1. How did your career start? Was it planned or did you get into it by chance?

My first job post-graduation was a happy accident.

It was the year 2000 in London when I tried to make a post in the local newspaper as a job-seeker graduate of architecture. Unknowingly I offered myself the “items for free”. A couple of days later I received a call for an interview at a pioneering startup that became the world leaders in 4D construction planning (virtual construction planning). I met visionary Barry, the owner entrepreneur, who explained to me that in order to qualify for the job I needed to know advanced 3D CAD modeling. I was honest about my complete lack of CAD competence. I asked him to give me a month and promised to come back and demonstrate my new skills, a challenge that he surprisingly accepted..

A new PC, trial CAD software, skills from scratch and four endless weeks later, I went back and got the job. What Barry gave me was much more than an opportunity; he taught me how believing in someone’s drive to achieve actually unlocks their ability to do so. I will always be grateful for this invaluable lesson from my first boss. 

2. Have you faced any challenges in your career due to your gender?

I have been told on two separate occasions that the top role was not available to me due to my gender. I had not anticipated that as a show-stopper, mainly due to my natural tendency to focus on value creation as a key driver towards achievement. 

Unfortunately, there is no denying that the world is full of stereotypes, they come in many forms even beyond gender. I have found that the way we deal with them makes all the difference in how our career journey evolves. Persistence and a positive mindset help unlock additional motivation and often act as catalysts towards continuous skill enhancement. 

3. Do you think enough steps are being taken by companies to encourage women to enter C-level positions?

Not yet unfortunately, even though the UAE leadership has been doing a great job empowering women and living by that commitment.

Conscious effort to set up mechanisms that enable “sponsorship” for women with potential, is necessary. Gender diversity instilled as part of the business culture, defined hiring goals and showcasing women role-models in the business, all help encourage women to aspire to aim for leadership roles.  

4. Is work-life balance real or fiction?

It is mission possible. We are going through the biggest shift in the world of work, at a global scale, for over a century. The pandemic further emphasized our desire for improved work-life balance as we re-evaluated our priorities on what really matters in life. At the same time, businesses have been at the receiving end of a “great resignation” movement, from a “reborn” workforce that values flexibility and emotional engagement through a sense of purpose and belonging. They choose to carry out fulfilling work at a workplace where learning and career growth needs are respected alongside health and wellbeing, especially in an era when we live and work for much longer.

It is needless to say that companies need to rethink their strategy when it comes to operating practices and managing people. They need to do so, keeping in mind that not all people are the same but also the same people have different needs and desires at different phases of their lives. Genuine care to understand our people and empathise with their circumstances, needs and wants has never been more important, along with creating a culture of performance for mutual benefit. On the other hand, as not everyone values flexibility the same, companies need to optimize their approach through a challenging balancing act of between different groups of people. No doubt becoming more creative can save the day!

5. What advice do you have for young women who would like to enter the industry?

Be laser focused on what matters most - choose the profession that your heart desires, free from social norms. Become the best version of yourself by acquiring deep knowledge in your field of choice and never stop learning or improving your skills. Without a shadow of doubt, knowledge is the ultimate form of power that nobody can take away from you, no matter what challenges life throws at you. This is another lesson that I have been fortunate enough to learn the hard way. 

Always aim high and dare to take risks – but never, ever compromise your values and principles. It is important for your career evolution and sanity that you remain proud of who you are by always doing the right thing, even when nobody's watching. 

Maintain a good professional network from the very first day of your career and try not to burn bridges. Every person you meet is a potential customer, sponsor, future colleague or employee. 

Above all, be a good human being. Genuinely care for people around you, empathise the way you wish others did for you. The world is a challenging place and you never know what others are going through. A bit of care goes a long way - for you, your team and the society at large. Keep in mind that “people will forget what you said, will forget what you did, but will never forget how you made them feel”. 

Last but not least, do not allow yourself to be phased by setbacks, of any size, shape or form. Embrace difficulties, bad bosses, embarrassing situations – learn from them as much as possible and come out stronger. At the end of the day, we become what we believe.