In digital innovation, businesses are continually
seeking transformative solutions to navigate the complexities of organizational
transformation. Emerging technologies have become pivotal in reshaping decision-making
processes and enhancing operational efficiencies across various industries.
Amidst this dynamic environment, one individual stands out for her visionary
leadership and unwavering commitment to driving digital evolution.
A seasoned digital executive, entrepreneur, and
athlete, Dana Kawas has emerged as a trailblazer in the realm of
organizational transformation. With a background deeply rooted in technology
implementations and management consulting, Dana's journey epitomizes resilience
and innovation. Her relentless pursuit of excellence has led her to the
forefront of the digital landscape, where she champions the adoption of
cutting-edge solutions to propel businesses into the future.
At the helm of Thynkli, Dana spearheads
initiatives aimed at empowering organizations with the tools and insights
necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital-centric world. Her strategic
acumen and unwavering dedication to driving sustainability through technology
have positioned Thynkli as a pioneering force in the industry. With a focus on
fostering social impact and environmental stewardship, Dana's leadership
transcends traditional boundaries, embodying a holistic approach to success
that prioritizes both profit and purpose.
Digital Innovation for Organizational
Transformation
Dana’s journey commenced at the age of 13 during a
Physical Education class, where her teacher foresaw her as a determined
individual capable of achieving anything she set her mind to. Despite facing
financial constraints, Dana pursued her passion for Computer Science in
college, driven by her unwavering determination.
Upon completing her degree, Dana embarked on a journey
of self-discovery, exploring various career paths and personal aspirations.
With a keen eye towards the future, she delved into the realm of technology
implementations and management consulting, collaborating with Fortune 500
companies. It was during this tenure that Dana became acquainted with Digital
Twin, an emerging technology with the potential to revolutionize
decision-making processes within businesses.
Digital Twin, a technology that facilitates the
creation of intelligent futures by leveraging real-time data, captured Dana’s
futurist mindset. Recognizing its transformative potential, she and her team at
Thynkli focused on developing the Digital Twin of Organization (DTO), a unique
model encompassing all facets of an organization to enhance decision-making
capabilities.
For instance, Dana highlights how businesses could
have navigated the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic more effectively
with a virtual representation of their organization. A comprehensive DTO,
inclusive of processes, personnel, systems, assets, and stakeholders, would
have empowered businesses to make informed decisions, such as transitioning to
remote work or altering operational strategies, with greater ease.
As a digital executive, Dana emphasizes the critical
importance of organizational performance, which encompasses aspects such as
people, processes, and technology. Through Thynkli, she endeavors to empower
businesses with the tools and insights necessary to thrive in an increasingly
dynamic and digital-centric landscape.
Unleashing Visionary Leadership and
Personal Strengths
Dana emphasizes the importance of aligning one’s leadership
style with personal traits and strengths. For her, visionary leadership entails
envisioning the future of a company, setting clear goals, and inspiring others
to achieve them.
She advocates for leveraging individual strengths
rather than dwelling on weaknesses, drawing from her own experience of
identifying her top five strengths early in her career: Focus, Maximizer,
Activator, Ideation, and Significance, as per StrengthsFinders 2.0.
Dana’s leadership extends beyond the professional
realm, evident in her personal achievements such as completing 15 triathlons,
including a Half Ironman in 2017. Her focus, self-discipline, and perseverance
in pursuing these endeavors exemplify her leadership approach.
As a leader, Dana channels these traits to maintain
focus on goals, pave the way for their accomplishment, and inspire others to
join the journey.
Middle East’s Digital Transformation
Landscape
Thynkli operates in both the North American and Middle
Eastern markets, with a particular focus on the latter due to its notable
advantages. In the Middle East, there is a clear vision to transition away from
reliance on oil and gas, coupled with a young population eager to embrace
technological advancements.
Governments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
region, notably the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have prioritized digital
transformation as a key pillar of their Vision 2030 plans. This commitment is
reflected in the launch of numerous significant digital initiatives aimed at
fostering economic diversification and innovation.
The digital landscape in the Middle East is shaped by
several key trends, with data emerging as a critical asset akin to oil.
Consequently, there is a growing emphasis on technologies such as AI, cloud
infrastructure, IoT, cybersecurity, immersive learning (including Digital Twin
and Metaverse), and blockchain.
These technologies are already making a substantial
impact on various sectors. For instance, Digital Twins play a vital role in the
design and management of Smart City projects across the Middle East, including
prominent examples such as NEOM in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Hamad International
Airport in Qatar.
Furthermore, blockchain-based projects are rapidly
evolving, particularly within governmental, educational, and financial sectors
in the Gulf region. The UAE stands out globally, ranking 21st in blockchain
adoption, showcasing the region’s commitment to embracing cutting-edge
technologies for future growth and development.
CEO Strategies for Technology Trends
As CEO of Thynkli, Dana understands the significance
of remaining abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies while being
prepared to invest in them judiciously. Here are a few strategies she
advocates:
- Establishing a dedicated research and development
team tasked with exploring new technologies and trends. This team is provided
with the necessary resources and support to conduct thorough investigations.
- Foster partnerships and collaborations with startups
and other innovators, considering potential investments in emerging
technologies such as Digital Twin, Artificial Intelligence, and cloud computing
to propel business growth.
