Tell us about yourself and your background
I am married and a mother of 2 wonderful children – one still in high school and the other currently studying international Marketing in France.
I am a Business Economics graduate and started my career at PWC Oman. I then moved to Egypt where I shifted my career from marketing to HR and this is where I found my passion.
Across my 20+ years of experience, I have joined different organizations across multiple industries, which has enriched my experience and allowed me to experience different opportunities in HR and culture transformation. Since 2022 my scope has expanded across the gulf allowing me to enrich my exposure with a multitude of interactions with diverse and rich cultures whilst allowing me to be exposed to new and transformative techniques within the People and Culture arena.
What do you currently do?
I am the Chief People and Culture Officer for one of the most prestigious real estate developers in Egypt, and my role is to support with the People and culture transformation strategy which the company is willing to implement to meet the expansion and growth demands across Egypt and the Gulf.
What has been your biggest career success?
I would say when a long-awaited dream came to life as I launched the one and only Leadership Academy in a Construction Company. This included signing development agreements with Top international business schools like INSEAD and London Business school. This achievement was significant because it was not only about the design and launch of this top-notch Academy but we worked and launched during the challenging time of COVID.
What interesting projects have you been involved in?
Across my career I have always been blessed to participate in interesting projects, all of which fall under the umbrella of transformation and growth. One of the most interesting projects was when we applied for the Top Employer Certificate, as we were the first construction company in Egypt to win the certification for 3 consecutive years. In addition I have launched multiple Talent and HIPOs programs, as well as Launching the Internal Career Coaching section while creating a separate function totally dedicated to creating a memorable employee experience.
Why are you so passionate about people development and organizational culture?
It’s always about the lasting impact, the feeling you have when you have truly changed employees lives by actually showing them you truly care about their future and their wellbeing and not just the effort they put in to the organization. For me it’s about leaving a legacy.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing leaders in MENA? And how do you believe they can be overcome?
I would say the multi-generational culture which will require flexible and creative strategies. You will no longer have a one size fits all strategy and you will have to be creative and be one step ahead of your competition for talent retention.
What makes a great company culture?
Transparency – open communication – bridging the gap between employees and management by having a clear strategy for listening to employees whilst also acting on their needs and concerns
What are your top strategies for transforming the culture of a company?
- Having clear listening strategies
- Developing a pool of talents
- Creating well identified benefits and compensation strategies
How important is it for companies to invest in their people?
I will here have to quote the famous CEO who said to his CFO, ‘what if we don’t invest in them and they stay’. Imagine having a number of unskilled and untrained employees who lack the motivation and skills required to match the growth and the competition. You will end up with an old and stagnate organization which will eventually diminish in this rapidly changing environment.
What are your top people development tips for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth within a company?
– Hire right
– Develop leaders so that they can lead people effectively
– Have a well designed and flexible compensation strategy
How do you ensure the corporate strategy and talent strategy of an organization are aligned?
It starts by asking your CEO and board – where we are? Where do you want to go?
Then offer your strategy and show where they are aligned, get their buy-in and support and then roll your sleeves for the implantation and be ready to address challenges and ensure flexibility and that you have contingency plans.
What are your top tips for talent management in companies that are scaling fast?
Have a strong successor. Build them young and be ready with development programs especially designed for your HIPOS and successors. Your talent programs should be targeted based on the types of roles and expertise which the organisation will need in the coming future.
What do you see as the future of talent management/recruitment in the UAE?
The future is positive but challenging. The UAE is one of the most developed and diversified talents so it’s important that strategies are more innovative, tackling different type of developments and enhancements. Recruitment is never hard to start with because many have a dream of moving to Dubai. However, it is therefore harder for a recruiter to choose who to hire, which is why using advanced assessment and AI tools will be crucial for both hiring and development.
What do you believe makes a great leader?
A leader is one who genuinely believes in the importance of creating more leaders not followers. Sounds easy? It’s not because it’s against human nature to push a person to continuously work towards developing people so that one day they can assume their role or even move to a better role.
What skills should a leader focus on developing?
Unleashing the hidden potential and talents of the people they lead.
What is your favourite leadership quote?
“Leadership is a choice, not a position”, Covey
What are your goals/what is next for you?
To continue working towards impacting more lives through the work I do. I am continuously learning by watching mini videos on LinkedIn and am hoping to continue and grow.
How can readers find out more about you?
