Our findings say that talent risk is one of the most significant threats to growth for companies in the GCC region. What are your views?
I agree that talent risk is a significant threat toward a company’s growth. People are key assets for any organization and the success and failure of any company is directly linked with its people. I strongly believe that we need to further invest in our people and their talents through training and development initiatives that will help them upskill and reskill. I feel it is important that organizations realized the importance of knowledge transfer in ensuring an organization’s sustainability, particularly in terms of knowledge management and succession planning.
Do you believe that Kuwait has opportunities for female entrepreneurs? If yes, how can a young female entrepreneur approach the market?
Absolutely, Kuwait has a wide variety of opportunities for female entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is a very challenging journey to take for anyone, and for a young female entrepreneur who is interested in taking on this challenge, she has to be ready to fight for her dreams and aspirations. She needs to be ready to take on a leadership role at a young age and assume that the risk of setting up a new business is very high.
I believe in the power and determination that a lot of women have, and I know that if an intelligent, capable young woman sets her mind on achieving a goal, then she definitely will.
As you navigate the business landscape, can you speak about your journey, the challenges you faced, and some of the learnings you would like to share with the next generation?
I have always known that I wanted to serve my country so I pursued a career in the public sector. I have always been business-minded so it felt natural to pursue a career at the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA).
As a working mother, I faced many challenges in managing my responsibilities at home and my professional goals and ambitions. This is one of the many reasons that I feel very grateful for being a Kuwaiti woman because we have so many laws and regulations that make it easier for a mother to balance her time at home and her work duties.
As I continued to develop and grow my family and my career, I was appointed as a Board Member of Dhaman Health Assurance Hospitals Company. Recently, I was also appointed as a Board Member of Touristic Enterprises Company (TEC). I feel very blessed and grateful to have earned the trust of such prestigious organizations and for being able to continue my public service toward Kuwait through my work at KIA.
It is also worth noting that women are represented at the Board level in both these organizations. At Dhaman, there are two female Board Members. Similarly, women occupy the majority four out of saven Board seats at TEC. This clearly demonstrates our government’s commitment toward equal representation and opportunity across all levels within an organization.
Based on your experience working with men and women in different fields, which areas do you believe women demonstrate a lot of potential in?
In recent years, I have observed more and more women getting into technical fields, such as information technology and medical sciences, among other areas, which used to be dominated by males. This type of balance is really important because I believe women can excel in any field of their choosing if they are given the opportunity to do so. Moreover, women are notably skilled at multitasking and communicating, and possess high emotional intelligence. These are highly desirable skills in today’s competitive landscape as more and more employers tend to focus on recruiting for soft skills rather than hard skills (which can easily be acquired through training and development).
As a high-achieving female leader, what advice do you have for aspiring female leaders?
While it is true that women are afforded many opportunities today, the challenges we face are certainly unique to us. That is why it is especially important for an aspiring female leader to know her priorities (especially as a working mother) and clearly define her end goals, and set clear paths to achieve them. She may fail along the way but success cannot happen without them having to face obstacles during their leadership journey.
I also believe in the importance of having faith and believing in God’s wisdom and the path he has designed for each and every one of us. The key is to keep going and to be determined — no matter what. She has to continue giving her best and pursue her dreams because nothing happens overnight.
