TRI-POD Series 3: In conversation with Philip Morris International’s Patrick Awad : Moodie Davitt Report

Welcome to Series 3 of TRI-POD, The Moodie Davitt Report video podcast series in association with The SEVA Group. This episode features Patrick Awad, Customer Development Lead – Middle East, Africa & India Sub Continent Duty Free at Philip Morris International.

Patrick is based in Dubai, where he has spent more than four years with the IQOS to Marlboro tobacco products giant and over six years in the tobacco sector in total. Earlier he worked at drinks giant Diageo, first in his native Lebanon and then in Dubai.

Patrick talks to co-hosts Roger Jackson (Dubai-based Managing Director at The SEVA Group-owned Organico Solutions) and Martin Moodie about early life in Beirut and his career journey through the hospitality, spirits & wine and tobacco sectors.

“Lebanon has a very special place in my heart, and sadly with what’s been happening in the past three or four years, we’ve gone through a lot of turmoil. But at some point in my life I’d love to go back and retire there,” he says.

As always with TRI-POD, it’s not all about talking shop. Once again we fly our guest on our (very) low cost carrier TRI-POD Airlines to our resident desert island (with offshore duty free status, of course).

What music would Patrick listen to on the island and what would be his chosen reading? And his two preferred duty free items? You’ll have to tune in to find out, but as a clue let’ s just say Patrick is more likely to heat than burn under the island’s sun and Diageo executives (and a certain famed female Master Blender) might be delighted at his preferred tipple.

Flying Patrick off the island on the world’s newest low cost carrier to his bucket list choice of final destination. Where is flight TPA 001 headed?

Note: Would you like to appear with Roger and Martin on TRI-POD? Drop Martin Moodie a line at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com and we will be in touch.