Vitiligo is a long-term condition that causes pale white patches to develop on the skin, and estimates suggest up to 1 in 100 people in the UK may be living with it.
For 18 years, Eli Abid wore make-up every day to cover his Vitiligo.
From the age of nine, it became part of his daily routine. Not because he was vain, but because he wanted to fit in.
As he built a successful career across ITV, Disney, Global and The Trade Desk, there was something happening beneath the surface. He would look at senior leaders and question whether someone who looked like him could ever reach that level.
Then, one morning before his wedding, Eli sat in front of the mirror and thought, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
He picked up the make-up he'd relied on for years, threw it in the bin and went to work without it.
In this episode of Behind the Title, we talk about that moment, the 18 years that preceded it and the journey that has followed.
Elj opens up about confidence, fitting in, visible difference, representation in leadership and why even today there are moments when his relationship with his appearance is complicated.
We also discuss his work with Changing Faces, why he wrote his children's book Just Like Me, and what businesses can do to create environments where people feel able to show up as themselves.
It's an incredibly honest conversation about something much bigger than appearance.
It's about being seen.
In any industry, job titles carry power, perception, and pressure. But behind every title CEO, CMO, CFO is a person navigating private challenges, mental health struggles, and silent turning points that shape who they are and how they lead.
Behind the Title is a candid podcast that pulls back the curtain on these personal stories.
Through honest, structured conversations with leaders at all levels, we explore the inner lives that fuel (and sometimes unravel) outer success.
Think of it as Alcoholics Anonymous for the media industry, but instead of substance, we talk about silence, stress, self-worth, and the systems that shape us.
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