Equity Magazine October 2017

ENTREPRENEUR
MORNING ROUTINE
I squeeze in a quick morning
meditation to begin my day on
the right note and by 6:30am the
Handa house is usually in full
swing. After a rushed breakfast
with the family and school drop
off for my eight-year-old twins
Sienna and Soroya, I usually head
to the gym or an exercise class.
I’m in the office or one of the
spas by around 9.30am.
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
Don’t sweat the
small stuff. It’s just
not worth it
PREVIOUS FIELD
I have a degree in business with a
major in marketing from Boston
University. When I moved to
Dubai in 1999, it was to work in
the high-powered world of
finance and marketing, for major
global companies such as Merrill
Lynch and Tetra Pak. SensAsia
was born from fusing my passions
for brand building, and being the
fussiest spa client I knew.
THE BEST DHS1,000 I
HAVE EVER SPENT
My head space coach
SUMMER TRAVELS
I visited Cape Town, where the
whole family just loves to be. We
have just bought an apartment in
the heart of the city and I spent
the first half of the summer really
enjoying furnishing it, in a
completely different style to what
I would create in Dubai. Then, I
went home to Thailand.
GET TO KNOW…
SALINA
HANDA
Managing director
and founder of
SensAsia Urban Spa
WHAT DOES INVESTING IN
YOURSELF MEAN TO YOU?
A life-long commitment to learning. Whether
it be spiritual growth or about something that
seems simple to others, such as digital media.
ON MY BOOKSHELF
I don’t read a lot of fiction any
more, but I want to start again. A
permanent fixture on my
bedside table is The Optimum
Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford.
INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS
I was born and raised in Thailand.
I have a deep love for the country
and still visit every year. Thailand
is a large part of who I am and I
have made sure it is at the core of
the spas. The furniture, ambiance
and even names of our treatment
rooms are all connected to my
memories of Thailand. Inspiration
oddly doesn’t usually come from
other spas, but things I see in a lot
of restaurants and stores often
draw my eye. I look to fashion
brands for marketing as well,
hence the idea of selling a
‘feeling’ or ‘mood’ for Christmas
– this actually came about from
Bloomingdales in New York
years ago.
FLY ME TO…
Trattoria Milanese in Milan. I’ve
been to it twice and it really is the
most unassuming place, but they
do the best veal Milanese and
osso buco ever.
TOP HOTSPOTS
I enjoy a stroll around Ripe
Market for food, gifts and the odd
fashion find, however I’ve
become an exclusive online
shopper. For a fun night, I visit
Muchachas, and when I want to
indulge in some delicious, starchladen
comfort food, I head to
Cipriani or La Petite Maison in
DIFC. I have a few favourites in
JBR as well – The Maine Oyster
Bar & Grill and good old BiCE.
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EQUITY