Improve Your Work-Life Balance with Kishna Jeantine Kishna, your career flourished after working with your mother in non-profit, where you were drawn to the world of Consultancy, Business Development, and Grant Writing. How has your experience in non-profit affected your career moving forward? My career in non-profit has helped me develop my creative development skills. Because of working with so many non-profits, I can create a program and walk it into implementation with ease. I can put together a curriculum, identify the target audience, etc. This has helped me in my business side because it allows me to show the consumer that I will be serving and understand what exactly they need in order to have a successful B2C process. What is the importance of creating impact in any given Business situation? how has it shaped the way you view business and how do you implement that in your current business module? Being impactful in a business situation allows me to make a connection with the person that I am dealing with. This connection allows me to reach that person on a level that others may not be able to reach, which allows me to help them in a manner that benefits them. It has shaped how I do business by allowing me to reach and help as many people as possible. There is seldom a person that comes across my desk that isn’t impacted by the conversation that we have or the help that I give them What are you most known for within your social and work entourage? Can you tell us the story about a certain title that you acquired throughout your career? I am most known as “The Grant Lady” or the person with all of the businesses within my circle. I was given the title of The Grant Lady because when people were referring to me and the services that I provided, that’s how they called me (especially because my name was difficult to pronounce for some people). I was The Lady who was able to help you with grants, provide you with business information, help you set up your business or non-profit, etc. How did your own previous life experiences help shape the woman you are today? Because of my past, today I am resilient, strong, determined, motivated, and always striving for better. I came from an extremely difficult experience and I had to teach myself how to make it through alone. As a result, I can handle many difficult situations on my own and I am always able to figure out a solution to a problem. What is the communication style that you adopted through your platform to better connect with your audience? In what ways has it been voicing out other working moms’ experiences? Empathy is my communication style. Though I may not know what every person is going through, I am able to relate to them. I listen to them, and I respond empathetically to let them know that I empathize with them and that I am willing to be a support in any way that they need. What does your platform offer to women worldwide that other platforms cannot? Honesty and transparency. I am upfront with parenting, relationships, my journey, and my struggles. I don’t act like I am something that I’m not. What drove you to start your own podcast? What added value are you looking to bring upon your audience using your voice and others’? I wanted to give other people a platform to talk about their experiences and their struggles with similar situations that I had to deal with. I wanted other people to have a voice. How do you manage to juggle between being a parent and a multiple-business owner? Is there a formula that you adopted or does it come naturally to you? Is it a one-size-fits-all? It is not a one-size-fits-all method. My calendar is my best friend. I schedule everything on my calendar; if it isn’t scheduled, it won’t get done. I also assign specific days for specific tasks – I do this so that I won’t spend every day trying to complete everything. I also delegate as much as possible to my staff. Things that I do not need to handle, I have someone else handle. I only tackle the most important things. Can you share some tips with us on how to maintain a good relationship with your partner, especially during lockdowns? I try my best to put my partner first. Because we have different work schedules, sometimes it’s hard for us to spend time with each other. Here’s my advice on how to maintain a healthy and happy relationship: When your partner is home, turn off the computer for about an hour and spend some time talking or doing activity. Plan date nights – I personally plan one weekend a month – to engage in more activities that would bring us closer together. When your partner isn’t home, make sure to text and talk over the phone to keep the communication open. Send them sexy messages while they are out and about or at work, and when they’re home, make sure you make time for intimacy and spice things up in bed. It’s always a good idea to schedule time for sex if you’re running on a busy calendar. Based on your expertise, what is the best formula any individual can adopt to better balance their career and personal life, while simultaneously caring for a family? Create a schedule. Either a personal one or a family schedule – something that will help you transition from work to home life to married life without feeling that you are missing out on anything. Knowing when to shut off work is extremely important. In my house, 4pm is the end of my workday. The laptop goes away and I am spending time with my family. Once 8:30pm comes, the kids are
Executive-Women & Tawazoun Unite For A Balanced World
Executive-Women & Tawazoun Unite For A Balanced World As a proponent of gender balance, female talent development, and entrepreneurship, Executive-Women(EW) is now spearheading an expansion to enkindle innovative ways in which we can advance the diversity and inclusion agenda, as a business case rather than a cause, and develop new generations of successful female executives and entrepreneurs, by engaging the two genders in working together to bringing balance to oneself, work environments, societies, and the wider world. EW is excited to announce a new partnership with Tawazoun (which means balance in Arabic), the first think-do tank and platform that aims at creating a safe space for people from all walks of life to join hands to promote balance on all fronts. Founded by a role model and champion in gender balance, Mr. Jad Kamel, EW was built on the conviction that advancing women is not only a women’s issue. “Balance goes beyond embracing it for oneself, it is about making it your mission to engage in building sustainable balanced communities.” – Jad Kamel The founding team of Tawazoun includes Ms. Hanane Benkhallouk (Executive Director at Sustain Leadership Consultancy Dubai & Co-Founder of LeanIn Arabia), Ms. Parvathy Jayachandran (Marketing and Communications