fortune.”

My warmest congratulations go to Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Khalifa and Sheikha Fatima bint Tahnoun bin Zayed on their blessed marriage. I was pleased to communicate with the newlyweds and their family through video conferencing. I wish them joy and good fortune. pic.twitter.com/XHWXNoJzXe
— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) October 27, 2020

Noting the need for diligence amidst the pandemic, Sheikh Mohamed outlined the shared responsibility between everyone to follow guidelines.
“Protecting the UAE during these challenging times is a shared responsibility,” he said. “Following precautionary measures during our social events guarantees our safety as a society, and supports our country’s efforts in combating COVID-19.”
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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many industries across the board, but one of the most affected has been the travel industry.
Back in March, almost all flights were grounded across the globe, including here in the UAE. Slowly but surely regular flight schedules have begun to be reintroduced. At present, Dubai-based airline Emirates is now flying to over 90 destinations.

One of the most popular routes for Emirates is between Dubai and London. However, given the quarantine restrictions in play travel from the UK has been less this year.
But a potential travel corridor between Dubai and London is reportedly in the works, which means there could be a quarantine-free travel agreement between the two destinations.

Dubai Airport CEO Peter Griffiths recently told Bloomberg TV that discussions are currently in process.
According to the publication, Griffiths explained that quarantine and testing needs have been agreed and the decision now is “in the hands of politicians”.
“It’s about time that governments actually recognize what a great job the travel and tourism industry is doing in controlling the spread of the virus,” he said, also adding that moving forward with such initiatives to help the travel industry is “an essential part of the kick-start of the global economy”.
Interestingly, Emirates recently announced that there have been changes to testing requirements for UAE residents and tourists arriving into Dubai.
While pre-flight tests for many countries have been dropped, a double testing initiative has been implemented for other countries.
It was also confirmed that all tourists from the UK and Germany can be tested upon arrival at Dubai airport.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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October’s – ‘The Bravery Issue’ – Download Now
Having cultivated LPM Restaurant & Bar as a global power player in the F&B industry, Raphael Duntoye knows it takes grit, determination and bravery to stay true to your passion and craft in order to succeed.
“If I had not been brave enough at that time to start, where would we have been today?” Raphael Duntoye asks. It’s a particularly poignant question for LPM’s Chef Patron as he celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the restaurant’s opening in Dubai. Launching three years after LPM’s flagship London restaurant – previously known as La Petit Maison – in 2010, LPM Dubai has become a source of inspiration globally for the brand. “In the same way as the city and people aim for the best, LPM Dubai has kept pushing boundaries,” Duntoye tells Emirates Woman.
Pushing boundaries they have done, particularly in a year of total uncertainty. It’s what Duntoye has found continues to fare him well on his road to success – don’t be afraid to work hard. “Perseverance and tenacity have always made me move forward in times of difficulty, as has hope and believing in people and myself,” he says. This is the exact attitude that was taken during the height of lockdown for LPM Dubai – use your perseverance, tenacity and bravery to move forward.

While many industries have been affected drastically by the COVID-19 pandemic, the F&B industry has taken a particularly hard hit. With strict lockdowns in place, no one was dining out in the UAE effectively losing 100 per cent revenue for many restaurants throughout the region. However, as they have done so for a decade, LPM Dubai adapted, pushed the boundaries and embraced the immediate change. By doing so, every single staff member was kept in full-time employment. “Put it this way, you have to adapt if you want to make it,” Duntoye says. “If someone would have told me before coronavirus that we would do delivery, I wouldn’t have believed them.” Despite having had many requests for years to launch delivery, it was never in the cards for LPM simply because they were always so busy, but the pandemic totally changed that. “When we were having our back against the wall during the lockdown, we had to adapt,” he explains. “Hard times always bring out the best in you. Everybody worked hard together and look at what the team has been able to achieve – we are not only known as a great restaurant, but also one of the best take away concepts there is.”
This is the exact reason why LPM Dubai continues to be a leader in the F&B space in the UAE – the continued reinvention to engage loyal customers and entice new ones. Duntoye puts it bluntly, “In simple words, if you don’t want to be a dinosaur and become extinct, you have to adapt.” LPM’s Chef Patron recently sat down with Emirates Woman to discuss the restaurant’s 10-year milestone in Dubai, expansion plans for the franchise and what it takes to make it in this industry.

