The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

When it comes to vital decision-making moments, a few choose to act from the heart, while others follow a more logical thought process. As for CC Plus’s CEO, Lamia Kamel, she is in tune with her gut feeling. After years of gaining experience in the field of PR, Kamel’s intuition has sharpened enough for her to instinctively know which way is best.

CC Plus is a corporate consultancy firm that operates in both local and international markets, with an impressive number of PR campaigns behind them, and an even brighter future ahead. Kamel founded CC Plus over a decade ago, and since then, she has ventured through other victorious projects. Kamel holds both a Bachelor and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo, and today, she shares the fruits of her journey to help PR practitioners, along with ambitious individuals, find the right path towards success.

Cairo 360: How do you define a career milestone in your point of view?

Lamia Kamel: For me, a career milestone is a point in time where you feel that you have made a significant achievement and realised your potential. It is at these points in time where you have to either continue on your path or change direction by finding a new purpose. Milestones differ depending on the stage you are at in your career. If you are still at the start, finding your passion could be a milestone. When you have gained more experience, then it is a moment where you excel at you what you do and prove yourself through your achievements.

360: Do you prefer to work from the heart, follow your emotional intuition, or logical thinking, when it comes to vital decision-making? In other words, pathos, or logos?

LK: I have always been the kind of person who goes with their gut when it comes to making most decisions. That is not to say that I do not logically weigh the options, but, over time, my intuition has been sharpened through experiences and the things I have been exposed to, which is why I always depend on it. Overall, I prefer to trust my intuition and trust that, in the end, things have a way of working themselves out, whether it be as a lesson or a success.

360: What do you believe constructs successful professional communication internally, within the company, and externally, with partners and clients?

LK: Trust is an incredibly vital element both in internal and external communication. When you trust your team, and they reciprocate that trust, it allows you all to be working towards the same goal and purpose in harmony. This helps you and the team to overcome many of the obstacles that could hinder your work. Generosity is also very important. A leader has to be generous with their time and knowledge in order to get the best out of their team. These qualities are all reflected in external communication with partners and clients as they are what inspire us to offer our best work and build long-term relationships. Also, a strong work ethic is essential. When you are professional and attentive to details, you provide a certain level of excellence that sets you apart. We, as leaders, start by ourselves and work towards becoming role models to both our clients and our team.

360: How can you ride the trendy wave and still be able to offer something new and creative?

LK: I believe in the power of always remaining a student and not allowing yourself to settle into a comfort zone. The ability to continuously be creative comes from believing that there is always the potential for more. When you approach anything with this attitude, you will be able to explore new things by talking to different people and breaking out of your shell. The willingness and the curiosity to learn new things from others keeps you creative.

360: What qualities did you look for when hiring your team at CC Plus?

LK: Good education is a key factor that I look for when hiring my team. I appreciate people who invest time and effort into getting the best education. Attitude is the other main factor. How they approach their work and where it is in their priorities is very important. I believe that the right attitude is more important than technical ability because ability can be developed along the way, while attitude has to be engrained in the person. I look for people who have an entrepreneurial quality that inspires in them a feeling of ownership in every project they work on.

360: How can you juggle your personal life with a busy career?

LK: I think that achieving the balance between work and personal life is the most challenging task that a woman can have. It is undeniable that we live in a traditional society that places huge social burdens on women, especially in the case of a working mother. I believe that women have developed the great skill of multitasking. The key to achieving this balance is good time management and acknowledging that the family does come first.

360: What is a stereotype in Egypt about PR that you’d like to debunk?

LK: There are two stereotypes about PR in Egypt that are not true. The first is that PR is just fluff and is based on simply being friendly and inviting people to events, etc. It is much more elaborate than that. PR requires a lot of researching and analysing in order to communicate with the right stakeholders.

The second one is that PR is near the bottom of the corporate ladder. I see PR as being in a much higher position. We strategise and plan the messaging and content of the leaders of companies, and set the course of the conversation between them and the public. The level of strategy and research involved is something I have always strived to prove.