Mohammed Alshehhi is the UAE’s Undersecretary for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Economy. Since stepping into the role in 2006, Mr Alshehhi has been cementing economic relations around the world by heading joint economic committees and participating in international meetings, forums and visits. On October 24, he took part in a panel discussion at the 18th Global Women in Leadership Economic Forum in Dubai, on how governments can enable more women to be brought into senior positions. The Emirati is also a board member of the Emirates Identity Authority and the Emirates Standardisation and Metrology Authority, and heads the Internal Audit Committee and Trade Marks Committee.
How did you become the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy?
After doing a bachelor’s in electrical engineering at the University of South Florida, I worked in the telecoms sector for 17 years. I held senior executive roles at Etisalat and did my master’s degree at the American University of Sharjah from 2000 to 2002. My colleague She is the main reason why I’m in the government now. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi was doing the same programme – an executive master’s degree in business management. She came one day with the Minister of the Economy, who asked me to be her deputy. From there, she convinced me and I continued to work in the Ministry of Economy. Sheikha Lubna was the first woman to hold a ministerial post in the UAE. She is the Minister of State for Tolerance.
What was the lowest point of your career?
I was very fortunate in that I was able to have a very clear career path. When I reached that first level of engineering and there was no more room to go up the ladder, that’s when I started studying again, so I could move on to a different sector. So I cannot say that any stage of my life was low, because every now and then I receive new responsibilities.
What advice would you offer others following your path?
Always keep updated with the latest technology trends. If you reach a certain point where you have no more room to contribute, make sure you find another place where you can be more creative. Make sure you have dedication and patience and look for role models; that’s very useful. Find mentors for your good ideas and find a good secure base – ideally your family. It’s always very important to have a secure base.
What’s your go-to gadget?
I’ve been an iPhone man since the iPhone began, so it’s very difficult for me to switch. I’m not saying that Samsung is not good but I never use Samsung. Nowadays my iPhone is even a replacement for my iPad – I can’t do anything without it. I have an iPhone 7.
What’s your most indulgent habit?
I enjoy travelling, spending time with the family, seeing my friends and going to the seaside.
What do you have on your desk at work?
Not much documentation, only my desktop, which is a portable one. I also have a picture of my son Ahmed, which I took myself. He is only three years old, but I feel he is pretty much an inspiration for me.
How do you spend your weekends?
I religiously have a family day on Fridays. It’s not only for my wife and my kids; I go and see my father and have lunch with the whole family – my brother, my sister; we all gather every Friday for lunch. We do this whenever I am in the country. After work, I always go over school issues with my children. Work-life balance is challenging but if you have the right mindset you can do it – and you need to have the right partner as well.
If you could swap jobs with anyone, who would it be and why?
This is a very difficult job. There are many jobs out there that I think are very exciting and I wish I was as young as the Minister of Youth, for example, so I could be in the youth ministry. But I don’t fit that criteria anymore. I would also like to work in the Ministry of Happiness – I think it is something very beautiful. But I’m happy working in the Ministry of Economy, because our portfolio is very diversified. We get to meet world leaders and a diverse range of people from all different types of economies – from Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. We have the right channels to showcase our success stories to many places, all over the world.
What could you not live without?
My family. I have children as old as 18 and as young as three months, so I have my hands full.
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