Tell us about yourself and how you got into L&D.I was raised in a family believing that horsemanship is equivalent to Leadership! I got a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and I never would have thought I would be pursuing a career far from Engineering or a business in the Equestrian World!

I moved to Dubai 23 years ago with an experience in mechanical/industrial engineering and a successful Equestrian business that I have been running physically and remotely since 1995.

In 2008 I got introduced to the fascinating world of Coaching, and my journey started to unfold in a different direction!

With my belief in the unlimited power of human potential, I developed a passion for Coaching and training to optimize Leadership personally & professionally.

In 2009 I started Executive Coaching and Leadership Development in the corporate world. I have always had a lifelong learning mindset, which motivated me to acquire multiple certifications from different schools of Coaching, NLP, and Emotional Intelligence. I am an ICF PCC Coach, Certified trainer & facilitator, and Certified EQ Leadership Consultant.

I grew my expertise and business acumen in Egypt, UAE, Qatar, KSA, and Kuwait, working with HR and L&D professionals to design and deliver customized learning programs with assessments, training, and Coaching for C-level executives as well as mid-management and young leaders to drive transformation and growth and support them in change while maintaining wellbeing.

As a Senior Leadership Development Consultant with HNI, I have gratefully built a sought-after reputation for supporting global organizations and government entities in building and elevating leadership capacity.

Tell us about your role as a Network Leader and Ambassador of Emotional Intelligence.

I have been a member of Six Seconds Org for almost 12 years. EQ is a strategic resource to navigate the challenges we face in our personal and professional lives. According to the 2022 recommendations of the World Economic Forum, Emotional Intelligence is one of the essential skills needed in the workplace.

As A Network Leader and Ambassador of EQ, my role is to bring more people to practice EQ by hosting interactive learning workshops to increase awareness and develop self and people-management skills through EQ. This is a volunteer role that I have the honor to hold, as it completely aligns with my purpose.

What are the biggest challenges in L&D in the next five years?

Over the last five years, the HR and L&D field has undergone significant changes, primarily driven by technological advances, and shifting workforce needs. The next five years will bring more challenges, from attracting and retaining talent to the faster pace of advancement in technology to diversity as well as remote work!

• Attracting and retaining top talent is becoming increasingly challenging. HR & L&D professionals will need to focus on creating a strong employee engagement and wellbeing culture, providing career growth and development opportunities, and offering more benefits to employees.
• Adapting to AI and advanced technology is an accelerated need, and staying up-to-date with modern technologies, professionals must continuously keep learning.
• Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace has become a critical priority for HR and L&D. Building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive culture needs many “Mind-Shifts” and different practices.
• Upskilling and reskilling the workforce to adapt to the rapid pace of change would need ongoing training and development opportunities.
• Increasing the accessibility of training for the newly emerged hybrid workplaces also needs to be addressed through multiple ways of training delivery (digital learning, microlearning, self-learning, etc.)

What are vital competencies for Leadership in the next five years?

From my perspective, I can see FIVE top skills needed for Leadership in the next five years:

• Digital Literacy: The ability to understand and use technology and how to leverage it for business advantage.
• Strategic Thinking: This is becoming increasingly important at all levels of employees to identify opportunities, set goals, and develop plans to achieve them.
• Emotional Intelligence: Emotionally Intelligent leaders can build positive relationships, manage change, communicate effectively, and create positive & engaging cultures.
• Creativity & Innovation: Everything is changing with a lot of unpredictable circumstances! Leaders with high creativity and innovation skills are those who dance with complexity and ambiguity to develop multiple options and solutions.
• Change Management: Leaders must develop their skills in managing people and processes and successfully navigate change.

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