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Michael Stellwag, a 47-year-old American digital marketing entrepreneur from Chicago, has lived in Doha for 11 years, with his Singaporean wife and daughter.
He spent 20 years working for big international airlines like Singapore Airlines and Southwest Airlines and moved to Qatar in 2007 to join Qatar Airways. It had always been his dream to work with an emerging international airline that was still in its early phase. “When Qatar Airways reached out to me, I was delighted to pioneer the digital marketing and social media of Qatar Airways. I knew Qatar had the potential to become an important world player in aviation and other sectors, such as sports and education. Having the chance to enter a frontier market like Qatar and to see it grow into an emerging market was really enticing to me,” said Stellwag.
Over a seven-year period, Michael built up Qatar Airways’ online marketing and social media presence as its Global Head for Digital Marketing. By the time he left Qatar Airways in 2014, he helped project Qatar Airways as the Best Airline on social media and the Number Three Most-Liked Airline worldwide on Facebook.
Reflecting on his time with Qatar Airways, Stellwag said, “Qatar Airways was a terrific opportunity, and brought with it the chance to travel the world, meet a diverse employee-base, and discover new ethnics and corporate cultures. Although it was hard work, around 60-hours a week, it didn’t feel like work at all…it was an avocation, above all. I was paid to do what I loved, so it’s hard not to appreciate the many opportunities Qatar Airways brought for my family and me.”
He said that the work style in Qatar is generally not rigorous, compared to the US or East Asia, so he considered this to be a great place not just for his career but also to build a family. “Qatar has been a dream destination for me and my family.”
Following his stint at Qatar Airways, Stellwag went on to head the digital marketingand social media marketing for Qatar 2015, at the 24th Handball World Championship.
Later, he started his own company SilverFox Digital, which is one of the first dedicated digital marketing agencies in Qatar. He explained that after this new venture, he has had much less time with his family than before. As an entrepreneur, he has had to lead his new company’s strategic, sales, and commercial operations.
Speaking about his move to Qatar, which he explains as rather easy, he reminisces about the first meal he had in Qatar. “I remember after having just checked into my hotel, I ventured out about 100 metres to find Dairy Queen, yet another taste of home. With Qatar’s close and strategic ties to the United States, we have always felt right at home in Qatar. The only difficult adjustment for us was usually the initial effects of the dust and different pollen in the air, wreaking havoc on some new arrivals’ respiratory system,” he added.
Stellwag and his family usually start their weekend early on Thursdays with gettogethers with friends. “We really love the sea and hit the beach whenever possible. For longer beach stays, we make it a point to get to the Maroona Beach or French Beach, as it’s a whole other experience. We love to get out and walk, so obviously the Corniche is another big hit, but so are some of the new parks that have sprouted up along the Doha landscape.”
Stellwag said that he thinks that Qatar is one of the safest places in the world. “Doha is unique in its vibe compared to any other country I’ve visited. While it is a country that values business, growth, investments, etc, it remains grounded in its Islamic value-system. It makes for a very peaceful place to live. I once thought Singapore was the safest, but not anymore.”
Like most expatriates, Stellwag too hopes to make Doha his permanent home. “We can’t imagine leaving this land of opportunity. The dream of Doha is far from over. In the face of headwind, Qatar has persevered and the people have come closer. We see this unity, coupled with highly attractive oil prices versus Qatar’s fiscal budget as catalysts for a strong economic fillip. I, my company, and my family, want to be here to witness it first-hand. We’re here for the long-haul,” he added.
