September 4, 2023
WoEgypt 

Vezeeta, the largest health-tech company in the Middle East and Africa, has appointed Ola Aly El Din as its first-ever Chief Operating Officer (COO). Prior to being appointed to the position of COO, Aly El Din previously served as Vezeeta’s VP of Business Development and Government Relations, playing a key role in improving healthcare accessibility for patients through strategic public-private partnerships and sustainable government relations. In addition, she helped lead the company’s growth strategy across the Middle East and Africa region.  

Ola’s large-scale experience in the healthcare sector, includes a 12 year stint at IQVIA, where she rose to become the company’s offering development manager.

Empowered by Vezeeta, Ola Aly El Din, in her role as COO, is currently equipped to take on this challenge, thanks to her hard work, determination, and extensive experience, setting an example for aspiring women in the region.

WoEN:  You have mentioned that Roy T. Bennet’s quote “Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey” was your inspiration. Would you elaborate on how that inspiration may have been applied in your personal life, and specifically in your work with Vezeeta.

Ola Aly El Din: In both your personal and professional lives, you either choose to accept a challenge or you sometimes find yourself in the middle of one, and if you’re determined to succeed and move forward in life, you will need to embrace the struggles that come your way so you can accomplish your goals and reach milestones.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to always remember to savor the journey by celebrating achievements, learning from failures, motivating yourself to keep going, taking pauses to count your blessings and being mindful of the important moments.

WoEN:  What is your vision for Vezeeta’s future in not only growing the company but dealing with the increasing challenges of the health care sector?

OAD: Vezeeta is the leading digital healthcare platform in the region, and 10 years ago, it pioneered the drastic change of the healthcare industry by disrupting the scene with digital transformation. Immense time and effort were spent to overcome the massive challenge of increasing awareness and adoption of digital solutions to both patients and healthcare providers.

We are planning to capitalize on our existing core business lines and forge more digital solutions and advanced technologies to continue serving patients and healthcare providers. We embark upon this mission while setting our eyes on achieving a profitable and sustainable business.

One of the major challenges in healthcare nowadays is the high cost, so we are focusing on building affordable solutions that enhances the accessibility to quality care through our large digital network. In addition, we’re committed to solving the pains of the industry through data driven decisions and further advancing our technologies using the power of AI.

WoEN: Diversity and inclusion are essential for a thriving workplace. How do you plan to champion diversity and ensure an inclusive environment for all team members, considering your own experiences as a female leader?

OAD:

I’m a strong believer in diversity and inclusion because it brings various experiences and perspectives to the table and positively impacts the workplace and all stakeholders.

I plan to personally enhance diversity and inclusion behaviors by creating opportunities and giving equal chances to everyone with zero discrimination systematically especially through hiring practices. I’m also keen on creating a work culture that is based on mutual respect where everyone can feel valued, welcomed and heard. Active listening to team members’ experience and concerns, regular feedback sessions or something as simple as anonymous suggestion boxes could enhance transparency. Approachability is key here and eliminating the fear of repercussions.

I personally have an open-door policy and would encourage employees to speak up if they experience any discriminating behavior. I will have zero tolerance for discrimination.

It is definitely an ever-increasing priority, I will personally strive to continue to learn and implement strategies that would enhance D&I at the workplace.

WoEN: Balancing work and personal life is often a challenge for leaders. How do you manage this balance, and what advice do you have for aspiring female leaders who aim to excel in their careers while maintaining their well-being?

OAD: I think that it’s difficult to maintain work-life balance. It’s easier said than done.

In both personal and professional lives, we go through different phases that come with their own set of demands, challenges and force us to consistently set and juggle priorities based on the given objective or phase. These actions are sometimes focused on career and other times one must focus on personal life and I believe that’s the natural way of things. Having said that, everyone has different goals in life, and so work-life balance could mean very different things to different people. 

I think the following is a good framework to start:

1. Start by figuring out what your objective and timeline is (personally and professionally).
2. Set boundaries both ways; when you’re with family and friends, leave work behind and when you’re at work, give it your full attention and dedication. 
3. Make room for quality time with family and friends and don’t miss out on important occasions – again being fully present at home and at work helps make both aspects enjoyable / pleasant.
4. Take time for yourself to maintain your physical and mental well-being, this will be reflected at work and at home (your colleagues and your family will thank you!).
5. Surround yourself with a support system of people who understand your lifestyle and needs.

WoEN: : As a role model for other women aspiring to leadership positions, what insights or lessons have you gained throughout your career that you’d like to share?

1-  Believe in yourself.  If you’re determined to succeed, you will. Gender has no influence on your abilities to fulfill your goals. What really matters is your hard work and your continuous development and self-improvement. There will be situations in the short term where you may feel that you have been treated unfairly. Always remind yourself of the long-term perspective and that is: hard work and consistency will prevail.

2- Don’t let setbacks discourage you. Failure will occur and it is mandatory for growth and development.

3-Don’t let gender stereotyping hold you back or cause self -limiting beliefs and don’t let others undermine your capabilities just because you’re a female. You can achieve anything your put your mind to.

4-Build sustainable relationships to maximize your exposure. Cultivate genuine relationships with mentors, sponsors and peers across industries.

5-Work on your communication skills – clear communication fosters understanding and trust, being able to articulate your vision and strategy is crucial for any leader.

6-Find your style – leadership is not a one-size-fits all, your unique perspective and approach can be your greatest strength, some can emphasize empathy, others may inspire through resilience. Find your style and embrace it.

7-Advocate for others, always find ways to help build a broader net of people that you help and give back to, regardless of how small or grand that impact is

8- I can keep going but I will end with this one, “Life is not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving”, obviously taken from Rocky in a boxing movie reference but the metaphor is accurate for life in general!

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