- Leveraging personal experience to bridge the gap
between the current state of affairs and future trends. This involves assessing
the maturity of trends and comprehending the challenges they present.
- Maintaining active involvement in industry dialogues
through participation in conferences, publications, and engagement with
industry consortia. This ensures staying informed and connected within the
industry landscape.
Fostering Social Impact and ESG Commitment
Dana and the team at Thynkli prioritize social impact
initiatives that generate tangible value. While leveraging technology such as
AI and automation, they emphasize the importance of Digital Upskilling and
enhancing operations through technology adoption, all while prioritizing the
well-being of employees. This commitment to Environmental, Social, and
Governance (ESG) factors is deeply ingrained in the company’s purpose and
culture, fostering a bottom-up approach to ESG integration throughout the
organization.
Driving Sustainability through Digital
Twin Solutions
At Thynkli, Dana and her team specialize in the
design, development, and operation of Digital Twins within industries
characterized by the highest Green House Gas Emission (GHG) footprints. These
sectors primarily include Mobility & Transportation, Energy, and
Construction. The company’s overarching mission is to harness technology to
enhance visibility into the operations of these industries by utilizing
real-time data. This enables informed business decisions aimed at reducing GHG
emissions through operational optimization. Thynkli offers comprehensive tools
to facilitate measurement, optimization, improvement, and reporting on
sustainability efforts using Digital Twin technology.
Navigating Industry Challenges
Dana highlights several significant challenges
encountered within the industry:
- Cultural barriers: Despite her bilingualism and
upbringing in the Middle East, Dana has faced cultural obstacles, particularly
within corporate environments where relationship-building holds significant
value in the region.
- Talent shortages and resource management,
particularly in the technology sector, present ongoing challenges for
organizations.
- Corporate governance practices pose limitations,
emphasizing the need for enhancements in this area to foster better business
practices and compliance.
Keys to Resilience and Adaptability
Dana emphasizes the importance of maintaining
resilience and adaptability in confronting challenges, advocating for a
holistic approach comprising mindset, habits, and strategies:
- Cultivating a growth mindset to perceive challenges
as opportunities for learning rather than threats.
- Demonstrating openness and agility in response to
varying circumstances, recognizing that not all plans may yield success.
Effective leadership entails the ability to adapt approaches according to the
situation.
- Fostering self-awareness by understanding personal
strengths and weaknesses and engaging in regular self-reflection and
mindfulness practices.
- Establishing clear and attainable goals while
prioritizing tasks to maintain focus and direction amidst adversity.
Guiding Principles for Success
Dana operates on a set of guiding principles within
her professional endeavors, including:
- Prioritizing leadership accountability,
capabilities, and transparency, with a commitment to clear and open
communication to eliminate ambiguity and foster equitable opportunities.
- As a female founder at Thynkli, Dana engages in
mentorship at hackathons, delivers presentations at universities, and actively
recruits co-op students while advocating for women in STEM fields. During the
interview process, personality tests are utilized to ensure alignment with core
values. Standardized panel interviews and consideration of both hard and soft
skills further contribute to this alignment.
- Emphasizing the formation of cross-functional teams
to leverage diverse perspectives and skill sets, fostering collaboration across
departments and functions to address specific challenges or projects. The value
of collaboration is upheld both internally among team members and externally
with clients and partners, with an emphasis on collective achievements over
individual success.
Driving Digital Transformation
Dana envisions Thynkli’s strategic priorities for the
next five years, which include:
- Establishing Thynkli as a strategic stakeholder in
addressing significant challenges through the utilization of Digital Twin
technology.
- Enhancing the adoption of emerging technologies and
elevating the digital business maturity of organizations to foster the
development of digital economies.
- Implementing digital upskilling initiatives aimed at
empowering the youthful workforce in the Middle East with essential digital
skills.
- Strengthening the relationship between humans and
machines to enhance value across various domains, thereby improving
productivity, fostering innovation, and enhancing overall quality of life. This
entails:
- Increasing
efficiency and productivity.
- Creating new
job opportunities and contributing to economic growth.
- Enhancing
the quality of work.
- Augmenting
human intelligence.
- Facilitating
improvements in health, education, and environmental systems.
Leading with Empathy
The role of CEOs has undergone a significant
transformation, extending beyond traditional business leadership to encompass a
broader scope of responsibilities. In today’s dynamic landscape, CEOs are
tasked with maintaining morale, navigating uncertainty, and leading with
empathy, as highlighted by lessons learned from the pandemic.
CEOs are now viewed as leaders of communities, charged
with building partnerships and fostering collaboration to address challenges
and adapt to changing circumstances effectively. In the Middle East, there is a
notable shift towards reimagining businesses rather than merely responding to
external pressures.
A key aspect of this evolution is the emphasis on
human connections, with CEOs encouraged to cultivate meaningful relationships
with employees, partners, and communities. This entails bringing more
authenticity into the workplace, inspiring a shared sense of purpose, and
maximizing positive impact both internally and externally.
In this paradigm, the essence of “being” is as crucial as “doing,” as CEOs strive to embody their values and vision, ultimately driving sustainable success for the business and its stakeholders.