Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 21 | Page 87

A DAY IN THE LIFE GET TO KNOW... On the lighter side of things, we ask the industry- experts what makes them tick… Mohamad Rizk, Manager System Engineers, Middle East at Veeam What would you describe as your most memorable achievement? What do you think is the current hot technology talking point? My university degree, I have graduated with a Masters in Computer Science from the Lebanese American University (LAU), one of the best universities in the Middle East. However, to achieve this, I had to work multiple jobs at the same time to cover my university fees. It was hard work. The financial aid and scholarships from LAU and my family support made it possible. Digital transformation is the hot topic now. Every organisation, no matter in which sector, is working to provide paperless and online services through mobile applications, websites, etc. What made you think of a career in technology? I always loved programming and robotics and later on I was amazed at how high availability, artificial intelligence, high performance computing and data analytics make our life much easier and better when combined with science and business. Moreover, I believe that we should do what we love so I chose a career in technology. What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position? I like to manage my team compassionately and be candid with them. By putting myself in their shoes, it helps me to understand what difficulties they’re facing personally and at work and suggest solutions that are best for them and the business. www.intelligentcio.com However, digital transformation is not possible without having an Always-On business through virtualisation, cloud computing, and high availability. It is very interesting to see how organisations are changing and technology is impacting their business. How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office? Whenever possible, I travel to beautiful places that I have never visited before. At other times, watching movies, going out with friends, and gym, helps me a lot. If you could go back and change a career decision, what would it be? I would not change anything whether it was right or wrong. We can only gain experience based on previous wrong decisions. Every day is a new chance to learn something new. I just hope that I continue to do my best and go the extra mile and to learn from my right and wrong decisions. n INTELLIGENTCIO 87