Anee Ramiah –believes in a good work/life balance

Anee Ramiah, sales director of Olive Convention Centre, shares her insights on the Olive Convention Centre and being a woman in the business events industry.

When did you begin working at Olive Convention Centre?

After completing my BCom (Acc) degree in 2015, my traineeship commenced at Olive Group with core focus on management accounting.

My personal growth opportunity began in 2018. I was promoted as the Olive Group Finance Manager and pursued my studies to qualify as a Chartered Global Management Accountant. This position pushed me in a new vocational direction as I found myself immersed in various key facets of the company which included sales, marketing, supply chain, human resources and operations. This window of opportunity allowed me to see where my true passion lay in the ability to apply strategic and core management accounting principles in this exciting and fast-paced industry. In 2022, I was promoted to sales director. While the events industry is not always easy, it’s extremely rewarding to be a part of a team that brings together a unique experience to clients.

What makes Olive unique from other Convention Centres?

The organisational culture of Olive Group has set it apart from other organisations. Our principles and values-driven approach has been at the forefront of business for over 12 years.

The Olive team, past and present, includes passionate and dynamic individuals who have evolved through training, personal growth and development.

The venue is architecturally unique and designed with independent, yet integrated meeting rooms to accommodate various event capabilities.

Clients ‘feel at home’. The Olive team is always willing to go the extra mile to best serve clients with a hands-on approach in hosting an event.

The company has the city at heart and believes in partnering with businesses and organisations that share in its values. The OCC is committed to investing in NPOs that uplift and improve the lives of people in the city of Durban.

As a woman, how do you maintain a work/life balance?

I believe a work/life balance begins with forming good habits. This includes beginning the day with what matters most to me, prayer time, and this sets the tone of my day.

The hospitality industry requires a team to be ‘on call’. By creating a team dynamic that promotes good communication skills and builds on a proactive mindset, it allows for day-today activities to run smoothly and mitigate risk, thus enhancing productivity and time efficiency.

Over the years of studying and working, I have been able to identify my most productive times to focus — for me that’s in the early hours of the morning. I use this time to cover tasks more efficiently and effectively without any distraction. I am a firm believer that it’s not just the hours in a 8-5 job that count, but how productive you can be in a few of the ‘right’ hours. This has allowed me to carve out time in the evenings for what matters most — family.

Lastly, it would be unrealistic to assume that the work/life scale is always in equilibrium — every important phase, task and project has its own deadline, and at times work will seem at the forefront. In these high pressure moments it has always been my closest family and friends that have been my support system. I would say it’s extremely important to be surrounded with a community you can be honest with, to ensure your work/life balance and mental health is on track.

What advice would you give to women who want to be part of the industry?

You’re never too young or old to begin something new or take on a new challenge. I do believe there is personal growth found in the unknown if you’re always willing to take a leap of faith.

The industry can certainly be tough, so it’s important to surround yourself with a community (in and outside of the workplace) that support you and your goals.

The industry faced its biggest evolution during the Covid pandemic and what we learnt is there is, and will always be, a continuous need for change and innovation. The industry has so much to offer, so learning never ends. I would say always be willing to learn — dive into challenges, join industry networking and training events, research and sign up for resources that offer information to keep abreast of what’s happening in the industry, embrace positive criticism and use every day as an opportunity to develop not just yourself, but also those around you.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career, to date?

A dynamic team is the dream team — I don’t mean the smartest or most experienced team. I’ve learnt that no team is perfect and every individual has strengths and weaknesses but, with the right mix of management styles and leadership input, every individual can truly complement a team when they are given the opportunity to embrace their strengths.

Which leaders do you admire and why?

The Olive Group has always been female-strong. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with a group of dynamic and unique women, each of who have made our team stronger and better through their ability to train and empower others.

Outside of the workplace, I enjoy listening to Craig Groeschel. I enjoy an honest approach to business challenges, leadership principles and how it goes in hand with faith and forming healthy habits.

What has you most excited about the future of Olive Convention Centre?

The company is on a continuous journey of growth. The team has evolved over the years, with each individual adding value to the mission. With new product launches and the city at heart, I am excited for the future.

The Olive Convention Centre

The Olive Convention Centre is an iconic landmark in the city of Durban, that was built in 1955. This once abandoned and dilapidated building was restored and given a new lease of life by the Olive Group’s visionary leader and founder in 2009. The mission was to rebuild this facility into a world-class convention centre and promote the vision of ‘Gathering with Purpose’.

Since its first rehabilitation in 2010, the centre has continued evolving in order to keep abreast of industry standards, latest trends and client needs. The facility was substantially upgraded during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the venue launched ‘Hall 4’, the 2,000 square metre arena that would host an array of indoor sports.

As hosts of the Table Tennis WTT contender series in January 2023, the venue installed permanent trussing and lighting that is capable of illuminating up to 1,500 luxury units, evenly, across the arena. In February 2023, the centre launched 250 additional secure and exclusive on-site parking bays.

The facility

The 10,000 square metre facility comprises four large halls, ten meeting rooms and five boardrooms and can accommodate events of between thirty and 1,950 delegates. The venue offers ‘one-stop shop’ event solutions to host meetings, conferences, exhibitions and sporting events. Support services include audio-visual, lighting, food and beverage, high speed Wi-Fi, back-up power, onsite parking and health and safety services.