“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
There are people who are natural achievers. Give them some wire, and a piece of wood and they will create a mobile phone. Or a rubber tire, and some cotton, and they will build a life raft. Or some sheet notes, and reed and they will create beautiful music.
They are rare, possibly one in 100,000, and these kinds of people are the ones making things that push the world forward.
Clairevee Aya Gamboa is clearly one destined for greatness.
For one, at age 19, she was already business strategist (where were WE at that age?), expanding her horizons eventually to places like the USA, Europe, Asia, and eventually receiving the Gallup Exceptional Award in 2006, having an eye in creation, development and sustainability of new brands and franchises.
People close to her know, with her kind of astuteness for business, that she has nowhere to go but up.
And they were right.
Just early this week, Aya was awarded the Qatar’s Women Leader Award, the first and only Filipina in the Middle East to have done so.
The award was presented by CMO Asia, with award-giving bodies World Women Leadership Award Congress and World Marketing Congress, recognizing Aya’s “exceptional contributions to the country’s economy and national security”.
No less than Dr. Aalok Pandit, the Executive Director of CMO Asia, broke the news to Aya via a letter, telling her of her nomination.
The award-giving body has been recognizing women leaders all over the world, in its attempt to nurture gender diversity “as a talent”, specifically in management strategy.
There is, Pandit’s letter says, an “intense” search for such a candidates. Nominees were chosen by an elite board – or cell — composed of people with post-graduate studies in History and Management with over five years worth of research experience.
The cell then comes up with a short list of individuals who “are doing extraordinary work and track record of their achievements”.
The short list is then reviewed by a Jury comprising of senior professionals from the industry.
“I was delighted when told about the nomination,” she told DNX.
And it was also a different kind of relief, of that feeling of being able to breathe easy, a sense of satisfaction when the award was finally confirmed.
“Having worked for a decade in the Middle East where men dominate [the industry], I am honored and eager even more to push for our business expansion,” she said.
Aya has been known in the business community as a having “Midas Touch”, thanks mainly to her exceptional experiences in the field of consultancy aiming a quality and sustainable businesses.
Apart from the Gallup award in 2006, she is also responsible for creating original concepts in Hospitality such as Auction House Café in Katara Village, Café Blue at Bluesalon, Caviar Fine Dining Restaurant in Dubai Mall, Gourmet Concepts in KSA, UAE, and Bahrain, and also French Bakery at Pearl Qatar among others.
Her expertise is in luxury brand acquisitions in the field of Hospitality Business, Retail and Distribution.
In 2014, Aya along with Japanese government and consultants partnered in the lifting of Wagyu ban resulting to the Qatar-Japan stronger economic ties, and in 2017, she contributed to the Qatar-Turkey Invest and the Kazakh-Qatar Investment Forum which are under each respective Presidents’ offices.
She has also contributed to the Qatar Military and Defense, including Qatar’s contracts acquisition, as well as in in research and development for the country’s National Security during the controversial blockade from its neighboring countries.
Aya is now back in Bacolod, as Chief Executive Officer of FORMA INTERNATIONAL, which, she said, is a “business consultancy company which continues to rise amidst the Pandemic, her company expanded its international presence in Qatar, Canada, Japan and Turkey”.
Truly, there the potential for greatness is in everybody.
It’s just that people like Aya is just better at it than the rest.
Aya also shares the award with fellow Filipinos.
“Being the first Filipina Consultant in the Middle East to be recognized, this award is not only for me but also goes to every Filipino men and women around the world who see opportunities amidst unforeseen adversities,” she said, adding, “Let us lead, rise and celebrate this success together.”
