The ITIL Certification was a mandate: In Conversation with Mutasim Abuzeid

Mutasim Abuzeid, comes from a Telecommunications Engineering background from Sudan in Africa, where technology and the IT industry was recently introduced only over the last ten years. “I was in the software industry for more than 8 years, building systems infrastructure for Zain Sudan (Sudan’s first mobile operator) then I moved to the Management side after receiving my MBA in Telecommunications Management. I love traveling, love to discover other cultures.

Photography is my hobby and I usually find myself freeing up my imagination on it. Besides that, joining weekend soccer with my workplace colleagues is also a recreation. I am married and have 2 lovely daughters and I believe my wife has provided me with all the required support toward what I have achieved so far. I am living now in Qatar where I do really enjoy the city; the city is based on multi-culture, and different nationalities with the same objective are a value-add to the country. I like being in this part of the world. Besides, the city is quiet and an easy going place to have a good time with the family. I am working now in a Qatar Foundation joint venture as a Client Service Manager. ”

What made you take up certification at this point of your career?
For me personally, as a milestone in my career, the ITIL Foundation Certificate was a mandate. I took this up to achieve a level of knowledge that was required to accomplish my service management journey that I started 2 years back. It added value to my expertise as a service manager in the IT Industry in Arab/Africa.

Why specifically ITIL Expert?
As a service excellence at that time The ITIL expert level would provide me with the required professionalism because I regularly use ITIL in my presentations to customers about solutions, and customers are immediately able to point out their pain-points in relation to Service Management.

How important according to you is it to get reskilled?
IT industry is dramatically changing very fast, so I always believe in the development of my competencies and skills, and I keep that as an objective to achieve more certification in diverse IT fields. ITIL framework nowadays is in great demand in the IT industry so I will keep re-skilling myself to participate in the IT market.

Is it important according to you, for the companies to think and take steps to re-skill their employees? One of the main fundamentals of any organization’s growth is to re-skill and develop its employees and identify the gaps in their skills and competencies.

Have you seen a significant change in your approach at work place after taking up the certification? Sure, understanding the business from a different angle, pure service orientation and looking at any issue/problem from the whole lifecycle, that really provides me with a wider perspective to solve and to re-design internal processes. Just after being certified I got an amazing opportunity to work with my ITIL expert certification in one of successful ever IT service provider in Gulf area. I believe this wouldn’t be the end of the journey I am sure I will be going up the ladder for better to best.

Can you chalk out 5 reasons, as to why you would recommend your colleagues and friends to get professional certification?
1- Employer Appreciation
2- Market Opportunities.
3- Self-confidence and recognition.
4- Solid knowledge from theoretical/Technical perspective.
5- Innovations and adding value to area of expertise.

How was your experience of attending the workshop? Anything in specific you would like to state? The experience of traveling to India for the first time and learning about new culture diversities, food and historical places was a part of the training as well. In general, it was an awesome experience of attending that workshop. It was an effective mix of theory, real stories and practice where the trainer was very knowledgeable and has done an excellent job of delivering the subjects. The trainer himself was ITIL Expert certified and this helped us discuss real-time examples. I would recommend everyone to undergo this ITIL Expert training.