Nada Al-Ateegi, one of the first women to be hired by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), attributes her current position as deputy general manager of The Kingdom Center to sheer dint of hard work.
When Prince Alwaleed, founder and chairman of the Kingdom Establishment for Commerce and Trade, restructured and renamed it the Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) in 1996, Al-Ateegi was among the first batch of women to be hired.
She believes that her previous experience stood her in good stead in the new environment. Prior to joining KHC, Al-Ateegi was a bank executive. “I had also gained valuable experience doing volunteer work during my college days and was awarded a prize for being one of the top 20 female volunteers in Saudi Arabia,” she said, explaining her steady climb up the corporate ladder.
She felt that though women face many obstacles, besides the obvious challenges facing a female executive, hard work and commitment is necessary to overcome these obstacles.
“I was fortunate enough to be hired by KHC, which I served for the next four years in various capacities. I was promoted to various tasks and responsibilities, and I relished the challenges,” she said.
According to Al-Ateegi, difficult challenges are just opportunities to help one develop oneself, while deriving the pleasure of seeing one’s input in action. It is this attitude and keen desire to succeed that has elevated Al-Ateegi to such a top management slot. “I enjoy challenges and I enjoy addressing these challenges,” she said.
Challenges
Al-Ateegi believes that to succeed as a manger or an executive, one must separate family and social life from business, and that one must be knowledgeable and confident.
“I have been fortunate enough to work for KHC and Prince Alwaleed who appoints and promotes people solely on their knowledge and abilities,” she said.
Al-Ateegi also believes that the Saudi society’s traditions and culture are typical challenges for a Saudi woman.
“Challenges of society and culture are not a Saudi-only issue as women around the world too face equal if not greater challenges. But in Saudi Arabia some of the problems are unique and acute,” she said.
Focus on tenants
She enjoys the responsibilities of managing a department such as the Kingdom Center. “The main focus and responsibility is to our tenants and customers to ensure an exclusive safe environment. I have up to 400 employees under me,” she added.
“The interesting thing about my position is that no two days are the same and every day is different from the day before,” she added.
Al-Ateegi is a sports fan, a keen reader and a fitness fanatic. Al-Ateegi, who graduated with degree in administrative science in accounting from King Saud University, believes training is an essential part of enhancement.
“When I joined Kingdom Center in 2000, I immediately attended executive training courses hosted by ICSC, including courses in the US, Dubai and Singapore. The learning process never ends. Currently, I am studying for my MBA in marketing,” she said.
Under Al-Ateegi’s watch, the Kingdom Center introduced new and innovative projects that are proving to be a success, especially the introduction of the “Ladies Only” shopping area.
“We introduced the first ‘Ladies Only’ shopping area in Riyadh, which in essence is a stand alone shopping center, including all the tasks associated with operations, leasing and security,” she said.
Al-Ateegi believes that experience helps one excel in the field of education.
“Education gives a great base for growth. Experience in the field is key to development,” she said adding that aspiring young Saudi women need to believe in themselves and their ability to achieve.
