It’s what I do: Augusto Cabrera, Ellaine Villena, Jerome Sanchez

Augusto Cabrera

 

It's what I do: Augusto Cabrera, Ellaine Villena, Jerome Sanchez

 

I am a Master Sushi Chef who turns Entrepreneur and Corporate Chef of Town hall Restaurant who played a big role in popularizing Sushi in modern way in the Middle East and India. Emphasis on quality, freshness of ingredients and clear and distinct flavors are the Hallmarks of my unique style, with a culinary experience over a decade at some of the World’s leading hotels. I am an expert in Traditional and Modern Japanese cuisine and am currently stretching my knowledge to some other cuisines like Peruvian, Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, Indian etc. My expertise lies in the innovative concoctions of modern Japanese Cuisine specially Sushi, which I believe will be the all time favorite.

 

On a typical working day, I personally go to the market to check the freshest ingredients available and usually go to work two hours before the operation to make sure all my 4 restaurants are all ready before lunch and Dinner service. And during the operation I am very much hands on, dealing with each plate coming out of my kitchen.

 

Augusto’s experience within the culinary world has earned him many feats of recognition and opportunities to cater to famous personalities. He had the opportunity to serve my Sushi to Hollywood guests as well like Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, famous Celebrity Chef Nobu, various formula 1 racer Champions etc. “During President Duterte’s visit , I was the one who made food for his Team and the Delegation, headed by Under Secretary and Commissioner and Director Mr. Jose ‘Jojie’ Dinsay.

 

Ellaine Villena

 

It's what I do: Augusto Cabrera, Ellaine Villena, Jerome Sanchez

 

My name is Ellanie, and I am the first and only Filipina working at Pakistan Business Council Dubai UAE. I am the Office Manager of PBC and I am directly reporting to the President and Board of Directors of the organization. I started my journey as a secretary and after 12 years of hard work, I am serving as an Office Manager. I have a team of potential colleagues under my supervision that provides support for all esteemed and prominent PBC members. One of my responsibilities is acting as a liaison between the Dubai Chamber of Commerce Dubai, Consulate office, Dubai Government, Private Sector, media and Pakistan Business Council. My work connects the Pakistan Business Community with other Councils / Business and Government entities. While managing the office, I also serve as Business or Council’s ambassador of the organization to the community.

 

The most memorable achievement I have achieved as part of the Pakistani Business Council was when I facilitated an International exhibition in Pakistan. Meeting different top Government officials and the Prime minster & President of Pakistan H.E. MAMNOON HUSSAIN AT THE AIAN -E- SADR, ISLAMABAD ON 18-10-16 was an experience I will never forget. I also had the opportunity to organize a University Fundraising campaign, within just two days, of Mr. Imran Khan who is now the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

 

Being a working mother of two abroad is not easy. Through time management and commitment, I am able to graciously manage my duties as a mom and as an Office Manager. My day starts by waking up at 4:30 am to prepare the food, other stuff of my girls and even washing clothes at the same time.  I send them to school then come back home to clean the house and prepare to go to office. As an Office Manager, my duty is to handle meetings and events. Handling more than 700 PBC members, reporting to the president and 7 directors is a huge responsibility yet very challenging one. We have 2 board meetings and 2 events every month. This includes preparing the presentations to be delivered by the President, coordinating with officials and handling sponsors and social media. I always ensure that I am at my best because this does not only reflect my performance but of the dedication, quality and commitment of the Filipino race. I aspire to be a role model for Filipino working in other communities and managing the operation of business organization. Commitment, dedication and the will to serve the community and people in need.

 

Working overseas is never easy but what pushes me to work hard for myself and my family is a simple ABCD.

Aspire. Dreaming big is the first step to success. There are no limits in setting goals. No one can stop you to succeed except yourself. I left the Philippines with humble beginnings and all that I am experiencing now were all because of the big dreams I have set.

Believe. Believe in your skills and your vision. There will be people who question you, but stand your ground and lift your head high. If you believe in yourself everything is possible.

Commit. Set goals, words and actions in stone. Integrity is never over rated. You can dream high but without commitment nothing is achieved.

Deliver. Deliver the best that you can offer. Never be afraid to showcase your talents and skills.

These personal guidelines have been my guiding principles in life. I hope that my story could inspire people to dream for a better future for themselves.  

 

Jerome Sanchez

 

It's what I do: Augusto Cabrera, Ellaine Villena, Jerome Sanchez

 

I am currently the Marketing Manager of Altaaqa Global, Caterpillar Global Power Projects. We are a partner of Caterpillar in providing and managing multi-megawatt power plants in emerging regions around the world. As the company’s Marketing Manager, my principal function is to ensure the continuous exposure of our company within our target markets and territories by planning, developing and implementing innovative and attractive marketing and communications campaigns. I am also the guardian of our company’s brand equity, so I take responsibility in carefully crafting our internal and external messages, selecting our channel partners and evaluating events and programs with which our company would be associated. My role in a global company requires me to extensively travel to various countries. I have had the opportunity to mount events and conferences in popular destinations, including South Africa, Mauritius, Denmark, Turkey and the UK. Moreover, I have also had the chance to visit emerging economies including Bangladesh, Cameroon, Senegal, Burundi, Burkina Faso and Congo-Brazzaville.

 

While I will always welcome traveling for events and conferences, I particularly appreciate my visiting the developing countries because it is when I truly recognize the significance and the value of the technologies and the services that we offer. When most of us take the ubiquity of electricity for granted, most of the people in these countries still struggle to gain access to reliable energy. It delights me to see that our company kindles hope in them as we propose our solutions, and opens roads to a brighter future for them as we begin delivering the electricity they need.

 

My typical working season starts with meetings with the Territory Sales Managers to gain updates on the present business opportunities at various stages, and to discuss the appropriate marketing-related activity that could support their territories. I then go ahead and draft the plans of the activities and present them to the company’s senior management, and to the relevant decision-makers in Caterpillar. I would spend the next couple of days meeting with executives to finalize the projects. As soon as I receive the green light, I pool my team of agencies and suppliers to develop and execute the tasks, and deliver within the agreed time. My activities during my working days are always different. Moreover, there are days when I would not have time to eat due to the long queue of meetings and phone calls. I always take the chance to go on short vacations during the relaxed weeks, so I don’t burn myself out. This way, I am able to maintain my interest and excitement for the work that I do.

 

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