Chantal Khoueiry is the founder of Brides do Good, a social enterprise that resells designer wedding gowns to help eradicate child marriage.

Founded in 2016 the platform works by giving one-third of the sale to the person who provides the dress, keeping a third to cover shipping and other costs and donating the remaining one thirds to charities that protect the millions of children in developing countries at the risk of an early marriage.

Want further information on Brides do Good? Read it here.

Chantal also works at The Bicester Village Shopping Collection, initially as Group HR Director and most recently as Chief Culture Officer. A humanitarian at heart, she has previously worked as a project leader at UNESCO, supporting various humanitarian global initiatives.

My Typical Morning…

I’m not a morning person. I usually get up for work around 6.30am but naturally I’d wake up nearer to 8am. I’m Lebanese, so the first thing I do in the morning is have a strong coffee. I’m not a massive eater but if I do have breakfast I’ll have something savoury. Often I am travelling so I’ll just get something at the hotel I’m staying in.

Work, in general, has evolved so much that it is no longer about being in a fixed location at a fixed time. This is the case for me as I am working in two separate roles at Brides do Good and The Bicester Village Shopping Collection; where I often spend time in China.

My start time for work will completely depend on what I am doing and where I am-but generally, I’m in the virtual or real office for 9 am.

A typical morning depends on where I am and what I am doing but usually, I have conference calls in the morning, be they to do with Brides do Good, perhaps with a brand or with the team in London or even on Value Retails business with China.

Read more: Check out the diary entrance from bridalwear retailer Stephanie Hanks.

My Typical Afternoon…

My afternoons depend on what is going on and what needs both Brides do Good and The Bicester Village Shopping Collection might have. I split my time between the two, so each day can vary greatly.

If I am in London I will often head to the Brides do Good pop up store in South Audley Street, Mayfair and catch up with the team in person and meet brides that we have coming in.

My lunch usually takes place in front of the laptop but if I can I’ll take some time out and grab a salad and a coffee.

My Typical Evening…

The concept of leaving work doesn’t really exist for me. If I’m finishing a day of work in China at 7pm, things are just getting started in Europe with Brides do Good. Maybe that makes me a workaholic.

If I have free time in the evening I tend to try and catch up with friends and family. My family live outside of the UK so this might just be via facetime but making time to catch up with them regularly is very important to me.

If I’m in China with work then I’ll often meet up with team members for a glass of wine. But in general, when I’m in the UK I’m a bit of a home bird and love an evening at home with a good movie and maybe just one eye on the laptop.

And of course, I try to put time aside to spend with my partner.

I’m not a heavy sleeper but I do remember my dreams very clearly.

Read more: Check out the diary entrance from the Editor of Bridal Buyer and Confetti here.

The Best Part of My Day...

The best part of my day is later in the evening when I have time to sit down and think - from around 10.30pm. My brain is at its peak at this time and in some ways I’m my most productive. Just having that slightly quieter time allows me to be more creative - in fact, I find I have my best moments of inspiration on a 12-hour flight.

If I could change a part of my day it would be the morning -I’d have more time and it would be less of a rush.

My Typical Weekend…

The weekends are a chance for me to be at home, take time out and just do regular chores that I don’t get around to during the week. I still think about work and will often head down to Brides do Good store at the weekend.

I have been known to sit down to a few emails on a Sunday morning only to find myself still at it a couple of hours later. This is what happens when you are passionate about what you do!

If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming My Diary, get in touch with us at bridalbuyer@oceanmedia.co.uk

Want more? Check out what a typical working day looks like for Sanyukta Shrestha, Founder of an ethical bridal brand, in her Wonder Woman Wednesday profile.