Welcome to our “Meet the Team” blog series, a collection of interviews that offers a glimpse at the people behind Leaning Technologies.
Today we meet our Sales and Business Development Manager, Waqas.
Waqas Rehman, Sales and Business Development Manager
Social Media: Twitter, Linkedin
What’s your background?
I grew up in Kirklees, Yorkshire. And, growing up I always wanted a job in travel or one where I would not be constrained to one location. This led me to study construction at University. Towards the end of my degree the market crashed and unfortunately, the construction industry was severely affected. So after University, I ended up working in Advertising Sales with Google and I did that for 7-8 years and discovered a passion for building relationships with organisations and helping find the best solutions for their problems.
What do you do at Leaning Technologies?
I’m responsible for Leaning Technologies’ Sales and Business Development, which involves building and maintaining relationships with our customers, as well as growing our partner programme.
What’s the most exciting part of your job?
I really enjoy working with our clients and every single one of them is different.
Some are huge multinational organisations with complex needs, some solutions are more straightforward, however, it’s rewarding getting to build a relationship with every one of them.
What was your biggest challenge in the last 12 months at work?
The biggest challenge for me has been working from home because I thrive in an office environment and I enjoy interacting with people face-to-face. I have really missed that, and am glad to have recently returned to the office on a part-time basis.
I feel it is easier to build relationships, not only with customers but also with the team around you. So the last 12-18 months during the pandemic have been challenging, as I’ve had to adapt the way I work in order to build and maintain those relationships effectively.
What motivates you at work?
I think you’ve got to enjoy what you do in order to be motivated to get up in the morning. I really enjoy my job and I feel like I’m making a difference and Leaning Technologies continues to grow. So that’s what ultimately motivates me is that I enjoy my job.
Who inspires you?
This is going to sound corny, but since joining Leaning Technologies in 2019 I have been heavily inspired by Alessandro, Stefano and Massimo. I’m impressed by what they have been able to achieve, what they’ve built and the investment they have put into the organisation themselves.
What they have produced is quite inspiring in the sense that there is no one else globally that has a portfolio of solutions that come close to the quality that Leaning Technologies has to offer.
What’s the best place you have travelled to?
When I graduated in 2009, I went travelling to Egypt and Lebanon. Cairo is such a beautiful city and I had a great experience there. I was amazed by the pyramids, their sheer scale, and the sense of awe they generate.
And then in Lebanon, we visited Beirut, before I got there I was unsure of what to expect, but it was memorable. The food and weather were amazing. I have to say that it was probably the best place I have ever visited.
What’s your favourite thing to do on the weekends?
I just like to relax and unwind. So going out for dinner or meeting up with friends.
Family is also a big part of my life, so I often spend a lot of time with them. I’m a big football fan, so when the Premier League is on, I like to catch up on the games.
