Tell us about your background and journey to Director of Kibsons.
As a Finance (ACCA/KPMG) and Operations professional (Six Sigma / GE), I have been a part of the Kibsons family-owned business for 25 years (15 years full-time). From setting up the financial infrastructure to strengthening the operational capabilities in a tech-inspired environment, I have gradually risen through the ranks to lead the fresh produce business as a Director, and later initiated the Ecommerce business segment as a Founder and CEO.
What are your core responsibilities at Kibsons?
Given a lean organisation structure with a broad span of control, I am directly responsible for the operational and supply chain capabilities at Kibsons International in addition to supervising the support functions that include Tech, Finance and HR.
What exciting projects are you currently working on?
Sustainability is an important goal for Kibsons and we are looking at the BCORP certification which will be an exciting milestone for us as it will include several interesting projects for execution along the way.
What has been your biggest success since taking on your current role?
Setting up operational, technological and organisational structure to facilitate the business growth from 3000 SKU’s to nearly 18,000 SKU’s online and average daily deliveries from 2000 orders to over 5000 orders a day.
And your biggest challenge?
Leading the journey of strategic and technological change within the company and driving confidence within the team that change is necessary, positive and to be embraced with the hope of a better future for all.
You are known for putting your customers first and working with a number of charities and initiatives, raising funds, why is this so important to you as a business (& individual)?
Kibsons is founded on the values of integrity, humanity, ethical responsibility, sustainability and giving back to the community. We believe in kindness to all, especially our employees, our customers, and the planet we live in.
We strive to bring healthier, safer, clean-label and more eco-friendly products to the community and aspire to build a brand that prides itself on quality, transparency, customer service, and being an active member of the community, impacting positive education and health of children at school and sports clubs, both in UAE and around the world.
What does a day in your life look like?
No two days in my life are ever the same or ever dull or boring. Most days, it feels like a rapid fire round challenging my knowledge, experience and clarity of vision, to navigate and respond to problems, curve balls, and work challenges faced by the teams. Other days, I must brainstorm with the team to find a way to a better future for all. But most importantly, some days we must stop and find some time to resolve human differences, mental challenges, communicate, provide feedback, resolve conflicts, move on and move forward.
What are your personal goals? What is your passion, what drives you?
What drives me is the notion of bringing growth and value to the community starting with the number of jobs we create on home ground, leading to the incredible financial support we can extend to those in need around the world.
As a female leader breaking barriers, what is the biggest obstacle you have overcome?
Hopefully breaking the perception that when a female leads with clarity and conviction, just a like a male leader, it is her confidence and not her arrogance.
What is your favourite quote?
Gratitude is the best attitude.
What are your goals for the next 5 years?
Consistency is often underrated. We hope to maintain our consistency on quality, availability, affordability, delivery experience, and customer service as we grow the range of products and variety on our platform and reach out to a larger database of customers across the UAE and beyond.
How can readers find out more about you and Kibsons?
Sign up for our sustainability tours where I personally talk about the history of Kibsons, our journey and our small but consistent eco-friendly efforts along the way.
