How would you describe your journey? Brief us on the inception story of your career.
My journey has been quite evolutionary, being born and raised in Dubai at the time when Dubai was propelling to the pinnacle it is at today. I knew I didn’t want to be married off at a young age like my sisters. Coming from an industrialist family, in our culture it is the men that always lead the family business.
During my time at the university I had read a book by Robert Kiyosaki “Rich dad , poor dad” This was the book that changed my mindset about money, the university doesn’t teach you how to be smart about financial markets, and obtain passive income using debt. I was fascinated to discover such tools, It felt like I had discovered fire. I knew that if I am ever to be successful in this world I will have to gain experience at an institution that knows how to utilise such opportunities.
It was not easy for me to convince my father to allow me to work outside the family business. I believe that was the first stepping stone for me in my professional career as a negotiator. I convinced my father to allow me to intern as a private banker in one of the top banks in the UAE.
Enlighten us about your role in the organisation you are leading / associated with?
I love my role at Falcon Global Capital ( FGC for short) it is an establishment that consists of seasoned and aspiring professionals who strive for excellence in being amongst the best in the industry. As the CEO and Executive board member, it is important to maintain balance and a sense of worth for every individual that is part of the team. Team work is synchronized like you would see in a Formula one race. Where a driver brings in the race car and the team has less than 2 minutes to change the tires. This skill, which only lasts for less than two minutes but it has taken many years to master this and to be able to perform in such a way. The same goes for FGC.
We work hard with a combined vision as a whole.
- Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to work harder?
I find inspiration in futuristic market trends, you may call me a futurist lol, with that in mind, it is enough to motivate myself and my team to innovate our products/services and instead of disrupting we believe in constructing a sustainable future. - Kindly mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your person.
In the finance industry it is a valuable asset to be accredited and qualified by a reputable institution. I was fortunate enough to complete an Executive MBA at the Said Business School University of Oxford and achieve a distinction in FinTech. - What is the one thing you wish you had known about women in your line of work before you started working?
I wish I had known what it would be like to balance work life, family life and personal development ambitions.
Do you believe it is compulsory for a woman to manage a household alongside her work?
It is not compulsory for a woman to manage a household, I believe that is a cultural thing. There are many professional women out there who like to be number one in their career as well as their home and then there are some who would rather focus on one. It truly depends on the household, sometimes there are single parents that do not have a choice and in some cases there are men who would rather have their wife in charge of the household while they are the bread winner of the family.
As a woman, what has been the highlight of you career? What are the changes you wish to make for the better in your professional life post-pandemic?
The highlight of my career was when FGC was granted the regulatory license by the DFSA, it took us a year and half during the pandemic to pursue this.
I would like to establish a corporate eco system that is self sustainable, so should anything happen, another pandemic, war or catastrophe we are able to sustain that storm, and that applies to internal personnel as well. i.e. everyone that is part of the FGC team can function and move forward.
Brief us on the changes the pandemic brought to your sector and your market. Has the work-culture altered?
The impact of the pandemic has heightened market risk aversion in ways not seen since the global financial crisis. Collectively as a team we have enough experience to understand market trends, volatility patterns and signs of early recessions. This has however prepared us to do scenario planning, that allows us to know what we have to do should we face such a challenge. By the way this subject is now being taught in many universities.
What words of wisdom/ inspiration/ advice would you offer to the next generation of female leaders?
My sincere advice is to find your niche, find what you are passionate about and make your self so good at what you do that you are irreplicable. In any career ladder reputation, trust and integrity play a big role, so keep your standards high and live your life according to those standards that people believe that you are a person of high calibre.