Talk us through your career history.
In 1995 I began my culinary journey, when I abandoned a career in engineering to follow a life-long passion for food and cooking. I joined Butlers Wharf Chef School in 1995. Following my graduation, I spent the next five years earning my culinary stripes under the mentorship of Pierre Koffman, one of the UK’s most celebrated chefs. Later I served as Executive Sous Chef at Sketch in Mayfair and as a Senior Sous Chef at the Japanese restaurant, Zuma in Knightsbridge, London. In 2007, I opened the first LPM Restaurant & Bar (at the time it was known as La Petite Maison) in Mayfair, London. I have since grown the award-winning restaurant, which now has branches in six major metropolitan cities across the world. So I am an accidental chef. But with every disappointment comes a great blessing.
Who is your mentor in the food business? 
I have to pay homage to Pierre Koffmann, for whom I worked at La Tante Claire. He taught me discipline and how to get the most flavour and texture from each ingredient. Rainer Becker, co-founder of Zuma, for whom I worked and learnt many things, in the kitchen but also how to run a business successfully.
I have also had heroes from within the industry over the years – Nick Jones of Soho House, Paddy McKillen of Maybourne Hotel Group (Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley). Also, a great hero of mine that has passed, Sir Terence Conran. What he has been able to achieve has been amazing. Quaglino’s was probably one of the first super-restaurants that achieved greatness back in the days. At the Sir Terence Conran’s chef school (Butlers Wharf Chef School), I was able to take my first step in the kitchen and realize my dream of becoming a chef.
In terms of bravery – it takes a lot to succeed in this industry, what do you think makes or breaks success?
You must never be afraid to work hard, and to be a great chef you must have passion for what you do. Without passion you cannot do this job. Perseverance and tenacity has always made me move forward in times of difficulty, as has hope and believing in people and myself. Also, get your priorities right, to ensure you align your goals and know what is more important. Sometimes in life you need to retreat in order to better fight a battle another day.
What was the reaction to bringing the LPM brand to this region?
We were a game-changer. Zuma came in first, and we came in second and I think we changed the game of hospitality as far as restaurants are concerned. I would gladly say that we helped the industry to evolve for the better. Look at the produce as an example; we had to fight tooth and nail in order to make sure we were getting the produce we needed, as LPM is all about the quality in order to keep the integrity of our brand.
How have things changed for LPM and the F&B industry in Dubai in the last decade?
Things have changed a lot; there are now a lot more restaurants. It is more competitive, and the offering is very vast. Dubai is now a culinary destination. I am happy to see that a lot of concepts have been inspired by LPM, as this has pushed us to always work harder in order to remain a step ahead, as the competition has become better and more diversified for the benefit of Dubai and its people. We have been complimented a lot, with that I feel we have now reached a point where we need to go through an evolution and take LPM to the next level.

What does this 10-year milestone mark for you?
Not everybody can say they have been around for 10 years. If anything, it tells us that we have been doing the right thing, but that we also become even better, so I really look forward to the next 10 years.
Tell us about the future plans for LPM.
Firstly, we need to keep taking care of our Dubai and Abu Dhabi restaurants, and ensure we keep great consistency, while being relevant by evolving and reinventing ourselves. There is no point to expand if you do not have a plan for your existing businesses to keep growing.
Before the end of the year, we will have hopefully opened in Riyadh. The restaurant is ready, but we are waiting for the visa and flights to open to get our team to Saudi Arabia. I am actually really looking forward to this opening, as after the highly successful pop-up we had last year for the Al Diriyah Season, I was impressed by the pallet of the Saudi nationals and also by the love and appreciation we received as a brand but also as a team.
The growth opportunity that the Middle East has to offer to LPM is unparalleled to any other region, so there is still a lot to do for us in this part of the world.
How do you view LPM Dubai within its global network?
Dubai has been our second international restaurant after London and has definitely been a milestone in our LPM history. It has been a great source of inspiration for all our other LPM restaurants and has been highly regarded by our peers. In the same way, as the city and people aim for the best, LPM Dubai has kept pushing boundaries. We have achieved a lot as a restaurant, a business and as a team.
This is ‘The Bravery Issue’ – what does bravery mean to you?
Bravery means a lot to me. It means being inspirational to others and paving the way. Taking steps that others would not take. My philosophy is that the greater the risk the greater the reward. I am a believer that if you never do, you will never know. Commitment and faith are also important values when it comes to bravery. As an example, when I wanted to start LPM and wanted it to be a French sharing concept, my mentor Rainer Becker told me to stick to my guns, if you decide this is what you want then stick to it. No matter how much resistance I got from people (and I got a lot, believe me), I stuck to my belief and look at us today. It is a great emotion to feel you have influenced others in a positive way. If I had not been brave enough at that time, what would we have been today?
October’s – ‘The Bravery Issue’ – Download Now
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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Gigi Hadid has just posted the first photo of herself since giving birth to her first child last month – and it’s for a very important reason.
The supermodel has been far from silent on social media since welcoming her daughter with boyfriend Zayn Malik, but this snap marks the first photo of herself in a number of weeks.

