THE LEADER
FDC’s COO and Vice President, Marissa Safe has gotten to the top through sheer hard work and dedication. And this modesty is reflected in her personality when one meets her. She learned about IT in California, where she began her career. Then, in order to be closer to her Iranian roots, she moved to the Middle East.
Having climbed the ladder, Safe has experience all stages of growth. With a technical background, she learned to sell in a country where it is not easy to sell, for example, like in the US because of excessive competition. She implements this learning effectively in her company, today. She adds, “I am a social person who like to learn about people and enjoy understanding different cultures.”
When people gain experience and enhance their life, they are enabled further. “I love this part of my work as it is encouraging to see how these individuals can now add more value to the society and to the people around them. If I can say I have achieved something, it is making people confident and understanding their abilities. And to know I might have played a role in this further motivates me,” she says. Inspired by her mother, Safe says, her husband too, has been a great source of support and has played an important role in her success.
People don’t usually expect to find a woman in the IT business, and there are advantages and disadvantages to this. But it comes down to how you handle the situation. “Women in the Middle East industry need to come forward, because they are doing something more than just work, they are essentially changing the culture,” she explains.
