DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: It was 6:30 in the morning. The sun's up peeping through her bedroom curtains, casting light on her face, which woke her up wide-eyed and sent her springing out from her cuddly pillows, straight to the shower and back to her dresser — in record time.
She rummaged through her clothes with her right hand while the left was clicking her phone to check her schedules ahead. Ah, she said, smart casual with a bit of corporate it is for the day's dress code.
Soon enough she'd be on the road for her first stop: A meeting with investors from Singapore, whose portfolio and credentials she'd be reviewing, making sure everything is in order before submitting it to the appropriate government agency, which in turn will decide if the company meets all requirements to operate in the United Arab Emirates.
In other instances, she would engage with business representatives from Hong Kong, Russia or The Netherlands; if not, then it's a run to an early event coverage in a hotel or VIP business lounges.
Typical day for Owen SP Sanchez, who was in her early 20s when she arrived in Dubai, June of 1994 and worked her way through from being a flight attendant, to her current post at Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (Dieza), which covers all of UAE's free zones, and in which she is senior corporate consultant, representing four multinational corporations.
She holds two other posts: vice president for human resource, administration and operations at Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (DTEC), which is under Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), a part of Dieza; and vice president for broadcast, media and Communication at YallaTV Network, an English-language lifestyle outfit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Reflecting on her experiences, Sanchez regards her professional journey as a well-rounded and transformative endeavor.
'It has all been a well-rounded experience,' says Sanchez, the eldest of five children from Pasig.
Sanchez' path commenced with academic excellence, graduating cum laude with a degree in Tourism and Travel Management from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila in 1992.
She embarked on her career with a job at Philippine Airlines as cabin crew then on to being a bank marketing officer in Manila after passing management training, then as translator at the Manila office of a Japanese shipping line.
'Most of the jobs I had in the Philippines were all meant to fulfill the university's requirements for me to deliver as a government scholar and graduate with Latin honor,' Sanchez tells The Manila Times.
Her first employment in Dubai was as executive level administrative assistant at a conglomerate operating across multiple industries.
From there, Sanchez' journey took her to other undertakings and commitments, along the way being bestowed upon awards, even a global recognition, for her 'determination, hard work, and unwavering passion for success,' as one media outfit put it.
The rest, as the cliché goes, is history.

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