Professional, Grankraft Industries, Sharjah), and Ms. Sarah Barakat (Change Maker and Math Scholar at The American University of Beirut). Hanane has always been keen on creating safe spaces for individuals to exchange ideas and voice out perspectives. She believes that spaces like these will foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustain leadership and life balance for individuals, organizations, and communities. The international movement is a collaborative effort of a diverse team that combines inputs and experience from Dubai to Beirut to India. “The word balance means that there is more than one side to be balanced out, so to me I, always define gender balance as an environment where men and women contribute equally with neither gender taking precedence over the other” – Hanane Benkhallouk Tawazoun is an opportunity that is one of its kind, wherein like-minded individuals can brainstorm and devise action plans – irrespective of their political, social, economic, cultural, and racial differences. It fosters novel concepts and free-thinking in individuals to break stereotypes and to willingly switch roles to sustain balance. It focuses on addressing various kinds of imbalances, better exposed in the pandemic era. Becoming a pivot for Balance has always been crucial for EW. We believe in reinforcing the need for balance at homes, workplaces, environments, communities, and societies; and both men and women have an equal role to play in accelerating this mission. And we are certain that Tawazoun – and its initiatives – will support us and our communities in accelerating our objectives to cultivate gender balance. Tawazoun is also an idea lab that invites everyone from organizations, business leaders, change agents, and policy makers – and anyone who wishes to bring in a better sense of balance to themselves and their surroundings – to join the movement. Be Tawazoun/Be the Balance campaign aligns individuals and organizations to corporate social responsibility goals and offers an opportunity to balance advocates to be featured as a balance champion and voice out their tips and advice to achieve balance. We invite everyone to: Take the step forward to Balance. Be the Balance. Be Tawazoun. To know more about Tawazoun, visit this link.
People-Pleasing: Why Do We Do It?
How to Overcome The Need & Desire to Please! People-pleasing is a negative characteristic and attitude that partially and immensely affects people’s lives in many ways that they are unaware of. People-pleasing is one’s desire to make others happy. This often results in allowing others to take advantage of one’s kind-heartedness and benevolence. People pleasers believe that saying no is a negative conception, causing them to constantly act in ways of personal discomfort but public allegiance. This initiates a feeling of distress due to not voicing their opinion and often feeling guilty when someone’s upset with them. To please others is extremely difficult, and in the long run, it can substantially affect one’s personality. It leaves people drained and exhausted, and by the time they finish prioritizing the needs of others, they don’t even have the slightest time and energy to attend to themselves anymore. The majority struggle with being a people-pleaser at some point. People-pleasing is a despair centered primarily out of fear; fear of being left behind, fear of hurting others or losing someone they love and care about. This often results in forgetting who they are as individuals and living a life full of regret and fear of being cast off. To control peoples’ perceptions of them, people pleasers tend to avoid conflict at all costs. They spend a lot of time and energy trying to be admired and accepted by society. They often neglect their own well-being to avoid the threat of judgement and rejection by others. It is completely normal to care about the image and reputation we depict in our society. However, people-pleasing behavior becomes troublesome when the fear of being precluded and criticized by others is far greater than our personal values and needs. The secret to overcoming people-pleasing is being kind but assertive. This can be accomplished through maintaining healthy boundaries. By setting these boundaries you are not trying to control societies’ behaviors, you are just trying to build foundations of how you want to be treated by others and what you will and will not tolerate. Breaking this habit can be really challenging, but you can start by comprehending that it’s not your responsibility to make others happy, everyone is responsible for their own emotions. You also have to know that you don’t have to seek validation from others, always have faith in yourself and believe that you are capable and empowered. When someone asks for a favor, take your time to think about it before saying yes. Don’t justify, defend or apologize when you can’t make a commitment or have to say no. If as a result, others get mad at you then these are people you shouldn’t be surrounding yourself with. In order to overcome your needs to please others, the tips found below can be assistive and aidful in building your foundations to a happier and healthier version of yourself. Speak up about your needs and values, this helps you to be more genuine in your relationship with others; Focus on loving yourself as much as you love others; Accept the fact that not everyone will like, admire, or be happy with you all the time; Think twice before doing someone a favor, and check your schedule before saying yes; Start expressing your opinion about something simple; Realize that you always have a choice; Identify your priorities and values; Maintain a give-and-take in relationships and limit time with takers who don’t reciprocate; Nurture and seek relationships with people who accept you for who you are; Recognize that your emotions and needs matter as much as everyone else’s; Be aware of your wants, likes, and needs; …And Keep in mind that saying NO doesn’t make you rude or disrespectful. Remember, most of us struggle with being people-pleasers at some point, so stop and think about all the times you really wanted to say no but said yes instead. You can’t please everyone all the time, it is part of being human. Standing up for yourself doesn’t make you quarrelsome, just like sharing your feelings does not make you tender. If someone doesn’t respect your feelings, needs, and boundaries, you’re not the problem, it’s them. Putting others’ needs before yours will teach them that you will always come second. Remember that “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” You must look after yourself first in order to have something to offer to others. By Montaha Hijazi, Certified Life & Mental Health Coach To know more about the author, visit this link.
