An open letter to the women who have made a change in my life with a big thank you !

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Everyone has a story. Every woman has a story. The events that you have encountered since your birth have shaped your life. However, the people who have been part of your life made the most significant impact and change.

As we are celebrating International Women’s Day 2017, I take this opportunity to write an open letter to women who have impacted my life.

I am often getting the question: What drives you?

I answer this question saying that the drive is in inspirational entrepreneurs and individuals. Today, my drive is shaped by successful women who always encouraged me and pushed me to become a better me.

I thought about how to start this article for a while. I have decided to start from the beginning. My biggest mentor has always been my mother. She has been through various situations in her youngest years:

• moving countries
• leaving her studies
• having a baby (very young)
• growing away from her family

She has an amazing strength to go through cultural differences. She possesses indescribable patience and passion for the ones she loves. I will always be thankful for her love and support.

When I was 17, Dhekra and I were best friends. In high school, we enjoyed parties, heart-to-hearts, and boys. Yes, boys. We were young and full of energy. It was an amazing time. One day, Dhekra announced that she will not be finishing her high school year as she will be getting married. A few minutes after this announcement, I have started convincing her not to do so. I remember the conversation and all my arguments to her: you are too young, you are not doing the right thing, etc. I have been looking at the situation from my point of view and my convictions. She said: “I will be happy”. It stuck in my heart forever. We were in Tunisia, a beautiful country with great people. She got married and she moved. I have lost a very good friend. And my good friend did not take the right decision for her life. That was my thought.

I have always kept in touch with Dhekra all-over the past years. She moved to Austria and I moved around the World. We have always exchanged stories for long hours about our lives and our achievements or disappointments. After several years, Dhekra took the decision to continue her studies. At the age of 32, she is graduating as a Psychologist for children in Austria. I have always had faith in her skills and her potential. Today, I am extremely proud of her, a woman who stopped her studies at 17 and is becoming a successful professional at 32. We always have the choice. We always have the opportunity to achieve our dreams.

Meet Dhekra Borde — A woman who changed my life and who took her life in her hands.

I moved to Paris, France and continued my studies, including my PhD in telecommunication engineering. A woman who was a mentor for me at that time, was my aunt — my mum’s sister. I am thankful for her continuous trust and support. My aunt is a woman with great human values and absolutely unlimited dedication to her family.

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When I was older, much older, I moved to Doha, Qatar. I have mentioned that in my previous articles. I have met there a woman who’s for me today, an exceptional role model: Chantel Weeden. During a series of meetings and conversations over several months, it becomes clear that we had common points and were getting along very well. She is American, from Iowa. She has moved to the Middle East at the same time as I did. We were just out there doing the stuff we crazily did together. We have visited the World together. We have talked about the most intimate stories and life’s experiences. We are doing that today. Chantel is the MENA+ Regional Quality Manager at Parsons. She manages quality resources and efforts for Parsons Transportation Group & Parsons Environmental & Infrastructure across the Middle East, Africa, and Mediterranean countries. Parsons is an engineering, construction, technical, and management services firm. Its revenues in 2014 were $3.1 billion.

Chantel is a powerful independent woman who changes many others’ women’s lives and a very proud mum. She is extremely generous, helpful and a real mentor for her team. I always gave her my support and my appreciation. She accomplished amazing achievements in a male dominated environment. We are talking about The Middle East, here. I let figured it out. Many women find the task difficult — being at a high-level managerial position within that ecosystem. Chantel had always the courage, the strength, and the understanding to perform a great job. I have learned from her every day and I am continuously learning.

Meet Chantel Weeden — A woman who supported me and impacted the deepest choices in my life. A woman who mentors, listens, and understands women. An independent successful woman.

In 2015, I moved to Indonesia. I have spent few months in Bali, helping disabled kids in a local school, with VP Bali and Kimberley Vanderheyden. Kimberley has a remarkable love towards kids and she is doing unbelievable things out there to give a future to these children. There are so many challenges that will condemn these kids and it is all about overcoming these encounters. She is doing all that to turn these negative situations into effective educational programs. She cares about the teachers and their future. The task of educating children is a complex task, especially with high cultural differences and presumptions. Kimberley is building a trusting, understanding and open ecosystem for these youngsters. I felt proud to be part of her team.

Meet Kimberley Vanderheyden — A woman who builds the future and who impacted my life’s vision forever.

I can’t write enough about Nikkita Fin. I have met Nikkita over an internet dispute in a local stay in Bali. Two women with a tech background are not able to live without WiFi. Since that day, we became close friends. Nikkita has been a mentor, a friend, and a supporter. She has made the biggest impact in my life with her kindness, her bravura, and her generosity.

Nikkita is Australian and she has started a new life in Bali, Indonesia. As social media and web professional, Nikkita is helping various businesses around Asia Pacific with their online requirements. I have followed Nikkita’s adventure.

She is willing to care for others in a way no one else does. She has also developed her skillset, based mainly on self-learning. We sat in Seminyak area, around the sunset time on the beach and we talked for hours. It was the passion that drove us. The passion for life. The passion for others. Every great moment was very impactful and unforgettable.

