Jaideep Dhanoa is the founder and chief executive of MallMate, a mobile app he launched late last year that helps shoppers find and share the things they love at malls around the world. Mr Dhanoa, 32, grew up in California, Dubai, Mumbai and Singapore, before moving to New York to study at Columbia University. It was there he started his first company and discovered his passion for internet entrepreneurship. After graduating with a degree in financial engineering, Mr Dhanoa joined a serial entrepreneur in Dubai to form Global Cricket Ventures, where he led the commercialisation of the digital rights for Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League. He has also had career stints at ESPN in Singapore, McKinsey & Company and Disney.
How do you spend your weekend?
My weekends are primarily for my wife and baby girl – she’s 10 months so we are quite busy with her.
How did you become a chief executive?
As a founder you find a strong sense of purpose in what you are doing. With that said, I’m still learning what it takes to be an effective and successful CEO, and think that will always be the case. I have received some helpful training through previous leadership positions at McKinsey & Company and at Disney, which builds on my prior start-up experience. MallMate is the third start-up I am working on. The first was a flameout in college. The second, a major success where I was the chief product officer for IPLT20.com, the official Indian Premier League website for minute-to-minute live updates.
What is your go-to gadget?
The iPhone is still my go-to device, but I rely on the complete iOS ecosystem: iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, MacBook – they all work so seamlessly together.
What was the lowest point of your career?
I don’t believe in low points. Failures are always difficult, but they are learning experiences, especially the biggest failures. My biggest failures in the past have been in effective communication and managing expectations among stakeholders. It is an important skill set that generally comes with experience. Sometimes you need to learn the lesson the hard way for it to sink in.
What advice would you offer others starting out in your business?
There are two pieces of advice. First, do something you are passionate about. A start-up will often take a decade to realise its potential and will require resiliency to pull it off. Second, talk to your customers early and often – they are great sources of insight.
What is your most indulgent habit?
Quality TV programming. This is the golden age of TV content and there are a lot of high-quality shows being produced right now such as House of Cards, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones.
What do you have on your desk at work?
Primarily mementos from clients I visited during my time at McKinsey. I can’t disclose specifics, but great memories of high impact opportunities I’ve had a chance to contribute to. I also have a few souvenirs from my travels on my desk.
What can’t you live without?
My iPhone – it’s a great phone and camera, but also the most powerful always-connected computer I’ve ever had.
How do you achieve a work-life balance?
It’s about setting boundaries for yourself to accept and live by. Once you have your own clarity it becomes much easier to say no.
If you could swap jobs with anyone, who would it be and why?
Elon Musk – but only for a day. His ability to drive several meaningful technological programmes (solar power, electric vehicles, space exploration) concurrently is really inspiring. I would love to see what a day in his life is like.
selgazzar@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UK%20record%20temperature
%3Cp%3E38.7C%20(101.7F)%20set%20in%20Cambridge%20in%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