Myrna Trad: A Self-Empowering Journey
Myrna Trad: A Self-Empowering Journey Can you talk about one woman who has significantly impacted your life? Do you have a role model? Growing up, my biggest role model was my mother, who – at the time – was a struggling woman who worked day and night to provide for our financially struggling family and made sure that my sister and I led better lives. After reaching a certain age, my inspiration shifted mainly to any strong woman who made it through in any aspect in life or in any professional field. Consequently, this made me reflect about myself and focus on becoming the person that I have always dreamt of being, disregarding society’s negative thoughts and actions, and pushing myself to recognize my potential and develop it. How did you discover your passion for writing? And what inspired you to start authoring your newly launched book “After Midnight”? As an author, I felt it’s my moral mission to reach out to the biggest audience to spread the message of the unjust mistreatment of women at the workplace – especially in the Middle East – and shedding the light on the issues that women are facing within our society. What challenges did you face along the way? Addressing such a controversial subject was the most challenging part, noting the negative consequences it could have brought upon my family and me. But, with their support, I was able to forget the consequences and regain the focus needed for me to fulfill my goal to help young women through sharing my story. If you had the chance to give your younger self an advice, what would it be? I wouldn’t dream of changing anything about myself. All of my past experiences made me the woman I am today. How has your 8+ years of experience in Marketing complemented your new journey as an author? Marketing is a mindset and it will help you reach any goal by finding the best exposure and plan your next move properly. My experience in Marketing definitely added a great value to my life and I will always be grateful for every lesson that I learned and will keep on pushing myself to learn something new every single day. “After Midnight” sheds the light on a series of social and gender-based issues that are prevalent on a global level, amongst which are sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation. A survivor yourself, what message would you give to any young lady out there struggling to make it through on her own? I have only one message: Never be afraid of standing up for yourself. You are not alone! Personally, I struggled for years, until I had a choice to make: either be stuck in the past and be depressed my entire life, or move on and be happy. I chose happiness, and so should you. In addition to addressing such topics and talking about them, what other steps and initiatives do you believe should be taken to raise more awareness and create safe spaces for young ladies and/or women? Seminars, lectures, awareness campaigns, etc. are a must for everyone, especially the younger generation. How has the current pandemic affected your day-to-day life, personally and professionally? Due to covid19 my days, I am mainly focusing on taking advantage of my time in writing new books and trying to have a positive and real social media platform that would help my followers see the light in these dark times. That really led me to a very personal relationship that is based on trust with many of them. And most importantly, I am taking advantage of this situation through spending time as much as I can with my family. Growing up, in what ways have the experiences that led you to write this book affected your journey on both personal and professional levels? From the financial struggles of my family to working as a teenager and all the nightmares that I had to live led me to writing my book and sharing my story, and I keep on pushing myself with my upcoming projects and fight every single day to reach my goals. Since men are also part of the equation and can very well be victims of all kinds of abuse themselves, in your opinion, what initiatives can or should be taken to raise the awareness of men over the dangers and the lifelong impact of harassment and exploitation? Through my book, I am mainly addressing the issue of mistreating workers, and my experience as a woman is different from what they might have encountered but at the same time it will help them realize that they need to speak up for the injustice they are living in and therefore push themselves to reach their higher goals in the future. Where is “After Midnight” available for purchase? Who are you looking to reach out to in particular? My book is available for purchase on my website: www.myrnatrad.com The main audience that I am reaching out to are young women who are struggling like myself, and the older generation that had struggled and suffered in silence. Hopefully, my voice would give them the power to get back on their feet, stand tall, and reach for the stars. “After Midnight” is beautifully written in the Arabic language in a time where Arabic books are published and read in lesser quantities, is there any specific reason why you chose your mother language to put your feelings into words? The Arabic language can help you express yourself in a far deeper level due to the richness of its vocabulary, and since my main target for this book is the young women in the Arab region, addressing it in Arabic will definitely have a bigger impact, given the fact that all the mistreatment that I encountered is – to this day – a taboo in our societies. What is your motto? Don’t be afraid to live up to your dreams and focus only
Extreme Feminism: Why are Women Easily Offended Nowadays?
