PLD class: PLD 24, 2017
Current Employer: Trade Union Cooperative Insurance (AL-ETIHAD)
Position: Chief Financial Officer
Location: Khobar — Saudi Arabia
Social Media accounts:
Ahmad Omar’s career spans over 14 years in the finance, audit and risk management industry with expertise gained in a variety of sectors and markets and a concentration on insurance. Ahmad is currently the Chief Financial Officer for Trade Union Cooperative Insurance (AL-ETIHAD), a position he has held since 2013. A highly recognized professional in the industry and the Saudi market, he is a member in the company’s Executive Committee and an adviser to the Investment Committee of the Board of Directors.
Financial and investments operations, development of the financial and operational strategies and its metrics, the ongoing development and monitoring of control systems, assuring financial growth, shaping governance and internal controls structures are few of the areas Ahmad focused on throughout his career.
He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Executive MBA alternative (PLD) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administrative / Accounting from Yarmouk University, Jordan. He is also a Certified Risk Based Auditor (CRBA), and a Certified Anti-Corruption Manager (CACM).
We are sure you will enjoy the following interview with our member and PLDer, Ahmad Omar.
1. How has the PLD Program changed you — personally and/or professionally?
It was a life changing experience on both personal and professional levels. The refreshing honesty of my living group, gave me a new sense of self; the incredible feeling you get after attending a lecture given by some of the world’s smartest people is unmatchable; the tons of conversations I had with the professors and the other PLDers made me reexamine a number of aspects in my life and helped me put things into perspective.
I know that the people I met and am proud to call friends, are there for me to push me forward and help me stay focused. As a PLDer, I know I am backed up in anything I want to do or I want to know about.
I can easily say that I learned something new from everyone I met during those few months. It was a great chance to assess my capabilities of both the personal and professional sides against different peers from different industries and backgrounds.
I am challenging myself now more than ever, to become a better version of myself, to focus on what’s important and what will help me achieve my goals. And the good thing is, I know that the people I met and am proud to call friends, are there for me to push me forward and help me stay focused. As a PLDer, I know I am backed up in anything I want to do or I want to know about.
2. What are your chief takeaways from the program?
I would say that I look at the world from a different angle now; different perspective for things, things that I used to give maximum priority to, have a lower priority now. I have more focus on the things that I need in order to be a better leader.
3. How do you exert your leadership in the role you have today?
In my role, am in charge of 44 employees in different functions, I report to CEO, BOD, Investment Committee, 4 different regulators, I deal with 2 External Auditors, 1 Independent Actuary, dozens of banks and investment firms, hundreds of clients, and more than 27,000 shareholders who daily trade the stock and need to feel confident that their assets are being lead and managed wisely. Leadership is required in all directions in my role, sometimes, it’s more important than professional knowledge.
4. What motivates you most as a leader?
Responsibility to make a change, to do things differently, to solve problems by treating the roots, and influence people to challenge themselves, grow and become a better version of themselves.
5. Think of a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader — maybe someone who was a mentor to you. Why and how did this person impact your life?
As cliché as it may sound, my father is the first one that comes to my mind. Just by watching him, I learned that money is not a goal, it’s a natural outcome for hard work, and I learned that failures can lead to great success if handled with patience and determination to keep standing. I learned that it’s not about giving instructions as much as it is about leading by example. He once told me “listen first, evaluate, and then make the move that YOU feel is right”. In my books, and although we don’t agree in many things, he is the definition of a true leader.
6. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
Presence and influence.
7. What is the best piece of advice you have been given, and why?
There are so many pieces of advice and wisdom gained throughout my life; I recall the latest from Professor Youngme Moon in the closing session of PLD 24 at the Harvard Business School, she repeated “Presence is everything” more than 10 times, well, I heard this advice probably a thousand times before, but this was the one that changed my perception of presence. I have always paid attention to my professional presence, but not when I am with my family; my wife who’s pushing me to succeed, my son and daughter who changed the meaning of life. Thinking about it now, I deeply regret every moment I spent around them without giving them my full attention. Professor Youngme’s words echo in my head now whenever I zone out thinking about work issues. I must admit, playing dinosaurs with my son stops being fun after the first 15 minutes, but knowing that this time is what will impact his future, changes it all. I’m glad she changed my perspective.
“Presence is everything” — Professor Youngme’s words echo in my head now whenever I zone out thinking about work issues.
8. What is one thing we’d never have guessed about you, even after reading your LinkedIn or Facebook profile?
I like to laugh, I like to make jokes, I like to make people laugh, I believe it’s the best way to break the ice and get people closer and more comfortable; sometimes it ends up in a weird way, especially when telling a joke in English which is not my first language. So now you know, if I was talking to you and you thought I was saying weird stuff, it was a joke! Just laugh or smile if you’re not sure.
9. What is it the PLD community can do for you or help you with, in terms of your challenges, goals or needs?
Let’s stay close and grow more. The power of our network is unmatched.
Having the PLD community as a source of knowledge gives me confidence that I can reach and gain exposure to anything, anywhere. Let’s stay close and grow more. The power of our network is unmatched.
10. What is it you can give or how can you contribute to the PLD community?
I highly value innovative ideas and investments; I believe there’s much more innovation that can be granted to the world and am willing to help anyone with anything I can. I have exposure to the Middle East in general and a deeper focus on Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. I am happy to share my contacts and expertise and would love to see PLDers visit the Middle East and get to know the brilliant talents and astonishing capabilities available in the market.
I highly value innovative ideas and investments; I believe there’s much more innovation that can be granted to the world and am willing to help anyone with anything I can.
This interview was originally published on pldx.org.
