My mum worked as an accountant and went on to set up her own business. She so inspired me that I studied accounting and information systems, earning two degrees from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Later, in 2015, I achieved ACCA membership.
I joined Ethiopian Airlines as a junior accountant back in the early 2000s and have now been with the company 18 years. Having risen up the ranks in my home country to become customer service quality manager, in January 2020 I moved across the continent to take on the top job of country manager in Cameroon.
My professional training helped me to develop business acumen and capacity. I also benefited from my involvement with the local branch of Toastmasters, which allowed me to hone my public speaking skills. The British Council’s InterAction Leadership programme also enriched my leadership abilities.
My husband, who made the leap from engineering to business and then to real estate, is a great inspiration to me. I have also had very capable leaders in the aviation industry who have assisted my progress.
We have persevered through flexibility and innovation and the great efforts of our staff
The move into a business leadership position has required me to continuously stretch myself. The need for higher performance, coupled with involvement in global partnerships such as Star Alliance and Skytrax, has required me to step out of my comfort zone to represent my company.
Covid-19 has, of course, brought particular challenges for the travel sector. It has been a demanding time for our company since no government assistance has been available, and access to alternative funding has not been possible. However, we have persevered through flexibility and innovation and the great efforts of our staff, adjusting our business model so that we can survive and thrive.
I consider my leadership of Ethiopian Airlines’ Cameroon operations during the pandemic as the biggest achievement of my career. We diversified our products to provide a larger cargo service and passenger repatriation services. This required a lot of flexibility and persistence, as bans on air travel at the time were being introduced, and there were lots of associated business and operational risks.
I like the corporate world as I can clearly see the impact and contributions I am making. I enjoy the pace and dynamism in my job.
Moving to work with a multicultural team in Cameroon came with some risks. However, I am very proud to lead one of the company’s biggest markets in Africa.
If I were not an accountant, I would have been an architect. I have an interest in the design and construction of buildings. Perhaps I’ll work in the real estate sector in the future and put my ACCA Qualification into another passion.
If I had law-making powers, I would push for the implementation of IFRS Standards in Ethiopia. A consistent financial reporting system would increase transparency and lower the cost of capital. I believe we have to enhance financial literacy at all levels if our vision of economic development is to succeed.
Outside work I enjoy quality time with family members and friends. I love Zumba dance and exercising. I listen to music, cook and read magazines, and I love to travel.