Extreme Feminism: Why are Women Easily Offended Nowadays? I’ve heard it and so have you, “We get it, women don’t like it when you offend them today. This has to do with a lot of accumulation on topics related to their rights. But aren’t feminists getting a bit too triggered when you include them in one innocent comment and the backlash goes viral?” Some will say this is just a trend, others will imply that feminism – like most advocacy movements – has gone too far. What I have to say is that if you choose to see feminism this way, you frankly “do not get it”, and if you refrain from listening, you are subconsciously choosing “not to get it”. Am I easily offended? Before writing this article, I was thinking about the importance of including facts and numbers to enhance my chances of “convincing” you. But then again, I always believe that you don’t prove what already exists. Therefore, here’s me, sharing my own story with feminism and political correctness that you may or may not like. Truth is, I am not easily offended when it comes to putting me in a box. That’s not because I was naturally raised to think this way; it is rather a result of a consistent self-training: to un-learn the bad habits of repeatedly blaming myself, accepting an offense or allowing it to dig deeper into my system. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that I am a role model to look up to; what I am saying is that it shouldn’t be this arduous for women to take no for an answer. I shouldn’t have had to create my self-acceptance mechanisms if it wasn’t for what was actually offensive in the first place. Is ‘’extreme feminism’’ really the case? The term “extreme feminism” is often associated with when women backfire at you with “you are not allowed to judge my sexuality, mention me in ridiculous examples based on stereotypical images, and choose to link my mental health issues to hormonal behaviors – for instance.” Although it is commonly agreed that women’s rights should be redeemed by the law, the patriarchal society still chooses to disagree that being offended does not mean that women are overly sensitive; it is rather more about history and experience: there has to be a ground to where this all comes from. Is “extreme feminism” really the case here? Or is it that a whole society chooses to undermine a historical feminist struggle and dismiss the impact of social judgements? Where does the offense start? In my case, growing up in a village inside Lebanon, the twirling around topics like feminism, mental health, and the quest for acceptance has always been linked. The story starts with a young girl, seeking acceptance and trying to be heard when social behaviors have taught our generations back that women being themselves can be “a bit too much”. I was taught to sit up straight, fetch a “good” education, and please my society. I have to admit, these virtues weren’t that bad. Part of who I am today is linked to discipline habits in many ways, but not when discipline is linked to my womanhood. This is where I had to ask myself, what about the pursuit of pleasure? Where does our mental health reside when we are taught to believe that our desires might be a disgrace, our voices can a bit too loud, and our rights will never be redeemed by any law or social standards? I realized that the urge to tackle topics like depression, anxiety, fear of speaking up, and taking care of ourselves always reflected a relatable mental state to other women. Why some statements are actually an offense? I believe that it is simply because some women have always had to deal with mental health issues, trying to defy the social stigma or stereotypes while trying to “be”. You learn with time that you are met with two options: Giving in to what you are allowed to have, or choosing to find alternatives and ways to challenge yourself. No matter how hard we try to polish the image of patriarchy, approving to live inside the box of social standards will always live at the cost of our mental health. In order for you to be accepted, you will need to swallow these issues and behave like a lady. “Dress like a woman and behave a like man,” that’s what some would say to comfort us. But what if we don’t want to dress like a woman, or think like a man? What is the definition of a man’s way of thinking to begin with and why is okay to set labels for a certain category based on a sex, or gender for instance? What we wouldn’t want to hear Here’s how it goes: When a woman takes lead in a political position, she is often criticized based on her looks, outfits & appearances, and not based on competence. When a woman owns up to her sexuality, she is exposing herself for you to objectify her. When a woman is being assertive about a social standard that she struggles with, she can be too aggressive. When a woman is a leader in the making, she kind of looks bossy to you. When a woman is telling the truth, she is being too difficult and often intimidating. When a woman attempts to take up space, she is at the risk of being too much. When a woman is simply being, she has to be ready to indulge all the comments. We tend to forget that women have been forced to multitask for ages, and therefore overthink. We slip on the thought that women have been fighting ongoing battles by the minute, which makes achievement even harder to maintain, let alone be backfired with absurd comments or jokes. I get it, it is easier to pull a
16+ Years of Compliance With Nadine Ghosn Eid
