Rizane Aouad, Community Manager, Lebanon, Enova

Rizane describes her entry into the real estate world as a ‘happy accident’. Post completing her Master’s degree in Human Resources, she had applied at a major company in Beirut, and before she knew it, Rizane was accepted into the Property Management division. This is where she grew passionate about the industry. The fact that no each day was the same and the diversity of tasks at hand was what kept her motivated. One thing Rizane is most passionate about is people orientation, “Property Management is not your regular 9–to-5 job but something you live full time. You are that connect between the tenant and the stakeholders. After all these years, I still face new challenges, meet so many different personalities, and being put in such different scenarios that help me evolve as a person,” she added.

Proudest moments

Over the years, Rizane has had many proud moments. “I can’t narrow it down to one proud moment. Every time I successfully mitigate a challenge and make my clients happy, it gives me a high level of satisfaction and self-esteem. Seeing them happy made me happy as well.”

Barriers in Female Leadership

Having been in this industry for over a decade, Rizane has not faced any barriers related to being a woman in a maledominated field. “While traditionally, we had many male-dominated industries in the Middle East, I am glad to see that more and more companies nowadays have a strong focus on gender equality and diversity in general. In Enova, for example, we have female representatives in most domains,” she said.

Advice

“I strongly encourage more and more women to enter this industry. I believe that women especially have the perfect skill set needed for Community Management. Women are naturally strong when it comes to communication, empathy, multi-tasking, and conflict resolution. Don’t be afraid of the male competition, as you have a lot to offer to this industry. Be inventive, intuitive, and think outside the box.”