Global Perspectives & Misconceptions of the Executive Assistant Career: Insight from the Middle East
REACH - A Podcast for Executive AssistantsShow Notes
In this episode, we welcome long-time REACH fan Karima Thomson, joining us from Abu Dhabi! Karima supports the Executive Leadership Team at Core42, a leading AI company, and previously worked at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). Born in Scotland, with career experience in London and the Middle East, Karima shares how the EA role in Abu Dhabi compares to the U.S. and Europe, the cultural nuances shaping executive support in the UAE, and how AI is transforming the profession. We also discuss misconceptions about the EA role in the Middle East, the realities of work-life balance in a fast-paced region, and the power of embracing discomfort for career growth. If you’re an EA with international ambitions, this one’s for you!
More from REACH - A Podcast for Executive Assistants
On this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Elle Tyra, Executive Assistant to the President of ABC News. Throughout her career, Elle has supported leaders at two of the world’s most recognizable news organizations, The New York Times and ABC News, as well as Hauser & Wirth, one of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries.
On this episode of REACH, we’re joined by Camille Geddes, Executive Assistant to Chris Britt, CEO of Chime, one of the fastest-growing fintech companies in the U.S. Before joining Chime, Camille built an impressive career supporting executives at Forward, Square, Plaid, and ClassDojo, where she partnered with founders and CEOs through periods of rapid growth and transformation.
Why do some tasks energize you while others leave you completely drained? In this episode of REACH, Jessica sits down with leadership coach, speaker, and Better Conversations podcast host Kara List to explore the Working Genius framework and how it can strengthen the EA–executive partnership.
RoseMarie Terenzio spent five years as the Chief of Staff to John F. Kennedy Jr. at George Magazine, operating at the center of one of the most highly scrutinized media and celebrity relationships of the 1990s. Working alongside both John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy during the height of public fascination surrounding the couple, RoseMarie managed the constant demands, pressure, and visibility that came with supporting an American icon.
In this episode of REACH, we sit down with Laura Vanderkam, a bestselling author, speaker, and one of the most trusted voices in time management and productivity. Laura has spent years studying how high-performing professionals actually spend their time, using real time diaries to uncover the gap between perceived busyness and reality.