Fatema El-Wakeel, CMA

Reporting Manager for North Africa and Levant Region
Hilton Worldwide and
President, IMA Egypt Chapter

“A career is a lifetime decision, so you have to find a path that makes the best use of your skills and makes you happy. The CMA helped me to do that.”

“From the time that I graduated college, I wanted to work in analysis and reporting, but it was difficult to find a job in the finance field. I started in Purchasing, and immediately began looking for a certification that would allow me to take what I learned in college and apply it to my professional life. I found that the CMA program gave me a broad range of skills, helped me to understand what was needed in the financial management role, and built my confidence.

“I have a passion for numbers—they tell a story. But it’s important to understand the language of the numbers and what they are telling you, so that management can make smart decisions based on that information.

“What I learned through the CMA program helped me to qualify for a senior treasury associate position, and then I was able to move into Reporting and Budgeting. I can always find something from the CMA course that applies to my work.

“I am also taking advantage of other IMA programs—I use the webinars a lot—and I think IMA helps me build professional and leadership skills. We are just now relaunching IMA’s Egypt Chapter, and I was elected president of the Chapter, so I’m looking forward to building a base of active members.

“Accounting is changing every day, and there’s no better way to get exposure to what’s happening in the profession than [through] IMA.”