The President

Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre, tells us what it takes to get to the top of a tough market and stay there

What do the first 30 mins of your day look like, your morning routine?

A quick scan of overnight breaking news, a peek-and-kiss of the kids still in bed and then off to my 40 min fire-me-up run.

What is at the heart of DWTC, the values and the DNA?

For me, it’s an establishment of delightful paradoxes. Beneath this statuesque, enduring and somewhat conservative façade is an entity imbued with traditional values of resilience, trust and respect. Yet, it’s inspired by the modern entrepreneurial ethos of agility to drive change constantly, doing more with less, and being disciplined yet playful within its confines. There’s a great deal of energy yet reticent dignity in our community as we advocate a culture of talk-less-do-more. We are humble but proud, bold yet deliberate.

Can you tell us about your role at Dubai World Trade Centre and how this supports positioning Dubai as the epicentre for business in the Middle East?

I lead in the strategic and creative development of DWTC’s owned portfolio of business and consumer events, some of the popularly known ones are GITEX, Gulfood, Dubai Boat Show, and Dubai Motor Show. Recent events serve the startup sector, fintech & blockchain, food security and the newly branded #NOFILTERDXB to re-define Dubai Motor Show. Business events support the development of industries by converging global audiences en masse in Dubai. It’s a significant part of Dubai Tourism’s strategy, contributing to 3.3% of Dubai’s GDP. We host over 2 million visitors annually and support over 80,000 jobs. Dubai is the most trusted nucleus from which to access the diverse business opportunities in Middle East and Africa. Business events are a growth multiplier catalysing this business augmentation mission.

What is key to maintaining a winning mindset?

People fear ambiguity and are short term in their judgement. If you innovate and disrupt routines, you must be willing to be misunderstood and you’ll be validated in time. Dare to own any challenge that’s given to you. These are your best opportunities to become outstanding. Trust your intuition. Data and numbers sometimes don’t add up. Cultivate an enthusiasm for problems, they make you ultra-creative and resourceful. Be Bold. Be Accountable. Be Misunderstood.

Emirates Woman

At we champion incredible women – many of whom are launching their own businesses or have achieved outstanding milestones in their career. What have been the key career milestones for you to date?

In 1997 I was selected as the first Asian manager globally to be sent to the European headquarters in then the world’s largest public listed events company. I then had the incredible opportunity to be the first woman executive, young and fearless, to lead on one of the largest, totally male-dominated aviation and aerospace events in the world. My time here back in 2005 marks DWTC’s departure from tradition; all my predecessors were male and older. As the first woman, young and absolutely an outlier, to be offered the exciting transformative leadership role was humbling. I’m privileged to have led on the creative conceptualisation and launch of some of Dubai’s much-loved city-wide events like Dubai Fitness Festival and the Dubai Food Festival. I cherish these highlights with my wonderful team who has worked so tirelessly to contribute towards a safe and refreshing lifestyle in the emirate.

What have been the biggest challenges to date and how do you approach overcoming these so successfully?

Having been here for 16 years, we’ve fought and conquered quite a few battles; from the macro economy quagmires, global events competition, and now the pandemic; to internal challenges of talent management, capacity building, and creating and sustaining a culture of innovation.

Each of these unique episodes demanded extraordinary performances in different disciplines for us to survive and thrive. We must remember that daily, small incremental changes over time help to build a resilient, agile and creative workforce that is equipped to surmount any kind of obstacles in the long term. Don’t forget that people across the hierarchy are the ones that carry the company through, and a winning team is not built overnight. They are cultivated over time.

What does it take to lead a team of excellence?

Don’t be overly bothered by opinion polls of what people think of you as a leader. Be sincere in delivering the best outcomes for the company, your people and your clients, because they have entrusted you, not another, to take them from good to great. Obsess over keeping up standards, it’s always frustrating and requires relentlessness. Lead from the front with a strong sense of self-respect and authenticity, otherwise you can’t inspire others to believe in your leadership,

How has DWTC adapted their events calendar post COVID-19 and how does it differ to previous years?

