JCRADS & PARTNERS is a Dubai-based boutique agency built on senior expertise, a genuine passion for hospitality and a deep understanding of the UAE and wider GCC’s nuanced market. Our team is embedded in the community, with a powerful network that enables brands to launch, gain visibility and thrive in a region where traditional playbooks don’t apply. Bringing together operational insight, editorial understanding and GCC-trained PR precision, we focus on meaningful visibility, strong relationships and work that delivers real results for brands entering or growing within the Middle East.
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With over 15 years of experience in marketing and hospitality, Josh’s passion for the industry runs deep. He began his career on the frontline – from bartending and poolside service in family-owned restaurants and iconic five-star hotels – before travelling the world in pursuit of standout hospitality experiences across Toronto, Chicago and Hawaii. He later completed his degree in Marketing & Business Management.
Josh went on to make his mark in London’s competitive hospitality landscape, leading restaurant and bar marketing across five luxury hotels within The Doyle Collection in London, Dublin and Washington D.C. During this time, he delivered high-impact collaborations with The World’s 50 Best Bars, global brands and major tourism boards, and helped position Dalloway Terrace as the world’s most Instagrammed restaurant. He was also named one of Caterer UK’s 30 Under 30 rising stars.
In 2021, Josh relocated to Dubai to oversee the pre-opening of 25hours Hotel One Central – featured on the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List and awarded Breakthrough Hotel of the Year. He later served as Marketing Director at Ennismore and Group Marketing Director at EATX, leading strategy for 22 venues and driving award-winning campaigns.
Before launching JCRADS & PARTNERS, Josh was recognised as Hotelier Middle East’s Marketing Person of the Year.
STEPHANIE HODSON
LILY WEST
ISABELLA CRADDOCK
With 12 years’ experience across London and the Middle East, Isabella brings editorial authority and strategic creativity to JCRADS & PARTNERS. She has worked in-house as an editor at Condé Nast and Hearst and writes for leading global titles including Monocle, The Telegraph, The Times, Robb Report, Food and Travel and Daily Mail.
A former London news-desk editor, she understands what sells, what shapes a story and how to position brands for impact. Isabella has consulted on the creative direction, editorial positioning and media relationships for the launch of multiple travel and lifestyle brands, as well as for many of the UAE’s leading PR agencies. Founder of Near+Far, a globally recognised luxury travel magazine, and a Founding Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, she brings a unique editorial lens, a powerful media network and the ability to craft narratives that convert.
Lily is a dynamic PR and communications specialist with strong expertise in luxury hospitality, delivering results for Michelin-starred restaurants, world-class hotels and award-winning dining destinations across the Middle East. She built her career in Dubai’s fast-paced agency landscape – Empyre Communications,
Z7 Communications and Circle PR – shaping narratives for major brands including The Lana, Dorchester Collection, JW Marriott Marquis, Armani Hotel and Fundamental Hospitality.
Renowned for her creative thinking and results-driven execution, Lily has led campaigns that generated global media coverage, strategic influencer partnerships and high-value brand collaborations. Standout projects include WHOOP’s Wellness Morning at The Lana, NARS x CLAP Ladies’ Night and the NUXE x La Baia summer activation. At JCRADS & PARTNERS, Lily drives impactful communications, sharp storytelling and strategic results for leading hospitality brands.
Hailing from Cape Town, Stephanie is a passionate hospitality professional and true multi-hyphenate. A formally trained chef, she knows the industry from the inside out, having worked in some of South Africa’s most celebrated kitchens – including Rust en Vrede and La Colombe – before moving to London in 2025 to join the three-Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth.
Alongside her culinary career, Stephanie built a parallel path as a photographer, food stylist and social media executive, creating content for brands such as Spinneys and managing her own roster of clients across content, community management and strategy. A published photographer with a strong eye for digital storytelling, she brings creativity and precision to every project. At JCRADS & PARTNERS, Stephanie executes social media and content production, guiding shoots and shaping brand narratives with a unique perspective rooted in genuine passion and formal training.
OUR FULL SERVICES
Our digital marketing partner works as an extension of the JCRADS & PARTNERS team, delivering high-impact paid campaigns that drive real traffic, conversions and footfall. As one of Dubai’s leading digital specialists, she elevates our PR and social media strategies with precision targeting, data-led optimisation and performance insights — ensuring every campaign reaches the right audience and delivers measurable results.
We collaborate with specialist PR consultants deeply embedded in key communities across the Arab and Russian markets. Brought in on a project basis, they translate and localise communications, distribute press releases to their trusted networks, secure media and influencer engagement, and build long-term relationships for our clients. Their insight and access help brands grow authentically within two of the region’s most influential demographics. For GCC brands looking to launch internationally, we work closely with leading global sister agencies in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Athens, Cape Town, Hong Kong and Bangkok
Our community curator is a long-established creative figure within Dubai’s luxury, lifestyle and C-suite circles. With deep relationships across fashion, travel, hospitality and the city’s cultural tastemakers, he builds real-world connections that matter. Through targeted outreach, curated introductions and consistent relationship-building, he helps our clients grow a loyal, relevant and sustainable community — strengthening visibility, reputation and long-term engagement.