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Camera friendly!
I am very sociable and never underestimate anyone. I have learnt a lot of things from people from all walks of life - my father, my general manager, taxi drivers and ordinary people on the street.
- By Fatma Salem, Staff Writer
- Published: 00:00 March 1, 2007
- She wears her crown lightly ... Zoya Sakr left behind the glitz and glamour of the beauty pageants to join the world of television and happy viewership.
- Image Credit:
Zoya Sakr, head of corporate communications, Al Aan TV channel, Dubai
I am very sociable and never underestimate anyone. I have learnt a lot of things from people from all walks of life - my father, my general manager, taxi drivers and ordinary people on the street.
I was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Lebanese father and Russian mother. My dad was a doctor and my mum is a psychologist.
I grew up in Bin Tael, a very nice village in Lebanon known for its pleasant weather and lush vegetation. I led a quiet life in the village, away from the bustling crowds in the city.
I revelled in nature and never got tired of taking in the beautiful scenery. I was always surrounded by the beauty of nature and savoured every moment of that phase of my life. Now I miss that serene life.
Following in my mum's footsteps, I studied psychology at university. After graduation, I decided to try something different. I began to take part in beauty pageants in Lebanon.
My parents supported me all the way. Anyway they think I am the most beautiful girl in the world! With their support, I won in many contests, including Miss Elite in 2005.
I represented my country in the Miss Beauty International contest in Venezuela. It was a great honour for me to be crowned Miss Beauty International and to put my country on the world map. I also represented my country in Greece, the Philippines and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between 1999 and 2000.
Wherever I travelled in the world, I met Lebanese people, so I never really felt lonely. Being in a foreign country isn't that easy, but when you are surrounded by people from your own community, you feel better. I spent a lot of time with them and never felt homesick.
I have always loved the camera
Back in Lebanon, I got a job as (a) marketing and sales manager for Future TV station. I worked very hard and rose through the ranks, and after three years, was promoted to the post of director (of that department).
Alongside, I continued presenting a programme on TV on issues to do with family and I also would organise cultural events.
I once visited Australia and during my two-month stay there, I introduced a programme on one of their television channels.
Basically it involved capturing the daily lives and aspirations of the Lebanese immigrants in Australia, their education and dreams. It was an exciting experience and I went back home full of pleasant memories.
Fortune knocks at my door
One day, I got an offer from Al Aan TV. They informed me that they wanted to launch a new TV station in Dubai and wanted to know if I was interested in becoming (a) part of the team.
I must say I have always been lucky in life, fortune always knocks at my door. I have rarely struggled to get what I want. I don't have to put in so much effort for things to happen - they just fall into place. However, it doesn't mean that I neglect to plan.
So I jumped at the opportunity and came to the UAE 10 months ago. My new position as head of corporate communications is exciting and challenging at the same time, as it requires great effort in ensuring that viewers get quality programmes to watch.
Due to my good track record, when I joined, the management showed great confidence in me. They allowed me to experiment and be creative.
Al Aan TV is a 24-hour, Arabic language, free-to-air satellite channel. It is unique in the sense that we have a variety of programmes whose content includes culture, technology, cars, fashion, beauty, health and family-related issues.
We try to follow a light approach and provide our viewers with infotainment. I'm proud to say that, together with a dedicated team, we have put in a lot of hard work and our efforts are yielding positive results.
I love my work and never get bored, because there are always interesting things to be explored. Yes, sometimes the job is pressured but I have devised ways to cope with it.
Whenever I am working on a difficult project or feel tired, I take a break. I go out for a bite or a cup of coffee and get back to work refreshed and with a fresh perspective!
Living in a cosmopolitan city like Dubai has been an eye-opener. I get to meet and socialise with people from different cultural backgrounds.
My source of inspiration
My father passed away six years ago; however, I am still following the advice he gave me. He is my role model. He had a unique and distinguished character and possessed leadership qualities.
He always excelled in whatever he did. He also kept abreast of current affairs through reading newspapers, watching news and listening to the radio, reading books and browsing the net.
I am very much like my father. As I grew older I discovered that I had this unquenchable thirst for knowing more about what was happening around us.
I implement his work ethic in my own work environment and it has proved fruitful. I get on well with my subordinates; actually we work as a team and the environment is friendly.
In my line of work, I always welcome meaningful contributions as well as constructive criticism from my colleagues. This way, we are able to help each other in team-building and deliver the best products to our viewers.
My mum and three siblings are also very supportive of what I do. I am very lucky because I was brought up in a warm, loving home environment. Whatever I am today, I owe to my family.
An unforgettable experience in my life
I recall one day when I was hosting a live show for ART Channel. I had a guest in the studio and everything was hunky-dory ... It was time to introduce the next segment ... and suddenly, I felt a tightness in my throat and couldn't breathe. I couldn't even speak.
Instead, I began to cough and tears streamed down my cheeks. I felt so embarrassed but thankfully, my guest on the show was a quick-thinking individual who decided to take the viewers' phone calls himself and saved the moment.
I went offstage for a bit, composed myself and returned to continue with the show which went off well after that. I still have a good laugh whenever I think of that day.
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