16+ Years of Compliance With Nadine Ghosn Eid What does your main role as the Head of Compliance at areeba entail? And what challenges have you faced – or still face – as the first woman in Lebanon to hold a senior position as a compliance executive in the cards industry, with more than 16 years of experience in the field? As Head of Compliance, I am responsible for maintaining the company’s legal and ethical integrity, and advise the Board of Directors about Compliance matters. My main role is to make sure that the company and its employees comply with the international rules, the industry regulations, as well as the internal policies. Being a leader is in itself a challenge for me: in addition to its responsibilities, leadership carries with it many challenges such as continuously motivating my team, leading them to higher levels, communicating the Vision, and setting the example. As a leader, I have to motivate myself as well, be enthusiastic about what I am doing, and maintain effectiveness all the time, while avoiding burnout. What is the “cherry on top” that distinguishes areeba within the industry? Its innovative approach of changing the way payments are made: areeba is a financial technology company, a leading payment provider in Lebanon and the region that creates smarter, faster, and seamless means of payments for banks, financial institutions, merchants, governments, and individuals in order for them to take their businesses way further. areeba is a Brand that all employees can be proud of!! What horizons and leadership experiences has your current position – as the Head of Compliance at areeba – and field offered you, personally and professionally, that other positions and fields have not? The structure of areeba, its culture as well as its path, have all offered me new horizons that are very different from what I was exposed to before: I feel valued and a core part of the whole team, I see great opportunities for me to grow and progress within the company, and most importantly, I am a part of an exceptional positive culture where hard work and contributions are very well appreciated. In terms of leadership experience, my current position allowed me to look at the bigger picture, outline the steps I am taking to achieve my goals, get that reputation for knowing my stuff, and be on the leading edge of our industry. Our success as leaders is based on how we develop our skills, share our knowledge, empower others, and continue learning, and this is what my current position at areeba allowed me to develop. What is the importance of raising awareness on Money Laundering and its negative impact on society? Money laundering has potentially damaging economic, security, and social consequences. It provides drug dealers, terrorists, illegal arms dealers, corrupt public officials, and others, the opportunity to operate and broaden their criminal empires. It is very important to raise awareness about money laundering in the Banking / Financial Sector to keep the international reputation of the banks corruption-free, and make sure that those banks are well informed and prepared, and really understand the way in which launderers think and act, in order to know how to fight them. You have taken part in the ACAMS MENA Conference 2020, a global anti-money-laundering community that aims to end financial crime. Can you tell us more about this conference and your engagement thereof? What message did you aim to convey through this opportunity? The ACAMS (Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists) 11th Annual AML & Anti-Financial Crime MENA Conference focused on the most important shifts in policy and regulation, examined Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Bribery & Corruption, and sanctions challenges affecting the region from a MENA practitioner perspective. It was a great experience for me speaking in this conference, and participating in this very interactive and dynamic panel discussion about Anti-Money Laundering Hot Topics, whereby I presented my views about Payment Services Providers and the Impact of Regulatory Compliance on the Card Industry. The message I aimed to convey through this opportunity is that Financial Institutions should continuously RAISE THE CULTURE OF COMPLIANCE. In addition, it would be wise to view compliance as something that helps our business rather than hinders it, especially as regulations continue to develop. In all your years of operating in the Banking Sector, in what ways have you contributed to the growth and advancement of the field? My work experience included innovation in many areas, whether in the field of Treasury and Private Banking or in the field of Compliance. This general passion for innovation contributed substantially in the growth of the various institutions I worked for, which are the rings that form this big chain called the Banking Sector. How is the practice of ethical principles in Banking & Finance crucial to the development of any financial institution? The role of ethics in Financial Management is to protect, balance, and preserve all stakeholders’ interests. Ethical Banking encourages Transparency, and establishes a set of principles and ideals to govern how Banks and Financial Institutions deal with their clients, their community, and the world in general. Failure to apply these ethics can cost organizations time and money. Can you tell us about the importance of compliance and data protection in any organization? Is it equally important to integrate them in our educational systems and include them in any educational entity’s curriculum? Compliance is the adherence to laws, regulations, generally accepted practices, standards, and financial industry codes of conduct. It is important to ensure that businesses protect their information, have consistent continuity, and follow all governmental regulations. Enforcing compliance helps a company prevent and detect violations of rules, which protects it from fines and lawsuits. As to Data Protection, it is the way companies safeguard and protect against any breach all the sensitive data that they deal with, in order to prevent this data from being misused by third parties for fraud, such as scams and identity theft. Safeguarding data from corruption and unauthorized access by internal or external people protects every company from financial losses, reputation damage, and loss of consumer trust. It is important to note that Compliance
Extraterritoriality of Sanctions from a Corruption Lens
