Everyone (Not Just Women) Must Get Behind the Need to #BreaktheBias

On International Women’s Day, Bindita Baksi (Managing Consultant – Finance, Michael Page) spoke with Nada Jammoul Messaikeh, a senior executive in finance with a long-standing career of over 25 years in the Middle East. Nada is a transformational leader with a passion for helping others achieve their full potential by promoting an equal and supportive culture. She is a strong advocate for women empowerment and is also a mentor for the UN Women Entrepreneurship Program in the UAE. 

Q1. Could you tell us about your professional experience?

Nada: I started my career in Lebanon as an auditor when I was 21. Alongside my job, I pursued my MBA and CPA. After a short transition into the banking sector, I moved to Abu Dhabi in 2005 where I got the opportunity to fulfil my long-term aspiration of working in the Education sector. I worked with various public and private sector entities including ADU, ADEC, Sorbonne University and New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). At NYUAD, I used my strong financial background combined with the research skills I acquired while completing my Doctorate degree at the University of Manchester (while working full times and raising my three daughters) to build the research ecosystem and infrastructure at the University.  

Q2. As a woman in Finance, have you ever been confronted to biases along the way, and how have you coped?

Nada: Back in the 1990s there were very few women in the audit profession, so for the longest time, I was the only woman in the office. But that did not deter me, I loved the profession, and I was lucky to have very supportive colleagues and leaders. I was even promoted to be the first female manager in the Middle East at the company I worked for. 

At one point in my career however, I encountered a senior leader who was vocal about how a woman (especially one married with children) should not work in Audit. When I returned from my maternity leave after having my second daughter, he informed me that he was shrinking my client portfolio. He also conveyed he was putting me on a part-time contract because he did not think I could cope with the workload given my family commitments. I submitted my resignation that very day. I felt pushed out of a profession I was very passionate. 

In the later phases of my career, I continued to experience the same biases (though to a lesser extent) and saw many women around me experiencing biases at the workplace, but what changed was that I took it upon myself to ‘break the bias’, never letting anyone or any situation affect my ability to grow and prove myself. I also decided to use my voice and influence as a leader to make sure that women working with me would never be subjected to the workplace biases that I witnessed as a woman and working mother.

Q3. How do you actively encourage everyone (not just women) to get behind the need for ‘breaking the bias’?

Nada: It’s important to start with oneself first. I show the people around me the genuine version of myself and don’t want to be masked by the expectations or perceptions of others. I am not afraid of showing my vulnerabilities and create a safe space for others to show theirs. 
True leaders must be able to see the potential and the unique talents and capabilities of people working with them irrespective of color, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. 
Developing a diverse and inclusive culture is not a simple fix. It takes time and effort. Some strategies that I believe are effective in addressing the workplace gender bias include: 

• Mentorship programs create meaningful and lasting connections and greater bonds between people of differing backgrounds, gender and cultures
• Celebrating role models at all levels (not just at leadership level) - Sharing their success stories to inspire others
• Creating a pipeline of the next women leaders by implementing strategies and targeted interventions to encourage women to seek leadership positions and bridge any skills gaps they might have

Q4. Do you think there is a difference between male and female leadership style?

Nada: No, for me a good leader is a good leader irrespective of gender. Some of the best leaders I had in my career were males, they truly inspired me to be the best version of myself, mentored me, and gave the space to grow. Equally, I have worked with leaders (both male and female) who saw the world from their own lens and expected everyone else around them to see through that same lens. Leaders must listen to others and strive to create a culture where people thrive and feel valued. 

Q5. Given your experiences and learnings along the way, what advice would you give both, leaders and young professionals, towards creating a more gender equal world?

Nada: Most organizations these days are focused on DEI training and setting quotas for equitable gender representation. Although these measures are important, they will not be sufficient to drive real change. Change will come when leaders truly believe in DEI, when they walk the talk by creating clear accountability DEI frameworks, in a similar manner as they would hold teams accountable for achieving business and operational KPIs and revenue. DEI champions within the organization must be incentivized (financial and non-financial). 

To young professionals, I would say, don’t be afraid to voice your opinions. We all deserve a chance to be in a job where we feel fulfilled and valued, where we align with the organizational purpose and where we are surrounded by leaders and colleagues who inspire us. And if that’s not the case, we should stand up to drive positive change. If we can’t push for that change, we have choice to explore other opportunities. And when one day you become a leader, look back and think of all the people who supported you, encouraged you and believed in you, and try to do the same for the people you will be leading.