The Secret Lives of Spafaxians: Meriam Amer, Dubai

1. Describe a typical day for you at the office.

As In-flight Entertainment Executive, my work usually involves screening content then scheduling it with certain airlines. I’ll work on programme grids, English-Arabic-English translations, and coordinate a lot of liaising between airline clients, account managers, distributors, our lab (The Hub in Hollywood), other departments at Spafax, and sister companies within WPP – all possible through the magic of coffee!

2. If you could swap roles for one day with anyone in the company, who would it be and why?

Anyone from the digital deliveries team in our Costa Mesa office to observe the life cycle of film masters from the time they arrive at our post-production facility, The Hub, through to quality control, encoding, and delivery to system integrators, to the moment the files are uploaded onto the in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems on airplanes. It would be interesting to see the other half of the IFE cycle once my tasks are completed.

3. Notable Spafax memory? 

I had a great time listening to Christmas carollers who performed before the break at our offices to raise funds for charity.

4. Something that inspires you.

One of the benefits of growing up in the multicultural city of Dubai is being exposed to different ideas and cultures from all over the world from a very young age. It opens one up to the endless potential that the world has to offer.

5. Favorite desk accessory/paraphernalia.

I’m not really one for accessories, but I always have hand lotion, lip balm, body spray, and gum on my desk. In addition to a little spinning top toy that reminds me of the ending of Inception.

6. Currently watching/listening to.

I recently watched the historical Turkish epic Deliler, and an award-winning Rwandan film called The Mercy of the Jungle – the diversity of content I get to screen is one of the many perks of my job. I’m also listening to albums Therapy Phase 01 and Therapy Phase 02 by Australian indie band Vancouver Sleep Clinic – they’ve become some of my favorites.

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Reality warping like Thanos, a super-villain of the Marvel Universe. I’d like to zap away all the injustices of the world. For the uninitiated, he is a major character in the Avengers: Endgame movie.

8. Something that most of your colleagues don’t know about you.

I’m (almost) trilingual – fluent in English, Arabic and working on my French. I have a master’s degree in International Studies. I even like to think of myself as a Philosophy aficionado. I’m also from the historical city of Alexandria, Egypt – the original melting pot of the world.