Asmahaney Saad. PHOTO/EDGAR R BATE. 

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‘A good leader influences, motivates and encourages’

What you need to know:

  • Giving all: Asmahaney Saad has more than 15 years’ experience in advising local and international institutions in oil and gas, mining, project financing, infrastructure development, trade, investment, market entry and more.
  • She is a managing partner at KTA Advocates and serves in different leadership positions in and outside of Uganda.

What was your biggest dream growing up?
To fight for fairness and justice. As a young girl I was constantly speaking up against any situation I felt was an injustice. The joke in my family was that I was everyone’s lawyer.

What does your job entail?
I wear two hats daily; one as a managing partner and the other as the head of the corporate, commercial and projects department at KTA Advocates. My job entails leadership, management, strategic thinking, client care, good communication, business development, meetings, quick thinking, delegation, being on top of everything, building teams and systems.

Outside the office, I am a non-executive director at United Bank of Africa and a member of the first ever Investment Advisory Committee that advises the Minister of Finance on the Petroleum Revenue Investment Reserve fund. These roles entail strategic thinking, meetings, intuition and understanding of good governance.
 
What does it take to be a good mediator?
A good mediator is someone who comprehends the mediation process and has gained the knowledge and abilities necessary to carry it out. In addition to having the necessary knowledge, a good mediator should also be creative, empathetic, a good listener, negotiator and quick thinker.

How did you get to where you are today?
I give all the credit first and foremost, to God. The second is having a strong network and support system. Majority of my accomplishments have a big element of people who brought great opportunities my way.

My experience as an in-house lawyer at an international company allowed me to understand business and organisational skills, which has given me an added advantage in practice.

Who is that one person who has been pivotal in your career journey?
My husband. He has been supportive from the beginning. He supported me when I had crazy schedules that required me to immerse myself in work and travel around the country as a legal officer in a telecommunication company. When I eventually changed careers, he was there. The craziest decision I ever made was to leave my comfort zone in the corporate space and move to private practice. The idea seemed crazy because my career was almost hitting the 10-year mark, I had established myself in the corporate world and I was working in an emerging and growing sector. My husband supported me through this transition and encouraged me when I felt like I had made a wrong decision.

Are you a leader or boss?
I am a leader because I think that the best way to work with people is to influence, motivate, and encourage them. To ensure that the people I lead understand, I am also not afraid to put in the work and get my hands dirty. I am not a fan of titles and I actually do not like being referred to as the managing partner.

Asmahaney Saad poses for a photo in one of her offices. PHOTO/EDGAR R BATTE

My responsibility is to care for others, impart information, add value, and make others feel valued.

What do you consider before making a decision?
Decision making is a skill, especially for a business owner. Before I make a decision, I first take into consideration the subject matter. For instance, if a decision is financial, I need to understand the opportunity cost. For other business decisions I usually calculate the risk involved. Some risk is good and can help the business while some risk should be avoided. 

As a partner, I do not make decisions alone, so I will consult on some of the decisions I make. My partners are like a sounding board onto which I can bounce off my thoughts and ideas and eventually we can all weigh in and make a decision. However, even with all these considerations, some decisions may lead to an unfavourable outcome. This is part of the uncertainties of life. My advice to leaders is to have a sound decision making process such that even if you do not get the outcome you want, people will still respect the decision.

What professional ethics do you uphold?
Honesty comes in many facets; what you can do, what you can achieve and the intricacies of what you do. Integrity. People need to know that as a professional they can trust you. Our profession is traditional and highly-proclaimed; however, it is important to handle yourself with humility. I also have personal values that I consider important, such as Godly values. I believe that God is always watching so I must account for my actions, even those that I do in private.

What do you find satisfying about your job?
Solving problems. It is one of the gifts God has given me; I love it when I can provide solutions to problems and possibilities where it seemed impossible. I am able to think outside the box, thanks to my work as a legal professional and business owner. No matter how it is received, I am happy. The praise is not the point. I feel good about myself knowing that I tried my best to make a difference in people’s lives. I would not exchange this for anything at all.
 
How do you mitigate career challenges?
Challenges are part of life. However, when you are challenged, it is the mindset that you use to approach challenges that matters. I approach challenges as opportunities to think outside the box. I am highly motivated to solve any challenge that come my way, so my mindset is to seek out challenges and embrace the fun of overcoming them. Not to say that some challenges really downcast you but at the end of the day you just have to believe there is hope to overcome.

What is your weekend hack?
Family, friends and self-love. I spend my Saturdays with family or friends or self-love time (hair, nails, massage, etc) and Sundays are usually my rest days. I use Sundays to regenerate and prepare for the week.

Mentorship style
• I am a learner, so I surround myself with people who have a teachable spirit.  My mentorship style involves creating a safe space for people to be themselves. I level the ground such that someone does not look at me as someone who cannot relate to their needs and struggles.
• I also share my stories and experiences to mentor people.
• I am also a big advocate of mentorship through love. At the end of the day love conquers all. It is the universal language. Leading from a place of love does not mean pleasing people. I am not afraid to call out someone on things that can be detrimental to their growth. It is a balance of judgement and being authentic about what your mentees see in you.