Interviewer: Good morning Azzam, it’s great to meet you! Thanks again for joining us today for this quick Meet the Team interview.
Azzam: Good morning!
Can you start by telling us a little bit about what you’re going to be doing at PPE International?
Sure, I recently joined PPE within the last few weeks as a Quality and Safety Engineer. I studied Industrial Engineering and worked as a Safety Engineer for a few years before joining the company.
What does being a Quality and Safety Engineer involve?
My role mainly revolves around ensuring that our processes align with our customers' requirements and standards. Additionally, I focus on verifying the quality of the parts we supply, making sure they meet both our customers' standards and international standards. I also develop and implement health and safety procedures within the facility to ensure compliance.
That sounds challenging. Must take a lot of focus and concentration – do you do anything outside of work to release that pressure?
Sure! In my free time I like to hit the gym and stay active. I also enjoy watching sports, particularly NBA and football matches.
Do you manage to play any basketball or football?
Yes, when I was a kid, I used to be a goalkeeper. I had a lot of fun playing that position. In my university days, I joined the basketball team and played for a while before unfortunately injuring my knee.
Ouch – doesn’t sound fun! Did that keep you out of action for a while?
Yes, unfortunately is was a full dislocation of the knee. It happened totally out of nowhere – seeing your knee in the wrong place is a pretty scary experience, and a painful one! I do stay active after the injury but it definitely impacted my intensity.
Sounds like you need a few more leisurely hobbies to keep you out of hospital!
I do have an interest in tinkering with electronics, building and fixing things. One of my most valued possessions is my PC, which I actually built from scratch. It's not just a powerful machine, but it also holds sentimental value for me because of the time and effort I put into assembling it.
You can never have an expensive enough graphics card!
Haha, well I do sink a lot of hours into playing video games so that’s definitely true.
We’ll come back to this once we’ve started our gaming podcast – don’t want to burn through any of our material now!
Maybe PPE should have its own Twitch platform?
Ideas like that will get you far. I’ll make a note! What would you say has been your greatest achievement so far?
I’d have to say that graduating from one of the top universities in the Middle East would have to be up there among my greatest achievements so far. It was a challenging journey, but I'm proud to have successfully completed it.
So you’re sporty, academic, a technical wizard… where would you say you had any weaknesses? Is it kryptonite?
Haha no! Honestly I do tend towards perfectionism a bit. I can catch myself stressing and obsessing over the smallest details, like having to make sure that a picture frame is perfectly straight. It can get in the way of efficiency!
Can you share an interesting fact about yourself that not many people may know?
Sure. Despite being skinny, I once won an axe throwing competition in Manchester.
I should’ve said Thor instead of Superman.
No one was more surprised than me! It was a very unexpected achievement – maybe beginner’s luck?
We’ll be sure not to get on your bad side! Let's switch gears a bit and talk about your musical interests.
I have quite a broad taste in music, but I have a special affinity for rock music. The energy and emotions in rock songs really resonate with me.
Do you have any favourite bands?
It’s a bit of a mix, but there are a few I’ll always keep coming back to. Like Linkin Park and a lot of that era, and Eminem as well.
Have you managed to catch any big gigs?
Eminem in Abu Dhabi was massive. But I’ve always got an eye out for any bands coming to the region.
Do you like to travel? Any memorable recent destinations or holidays?
I love Malaysia. When I was younger, my dad used to take me over there quite a lot, when he was doing his university work. I love the vibe and the food over there – it’s like my second home.
So you’re settling down for a perfect night in at home. What’s on the TV, and what are you eating?
Good question! Erm, I think probably Interstellar is on the TV. That movie was a work of art. And pizza, obviously. Pizza has to be everyone’s favourite food, surely?!
Solid combo! Have you got any big life ambitions to achieve?
I want to go to watch an NBA Finals game in the United States. It’s a long shot but hey you never know!
A few quick-fire questions to end with… dogs or cats?
Cats.
Tea or coffee?
Tea.
Sweet or savoury?
Sweet.
Morning person or night owl.
Night owl.
Thanks so much for your time Azzam! I’ll be in touch about the podcast – we’ll take over the world… if you haven’t done it already by then.
You win one axe-throwing contest and suddenly you’re a super villain!
