In this edition of Up Close and Personal – a blog series aimed at revealing the fun and quirky side of our talented and experienced MultiConnexions team – we interviewed Michael Jilwan to get to know him a little better.
1. What is your nickname and role at MultiConnexions? Tell us a bit about your work experience.
MJ or Jilly, are amongst the popular ones, seemingly anything but my actual name. I am the Media Director at MultiConnexions, with 10 years’ experience predominately in mainstream agencies. Most recently I was the Partnerships Director for Coca Cola and Nestle, spearheading their investment and implementation whilst coordinating a unified approach across there agency village inclusive of PR, Creative, Shopper, Activation and the like.
2. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
To discover a new piece of information, absorb a new learning/skill or act in a way that betters me from the previous day. In recent years this has been particularly skewed towards optimal health and wellbeing which has become an obsession of mine. The day you stop learning and evolving is the day you stop living.
3. What are 3 things you can’t live without?
My family – I have two beautiful nieces and two nephews I feel I have a duty to spoil and love. Coming from a Lebanese background, big family gatherings are quite the norm.
My phone – I mean can anyone live without a phone anymore? It’s basically a person’s past and current life compressed into the palm of the hand.
Food – I can’t distinguish here, so many people have addictions or vices, mine is food, I just love eating. This extends to my passion of optimal wellbeing with my mass assortment of supplements and exotic health foods.
4. Best way to win brownie points with you?
Educated sport, exercise or wellbeing discussion – not fan dribble or Netflix documentary dribble, but proper conversation. I love being humbled in conversation or discovering something new.
5. Describe life at MCX with a gif or meme.
6. Tell us one thing about you that surprises people.
I used to be really overweight, I have lost almost a third of my bodyweight.
7. The world is ending and you have to choose one book, one movie and one TV show to watch for the rest of your life. What do you pick?
Book – I am more of a podcast person but if I had to choose a book I would pick The Game.
Movie – The Godfather 2, can’t go past a classic.
TV – Game of Thrones, easily the best series of all time.
8. What is your most used emoji?
9. If someone were to play you in a movie, who would you want it to be?
I once went on a date with someone who said I look like Bradley Cooper. Nearly everyone laughs when I say this, so it would probably have to be him or Leonardo DiCaprio because he is just the best of our generation.
10. If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do the extra time?
Take up a new hobby or skill, maybe something in mixed martial arts like BJJ or Judo. Go on more walks, meditate, start up a side business or take up a new education. I have never been one for lazing about, the time would have to be productive.
11. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Trust the process, everything will be just fine.”
12. What excites you most about the future of multicultural Australia?
The fact that Australia will be one of the most dynamic and culturally fluid countries in the world, which will mean an enormous variety of foods, cultures and experiences available to explore and immerse one’s self in. On a larger scale, Australia will also be a country that leads the way for equality for this reason.
Would you rather rapid fire:
Travel forward or back in time?
Back in time (real deep in time too).
Be invisible for one day or be able to fly for one day?
Invisible.
Speak every language or be able to speak to animals?
Speak to the animals, they would have such an incredible perception of the world to share.
Have more time or have more money?
More time – money can’t buy you this, but time can make you more money.