Day in the life: Dubai club manager prepares to party

Jad Lahoud is the executive director for Pragma Lifestyle and the owner of the Pragma Group. He oversees the operations of venues Cirque Le Soir and Cavalli Club in Dubai.

Jad Lahoud at the Pragma office at the Fairmont Hotel. Jaime Puebla / The National

Jad Lahoud is the executive director for Pragma Lifestyle and the owner representative of the Pragma Group. Part of the 34-year-old Lebanese national’s role is to oversee the operations of venues Cirque Le Soir and Cavalli Club in Dubai.

8am

Most mornings I wake up at 8am and head to my 30-minute TRX gym session. Health and fitness are a very important part of my life; I would not be able to wake up without these morning sessions. After the gym, I like to take a quick shower then have breakfast while watching the news on TV, mentally getting ready for the long and exciting day ahead of me.

10am

After breakfast I head to the office, make myself a coffee and go through the dozens of emails I receive every day, prioritising what needs to be done first. Then the meetings begin. Depending on what day it is, I have a series of strategic meetings, operations meetings and brainstorm sessions set up with the managers and employees of Pragma’s various existing venues, including Cirque Le Soir, Cavalli Club and Jazz Room.

Brainstorms make up a crucial part of our daily routine; we are constantly trying to find new ideas or concepts to put in place that we know will please our customers and add something refreshing to Dubai’s entertainment industry – this creativity and innovation is definitely one of my favourite parts of my job. I am always on the lookout for new projects to develop in the city; I have lived here for more than seven years so I have a good understanding of what different people would enjoy most and try to cater to these different tastes.

1pm

I usually have lunch with friends or colleagues. It is important for me to step out of the office for lunch to clear my mind from all my meetings and simply socialise before heading back for the second half of the day. There will be busy days when I will have to grab a bite on the go but in general I try to always have a proper sit-down lunch – it’s much healthier for the body and mind.

2pm

In the afternoon I have another series of meetings and brainstorms set up to discuss different aspects of our business from music to food and beverage. To keep things fresh and trendy, I tend to travel quite a lot to explore the world’s different cities and venues. My regular travel spots include destinations such as Milan, Ibiza and Shanghai. Travelling is another part of my job that I absolutely love – I get to meet new people, explore new things and keep up to date on the world’s latest entertainment trends. I am very lucky in the sense that my job allows me the flexibility to combine leisure and business; I can explore new places while looking out for competitor trends.

6pm

After work I head home, relax for an hour or so and then prepare for my evening gym session. I tend to go five times a week for about an hour and a half, which really helps me clear my mind and stay in top shape. I also tend to catch up with family at this time. I come from a big family of six siblings, so there is always someone to catch up with.

10pm

Once I am showered and dressed, I always go out for dinner with friends. I love trying out new restaurants around town or revisiting some of my favourites. This way I am always up to date on what is happening around the city’s various restaurants. After dinner the party continues at one of Pragma’s venues. Depending on my mood and the day of the week, I head to Cavalli, Cirque or Jazz Room with friends to party or sometimes just drop by for an hour or so to make sure all is going smoothly.

2am

I usually head home at about 2am on nights out. If I do decide to stay in, I tend to relax and read a good book. While I am definitely an extrovert who loves socialising and meeting new people, I do need my downtime to clear my mind, unwind and get ready for the next day.

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