Marwan Jassim Al Sarkal, Chief Executive Officer of Qanat Al Qasba Development Authority (QAQ) is the driving force of the organisation. This fully confident international jetsetter knows his ropes — what running a successful organisation is all about. A dream job for the self-confessed workaholic, he thoroughly enjoys the challenges that his professional life brings his way. Being a UAE national at the forefront has only enabled him to grow by leaps and bounds and achieve great heights.

QAQ was established under the directions of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. It was Her Excellency Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of QAQ Development Authority in Sharjah who appointed Al Sarkal as CEO. Since his appointment, his goal has been to spare no effort in enhancing and developing QAQ to be the ultimate leisure, culture and tourism destination for people of all age groups and nationalities, especially families.

Al Sarkal has had a notable career having worked for the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) in 1999 as Head of the Auditing Department. In 2003 he joined Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and was assigned the post of Finance Manager. The year 2005 saw him promoted as Director of Finance and Administration with DSF.

Al Sarkal holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science in Business Administration from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, and a Diploma in Accounting, from the same college.

Today Al Sarkal’s job is to make sure that QAQ becomes Sharjah’s most favoured or must-visit destination. “My goals are high. QAQ has a lot of potential but it was not targeted or packaged in the right way. I want to create a mission, a vision and a dynamic team to reach our goals,” he speaks enthusiastically.

“We have a calendar of events throughout the year for QAQ. Whatever the season, we welcome people. During national holidays, it is festival time at QAQ. We want to bring world cultures together. We want to make QAQ the hub of all cultures,” he says.

Al Sarkal has more than 50 team members. “Most of my employees are fresh graduates. I have 15 UAE nationals and the rest are Arab and Asian expatriates,” he informs.

“We have a different style of working as a team. We set goals and achieve our objectives. We believe in hard work. We do not think of the time once we enter the office. This is the strength of our organisation,” he adds.

And success makes him proud of his team. The flaming torch of the 15th Asian Games passed through Sharjah on its journey to the opening ceremony in Doha. The region's top sports stars carried the torch from University City to QAQ. Shaikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the 15th Asian Games Torch Relay Ambassador praised the grand finale at QAQ in an interview with a Qatar newspaper. “He has travelled through 16 countries and recognised Sharjah as the best destination,” Al Sarkal says, as he shows the newspaper clipping.

Al Sarkal thrives on simplicity, maintaining a strong attachment to his traditional roots. “I get my inspiration from the Holy Quran. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is my role model. He was successful in propagating Islam in a very short time to the whole world,” he says without hesitation.

“I love the way HH Dr Shaikh Sultan, the Ruler of Sharjah has plans to enrich cultural history. He is particular about the designs of buildings and energising culture in Sharjah. He is a champion to keep our history alive,” he adds.

In life, Al Sarkal is inspired by Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan. “It is his vision that transformed Nissan from a loss making company to a profitable one that I admire. He launched new designs and has an admirable way of dealing with people that brings out the best in them,” he says.

Al Sarkal loves the home comforts and the conveniences of the Emirate though he misses the days when roads were clear and living was cheaper. “Life in the UAE is very pushy. The road transportation needs improvement,” he admits.

“In the UAE you have a European lifestyle in an Arabic environment. I like the way the government is run. Both UAE nationals and expatriates are happy and have respect for each other. In other countries, people are treated differently. Here the government treats everybody equally. Development here is taking place at a very fast pace. The different emirates are very competitive. Dubai is known for business, Sharjah for culture and Abu Dhabi is the capital. Each emirate has a different touch and that is unique.”

If there is one aspect that Al Sarkal is worried about, it is the reduction in the visibility of nationals.

He has learnt to live with the fast-paced lifestyle in the UAE through a focused approach to his work, which is finely balanced with fun and adventure in his spare time.

He says that surrounding himself with positive and ambitious people is the secret of success. The human qualities that he treasures are respect for colleagues and trust in the management.

His busy day starts at 8am by reading the newspapers and updating himself about the current events. Though working hours are from 9am to 5pm, he has to skip lunch often because of his busy schedule. He thoroughly enjoys another aspect of his job, which is travelling. He has flown more than 75,000 miles a year and is a gold member of Skywards.
Source : khaleejtimes