Kinda Ibrahim, Regional General Manager of Operations and Marketing at TikTok, speaks to Emirates Woman passionately about the platform’s significance, her vision for the platform in the region, and her approach to amplifying strong women.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine?
I am an early riser. I am usually up by 6:00 am. My morning starts with a quick coffee, then doing some form of exercise (it varies). I then come back home to have breakfast, read and watch the news, and start my work day.
Tell us how did you get your start in the industry.
I kind of knew early on that I wanted to get into tech. My undergraduate degree was in computer science, and the first few roles I took were in programming and development. I slowly transitioned into business while I was completing my MBA but I stayed very close to tech. I held roles in analytics, project management, business operations, and partnerships in tech companies in North America and Middle East, such as Yahoo, Microsoft, Twitter and most recently, TikTok.
What is your approach to leadership and how do you ensure these values filter down through the company?
My leadership style has evolved over the years as I have been managing teams for almost 15 years. My role as a leader is essentially to remove obstacles and help my team succeed and I best describe it as a combination of coaching and democratic style.
How have you found social media has supported your own personal growth?
Discovery and #LearnOnTikTok have allowed me to easily gain insightful information and learn new things, while also expanding my horizons into topics I didn’t even know I was interested in! From learning quick tricks in Excel sheets to understanding human psychology, to quick baking recipes and breathing techniques and the list goes on and on!
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How do you see TikTok and the use of social media evolve in the next 5 to 10 years?
With the world constantly changing and the rapid evolution of technology, it’s hard to say how digital platforms and social media will evolve in the coming years.
I know for sure that we’ll continue to showcase how TikTok is redefining entertainment by harnessing the power of a diverse and authentic community. It’s a platform where culture thrives, connecting people from different experiences, cultures, and communities.
TikTok fuels discovery and empowers creators worldwide, providing a space for creative expression. What sets TikTok apart is its ability to entertain while fostering a rewarding sense of community. Through its innovative approach, it has transformed the way people experience and engage with entertainment in a truly global and inclusive manner, and I believe this will only continue to go from strength to strength.
Something I’m very excited about is the launch of Series, which we just announced, an extension of our continued commitment to providing a range of monetization opportunities that reflect the diversity of our global creator community. The feature is currently in its early phase and only available to select creators in select regions including MENA and we’ll be listening closely to our community for feedback to iterate and further enhance the feature and make it available more widely to more creators in the coming months.
How do you aim to drive the platform forward in the region?
One of the most important things for me at TikTok is our community, it’s truly at the heart of everything we do. Myself and the team are keen to constantly provide them with opportunities to amplify their voices and enable them to be a positive force of change in society. We are a platform that nurtures creative, authentic, and positive content communities which are diverse in age, culture, and geography, and allow everyone to have a voice.
We also have a robust localization strategy to encourage users to create content relevant to their local cultures and trends. Our operations teams ensure TikTok provides the best community support for creativity and discovery for our local users in Arabic, and we will continue to do so.
How do you drive women empowerment in your field?
We have initiatives to help empower women. For example, in celebration of International Women’s Day earlier this year, we showcased the inspiring and remarkable #WomenofTikTok community in an exhibition at Al Serkal’s Le Guepard digital gallery, allowing visitors to join in celebrating the amazing Women Who Will who continue to make a positive impact on the global TikTok community and beyond through their creativity, passion, and advocacy.
We also have the #WomenofTikTok community, which has garnered over 3 billion views globally, and brings together a diverse group of women changemakers, pioneers, leaders, and allies who are using their voices to break barriers, gender stereotypes and advance women’s equity every day. From popular hashtags such as #WomeninSTEM (over 3 billion views) and #WomeninSports (over 1 billion views), to women entrepreneurs and small business owners who use TikTok to start and grow a business, to women activists dedicated to enhancing women empowerment and gender equality, #WomenofTikTok are supporting and connecting with one another.
What are the different verticals that are generating views from the region – and how can we use it #IRL?
Some of the most popular verticals in the region include #BookTok which has amassed over 2 billion views in the region over the last 6 months, where users share reviews and recommendations of their favorite books; #WhereToVisit which has had 541 million video views in the last 6 months, which acts as personalised city tour guide from the TikTok community; #WhatToWatch an entertainment hub featuring recommendations, reviews and their reactions on the top movies and series from our community and leading streaming platforms; #TikTokCookbook for our at-home chefs.
With social media use at an all-time high, what type of content stands out to you?
For me, content that really stands out is authentic content. The TikTok community has created a new global language around video and sound, not just text, but by sharing authentic stories, thoughts, and experiences with each other. The creativity and authenticity that lives on TikTok cannot be replicated or found anywhere else.
Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart?
I have been very lucky to have many mentors along the way and I owe a lot of the success that I have to them. From pushing my limits that I did not know I had, to coaching me on topics such as communications, leadership, building alliances and stakeholder management — they have had a huge impact on my career. It is my time now to pay it forward and help people succeed and achieve their career objectives.
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Images: Supplied by TikTok
