1. What have you found most challenging as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise?

The ability to find balance in life. It's hard for example to satisfy your career goals while you are doing well on a personal level, and if that happens it usually doesn't last long. It's a great challenge!

We have learned more about time management, but I believe the more crucial skill is "Priorities Management".

2. How did you become a CEO or executive of a large enterprise? Can you please briefly tell the story?

It wasn't my choice at all! :) ... It happened as a result of my social responsibility towards a huge challenge that my society has been suffering from for decades and couldn't find a real solution. As an Educational Counsellor, I found many obstacles on the road to providing a high-quality university education with affordable tuition fees for many of the parents who need that for their children.

So it had started with an idea that soon became a start-up that contributes to fulfilling thousands of students' dreams with high-quality education and great life experience by studying abroad!

It's not easy to search for a good university both locally and internationally, so we created the first university consultancy firm in the Arab world that provides integrated counselling services for students in the MENA region.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I usually empty my head in the first hour after waking up in order to charge my mind to do what I need to do that working day. It helps me to have a few minutes every couple of hours to pray which is the mediation part of my day.
With all the emails, meetings and phone calls, I work hard to leave an impact every and each day!

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

That you can only lead by "Love" and there is no other way of leading except by love. It may take some time for many to learn that lesson.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

It's (WaMahyaya) Book by Dr Walid Ahmed Fitaihi, was first time published in 2015 (Arabic Edition, Volume 1), and although it cannot be classified as a Leadership kind of books, it had a significant impact on how I see the world around me and deal with it in the most appropriate way. It has a TV series (English version) that talks about (The EGO) in season 3 that is highly recommended to watch.

6. How do you build leadership capacity in a large enterprise?

By building a long-term relationship with my team that has pillars of trust and honesty.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise so far?

I remember that I wished to have the opportunity to meet certain people whom I consider role models and have the opportunity to talk with them, but that was realistically far before taking the risk to live a more meaningful life. What happened is that through my journey as an entrepreneur, I had the chance to meet some of the people whom I wished were in great circumstances and had lots of great surprises! The lesson I got is that you can always get what you once wished- and forgot- while you are pursuing impact in life!