Wearing a black T-shirt with the word ‘VOTE’ emblazoned on it, the mirror picture of the 25-year-old sent an important message – encouraging those in the USA to get out and vote in the upcoming election.
The new mum explained that she “voted absentee last week with my daughter next to me”.

Gigi welcomed her first child just over a month ago, revealing she had given birth on Instagram posting a sweet photo of new dad Zayn holding the tiny hand of baby Hadid-Malik.
“Our girl joined us earth-side this weekend and she’s already changed our world,” she captioned the photo. “So in love.”

According to E! News, the name of baby Hadid-Malik, which has been kept private by the couple, is “unique” but an alleged source wouldn’t give anything else away.
Gigi’s pregnancy was first reported on back in April. The model first spoke of her pregnancy – news which was revealed in the press and not by Gigi or Zayn – during a video call appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, admitting they would have liked to reveal the news on their “own terms”, but also thanked everyone for their congratulations.
“Obviously, we wish we could’ve announced it on our own terms, but we’re very excited and happy and grateful for everyone’s well wishes and support,” she said.
Zayn and Gigi originally started dating in 2016, and have been on-and-off ever since, with their latest split taking place in mid-2019. However, the pair reunited earlier this year, but have been keeping their romance away from the public glare.
 – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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With the ever-evolving situation of the global pandemic, rules surrounding COVID-19 testing are adapting and changing.
It was recently announced by Dubai-based airline Emirates that there have been changes to testing requirements for UAE residents and tourists arriving into the emirate.

While pre-flight tests for many countries have been dropped, a double testing initiative has been implemented for other countries.
It’s also been confirmed that all tourists from the UK and Germany can be tested upon arrival at Dubai airport.

For the following countries the below rules apply: Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives Islands, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States (New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle).
For UAE residents, they are able to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test which is valid 96 hours before the date of departure or can simply be tested upon arrival into Dubai.
Tourists need to present a negative COVID-19 test which is valid 96 hours before the date of departure. However, those coming from Germany and the UK can opt for a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival in Dubai.
Those who are transiting passengers from the above countries are not required to present a COVID-19 PCR test certificate unless it is mandated by your final destination.
For the remaining countries the below rules apply: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United States (California, Florida, Texas), Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Two COVID-19 tests are required for UAE residents – one 96 hours before the departure date and a second upon arrival in Dubai.
Two COVID-19 tests are required for tourists – one 96 hours before the departure date and a second upon arrival in Dubai.
Transiting passengers from these countries must have a negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate that is valid for 96 hours from the date of the test, as well as any requirements for their final destination.
It should be noted that a PCR test is required and you need to have a printed verification in English or Arabic – SMS or digital versions will not be accepted.
For more details visit the Emirates website.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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Welcome to EW‘s weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
This week we chat to the co-founders of Dubai’s first biodegradable balloon business, Ineza. Colleagues-turned-friends Geraldine and Zahra decided to harness their corporate backgrounds to go it alone becoming entrepreneurs.

Having worked on events with key luxury brands including Chanel, Cartier, Manolo Blahnik and Gucci, it’s safe to say this pair found a hole in the market in Dubai and have never looked back since they launched nearly a year ago.
What inspired you to launch Ineza?
The short and honest answer to this is motherhood. We have our children to thank for giving us the courage to push beyond our comfort zone. We were both working in the energy sector and ambitious to build successful careers. However, when motherhood arrived bringing with it joy but lots of extra responsibilities, we started to question ourselves on whether our personal and professional goals were aligned – We quickly realised the answer was no.

After reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, we would often joke about going it alone, but were never brave enough to take that next step. With a combined career of 15 years between us in the region, we had gained immense knowledge and experience of marketing and communications of which events was a large component so we were always on the lookout for fresh and new ideas.

