Women in Exchange Technology: Hadeel Al-Humayed, TADAWUL
Hadeel Al-Humayed is Test Unit Manager at Saudi Stock Exchange (TADAWUL), where she has joined Tadawul organization since September 2006. Hadeel, who graduated with Information technology degree from Cleveland State University in the United States, has had a number of different roles throughout her journey with Tadawul. She started her career as a test engineer participating in NewGen Trading engine replacement Project. On top of that, she handled some PMO related activities during this project. On 2009, she has been assigned to support the exchange’s surveillance system (SMARTS) as an application technical support. During that period, she managed to successfully launch two SMARTS O.S & core application upgrade projects. A dedicated Business relationship management unit which aims to improve business-IT alignment was established in 2013, Hadeel was assigned as a team leader to its activities. By the year of 2014, she started her engagement with the second major trading solution upgrade namely, X-Stream INET Program activities managing Acceptance Testing Stream. Recently, she was appointed as Test Unit manager under IT business management department.
Her relation with Nasdaq commenced sine New Generation Platform upgrade project in the year of 2007. Her recent engagement with Nasdaq’s team was during X-Stream INET trading solution upgrade in September 2015. Hadeel notes this transformation projects were one of her favorite projects thus far, due to her opportunity to work closely with sharp professionals from Tadawul as well as Nasdaq team, learning about different aspects such as system’s architecture and testing, business functionalities, project management, communication and presentation skills.
We had the pleasure to sit down with Ms. Al-Humayed to learn more about how she landed in the business of exchange technology and her take on being a woman in technology.
On Choosing Technology as her Career Path
In the past few decades, women status, role, and involvement has massively expanded in the Saudi community. The educational system in Saudi Arabia as well has revamped to prepare female to digital marketplace where Hadeel has chosen to complete her graduate degree and profession in Information Technology zone. Hadeel passion was technology; yet; her engagement with the Saudi Stock Exchange was by coincidence or perhaps good fortune. At Tadawul, she believes she has grown immensely, not just professionally but also personally working within an ideal conservative, professional, supportive, and multicultural environment where she has gained competencies in a number of areas and gotten to truly broaden her role and her knowledge over the past 10 years.
“The management team at Tadawul is supportive – they are consistently encouraging us to build knowledge in a number of areas and that is quite inspiring”, said Al-Humayed. She continues to enjoy this friendly and professional space, furthering her knowledge in not just technology, but also business as the two go “hand in glove”.
On Overcoming Challenges
Hadeel doesn’t see gender as the challenge. However, there are some challenges; which are not exclusive only to Saudi society; that usually women in modern working environment face more frequent than men.
“From my point of view, whoever has a dream, whether male or female, if that person has the drive, they will do whatever it takes to surpass that challenge”- Al Humayed mentioned. “The challenges that exist for me, or for any employee, are similar to those faced by other people in other societies and it doesn’t necessarily have to do with gender, but most important is one’s performance, communication & attitude, and last but foremost Knowledge & self -development”
Ms. Al-Humayed notes some familiar challenges, as follows:
- Saudi Stock Exchange, Tadawul sensitive & significant position and its great influence on global financial markets and economic growth. Therefore, there is an always a persisting urgent need to improve and expand the Saudi Market via introducing new financial products and services that aim to deepen the market, create more robust and efficient market structure, and Increase transparency. In addition, taking into account technological innovations and maintaining the same level of Trading System’s supreme performance and stability.
- Effective work-life balance which are two key daily concepts in our lives, where we need to learn and practice how to balance between achievement and enjoyment.
- With the aggressive future plans of the market’s innovation and initiative, we need to maintain high-level of quality and performance management with our deliveries and provided services.
- Cope with accelerating pace of technological and other world changes and know how to rapidly adjust and adapt to absorb these changes with the least adverse impact.
On the Opportunities for Women in Exchange Technology
Opportunities for Saudi women are on the rise, according to Ms. Al-Humayed. Tadawul as an innovative organization is hugely supportive of more women joining their company and furthering diversity across many departments. There are recruitment efforts underway not only to employ Saudi females, but also introduce them to senior positions and high level of decision making and responsibilities. This is not limited to information technology division, but also Legal & Compliance, Business, HR, Audit, corporate communication and beyond.
On Her Advice for Young Professionals
With Saudi government promoting saudization policy that seeks to increase the promotion of Saudis males and females and rising educational level and diversified available professions, young female generations have a lot of opportunities and potentials in the world of technology and business. Hadeel believes that technology can provide a bright future for those willing to put in the work. Knowledge and personal development is number one success factor for her as she is a firm believer that those who want to empower themselves with knowledge will thrive. Establishing your personal identity and brand is very important in the workplace via your outstanding efforts, key achievements, quality output and wise communication with others. Last but not least, always promote innovative ideas and solutions rather than mimicking others ideas or reporting issues & problems.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.