Munira Abdulnabi Macki started her career as a teacher in the Ministry of Education with a Bachelor’s degree at hand and gradually moved up the ladder to become ‘Head Mistress -
Secondary School’ and held the title ‘Deputy Manager - Educational Activities’, when she left the Ministry of Education after 16 years, to join the private sector.

She joined Alliance Housing Bank in 1997 when the Bank was being set up and was involved in all the activities of the Bank as it was necessitated. After being there for almost 10 years, she moved to Bank Sohar, where she continued to have the same experience. The Bank was just being set up and it was a challenge to put in all the experiences and expertise that she had gained from her previous employment. Munira is currently the DGM – HR & Corporate Support and heads Administration, Training and Human Resources Departments at Bank Sohar.

What are the factors you think are
responsible in helping you to reach the position you are in today?

Though there are a lot of factors that I can think of, the first one that comes to my mind is the confidence that I had in myself and the dedication that I had towards my job. I also had a lot of support and appreciation that was extended from my superiors, colleagues and my immediate family members that has made me what I am today.

How does it feel to be an achiever in
a man’s world?

I personally believe that women are no different from men. If men can achieve something I’m sure women can achieve the same or even better. Women are only biologically different
from men and that will, in no way affect women from being achievers.

Are there enough opportunities for
women in Oman?

Of course there are plenty of opportunities for women now. The trends have changed and women have entered into all the fields of business. We even have women entrepreneurs now, who have reached great heights in their profession. Even otherwise there are a lot of opportunities arising for women in the private as well as the government sector and we have
enough evidence to prove that.

How do you balance your professional
life and personal life?

Balancing professional life and personal life is not new to me. I have been working for more than 25 years now and I’ve learnt to handle both with ease. Of course there were times when
I was in the Ministry of Education and my children were quite young, and I had to dedicate a lot of time in bringing them up. I have learnt to prioritize my time over the years, to give equal
attention to my family and work. But, now my children have grown up and they are in a position to understand the importance of my career and they also support me in all possible ways.

What is your advice to women who
aspire for top positions in life?

To prove their worth in the men dominated world, women should be bold to voice out their opinions. They have to be aggressive and just do what they think is right. Being shy or hesitant will not help them in anyway to reach the top. I think women should learn to prioritize their time between work and their personal life giving importance to both and they should possess self
confidence and dedication, which will surely take them to the top.