·  A successful leader shares their team vision, and competence is the only determent in choosing the ideal team: Lamia Kamel

·  PR is a science and capacity development is essential for continued success

By : Bakinam Khaled

Lamia Kamel, the public relations expert and founder of Narrative Summit, participated in a webinar held by Visa, the world leader in digital payments, to talk about her experience as a female entrepreneur in Africa.

The webinar was moderated by Malak El Baba, Director of Visa in Egypt, and Ahmed Gaber, General Manager of Visa in North Africa. Kamel participated along a number of the most prominent businesswomen in North Africa from Egypt, Sudan, and Morocco; celebrating Women's Month and discussing how each of them managed to become a pioneer in their field of work and achieve tangible change in the industry.

Kamel highlighted Narrative Summit, explaining that its idea stemmed from the changes in the region in the last ten years, which were reflected on the image of Egypt in the Western media. At that time, it was necessary to think in an unconventional way, and to benefit from her study of public relations and vast experiences to launch Narrative Summit in 2016 as the first forum promoting the positive image of the Egyptian state through Nation Branding.

“It was imperative that we understand the important moment and the change that Egypt is witnessing, by giving the opportunity to entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and thinkers to showcase their ideas to the public through a platform that promotes them to everyone in Egypt and abroad,” Kamel said.

On the secret of her success as the CEO of CC Plus she said: “In PR, your personal brand is a big part of your company brand. Your team and your clients need to buy into your vision. And to be able to do so, you need to show them the sense of purpose and how your role is strategic and important. Hence, everybody’s role becomes integral." She noted that the selection of the work team is one of the most important reasons for success, and that the selection of employees in any company must be its main criterion is efficiency in performance without regard to the gender of the person.

“Really focus on bringing in the right people. Those who have the work ethic to work hard and towards your purpose and who would invest their time in your vision. They may not have the best skills, but they have the zeal to learn and grow and are committed. Invest in the core team,” she stressed.

On the challenges of establishing a public relations company, Kamel said: “Establishing my own company in 2006 was not an easy task. The profession of public relations is an open field. Some say that it is a profession that relies, merely, on experience and relationships. But in fact, PR is a science with solid proven tactics. However, it is flexible because it deals with human behaviour. Therefore, part of the success of my own experience relied on developing my own capabilities and skills by reading about new developments in PR and participating in training courses. Knowledge does not only give us experience, but it also opens opportunities for us to think about developing our business and expanding with new products.”

Kamel advised working women to be confident with their ideas. “Creative ideas always seem crazy at the beginning. But a good study and analysis are capable of turning these crazy ideas into tangible innovative solutions.”

She added: “Do not let anyone frustrate you or curb your ambition. Sometimes there are things that are fatal and outside of our control, but I always see them as life experiences that increase our strength and our determination to succeed. Finally, be yourself. You are not required to play a role that does not suit you in life.”