‘One must seek knowledge from cradle to grave’

Mohseen Riaz Ud Dean, Head of Community Research and Ethnographic Solutions Mapping Development at the United National Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji. ‘One must be very clear on why they exist as a business. Those in decision making r

For the past three years, Mohseen Riaz Ud Dean has been the Head of Community Research and Ethnographic Solutions Mapping Development at the United National Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji.

The 36-year-old grew up with his three siblings near the Nausori airport.

He is married with three daughters.

Education Background:

■PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Anthropology from the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand.

■Master of Science - Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India

■Master of International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Fiji.

■Post Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of the South Pacific.

■Certificate IV in Workplace Health and Safety from National Safety Council of Australia.

■Received professional training in diverse areas of practice from countries such as the USA, Malaysia, Japan, Cambodia, and South Korea.

Can you tell us about your role and experience in your role?

Before being appointed in my current role at the UNDP, I served in various capacities over a period of some nine years at the Fiji National University (FNU). I started with the FNU in 2010 as Chief Invigilator, moved to Clerical Assistant, then to Academic Officer, Training Officer Consultant, and in 2019 I disengaged with the FNU as a senior academic and researcher to join the UNDP. Before joining FNU, I served in the private sector. I have also since 2013 been an accredited trainer and consultant for Occupational Health and Safety with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations - Fijian Government.

How do you manage the demands of professional and personal commitments?

For a start, I believe in working smart. My day on weekdays usually starts at 8am and ends around 8pm. This is only because almost 2-3 hours are spent navigating traffic every day. I am also very conscious of my peak productive hours in a day when I am able to finish most of the workrelated tasks. To be honest, I usually allocate my energy on things which I know where the impact will be significant, impactful and will be of value. My weekends are reserved for family commitments- especially spending time with my daughters. During leaves, I often escape from the hustle and bustle of Nausori-Suva life.

What is the most rewarding thing about your current job?

The most rewarding thing about my current role with the UNDP is working with grassroots and collaborating with different stakeholders and actors in the ecosystem, including governmental counterparts. To be honest, the work we do at UNDP, and at the end of the day, it’s all about making a difference in someone’s life at the community level.

What is your philosophy about business as a whole and your vision for your businesses?

One must be very clear on why they exist as a business. They must know what they want to grow into in another 10-15 years and work towards it. This is of course enshrined in the businesses aims, goals and objectives. On the same note, the business must be aware of their competitors.

Those in decision making roles in the business must make the right decisions at the right time. The business must be in a position to aggressively market and create visibility for their products, items, etc. The business must also have a research and development arm- whose role is to continuously understand consumer/client demands. The business must be aware of their pain points and keep an eye out on things it can capitalize and leverage upon. Last but not the least, the workers are the greatest assets in any business. We need to ensure that they are provided with the right resources so they can be effective and efficient in their roles.

HAVE YOU BEEN INSPIRED OR INflUenced by anyone in particular?

I think life has been itself an inspiration to me. It teaches you to become strong. Every time you fall, you stand up, and tell yourself that you can do better next time. You ask yourself, who are you competing with and then you answer that you are only competing with your own self. However, one special figure who continues to influence the work I do (in a positive way) is my chief PhD supervisor, Dr. Keith Barber of the Anthropology Programme at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. He has always guided me.

His high school motto, ‘one must seek knowledge from cradle to grave,’ keeps him going. He believes that there is something new to learn every day.

How would you describe yourself as a leader?

I am not a big fan of leaders that micro-manage or try to overpower others with their ideas or thoughts. I am also not a fan of those leaders who try to overtake conversations. Therefore, I refrain from exhibiting such qualities with my colleagues. I believe that everyone is correct from their points of view except that the lens that they are utilizing to look at things are different. We must value, respect, and be kind and humble to everyone. Finally, continuous communication and dialogue is key for any leader. That is really my mantra.