Areej Mohsin: Leadership comes from experience

Areej Mohsin Darwish

Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment & Renewable Energy (ACERE) cluster of MHD LLC

Q.

How did your career begin and what would you say has influenced your strategic decisions?

After graduating from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, with a Bachelor’s in computer science, I started my career with the country’s leading oil and gas firm, Petroleum Development Oman. I joined the family business in 1994 to continue the family legacy. My elder sister also joined the family business and we both learnt step-by-step, climbing the career ladder to where we are today. Initially I was handling the internal audit and computer systems divisions, working to integrate the latest technology in our operations. After that I had the additional responsibility of looking after the automotive systems. They are very different divisions, with the automotive division being much more customer focused and involved interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. This gave me a lot of insight into the business world and learning opportunities. As part of succession planning, and to get in-depth understanding of business operations at management level, the chairperson role was handled by me and my sister at three-year intervals with my father as an advisory role. The chairperson’s role meant additional responsibility as I was now in charge of the entire organisation and not limited to a particular division. Handling diverse operations with a clear goal of taking the family legacy and business to greater heights required a lot of focus and strategic direction. My aim was to escalate our positioning in the market, this involved business analysis and strategic planning due to the dynamic market scenario and increasing competition. I feel one of my strengths is thinking outside of the box, and so my strategy was to go into new sectors and renewable energy is the future. The world is advancing so much so you can’t stick with what was being done years ago. Everything has changed and so we need to evolve as a company and meet the expectations of our clients.

"The world is advancing so much so you can’t stick with what was being done years ago. Everything has changed and so we need to evolve as a company and meet the expectations of our clients."

– Areej Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment & Renewable Energy (ACERE) cluster of MHD LLC

Q.

To drive operational excellence, we often talk of changing mindsets and behaviours. How can company culture and good leadership make a difference to operations management?

I learnt from my father that leadership comes from experience. There are no short cuts. My sister and I have learnt key leadership skills from him, as he gave us the freedom to find ways to solve problems. He would not give us the solution but would be there for advice. It’s important to give people the freedom to feel part of the solution and also accept that it’s not always easy, business is learning curve with highs and lows. For me, a good leader is someone who is patient and listens to others, understanding what they want. You can lead, but you should also be a mentor. If you are open to listening to people, you will get more insights and advice, which is better for the company. Our doors are always open, we meet every staff member individually and discuss everything about business operations and how we can achieve our objectives. We give them the chance to raise issues and explain their thoughts to us, because they are the ones on the ground, meeting customers and knowing the issues.

Q.

In what capacity do you see technology and innovation improving operations? What strategic measures are you putting in place to make your business is more resilient and better positioned to withstand industry volatility?

We are exploring possibilities of further diversification in line with the national vision for Oman in Vision 2040. This vision seeks to catapult the Sultanate into the ranks of the world’s most developed nations with economic diversification and sustainable development as key features. We need to work towards this and so are thinking of everything that will lead us to that. We need to define new business models that will meet the change in customer needs and leverage the new technologies and research new business practices to gain a competitive edge, it’s important that we can function independently. In our quest for excellence, we need to keep pace with the fast-paced business environment and embrace opportunities that unfold in the process.

"In our quest for excellence, we need to keep pace with the fast-paced business environment and embrace opportunities that unfold in the process."

– Areej Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment & Renewable Energy (ACERE) cluster of MHD LLC

Q.

Congratulations on being recognised in the Forbes list of The Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2023. What advice would you give to other women looking to progress their careers, and what are your key drivers for creating business excellence?

You absolutely need to have patience, dedication, and determination. I feel it’s very important to encourage women to never to give up because life is full of challenges, but you must always look on the bright side and stay positive. There will always be setbacks, but with focus and determination these can be overcome. As a leader you must get out of your comfort zone and believe that everything is possible, but you need to be determined to do it, to try new things and to explore new ventures. Teamwork is very important, as a team we can achieve more. It’s not always myself and my sister who solve the problems, we discuss points as a company, and we make the best decision for the company It’s so important to have a mind-set of learning continuously to further expand in response to a changing environment and new developments.

"I feel it’s very important to encourage women to never to give up because life is full of challenges, but you must always look on the bright side and stay positive. There will always be setbacks, but with focus and determination these can be overcome."

–Areej Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment & Renewable Energy (ACERE) cluster of MHD LLC