» A TRENDSETTER

Shahd AlQunaibit , Regional Director, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, North Africa, and Levant, Cisco AppDynamics has been a trendsetter as a Saudi woman working in a senior sales role and can be justifiably proud of what she has achieved so far

What made you choose technology as your professional path? How has this journey been so far in terms of achieving professional success and personal happiness?

As a fresh Information Systems graduate, my career plan was to be an analyst in an IT company. However, I was accepted into a sales internship program at one of the top international technology providers. It would have been a shame to pass! Throughout my internship, I got the opportunity to sharpen my skills and learn new ones, but most importantly, this is where I realized my passion for sales! I love sales because it’s a human centric profession. Everyday, I have the opportunity to support customers and partners, help them solve key business challenges, and achieve their goals. This gives me a deep sense of satisfaction and achievement as I can see, in a tangible way, how I am having a positive impact on businesses and the economy. My journey has been an interesting ride, filled with a myriad of experiences that have made me the person and leader I am today.

Does gender matter in channel sales in terms of expectations and recognitions? What are some of the common attributes as key differences between women and men in such roles?

Men and women are inherently different, and as a consequence, do have certain strengths and weaknesses. However, when it comes to excelling at a job, particularly in this day and age of flexible working and focus on outputs over inputs, I do not believe gender matters. Success hinges less on gender and more on having the right knowledge and skills. This is something that I can personally relate to, given my experience at Cisco AppDynamics. Diversity and inclusion are at the core of our DNA. We are all treated equally and given the same opportunities regardless of our gender or any other demographic. We are evaluated solely based on the quality of work and our performance which fosters collaborative team spirit and a culture of fair competition.

Has hybrid work mode been rewarding or taxing? Describe your experience from last year onwards in adopting to the new normal at work? Especially as face-to-face meetings have been difficult to do, how does that impact your work?

The hybrid work world has its advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I can say that it helped me be more productive. For example, cutting out the commute meant I was able to have more meetings with customers and partners. However, one of the key

success factors in sales, particularly in this region, is human interaction and we obviously lost that during the pandemic. Now that we are returning back to some semblance of normality, I am trying to find a balance that works for both my customer and me. Describe some of the achievements or milestones you achieved in sales in this role as well as over the career briefly

As a Saudi woman in sales, something that was not the norm when I started my career, I’m very proud of where I am today. It was a difficult journey, with many disappointments and setbacks but I used these as motivation and opportunities to learn and grow. Now, being a young Saudi female leader, in charge of the development, execution, and expansion of AppDynamics in Saudi Arabia, North Africa, and Levant, I consider this one of my greatest achievements. I have the opportunity to act as an enabler for the team, establishing a high-performance culture and supporting colleagues to reach their goals and achieve their full potential. We’re building a young, dynamic and promising sales team in the region with a passion for exceptional performance and a desire to deliver aggressive growth.

On the road ahead in your professional journey, what are the ambitions that motivate you?

My objective in life is to add more value to others’ lives, as I am passionate about encouraging people from all backgrounds and supporting them to achieve, and even exceed, their goals. And my current role gives me the platform to make this a reality. Over Shahd AlQunaibit

Regional Director, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, North Africa, and Levant, Cisco AppDynamics

"Everyday, I have the opportunity to support customers and partners, help them solve key business challenges, and achieve their goals. This gives me a deep sense of satisfaction and achievement as I can see, in a tangible way, how I am having a positive impact on businesses and the economy."

the next few years, I want to develop my leadership skills further and foster others to become leaders and grow. I will be looking for opportunities to expand my responsibilities, build strong and reliable relationships within the MEA region, and make an impact in my country, region, and even beyond.