Extraterritoriality of Sanctions from a Corruption Lens The end of World War II shaped a new world order steering away from military confrontations, marking the birth of international initiatives that came to play a prominent role in the international diplomacy. These initiatives introduced international and regional organisations that took part in international politics (the United Nations, the European Union, etc.). These international organisations adopted many ways to preserve world peace and security. The notion of “sanctions” became one of their most popular tools relevant to the new world order, presenting an alternative to military interventions. The notion of sanctions started evolving ever since the end of World War II and became widely prevalent by the end of the Cold War in 1991. Sanctions enjoy a notable appreciation in the international negotiation contexts; they seem to be a recurring feature in the current political interactions between states, and they are nowadays one of the most discussed topics in the daily news. The basic logic of sanctions is disciplining states or regimes’ behaviours in case human rights are violated or international peace and security are endangered. It is noteworthy that there is no universally recognised definition of sanctions, but they can be referred to as: “Coercive economic measures taken against one or more countries to attempt to force a change in policies, or at least to demonstrate the sanctioning country’s opinion of another’s policies[1]”. Several scholars also tried to provide other definitions[i]. Article 41 of the UN charter, entitled specifically the Security Council to decide on the measures, including sanctions, to be employed to make their peacekeeping decisions effective. It is important to mention that the decisions taken by the Security Council are voted by the majority of the total 15 members. Which means that those decisions are taken jointly with other country members which – as a stand-alone argument – grants such decisions global trustworthiness. However, some countries have taken an aggressive step forward and started imposing unilateral targeted sanctions on other countries where human rights and security are perceived to be violated, or when their national interests are affected by threatening events happening elsewhere. Such interventions have a justified, yet, debatable legal basis deriving from “the effect principle[ii]” and the “universal jurisdiction principle[iii]” guaranteed as exceptions to the principle of territoriality in international law. These countries are managing to promulgate laws legitimizing their unilateral interventions around the world. Such sanctions became a primary tool to advance powerful countries’ foreign policies. The United States, for example, promulgated the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to target corruption and serious human rights abuse around the world. Sanctions from a corruption lens It goes without saying that corruption is a threat to international peace and security. Fighting corruption is at the centre of the global reform agendas, and corruption itself has become one of the risks faced by the global community according to the Global Risks Report of 2020 published by the World Economic Forum.[2] The consequences of corruption are numerous; however, its impact has gone beyond the countries’ borders as it started contributing – among others – to international threats, such as global organized crime networks, terrorist organisations, economic disruptions, and penetrable international security regimes. The international community is putting endless efforts to curb systemic corruption and to engage with severely corrupt regimes to achieve further mitigation. There are several international measures tailored to tackle corruption (i.e., UNCAC, FATF, FCPA, OECD convention, etc.). Recently, a widely recurring behaviour is exercised by powerful economies (also known as developing countries) translated by imposing unilateral targeted sanctions on countries where corruption is widespread and systemic. Unilateral sanctions usually target countries that are much smaller, economically weaker, and more politically unstable than the sanctioner. Kenya, Lebanon, Russia, Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, and many other countries are subject to unilateral sanctions. These sanctions comply to nationally-developed regimes punishing governments, people or entities committing grand corruption cases as well as human rights violations. Looking at this matter from a wide perspective, the most compelling evidence can be that these sanctions will succeed at mitigating corruption in those countries, eventually preserving human rights and security. However, in this power-driven and money-centric world, any form of extra-territorial intervention should always be doubted for the fear that countries’ interests (especially the powerful countries) are in constant alteration which highly impacts their own political agendas. The ever-changing economic and geopolitical interests have an important impact on the international power dynamics, governance, and global order. Therefore, developed countries possessing a tool as critical as imposing sanctions – at their convenience – without having internationally-recognized and well-defined standards (stipulated in the international law) for their use can be quite hazardous. Those unilateral sanctions can be abused for the pursuit of those countries’ own economic or political interests, which opposes to the idea of multilateral sanctions developed by the UN or other international organisation. Such a tool can serve as a severe pressure on countries to comply with agendas serving the powerful countries’ interests. Ironically enough, this suggests that developed countries are fighting corruption through aggressive means exercised on other countries for their own national interest. These countries are abusing the power given to them just by having a strong economy to intervene in other countries’ affairs to achieve, consequently, their own politico-economic interests. After all, this behaviour does not seem very different from the one that defines corruption. Unilateral sanctions – aside from promoting self-interest – violate many basic principles of international law. The legal equality of states, the principle of respect for the dignity of national sovereignty, alongside the non-intervention in the internal affairs of states, are core principles that seem to be disregarded almost completely by the enforcement of unilateral sanctions. Also, this type of sanctions breaches several core principles of the UN Charter, such as the principle of territorial integrity and duty to cooperate. The consequences of unilateral sanctions on the sanctioned countries’ national context are of a destructive nature. In fact, these sanctions cause more harm than
