Smooth transition assured in communications at DP World

I hear it's all change at the top of the communications department of one of Dubai's best-known and most important companies: DP World, the global ports operator owned by Dubai World.

Sarah Lockie, the long-serving head of communications, is to head off for some well-earned recreation split between homes in Sri Lanka and Greece.

In her time at DPW, Sarah has had to deal with some pretty momentous events, including the game-changing takeover of P&O in 2006; the controversial market flotation in Dubai just before the financial crisis; and the 2009 debt standstill by the owner that caused turmoil around global markets and economies, the lifeblood of DPW.

Throw in the listing of the shares in London in 2011 and a DPW-led campaign to coordinate action against Somali pirates, and you can see that Sarah has had a very busy time.

I had many dealings with her over the years and always found her efficient, media-savvy – and great lunch company. DPW is one of the most internationally respected of all Dubai companies, and she played a significant part in achieving that status.

She will be a hard act to follow, but I can exclusively reveal that the new communications supremo at DPW will be … roll of the drums … Kate Delahunty. After six successful years running the PR agency CapitalMSL in the region, Kate will take over at DPW in a few weeks time.

She was too shy to comment when I called to offer my congratulations, but I think she’ll be an excellent replacement for Sarah. Kate is well-travelled (appropriate for such a global outfit) but knows the Arabian Gulf region very well, especially Saudi Arabia, where she has spent much time recently.

And, more importantly from a journalist’s point of view, there will be continuity at DPW: another smart, well-briefed, engaging woman who knows how to lunch.

*****

Here’s a novel food concept, I believe: Indian tapas.

I love Indian food, especially the food served at the excellent Ushna restaurant in Dubai’s Madinat Souk. But the portions served are so generous that by the time you have a starter, followed by main, rice, vegetables and Indian bread, you are distinctly full.

I always feel embarrassed about asking for a takeaway bag, so usually end up leaving half the main course on the table, to the concerned inquiries of the manager, Wilson Varghese. “Mr Frank, again you have not finished. What have we done wrong?”

The answer is, of course, that they have done nothing at all, except serve excellent food that tempted me to the point of over-ordering yet again, despite all previous experience.

I went to the restaurant the other night, and as usual it was pretty well-attended. “I’m sorry Mr Wilson, I don’t have a reservation. Any chance of a table for one?”

Mr Wilson looked almost insulted at the request. “Mr Frank, you are family,” he said, showing me to a nice table overlooking the canal terrace.

I barely had to look at the very familiar menu, and asked if I could try something different: a selection of the succulent starters the Ushna is famous for.

After an appetite-enhancing munch on some papad, the dishes began to arrive: onion bhajia, aloo tikki ragda, jalpari gulnar, murgh basil tikka and teen tikone. (I won’t explain what each dish was. You’ll have to go there yourself to find out.)

It was absolutely delicious, a dazzling variety of flavours and spices that came in small sample portions, much more manageable for my taste and appetite. Indian tapas, and excellent it was.

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