November 17th, 2015: Canadian University Dubai (CUD) graduate, Suha Obaid, has been named Inspirational Young Personality of the Year 2015 at the Seatrade Middle East Awards, held recently in Dubai.
MBA graduate Suha was recognized by the annual maritime industry awards for her impressive rise through the ranks of Dubai-based marine company, Folk Shipping. Starting out as a trainee in the business, she quickly advanced to a coordinator role, and with the support of WISTA – the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association – Suha grew in confidence to take on the position of Operations Manager, before achieving her current post of Strategic Planning Director.
Explaining her passage into the shipping trade, Suha said, “The marine industry isn’t really the kind of sector young girls dream to grow into, however, that wasn’t the case for me. I never thought about pink ribbons and pretty dresses, as a matter of fact, I was more intrigued by the smell of heavy oil covering my father’s overalls when he came home from a hectic day at work. Being so young, I didn’t acknowledge gender, or any sort of limitations, instead I developed the urge to be a part of it.”
Facing up to the challenge of operating in what remains a male-dominated environment, Suha has succeeded to represent the face of the younger generation in the maritime sector. She continued, “At first it was very much a challenge, but I have learned to flex with the situation, and work it to my advantage.
“Networking was my number one challenge, and though I lacked confidence, I learned that being a GCC female in this sector sparked people’s curiosity, and I used that to stand out. As my work was acknowledged and appreciated, and with more experience and exposure to the business, my confidence level increased.”
With the accolade of inspirational personality of the year comes the responsibility of encouraging and nurturing the next generation of young maritime professionals, which Suha acknowledges is a challenging role.
She said, “The shipping industry is unfortunately an industry that lacks the younger generation, especially those from the GCC. I would urge young people to direct their attention to maritime and manufacturing industries; they are very exciting and dynamic sectors – certainly not the ‘routine’ kind of business environment – where they will learn, be stimulated, and be part of a team that will make a big difference in creating a self-sufficient nation with its people as its strength.”
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