{"podcast":{"title":"Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge","slug":"made-in-dubai-with-spencer-lodge-1158354","podcast_index_feed_id":1158354,"rss_url":"https://spencerlodge.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://spencerlodge.tv/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/0/c/3/a/0c3a03e060af42aad959afa2a1bf1c87/podcast_artwork.png","author":"Spencer Lodge","episode_count":407,"summary":"Formerly the Unscripted Podcast with Spencer Lodge Join Spencer Lodge as he connects with the most fascinating personalities in Dubai. A city that rose from the desert sands to become one of the most ambitious, innovative and inspiring places on Earth. Behind its glittering skyline are people with stories just as extraordinary - pioneers, dreamers and doers who dared to turn bold visions into reality. Made in Dubai is where those stories are told. Hosted by Spencer Lodge, each episode is a front-row seat to conversations with the people shaping the UAE's future — from business leaders and record-breakers to cultural icons and creative disruptors. But this isn't just about their success. It's about the journey - the risks they took, the challenges they faced and the moments that defined them. It's about the unique magic of Dubai: a place where ambition meets opportunity, where cultures from around the world collide to create something truly special and where anything feels possible. Whether you're an entrepreneur searching for your next big move, someone curious about life in the UAE or simply in need of inspiration, Made in Dubai is your invitation to step inside this vibrant city…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-13T10:19:15.992091+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/made-in-dubai-with-spencer-lodge-1158354"},"episode":{"title":"#404: Dennis McGettigan, From a House of Ten in Dublin to Dubai's Biggest Pub Empire","slug":"404-dennis-mcgettigan-from-a-house-of-ten-in-dublin-to-dubai-s-biggest-pub-empire","published_at":"2026-06-29T06:46:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/made-in-dubai-with-spencer-lodge-1158354/404-dennis-mcgettigan-from-a-house-of-ten-in-dublin-to-dubai-s-biggest-pub-empire","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/made-in-dubai-with-spencer-lodge-1158354","url":"https://spencerlodge.libsyn.com/404-dennis-mcgettigan-from-a-house-of-ten-in-dublin-to-dubais-biggest-pub-empire","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/spencerlodge/Full_Audio_-_Dennis_McGettigan_-_Made_in_Dubai-_1.mp3?dest-id=974060","summary":"Dennis McGettigan is the founder and CEO of McGettigan's, one of the most recognisable hospitality brands in the UAE. But the story behind it starts in Dublin, in a house with ten children run \"like a business\", where the kitchen was locked at 7pm and every kid got jobs and five pounds a week. His father started as a dishwasher on the QE1 at nineteen, bought his first pub for eight thousand pounds in 1964, and built a hotel empire across Ireland, the UK and eventually Dubai. This conversation is about grit. The 2008 crash that left him with zero revenue and hundreds of millions in exposure. The international expansion he opened in three weeks and closed during Covid. And the personal side too: his wife Nicola's cancer and recovery, told through a racehorse and a moment at Royal Ascot that still moves him. This is one of the most grounded, human conversations about what it actually takes to build something that lasts. Timestamps: 0:00 Growing up one of ten in Dublin, a house run like a business, the kitchen locked at 7pm 6:30 His father: from dishwasher on the QE1 to a pub empire across Ireland and the UK 12:15 Why he would hire work ethic over a university degree every single time 14:00 The Burlington Hotel, the 2008 crash, and becoming a fireman putting out fires 18:30 How McGettigan's was born from one simple idea: a bar he wanted to go to himself 36:45 Where he got it wrong: New York, Singapore, Jakarta and the cost of moving too fast 44:00 The £70 million monster in JBR and the deal he signed right as the conflict began 52:18 Why he believes Dubai will bounce back bigger than ever 1:14:00 Nicola's cancer, a racehorse at Royal Ascot, and the moment that still moves him 1:04:00 Quickfire: one word for Dubai 2026 and the hardest phone call he ever makes Follow Spencer…","meta_description":"Dennis McGettigan is the founder and CEO of McGettigan's, one of the most recognisable hospitality brands in the UAE. But the story behind it starts in Du…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4919,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/made-in-dubai-with-spencer-lodge-1158354/episodes/404-dennis-mcgettigan-from-a-house-of-ten-in-dublin-to-dubai-s-biggest-pub-empire/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/made-in-dubai-with-spencer-lodge-1158354/404-dennis-mcgettigan-from-a-house-of-ten-in-dublin-to-dubai-s-biggest-pub-empire.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}