Newly appointed vice president of RW Armstrong, Mona Salem is taking her role all in her, very modest, stride
The global engineering consulting firm has undertaken some rather impressive, iconic projects in recent years, including the new Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the Shams Abu Dhabi development, and the new Environment Agency Headquarters in Abu Dhabi, all under Mona’s supervision.
It’s a demanding role for the American citizen, but it’s one she feels perfectly at home in, having chosen her career path from a very young age. It’s also one that she hopes others will choose to follow too.
How and when did you first decide to take on a role in the engineering industry?
“I’ve always known I wanted to be an engineer,” she says. “In fact, I can’t have been older than two-years-old when I decided to follow a career in engineering!
“My father was my role model growing up: he was an engineer and I was always very interested in his role. He had all these great pieces of equipment; I was fascinated by it all and would spend hours playing. I’m one of four girls – one of my sisters is also an engineer and we drove my mum crazy! We were forever taking stuff apart, and all of our dinnertime conversations were very technical. Engineering was a very natural career path to follow.”
Tell us about your career path leading up to working for RW Armstrong
“I studied a BS degree in chemical engineering at Alexandria University in Egypt before returning to the US to start my career – and get married,” she says.
“I actually worked in a few different fields before engineering, including consulting, and I really learnt a lot from each experience.
“I came to know of RW Armstrong as they were one of 350 consultants I dealt with. I was really impressed with the company culture and the freedom given to their employees. In 2006, after communicating back and forth between them and me for some time, I moved to the UAE to help launch RW Armstrong’s operations here in Abu Dhabi.
“My heart has always been in the private sector so it was great to get involved with RW Armstrong. I had an 18-month-old baby at the time so I had to evaluate my decision to move and embark on an adventure, but it was most definitely the right decision.
“I fell in love with Abu Dhabi – I’d never been to this part of the world before, and I found myself closer to family in the region once more.”
As well as now overseeing RW Armstrong’s development in the MENA region, Salem plays an active role in the community.
“As a person I don’t feel fulfilled unless I give something back – something I think I learned from my mum. I always look for opportunities to volunteer. My average working day is 16 hours so it’s all about balance – but the bigger challenge is just balancing work and home. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband!” she laughs.
Outside of her 16-hour days, Salem is an active member of the Society of Women Engineers and has served on the AmCham Abu Dhabi membership election board.
One of your personal goals is to encourage more young women to following careers in engineering and science; why is this, and is it a challenge?
“Definitely,” agrees Salem. “My goal is to encourage women to look into career opportunities here in the UAE.
“Girls are … there’s no difference between academic abilities,” she explains. “It’s my goal to change the misconception of the industry. When I first arrived in the UAE I was surprised to find that most women here tend to study liberal arts at college. I think it’s simply because they don’t have a mentor or role model, they’re not aware of the industry and the opportunities in it for them.
“Engineering is about problem solving – and women are naturally good at that,” believes Salem.
“There’s a misconception that engineering is nerdy, that it’s not fun and it’s too hard. Young women don’t see it as a career option for them. I would love to help change that perception - which is why I work closely with Injazat AlArab, an organisation that aims to equip students with practical business related skills.”
Do you think your own six-year-old daughter will choose a career in engineering?
“Well,” Salem says, “she does love math and loves to build, but I think she’ll make a good lawyer – she can already put together a very good argument!” she laughs.
What are you enjoying most about your role in Abu Dhabi?
“I grew up between the US and Egypt – my father’s work took us between North Carolina and Alexandria often,” she explains.
“So I had this wonderful bilingual/bicultural upbringing, and I feel I still have that in Abu Dhabi.
“Abu Dhabi to me is still very much an Arab city. Abu Dhabi actually reminds me a little of Alexandria; I actually had the choice between living in Abu Dhabi or Dubai when I first moved here: Dubai is a great city but Abu Dhabi feels more family orientated – it has an appealing blend of elements.”
RW Armstrong will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year; what do you hope the next 50 years will bring?
“The great thing about RW Armstrong is that it constantly reinvents itself – there’s no ceiling to this company,” she explains.
“My role is about growing the firm’s presence in the region, managing the operations of the Middle East headquarters and running our global building services discipline. My role really hasn’t changed too much – I’m now more involved with the region as a whole. My new title is great, but I don’t really need it: RW Armstrong’s success isn’t down to my being vice president – it’s about the whole team.
“The hope is for RW Armstrong to grow: our corporate policy is to become a part of the community – part of the fabric and environment of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. We see the UAE as our international headquarters.
“Abu Dhabi is a fast growing industry and to be a part with it and work with its people is an exciting challenge and one I’m proud to be a part of.”
Charlie Kennedy
