Monday, 22 October, 2012

An interesting panel comprising an entrepreneur, a contracts lawyer and an academic shared their ideas and experiences with UOWD students in an interactive program under the ‘Inspire Talks’ series. The program is a brainchild of the presenter Hermoine Macura of Straight Street Media and focuses on young men and women preparing to enter the workforce, their aspirations and hopes and the challenges that they are likely to face.Yousef Hamza, an associate with Envestors, a regional Business Angel Network which has advised and raised finance for seven start-up/growth companies for just over $10 Million, stressed that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the driving force of GCC industry. He said those who wish to become entrepreneurs should be ready to sacrifice their leisure and step out of the comfort zone. He advised the audience not to be daunted by failure, but keep pursuing one’s goal, by seeking help of mentors, if necessary.Doris Matlok, a UAE resident and Australian citizen currently working as a contracts lawyer for a multinational power and engineering company, spoke about her diverse activities and involvement in social issues, including depression and bipolar disorders. She advised the audience to develop patience and strong networking skills.Doris, who has been active in various sports such as running, cross-fit, triathlon, scuba diving, SUP (stand up paddleboard), golf and yoga, spoke about her new project, a seven day, 250 km trek across the Sahara Desert to raise funds for an Australian not-for-profit organisation, Black Dog Institute, which offers specialist expertise in disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.Zeenath Khan, a senior Instructor at the UOWD Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, stressed the need for the ‘right attitude’, and related her personal experience of how she joined engineering when her entire family had decided that she would a doctor. She said in order to achieve something, it was important to build an interest, bring the issues to your level and infuse new energy into what you do.Hermoine Macura, the first Australian female English speaking TV News Anchor in the Middle East, while relating her experiences advised the audience not be daunted by setbacks. She said people with the right approach, focus and determination have unprecedented opportunities in today’s globalised world.Held at leading schools and universities across the country, the ‘Inspire Talks’ program feature different women in business as well as men. With women controlling 1 trillion dollars of wealth in the GCC alone, the program presents a wide spectrum of women leaders who are currently impacting the Arab world and global politics. After spending ten years in the Arab world, Hermoine is “thrilled to be able to bring these wonderful and often amazing stories into the community.”