Although balloons are not in any way innovative as a concept, we started to notice that Europe, the US and Australia were trailblazing a more sophisticated aesthetic. We noticed that they were now being used in concerts, TV shows, catwalks, top tier members clubs and fine dining establishments. In that moment, we both realised that this was something we hadn’t readily seen in the region in terms of quality or innovation. We spent the next six months researching the market which also included a trip to London to undertake professional training with industry experts. As a result, we took a deep breath and embarked on a journey that has brought us to this juncture.
We were colleagues not once but twice within our careers and we became firm friends – we just felt that some things are just destined. We were resolute that we would pursue our passion for creativity combined with our corporate skillset to create a successful business.
How do you make balloons sustainable and where do you source Biodegradable Latex?
On our journey, we discovered that the balloon industry was evolving in line with global concerns of the environmental need to reduce plastic waste. This was encouraging as it aligned with our ethos to ensure that the brands, we procured were ethically sourced and accredited. We absolutely never compromise on quality as this is paramount to us.
We are mindful that the responsibility falls on us as a business to ensure that we do our utmost to ethically source our products to reduce the environmental impact. One of our key values is sustainability and we practice this through as many channels of our process as possible.
We use high-quality latex balloons which are a natural plant-based product and therefore do not have the same destructive impact on our planet. Latex is a biodegradable substance produced by rubber trees and decomposes at the rate of an oakleaf. The latex is extracted and harnessed without harming or reducing the rubber tree population.
Do they last as long as normal balloons?
External factors are a huge determinant of this. Indoors and in air-conditioned areas they last longer. Of course, with installations left untampered, we have seen them last up to 14 days and in some cases longer. Outdoors if the temperatures are high, they have a significantly shorter life although some have been known to survive more than a few days. We don’t like to guarantee longer than a day as there are many factors at play which determine this. We think most people are pleasantly surprised at their lifespan compared to traditional balloons.
What are the key elements of your role?
As Managing Partners, we manage every element of our business ourselves. Coming from a corporate background we find that we are very structured in our approach. We have divided some areas of expertise, but when it comes to the creative output both of us are equally invested. One of the key elements of our practice is to actively pursue business development by building on existing relationships and acquiring new business. A lot of our commissions have come from happy client recommendations and we continuously work on providing our clients with the best experience and product – We care passionately about our business and continuously seek client feedback to gauge their satisfaction and improve our offering.
Talk us through your daily routine.
As a start-up, every day is very different and no two days are the same. However, one part of our routine that remains the same is the school run! As mothers, our children keep us grounded to the realities of everyday life – we wouldn’t change that for the world.
Our mornings then start like any other working day. We meet and discuss prospective, pipeline and completed projects. We divide our day on working on creative briefs we receive from clients and developing pitches, servicing our clients on the projects in hand – actively engaging and updating them on the phase of their individual projects and finally reconciling completed projected.
We also allocate time for client and vendor meetings that we undertake most days of the week.
In short, it’s fluid but productive. Some days are harder than others – but we’ve given birth so there is very little than can phase us!
When onsite on an installation, we are pretty fuelled with adrenaline but it takes one split second “wow” that makes it so rewarding.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Firstly, as women – we need to equip ourselves with self-belief that no matter what you don’t have to accept the status quo. If you want to do something different, try it and go for it. At worst you will fail, but we promise you in the early days those small wins will fuel you and before you know it, like us you’ll be a year into it and look back at how far you’ve come.
In a partnership – make your vows count! It’s like having another spouse. Not every friend is one you can embark on a business with. You need one that, like a marriage, you can be tested on at every level and come out the other end still laughing about it. You can agree to disagree, hold each other together through the lows and celebrate in the highs. The key is transparency and to know you have a partnership through it all.
As a business, find something you love, research the hell out of it and pilot it.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Stay in your lane and just keep ploughing forward. Don’t look at what others are doing.
You need to let your work speak for itself.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Launching a few months before the pandemic. We had confirmed corporate clients within our first quarter which was phenomenal. We started on such a high that we couldn’t believe how much positive sentiment was behind us and our work. As soon as the seriousness of the situation became apparent, we lost the work we had pitched so hard for. We took time to regroup and understand the situation and pivoted into the B2C space which initially wasn’t our core Business focus. The silver lining was that it was met with huge popularity with some collections selling out and now have become a revenue stream on our digital platform. As the lockdown came to an end and we embarked on the last quarter of the year, work we feared we had lost has now been rescheduled before the end of the year.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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