Nikkita is not only a listener, she is engaged and passionate. She makes a change in everyone’s life. With her, you don’t need to say jokes to get a laugh. She enlightens you with her positiveness.

Meet Nikkita Finn — A woman — a social media & web powerhouse, who charges you emotionally. A woman who made me a better me.

It was time for a change. I have decided to move to Singapore. And, I did. The first meeting with Marie-Helene was extremely interesting. Marie-Helene held several global positions in services business unit management, sales, marketing and communications with Thales, IBM and EADS. She has developed strong skills in high tech systems, software, and services for international markets. Marie-Helene is impressive with her experience, and background. I was enjoying every conversation and discussion with her. She always advises and supports new ideas and strategies, helping me address my business growth in Asia. Marie-Helene is a friend, a supporter, and a mentor. She has a positive energy that she shares with her closer circle of friends. She empowers women around the World, in science, technology, and even art.

She mentioned once: “ The biggest enemies for women, are women themselves.” There is, unfortunately, a lot of truth in that statement. Marie-Helene is always trying to change the situations regarding women’s perspectives and opportunities. She has been also involved in various initiative in Singapore to encourage diversity and women in leadership positions.

Marie-Helene is a role model for every woman. She moved from Europe to Singapore, where she continues her professional career.

Meet Marie Hélène MANSARD PARILUSYAN — A woman who leads and who has inspired me and supported me.

I have been having dinner when I met Shareen Song for the first time. Shareen was a restaurant owner in Singapore: The Muffinry. The restaurant has been running for over 6 years, before she sold it in 2021.

What is the most important, if not food ? ;D

I spent a lot of time at Shareen’s restaurant. I don’t only enjoy being there as a customer, or working there on my laptop. Shareen has become an amazing friend. She thought me over these last years about empathy, kindness, patience, and devotion. She launched her restaurant, and for over the last years, she wakes up every day at around 5am to support her team in preparing the first muffin and the first coffee for her clients. I admire her for the discipline and the hard work.

Shareen’s business is not about technology or cyber security. However, Shareen has understood the most important factor in business — the human factor. When I have the opportunity to share with Shareen about life and our daily challenges as business owners, I discover a strong woman, devoted to her business and her clients. She is one of the leaders who actually do care for their employees. She does think about their wellbeing, their work-life balance, and their happiness. I am high-fiving Shareen because it is the greatest thing I have seen from a restaurant owner. What an intense moment of entrepreneurship. Restaurants, like many businesses in the field of hospitality require repeat visitors and a high customer service. Shareen leaves a powerful first impression, and a second, and a third, and so on…

Meet Shareen Song, The Muffinry’s Owner — A Woman who makes your eating experience memorable. A woman who deeply helps me (and feeds me with yummy food ).

I was very honored to be part of Data privacy Asia Conference 2016, in Singapore with Wei Chieh Lim.

I was a speaker and I had the chance to meet with Rebecca Herold. Rebecca has not only an impressive background and history with over 25 years of experience in IT, info sec, privacy & security, she is currently the owner and principal for Rebecca Herold & Associates, LLC, aka The Privacy Professor(R); and Co-Founder of SIMBUS360.

Rebecca is also an entrepreneur, author, and Adjunct Professor for the Norwich University Master of Science in Information Assurance Program.

I have been involved with Rebecca on various projects and discussions. Rebecca gave me the opportunity to be part of her adventure. She supports me and advises me. She has been amazingly inspiring to me and her knowledge is a breath of fresh air. She implied a fundamental transformation of my approach to privacy for my clients. She assists me with the existing challenges around the topic, when I need assistance. She is a role model for women in the field.

Meet Rebecca Herold — A Woman who cares about your privacy. A woman who gave me a chance.

I get to travel to London for my customers, and for team with K2. During one of these journey, I met Jane Frankland, a CISO Advisor, Speaker & Champion for Women in Security. She definitely is a champion for Women In Security. She just wrote a book Women In Cyber Security. The book is already at 75,000 words. It will be launched to the market shortly.

By the time she was 29 she’d built a 7-figure business. After several experiences in her life, today, she is still doing incredible things. I have been extremely impressed by her story and her energy. She is there to make a change for all women, for women in cyber security. I have been discussing with Jane and she always surprises me with great insights and brilliant ideas. She is an inspiring model for me.

Meet Jane Frankland — A Woman who fights for women’s rights. A woman who gives me the strength.

This is my story with remarkable women around the World, making a change. Have you met women making a difference in your life ? Thank them and show them gratitude every day. We all need to encourage each other.

Happy 2017 International Women’s Day !

By Magda Chelly:

Former Chief Security Officer | Author & Keynote Speaker | IFSEC Global Top 20 Cybersecurity Influencer | Entrepreneur | PhD, S-CISO, CISSP, Cert SCI (General Insurance)

Find out on magda-on-cyber.com

Awards

• The IFSEC Global influencers in security and fire 2021
• Top Women in Security Asean Region 2021 Awards https://www.asiapacificsecuritymagazine.com/winners-and-judges-of-the-top-women-in-security-asean-region-2021-awards/

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