Official Title:
Managing director, Annalect MENA
Away from the usual, my bio is:
Putting aside my career and current role in the media industry, I am first and foremost a mother. And that follows me in everything I do and towards everything that crosses my path. Whether it is towards my two kids and keeping up with all the football practices and matches. Cheer leading them through the wins and the losses and making sure I show up fully to support them when they feel hurt and even when they do mistakes. Whether it is towards my team at work, putting them at the forefront and watching them shine and succeed. And when they fall back, carefully talking them through it and making sure they discern the right and wrong and support them overcome their fears and uncertainties.
I think as a parent we choose compassion above everything else. Compassion is between equals and enables you to put yourself in the shoes of the other person. We have a duty as human beings to be compassionate with others and help him/her overcome challenges and be brave enough to be authentic. Showing up as a mother is strongly embedded in my career and personal life.
If I were to nominate anyone on this list it would be, and why:
My biggest inspiration is Maya Angelou. She has helped me throughout many challenges in my life. Words can be so powerful and can move us so deeply. Maya is a solid proof of such power. One example of a famous quote that I follow as a leader: “The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.”
Some of the reasons I should not be on this list are:
I am a very vulnerable person. I have high sensitivity to everything around me (living and not!) and strong empathy towards everyone I connect with. If someone comes to me seeking support and feeling sad, like a sponge I take in their sadness and can experience their emotions. I am learning to put boundaries and build a protective cocoon around me. However many times I feel this is what makes me a good leader. If I lose this, I might lose my connection with others and hence their trust and confidence that I will always show up to support them.
My lowest point of my career was/the highest point of my career was:
My lowest point of my career was when I left Canada and my position as research scientist and moved back to Lebanon. It was during the start of AI innovation where the discipline was going beyond academia and proving its value across industries. Montreal was positioned very strongly in Machine Learning and AI, specially with all the innovation happening at McGill and other nearby universities. As graduate of McGill, in PHD in signal processing at the engineering faculty, it was an immense joy to see that our capabilities have such a great impact and value and we are disrupting the industry.
I left Montreal and moved back to Lebanon to join the American university of Beirut. After spending few years in the professorial track, I started realizing the importance of teaching. Touching lives and impacting students career and even life choices is something very rewarding. Even now, as my role at Omnicom Media Group, many students have joined my team here and in Lebanon.
I feel this is the highest point of my career and keeps getting higher every day. I still practice teaching & mentoring in the way I lead my team. And I find great joy and fulfillment in connecting with the people I work with and witnessing the excellent work they are capable of.
What I learned from either:
It is the difficult times and the lowest points of our lives, personal and career, that make us who we are. No matter what we are facing, it is important to be authentic and live by our values and beliefs. Even if it means things will get worse. Because when things get to the lowest point, the only way is upwards!
If there’s one thing on my bucket list I want to do, it would be:
Experience nature escapades more frequently. Whether it is camping in Wadi Sahwka or hiking in the Scottish highlands (my next trip) my top priority in my bucket list is spend more time in nature and be awed by its immense energy and realizing how small we are as human beings!
