worldwide women

“From the
country
to serve
it better”
By Sindhu Nair

16 February 2011

WT_ Fubruary '11.indd 16 2/7/11 11:44:17 AM

 S
haroq Al-Malki is firm and un-
compromising in her actions. She
doesn’t waste her words; they
are decisive and to the point. But
talk about Human Resources, the
department she heads; Tasweeq, the organisation
she works for and Qatar, her country, then there is
no stopping her.
She likes listening to people, to coach and to
mentor, and that’s the reason she finds herself a
perfect fit in HR. Handling close to 140 employ-
ees of diverse cultures, Sharoq understands how
people from different nationalities react to situ-
ations and brings her perception to work when
dealing with them.
Her role as a motivator makes her popular among
friends too. She is constantly mentoring and advis-
ing friends and urging them to go that extra mile or
to take up an exciting opportunity.
“I do not wait for opportunities, I make them
happen and that is what I tell everyone,” she says.
“It was easier for me because I had parents
who encouraged me. My passion was further ig-
nited when I worked with HH Sheikha Mozah. If
my friends want to go ahead in their life but lack
mentoring, I am willing to play the role. If they
are ready to make a change, then I advise and
encourage them to a great extent.”
She also feels that Qataris, in particular, have to
take on active roles and be a part of the “success
story of Qatar”.
“We might not find the perfect environment but
as long as the job matches your skills, the rest can
be worked on.”
What she says about HR sums up her passion
for people.
“If you talk to any of my colleagues, they will
tell you how I describe HR and its significance to
them. I tell them that marketing, finance and even
“We might not find the perfect environment but as
long as the job matches your skills, the rest can be
worked on.”
WT_ Fubruary '11.indd 17
operations are important parts of any company,
but Human Resources is the heart of it. If there is
flaw in this department, then everything ceases to
function.”
A solid foundation
Sharoq is open to cultural diversity and this is the
result of a ‘unique’ environment in which she was
raised. Her well-educated and working parents are
aware of the steps that the society is taking to-
wards progress. Thus, her streak of independence Quick takes
and her can-do spirit find roots in what her parents
taught her.
Her oratory skills she attributes to her father, A book beside me
who helped her charter her future plans. But her 48 Laws of Power
transparency and frankness was imbibed from her
mother, whom she dubs as her emotional anchor. A person I respect
“Ever since I was a child, I always needed an HH Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Misned
anchor to keep me going. Luckily for me, I had
the best role models anyone could ask for in the Friends
comfort of my home. Light in the dark path and essential in life
“Even in my most testing times, my parents
guided me with their priceless wisdom and Relax
encouragement,” she says. Reading a book by the seashore
Size doesn’t matter A destination of choice
Talk of values and heritage and Qatar is not far Buenos Aires
from her thoughts. “Though Qatar is small, it has
been able to accomplish what most other coun- An advice I always keep in mind
tries merely dream of achieving. Day by day, I can Perception is the Mother of Mistakes
see HH the Emir’s 2030 vision of Qatar reflecting
in our daily life. Education City reflects the kind of 10 years from now....
importance and investment human capital – our A consultant and an international writer
most important resource – receives,” she says.
“We have progressed so far only because of
strong foundations. A perfect case of ‘right vision
put in action’. For example, the education facili-
ties that we have are setting standards while the
museums here are creating benchmarks. Look at
our participation in the ‘Dialogue of Civilisations’;
2011 February 17
2/7/11 11:44:17 AM
 worldwide women
it shows how open we are to other cultures. That
does not mean that what is right for another coun-
try will be applicable for Qatar.”
While the country is marching towards prog-
ress, does she feel that the beauty of a small
cosy country is lost in the chaos that comes with
development?
“Not at all,” she says, “because it opens up
more opportunities – for the world to have a posi-
tive impact on Qatar and for Qatar to affect the
region and the world positively. We have hosted
many events that nurture the important ideals
of tolerance, understanding, and co-existence.
Furthermore, there is an extensive knowledge
transfer from developed countries that will help
equip our citizens to progress and take Qatar from
strength to strength.
“I am proud to be here at this moment of
time, because as HH Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser
Al-Thani said in her speech at the FIFA presenta-
tion, ‘The time is NOW’ and as a Qatari, I want all
of us nationals to take this opportunity and make
the most of it. Give back to the country that has
made us proud.”
Following footprints
Speaking of HH Sheikha Mozah brings Sharoq to
another milestone in her life.
“I was inspired The period when she worked with HH Sheikha
by her vision, her Mozah – “a transformational period” as she puts it.
“I was inspired by her vision, her commitment
commitment and and her personality. I learnt a lot from her. It is from
her personality. I that experience that I have gained insights which
have assisted me in my present role.”
learnt a lot from Sharoq served as the Correspondence and
her. It is from that Follow-up Manager at HH Sheikha Mozah’s office
before she joined Tasweeq.
experience that Equal opportunities
I have gained in- She believes that opportunities are what we make
sights which have of it. “Today, we are competing in an open market
on the basis of merit, personality, and commit-
assisted me in my ment. It is not gender driven,” she says.
present role.” “The opportunities are more and examples of
gender equality are prevalent in all sectors and
many female success stories are a testament to
this.”
Talk of a glass ceiling in this region and she is
quick to dismiss it.
“I don’t believe in this because women have
assumed the most senior positions in public and
18 February 2011
WT_ Fubruary '11.indd 18
private sectors and also in the ministry level in the
Government. Now everything depends on the level
of commitment, and not at all on gender. And that
is what we keep a look-out for in our recruitment
process too. You need a person who is commit-
ted and can work in a team. That, in reality, makes
for a ‘perfect’ match in our recruitment, not just
education levels. In this era, where knowledge on
most of the topics is just a Google search away
to an extent, it is more interpersonal skills that HR
personnel keep a look-out for.”
But she believes that Qatari women have to
make their mark in businesses in Qatar.
“Entrepreneurs have to be encouraged and
mostly amongst women as they can have a
positive impact on family and society.”
All charted out
Sharoq has her future planned and charted to
the last detail. Tasweeq is her path to that final
destination.
“I believed in the vision of the company, market-
ing oil and gas products. iIt is unique in terms of
business and standards. I joined in 2008 and now I
am handling the HR department as a Director,” she
says about Tasweeq and HR in particular:
“Tasweeq desires all its recruits to have multi-
functional skills, to be able to move from one
department to another. Master the function-
ing of one area and then move on to another
This will help the employee hone his/her skills in
numerous disciplines (planning, marketing, human
resources, etc.).”
“As for the principles which I follow in Tasweeq
HR, I would summarise them in three Fs; Friend-
liness: Always use a friendly approach even in
hard situations; Flexibility: Being flexible to the
different cultures and circumstances and Fast
action: Be fast in taking decisions to cope with the
dynamic changes in the market and environment.
What I would like to achieve is to create the best
practices that are specific to the organisation
which I believe enhances productivity.
Eventually, Sharoq aims to extend her people
management abilities and the skills of provid-
ing mentorship by stepping into the role of a
consultant.
“When I look at my goals, I am ticking them off,
slowly but surely, next in the line is my thesis...”
she says, keeping her fingers crossed
2/8/11 10:02:34 AM