We recently had the privilege of having an insightful interaction with Mowaffaq Balish, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing, and Managing Director at SIMONSWERK GmbH. For more than 28 years, Mowaffaq Balish has held leading roles with several international corporations and has established a reputation for dedication and excellence in achieving team objectives.
In this interview, Mowaffaq Balish shares his advent in this sector, challenges, and insights on having a systematic approach to leading the business, incorporating customer feedback effectively, along offering valuable suggestions for aspiring professionals.
Marking The Start In This Field
Eager to learn how Mowaffaq Balish started his journey, we asked, “Can you share your journey to becoming the Regional Director of Sales & Marketing MD at SIMONSWERK GmbH, and how your extensive experience in international companies has shaped your approach to leadership?”
Mowaffaq Balish shared, “Having a long experience spanning more than 28 years of working with several international companies, in leadership positions. I have always been successful in setting my sights on commitment and high professionalism to achieve the desired goals for me and my team. I believe that strengthening the spirit of the team and inspiring them is the best way to achieve the goals of the organization.
Having an international mindset has given me the ability to effectively lead across borders, serving a multitude of diverse stakeholders in an ever-changing, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. You need a global mindset to run global businesses. This means being open and understanding cultural differences, differences in business fields, and the impact on all kinds of stakeholders. A global mindset helps the leader to innovate in foreign cultures, become an early mover in the global marketplace, coordinate across different subsidiaries and regions, and understand trade-offs between global standardization and local customization.”
Overcoming Major Hurdles
Challenges are an inevitable part of every business. We asked, “With over 28 years of experience, what have been the most significant challenges you’ve faced in corporate turnaround and building performance cultures, and how have these experiences influenced your leadership philosophy?”
Mowaffaq Balish shared, “I faced several challenges while executing the turnaround strategy. The most important challenge is that the companies need to have a clear understanding of the underlying challenges they’re facing while executing their turnaround strategies. One of the biggest challenges was the resistance from the employees who were accustomed to the old ways of doing things. They were initially reluctant to change even though it was apparent that the company was in dire need of a new direction.
To overcome this challenge, I started by gathering data and facts about the company’s performance and presenting it to the employees. I explained how the company’s current practices were not sustainable and how the proposed changes would benefit the company in the long run. I also made sure to communicate with the employees throughout the process and addressed their concerns promptly.”
A Systematic Approach
We were curious to learn how Mowaffaq Balish ensures having an out-of-the-box approach, so we asked, “How do you ensure continuous improvement and innovation within SIMONSWERK GmbH, especially in the context of your focus on results and following up on clear business plans.”
Mowaffaq Balish responded, “I believe in a systematic approach for capturing, validating, incubating, and implementing new ideas. Most processes have an identifiable input and desired output. A process resembles the series of tasks and actions that are performed to derive value from the inputted source as effectively as possible. In today’s disruptive world, the strategy needs to deliver impact fast, clear business plans enable you to hone your skills in key areas such as strategic thinking, strategy development and execution, unlocking growth opportunities, and forging strategic alliances.”
Sustainability And Competitive Edge
We further asked, “Given the competitive nature of the Middle East and GCC markets, how has SIMONSWERK GmbH adapted its strategies to maintain a competitive edge and ensure business sustainability?”
Mowaffaq Balish continued, “Middle East and GCC markets are competitive by nature, and the more markets become global or are transformed through technology in coming years, managers everywhere will have to reassess their corporate positioning and strategic goals.
Flexibility and adjustment to our business plans, analyzing the competitors’ strategies, creating a strong brand identity, and providing our customers with unique solutions are things we do to get noticed in a competitive environment.”
Incorporating Customer Insights
Customer feedback plays a crucial role in delivering the best results. To learn how insights from customers helped Mowaffaq Balish to enhance his company, we inquired, “In what ways has customer feedback influenced the direction of your products or services, and how do you integrate this feedback into your business strategy?”
Mowaffaq Balish shared, “We use our customer’s words and opinions to fuel the planning process and I believe that incorporating customer feedback into growth strategies can lead to benefits such as increased customer loyalty, improved brand reputation, and higher revenue.”
Marching A Step Ahead
To better understand the multifaceted approach of Mowaffaq Balish regarding his business responsibilities, we asked, “Can you discuss your approach to corporate responsibility and ethical business practices, especially about financial management and compliance?”
Mowaffaq Balish replied, “Sustainable and inclusive growth is good business and the companies that have aligned their business growth strategies to their ethics will be a step ahead in future-proofing their business.
I believe that fostering integrity and inclusivity, setting measurable goals, aligning efforts with values, leveraging strengths, and seeking stakeholder feedback, will enhance the level of corporate responsibility and ethical business and will ensure the business’s suitability. It’s not just a necessity; it’s the blueprint for sustained success in the current world.”
Current Offerings At SIMONSWERK, we asked Mowaffaq Balish
We were intrigued to learn about the services offered by Mowaffaq Balish’s business and their upcoming plans. So, we asked, “Could you provide an overview of the services and products offered by SIMONSWERK GmbH and any upcoming plans you have for them?”
“The SIMONSWERK GROUP for more than 130 years has an international presence and is constantly expanding its core expertise in the field of hinge systems. Customer proximity, many years of trust, and a constant desire to push the technical envelope are the characteristics of our multi-faceted product solutions and customized services.
We are expanding in the ME region with two companies in UAE and Saudi Arabia with a full team to show the serious commitment to the region’s development and our business partner support.” Mowaffaq Balish replied.
Suggestions On Becoming Top Leaders
Being an industry expert comes with other aspects and responsibilities as well. Addressing the beginners in this field, we asked, “Finally, what advice would you give to beginners in the industry, particularly those looking to develop a results-oriented leadership style and a strong focus on market research and analysis?”
“I believe there are effective ways to become a results-oriented leader. By setting explicit targets and measuring the results regularly, you have to ensure that everyone moves forward in the same direction, becoming a result-oriented leader can also improve productivity and business results. However, while focusing on results is a sign of the times, it’s also essential not to fall into the results-only trap. Keep progressing with a balanced approach, and if you falter, Risely, the manager’s buddy, is here to help you.” Mowaffaq Balish concluded.
Follow Mowaffaq Balish on LinkedIn.
Find SIMONSWERK Gmbh on LinkedIn and visit their website http://www.simonswerk.com/
Also Read
The European Union Announced a $8 Billion Aid Package for Egypt.
Expansive Solutions For the Food And Beverage Sector: Ezzeddine Zammel
Mariana Radova On Elevating The Fashion Dreams And Brand Vision
