Mariam Zaki Rania Azzab Interview 17/10/17

Transcription
Multimedia writing interview

Mariam Zaki
Rania Azzab
th
17 October 2017
Four Seasons Nile Plaza
Kim Fox

Interviewer: Mariam Zaki

Narrator: Rania Azzab

Dates: 17/10/17

Place: Four Seasons Nile Plaza

College: American university Cairo

Prof.: Kim Fox
Date completed: 17/10/17

Rania Azzab is a successful entrepreneur who graduated from the American

university in Cairo in 1992. She studied Mass communication graduated with a
bachelor of arts. She now owns her own successful PR agency 4PR- that deals
with high profile clients, her latest venture is expanding the company on a
global scale.

Interview Transcript
Mariam Zaki Rania Azzab Interview 17/10/17

People present:

Mariam Zaki

Rania Azzab

Narrators home:

Heliopolis

Mariam Zaki: Can I get your name please

Rania Azzab: Rania Azzab R-A-N-I-A A-Z-Z-A-B

Mariam Zaki: Which area do you live in?

Rania: Heliopolis

Mariam: When did you graduate from 92

Rania: 92

Mariam: what would you say your experience at AUC was like?

Rania: It was like home, we spent most of our time

Mariam: In university?

Rania: yes, in classes, extracurricular activities, fun, most of the time we were there

Mariam: Can you define AUC spirit in a couple of words? Do you have a favorite memory?

Rania: its one big family, its fun its where we belong, All of us,

Mariam: Why did you decide to major in mass communication, or IMC in specific?

Rania: We didnt have IMC at the time, I actually didnt decide, It had the lowest GPA, To be

honest.
Mariam Zaki Rania Azzab Interview 17/10/17

Mariam : when you joined the major, did you see where your career was going? did you

start to imagine what you could do in the future, after you graduate? or were you just

enjoying studying the major ?

Rania: I was enjoying more, the activities than the studying.

Mariam: I was just about to get to that question

Rania: I was the mass comm representative for four years, and I was with the student

union, I was enjoying the university life more than studying. I have to admit my studying did

not initiate my career, I know that is not encouraging. But its exactly how it went

Mariam: Its the truth. Its life

Rania: I wanted to work in marketing not advertising, Nor PR. But for one reason or another

I ended up in advertising. The real professional experience is what started to shape my

career, then I moved into PR. Most of my life was in communications.

Mariam: so, you would say that by joining the clubs, such as the SU, were the things that

shaped your experience at university. Which was more beneficial

Rania: Its the life at University In general, and the activities

Mariam: Thats why when you mention the spirit, its all about activities.

Rania: when I hire I dont look at grades, I look at characters, this is what you get out of AUC,

or this is what we used to get at AUC Im not sure about now.

Mariam: things sound familiar

Rania: And now you have your own PR company, correct? 4PR. What do you mainly focus

on now? when I was reading about your company you go into many categories

Rania: but this is all PR, PR is all about stakeholder management, we work with many

stakeholders and we use many tools to reach stakeholders, we specialize more in situation

management and strategy and crisis management.

Mariam Zaki Rania Azzab Interview 17/10/17

Mariam: when you first graduated, did you go into the PR field straight away

Rania: No, no I got into advertising for seven years, after that I got into the stock exchange,

their advertising department, I ended up leading the department. Then I left and started my

own PR agency

Mariam: what inspired you to open your own company or encouraged you to open your

own company.

Rania: Ive always wanted to have my own business. I had the entrepreneurial spirit in me,

okay, but actually as they say, with entrepreneurs it was in the spur of the moment when I

decided to open my own business. It was never planned

Mariam: What were some of the challenges you had to overcome when you were opening

your company for the first time.

Rania: Its very different, working in a big organization as an employee, it builds you, and it

changes everything, even in your leadership style , and planning and everything.

Mariam: What is the most valuable lesson you learnt from being an entrepreneur?

Rania: never give up

Mariam: Never give up.

Rania: never

Mariam: What is one achievement that youre most proud of? in your job

Rania: regardless of the countrys conditions and the obstacles were still one of the top

agencies, thats not easy.

Mariam: Thats true, what do you enjoy most about PR? what motivates you to do this every

single day
Mariam Zaki Rania Azzab Interview 17/10/17

Rania: We help companies in their image we help companies, we manage their reputations,

thats not easy, its the challenge its really very challenge. Its not like advertising, when it

comes to the everyday we dont know what will happen.

Mariam: thats when crisis management comes in, you have to work on the spot You

expanded your business further than Cairo, correct?

Rania: Yes, we work in Libya and were also part of an international network, so we get a

global reach.

Mariam: Is it easy working on a global scale? like adapting to work on a global scale?

Rania: If you have the skills, and you know the business, you need to of course have to have

an understanding of the market and have local insights, you need to have the right partner.

Mariam: whats it like being a successful entrepreneur, a women entrepreneur especially in

this culture

Rania: I dont know, Ive just been asked that question its all about your skills and attitude

Mariam: where do you see yourself and the business in a few years time? would you be

looking to expand into other areas.

Rania: PR evolves, very quickly whenever something is new we adopt it immediately, we

evolve and we try to be one step ahead.

Mariam: Always be one step ahead. Thank you

Rania: Youre welcome

Mariam Zaki Rania Azzab Interview 17/10/17