Taking a human approach
Lama Makkouk
Lama Makkouk has always been interested in people, their culture, and behaviours. As a Lebanese Australian, her education toggled between Lebanon and Australia, “Growing up in two vastly different countries and cultures made me more culturally aware, empathetic and tolerant of others,” says Lama.
To fuel this passion, she began her tertiary studies with an undergraduate degree in psychology. This was a decision she made based on the role psychology plays in various aspects of business, including consumer behaviour, employee management, leadership, marketing, innovation, decision-making, and organisational culture.
In what could be considered a serendipitous experience, while studying towards her undergraduate degree at the American University of Beirut, Lama had a guest lecturer who was a graduate of the University of Sydney. It was because of this encounter that she decided to repatriate to Australia.
Going further
Once back in Australia, Lama chose to enrol in the Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations at the University of Sydney Business School.
By integrating her earlier psychological studies with the Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, Lama has been able to gain insights into business practices, how organisations can gain a competitive advantage, foster sustainable growth, and achieve long-term success, “I believe that people are the most important asset for any business. My previous studies in psychology have been an asset in my human resources career because I’m able to understand and explain why people do things. So developing a deep understanding of human behaviour is advantageous in both leveraging talent and also looking after your talent,” says Lama.
Lama gained a deep understanding of a range of other cultures in her cohort at the University. “One of the highlights was the exposure to international students and learning the different cultural perspectives when it comes to people,” reflects Lama.
Lama is currently the Human Resources Lead for Industry X and Intelligent Operations, Australia and New Zealand at Accenture. Her role entails utilising so many of the skills she gained from her master’s degree. Such skills are crucial in managing the people-related aspects of the organisation and ensuring that the workforce remains motivated, productive, and aligned with the company's goals and values.
Prior to her current role, Lama was the Head of Talent Acquisition for The Azadea Group, a leading lifestyle retail company. The Azadea Group represents and operates over 50 international franchise concepts across a range of industries with a presence in 13 markets and a diverse workforce of over 12,000 employees, “I was lucky to be there during an aggressive growth trajectory and during my time the volume of the business doubled,” considers Lama.
Throughout my entire career, my experience and education at the University of Sydney has taught me discipline, critical thinking, and creativity. The opportunity to learn with a very engaged cohort of students, allowed me to acquire unique skills and develop expertise that have enabled me to apply a lot of thought leadership.
Building human capital
Lama believes that human capital is the most valuable asset that an organisation can invest in. This is because it calls for knowledge, skills and experience that enable individuals to contribute to the overall economic productivity and growth.
For Lama, education is the key for anyone wanting to succeed in the business world, and she credits the Business School for helping to advance her knowledge.
The quality of education at the University of Sydney is second to none, particularly the depth of the research and course facilitation. Our professors and lecturers were very open. I always felt that curiosity was encouraged and creativity cultivated.
Lama’s favourite course was International Dimensions of HRM which proved to be extremely beneficial for her career working in multinational organisations.
The first professional role that Lama took after graduating from the University of Sydney covered the Asia-Pacific, and a few years later, she moved to the Middle East where she worked across more than 17 countries, “I was able to put the theory I’d learned at the University of Sydney into practice, which was so enriching,
“The knowledge, friendships, and expertise that you are afforded at the University of Sydney Business School will only continue to grow after you’ve graduated. The Alumni community spans far and wide, and the connectedness is special,” says Lama.
