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If you could go back and change one career decision what would it be ?
As I look back on my career , I don ’ t have regrets as I have thoroughly enjoyed working in the technology field . In the early days instead of dabbling in different industries , perhaps I could have started in technology straight away . But then again , by working in other sectors , I realised just how much I missed technology , and this gave me the clarity I needed to decide on a career in IT . Over the years I also understand that with technology being so dynamic , I constantly need to educate and update myself .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
Knowledge and people . Warren Buffett said : “ The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself ; the more you learn , the more you ’ ll earn .” You can do few small things by yourself , but if you want to do great things and make big impact , you need to delegate and work with skilled people .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in the Middle East ?
Due to the current situation and the global investment that happened in ME , we can see today that ME is changing the traditional technology in its infrastructure . As organisations in the Middle East are investing in new technology solutions to enable the current remote working trend , they are facing challenges when it comes to transitioning from legacy technologies . There are also other challenges like shrinking budgets , addressing country regulations especially when it comes to cloud and security issues and finally and as importantly , customers ’ mindsets . A lot of organisations are not proactive enough when it comes to embracing modern day security solutions . They often wait until after an incident occurs to allocate a budget .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
As mentioned , I joined A10 Networks at the start of this year and have been tasked with generating business and revenue for the company in the Gulf region . Today , even if a company ’ s technology is best of breed , just enumerating the features to customers is not enough . You need to be a problem solver . The starting point is understanding customer needs and then designing a solution that best fulfils those needs .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level or high-level management position in your industry ?
There is no easy road to success ! To be a good leader and reach a high-level management position , you need to start at the grassroot level . You need to roll up your sleeves and work in the trenches with colleagues before leading them . Because only then will you understand real challenges and be able to have deeper and more meaningful insights . Also , as you move up management levels it ’ s important to remember to trust people and not
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IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT TECHNOLOGY WAS THE CAREER PATH FOR ME , I WORKED IN VARIOUS OTHER INDUSTRIES IN SAUDI . BUT THAT JUST CONVINCED ME THAT IT WAS MY TRUE CALLING .
micromanage them . Trust is an attribute that is highly valued by employees .
What is the best piece of advice you have been given ?
Listen and keep learning from skilled people .
Which IT company , other than your own , do you most admire and why ?
At one point it was Cisco , but today it ’ s Microsoft and Amazon – companies that are game changers . They are changing the concept of IT operations to an OPEX model and hosting the most valuable thing today which is data .
What ’ s your favourite thing about the company you work for ?
People make companies ! What I enjoy most about A10 Networks is the passion and teamwork .
What sort of interests do you have outside of work ?
I enjoy activities like cycling , running and reading . This helps me unwind and deal with the challenges at work . In addition , I like spending quality time with my family . •
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