Women of Baky: Shaping Hospitality
The driving force behind Baky Hospitality Group’s success lies in the women behind the scenes. This past month, and every month, we celebrate women, and for Baky Hospitality this means we give a big thanks to all the ladies who help make the workplace better. The Group’s head office employs an equal ratio of males to females who all work harmonically together to make the business thrive. Some of the leading ladies we talked to are the following: The talk of the town is Roulla Soussou, who is the Marketing and PR Manager at Baky Hospitality. She manages the Baky Studio which is the team of marketers and designers who do all the work behind Baky Hospitality’s online and offline presence. Sara Naguib is the Culinary Manager and the leading female in the F&B team. She collaborates with Baky Hospitality’s Culinary Advisor and award-winning chef, Reif Othman, and is responsible of engineering all menus and calling the shots on each dish in all of the Group’s outlets: Sachi, Kazoku, Shinkō, and Lexie’s. Last but not least, Miriam Magdy, the Human Resources Manager at Baky Group has been with the company since the very beginning. With multiple years of experience, she is the most qualified person to recognize talent the moment she sees it. She is responsible for all ins-and-outs of running Baky Hospitality’s head office. Off-duty, Miriam is a mom of a 2-year-old toddler, and so, she happily juggles all roles in her life. We sat with the three main ladies at Baky Hospitality Group’s head office to ask them a few questions on how they balance work and life. Here’s what we’ve learned: SARA NAGUIB What advice would you give to people starting up in your field? I would say quality is key! Always remember to keep on top of your work, keep improving, and also think outside of the box. What drives you to do what you do? I love what I do, who doesn’t love food after all?! Other than that, at Baky Hospitality, we are a young and dynamic team who support and complete each other, and share the same vision. All of which makes me happy to get up and get to the office every morning. Can you name two essential components a leader must possess? A strong personality helps. I am very firm with my team, however, I always put everyone’s wellbeing into consideration. I would also say a leader should be emotionally intelligent to be able to deal with all kinds of characters and circumstances. Did you always want to work in Hospitality? How did you get to where you are today? Food tourism has always been my passion. I love to explore new countries and cultures and with it, new flavors! At first, I worked in my family’s hospitality business before deciding to join Baky Hospitality. I wanted to get more into the food side of the business and so I started from the bottom and worked my way up to where I am today. It was a long and eventful way which taught me a lot and gave me many opportunities, including working with talented chefs. It is a never-ending learning process and I look forward to new experiences and with it, new lessons. MIRIAM MAGDY What helped shape the woman you are today? They say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I believe that to be totally true. I joined Baky Hospitality in its early days, at the time I was the first HR member and had a huge amount of workload to deal with. No one is born with management skills; you learn as you move forward, and so, I was taught by dealing with a multitude of circumstances and people. What is the best advice that you received, both personally and professionally? Listen and process before taking any decision. I think listening is very important, not just to others but also to yourself. I was told this by a family member at a very young age; at the time, I didn’t understand it, and then one day I was faced with a big decision and almost like an epiphany, I heard these words in my head. Very often I feel a lot of people get through life by talking but forget to listen, and so this would be my advice to anyone. Just slow down and listen. Can you name two essential components a leader must possess? “Be humble” is our company motto, and mine too. I believe a leader should know their people enough to direct them in the right way, support them when they’re stuck but, above all, the one who leads should lead with humbleness. Did you always want to work in hospitality? Yes! I am very passionate about the F&B sector. I realized this while being at my previous job. I was very happy, but not completely fulfilled with what I was doing. It was by pure coincidence when one day I found out that the missing part was the hospitality element. I thought to myself, “Why don’t I give that a try?”, and I’ve never looked back ever since! I feel thankful for being here and being part of an ever-evolving industry in Egypt. ROULLA SOUSSOU What helped shape the woman you are today? The need for work to provide for myself. I learnt that right after graduating from high-school. My parents always made sure that both my sister and I were raised not only using our potential for our sake, but also for other people’s sake. That’s very important to have as a backbone. Besides that, I would say I was blessed to have been brought up and taught what to do and what not to do based on ethics and integrity rather than gender norms – which is usually the case in Egypt. What is the best advice that you received, both personally and professionally? I haven’t