DWTC has pivoted with strength in this pandemic. We are clear from the outset that we shall emerge stronger not on our own, but together with all our stakeholders. We have supported our partners in re-scheduling their events and also undertaken the task of piloting re-opening events to offer assurance and restore confidence amongst the local and global audiences. This pandemic and the early safe re-opening of Dubai have given DWTC the opportunity to invite new organisers internationally to experience hosting their events here, and we have some impressive successes.

What were the most valuable lessons you had learned in business prior to your role at DWTC and how has this equipped you well in your current role?

Nothing is the absolute right decision. Make it your best decision. Don’t overthink, it is more important to get going and crack it along the way. Many times, we need impulse and spontaneity for the great outcomes that are unexpected. People in an organisation are generally sceptical of change, new ideas and anything out of routine. All you need is to convince the one fan that truly matters to trust you, and off you will go to rock the world. I’ve been fortunate to have two such believers in the journey of my career. Be quick to un-learn and re-learn. The context of the world today is capricious and chaotic.

Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what has been the best advice they have imparted to you?

I’m a big fan of Jeff Bezos, Lee Kuan Yew the founding father of Singapore and HH Sheikh Mohammed, the Ruler of Dubai. Many times their maxims become the invisible guidance and reminders I need to validate my actions. The best one is probably from my mother. “You have a choice. Make good use of it” My mother didn’t have the privilege of choice and financial independence like the women today. I hold steadfast to this advice on decisions in my personal and professional life. As women in a progressive society, we are empowered, we have choices. Use them well.

How do the creative and commercial sides of the business work together and do you feel particularly drawn to one side of the business?

Creativity does not belong to one department, it’s in everything we do. From product to process, from sales, marketing to operations, from back office to front of house. There’s a different way to everything. I encourage creative abrasion amongst the teams to collectively create a more interesting product for our customers, whilst ensuring they enjoy and learn from the journey of experimentation. Creativity is not an outcome, it’s a process. As I say to my team, “twist it, bend it, spin it. Just don’t come back with the same.”

As well as your role at DWTC you’re also on the board of UFI. How do you manage to successfully balance such demanding roles and are there any tools which help aid this?

This pandemic has given me time to reflect on purpose. The wonderful women around me have risen so well above the demands of the pandemic. That inspired me to recently form the “Sum+ of Us” women events network, the first in the region.

I’m grateful for a supportive boss, my tireless Office Manager and an understanding husband who all have my back. Between a gruelling work schedule, young children at home, involvement in a few special interest boards, and my final year in Harvard Business School, I confess to reminding myself to smile on days.

In business, what is the most beneficial driver to building strong, longlasting partnerships?

Dependability, trust, and goodwill. These are the sacrosanct building blocks we nurture and augment with our clients and stakeholders over the years. In critical times of need, this is the capital we draw on to help all of us rise above.

The last year was a time that saw brands change strategy. Have you had to pivot as a business?

We’ve shifted to target companies in new markets to leverage on Dubai’s open-for-safe-business positioning. GITEX, our upcoming tech event in October, has since converted over 35% of first time businesses into the event, an unprecedented achievement. We’ve taken this inflection time to refocus on the purpose and proposition of our products. We also seized the opportunity to launch new projects, one being the Future Food Summit with the UAE Office of Food Security. With resource constraints, we mobilise staff in different roles and different projects. It was a great discovery of talents which we would otherwise not know.

How has social media affected the business and which platform has been most useful?

When DWTC led the global restart of events in Dubai in June last year and then organising the world’s first largescale international in-person events in December and February, the social media especially LinkedIn, the business networking platform, were overwhelmed by posts of support and endorsements from the global communities. It propelled Dubai and DWTC to the top of the leader-board on spearheading business and MICE leadership.

This is ‘The Icon Issue’ – who or what to you is iconic?

Singapore and Dubai. I was nurtured in Singapore and I am living my best years in Dubai. These iconic cities are manifestations to the world that small can only be imaginative, creative, resilient, excellent and limitless.

“Trust your intuition. Data and numbers sometimes don’t add up.”