Describe your current job role and business model?
I am the Chief Information Officer for Zurich International Life – Middle East. I am responsible for handling architecture, supplier management, application development and maintenance, quality assurance, IT infrastructure, security, BI, and intellectual property management. I am also co-owning the business resilience and information governance segments.
What are the strengths that you bring to this role?
With over 30 years of experience in multiple countries, I have combined my operational expertise with technological exposure to understand and interpret core business and customer needs. My priority is reusable components, seamless execution, sustainable practices, quality assurance and most importantly implementing solutions without compromising the security posture and critical data.
What are your expectations from technology vendors and channel partners?
IT partners influence their clients’ decisions and can highlight key industry trends, challenges, risks, and benefits. Initiative-taking collaboration with our IT partners can promote better practices, frameworks, and technologies usage. It is the sharing of knowledge that helps reduce risks and learning from each other’s experiences.
How can a technology channel partner disrupt the regional market?
Technology channel partners are at the forefront of innovation because of their diverse experiences. Technology channel partners provide simple solutions, scale, manage channel digital partner marketing effectively, while navigating uncertainty, growth, new markets, and sustained profitability. They drive disruption by being unconventional in their thought process and execution.
Which non-competitive business do you admire?
Sports and music are my passion. I am a mentor to a sports management firm and a music firm and they keep me connected and engaged. I also strongly believe that analytics and technology will play a larger role in the sports and music arena in the years to come.
Which aspects of your job role are rewarding, which challenging?
Post pandemic, technology has become a critical function. Stakeholders now understand the importance of investing in technology in order to be stable and competitive. While the appreciation and recognition for technology is wonderful, IT spending and costs have been a challenge.
How do you like to de-stress off work?
For over 30 years, mediation has been an essential part of my daily routine. My family is my world and talking to them relaxes me. I have a close circle of friends that I talk to, they help keep the busy life at bay.
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