Mastercard and Uber Extend their Partnership
Uber’s long-term partnership with Mastercard continues to grow with a new strategic initiative focusing on digital payments and advancing financial inclusions which will be facilitated by Mastercard across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). As a regional first, the partnership with Mastercard will enable Uber to drive digitization across their business operations, leveraging Mastercard’s single infrastructure to meet all types of payments needs across Uber Rides, Uber Eats, Uber Pass, and Uber for Business. It is intended that the partnership will boost cashless payments, drive digital payment acceptance, reward loyalty, while supporting Uber’s continued social impact collaboration. The Economy 2021 report released by Mastercard notes that the economic impact of COVID-19 has introduced permanent changes in digital consumer spending habits, growth of online banking, fintech disruption and opportunities to boost financial inclusion. Through the partnership, both companies can bridge the financial inclusion gap through a broad range of efforts. Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President Market Development, Mastercard, MEA explains: “Mastercard continues to partner with digital players across the value chain to build a more connected world. Enabling secure, immediate movement of money for individuals in the gig economy workers and customers is especially vital as we support economic recovery efforts. Through our growing partnership, we are enabling the company’s long-term business growth as a result of improved operational efficiencies, driving greater financial inclusion and innovation across the region, and ultimately boosting the growth of digital economy in MEA.” Last year, Uber in South Africa launched a product called Uber Pass, which will now be available across most cities in MEA, with Mastercard becoming a key distribution partner to help drive adoption. Tino Waked, Regional General Manager, Middle East & Africa, says: “This is the largest partnership for us across MEA, and we are proud to be working together to bring key financial solutions to driver-partners across MEA. Driver’s well-being is a top priority and putting opportunities they want within reach is important to us.” This new partnership builds on existing work between the two organizations. In a joint initiative last year, Mastercard committed 120,000 free trips and meals to those supporting communities across the Middle East and Africa, which was facilitated through Uber. This strategic partnership between Mastercard and Uber spans across the region and through key partnerships, supported cities, hospitals, front line workers and marginalized communities with free rides and meals. While vaccines are a reality, communities are still in need of various support. Mastercard and Uber remain committed to helping people around the world navigate these challenging times and stand ready to support cities whether it be logistics or free rides. The work undertaken with Uber plays a key role in advancing Mastercard’s worldwide commitment to financial inclusion and the company’s pledge to bring a total of 1 billion people, 50 million micro and small businesses, and 25 million women entrepreneurs into the digital economy by 2025.
PepsiCo and Ajialouna’s Tomooh Marks 16 Years of Supporting Youth
PepsiCo Inc., in partnership with Ajialouna, a local non-profit organization, announced the launch of its Tomooh scholarship program for 2021, celebrating 16 years of supporting disadvantaged Lebanese youths in pursuing higher education. The program was initially launched in 2006 after Saad Abdul-Latif, the then PepsiCo Chief Executive Officer for Asia, Middle East & Africa, committed the sum of $1 million for educating Arab youth. To date, the total contribution is more than double what was originally committed, empowering disadvantaged youths aged 18- 22 across the country by promoting social development through education with partial academic scholarships to pursue their higher education. Every year, around 220 students benefit from this scholarship program. This year, PepsiCo’s previous annual scholarship of USD 200,000 was scaled up to USD 250,000 to reach a wider number of students, given the challenging and multiple crises Lebanon is currently weathering. “Helping students for the 16th year in a row is an accomplishment we are very proud of, particularly in these extremely difficult times as unemployment soars and many parents find themselves unable to meet tuition fees,” said Riad Al Mawass, Senior Franchise Director for Levant and North Africa, adding: “We are working hard to keep this program going to secure as many education opportunities as possible for deserving students in order to fulfill a better future not only for themselves, but also for their families and Lebanon. Tomooh has been this successful so far because of the support of Ajialouna.” Through Tomooh, PepsiCo and Ajialouna extend their support to students in different regions across Lebanon, irrespective of their nationality, gender, race or special needs, with similar programs now also being launched in Egypt and Jordan. Dr. Lena Dada, President of the Ajialouna Association, stressed the value that Tomooh had brought to the social wellbeing of the Lebanese community over the past years. “Today, this program has gained even more importance because of the economic standstill. We see that working parents are getting laid off or their salaries drastically slashed every day, increasing the need for such generous scholarships.” Dr. Dada said. To know more about Ajialouna, visit this link.