Lekela is an international organisation, with our people based in Senegal, Egypt, South Africa and the UK. We want to shine a light on the amazing work our people do across Africa and in Europe and hear directly from our employees on what life at Lekela is really like.
Each month, we’re speaking to different employees across Lekela to hear what they’re working on and what led them to this industry.
Today we’re speaking to Maha Ahmed, HR Director at Lekela Egypt. Read below for some of Maha’s thoughts on what led her to renewables and what a day in her life at work is like.
What led you to a career in renewables and to Lekela?
I hold a degree in management science. After graduating from university more than 20 years ago, the first opportunity I was offered was a position as an administrator in a petroleum company. I gained a lot of experience in admin and decided to shift career to HR as it was booming at this time. I built up my experience by attending several HR training courses and workshops, eventually becoming HR Manager for Egypt & Libya at my previous company, which focused on petroleum. From there, it seemed natural for me to move into green energy and renewables. I knew that Lekela was looking for a HR Manager at that time which was a great opportunity to get into the renewables sector, and I joined the company in 2019.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
As HR professionals, we have a unique perspective into the businesses we work for due to the nature of our jobs. Not only do we have a strong understanding of an organisation’s priorities and challenges, but we also have the ability to influence employment-related decisions. What I enjoy most about my job is having a deeply positive impact on people each day, as employee wellbeing and engagement are a big part of my daily duties. I also enjoy communicating with my colleagues each day on all HR matters, and to know that they feel that HR is always there to support.
What does your role as HR Director involve on a day-to-day basis?
On a daily basis, I support and guide employees, as well as management on employment related matters. I’m also involved in supporting the various functions of the company, starting from hiring talent to creating budgets and team development.
Is there anything else about your time at Lekela that you’d like to tell us about?
I’m proud to have joined Lekela and feel happy that I work in a company that believes in supporting both the environment and the community.