By fostering an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives thrive, we not only empower women to excel but also unlock Nomadic’s potential to tackle complex challenges and seize new opportunities.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we continue our focus on the exceptional women at Nomadic with Zayyana Hasan. Zayyana is a first-class law graduate who began her career with Nomadic as an intern, before quickly progressing to Research Coordinator.
Q: Tell us about your career journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in the travel industry.
ZH: Nomadic opened a world of opportunities for me, aligning part-time work with my full-time law degree, before transitioning into a full-time role. I was born in Bangladesh and grew up in Oman before moving to the UK to study; my background has complimented a career in the travel industry where I could work with people from all over the world and collaborate with different offices. At Nomadic, I get to learn something every single day. It’s an honor to be able to contribute to a company that is at the forefront of business travel technology and innovation.
Q: How important are role models both within and outside the workplace?
ZH: It is especially empowering if your mentors come from a similar background as you and can relate to you on a deeper level. You can learn a lot from people no matter what industry they are in, so definitely do not limit yourself. Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to learn from a great number of people across a variety of industries. Business lessons come from all walks of life, so connect and network wherever you go.
Q: Can you share a significant challenge you've encountered in your career and how you overcame it?
ZH: Prior to graduation, I juggled work, study, and volunteering. While it required a lot of dedication and time-management skills, I found the post-graduation transition to full-time work more challenging. I think it’s something every graduate goes through – questioning their goals, motivations, and dealing with a resurgence of imposter syndrome. What helped me through that period was having regular talks with my mentor, Nomadic Director, Jen Fackelman, and allowing myself the time to think through things. As Jen says, “you don’t need to have everything figured out when you are 21!”.
Q: How do you balance professional commitments with personal responsibilities? Do you have any strategies for maintaining healthy work-life balance?
ZH: It’s something I incorporated when I started working at Nomadic – putting everything into my calendar. It served me then – I knew how my week was divided into work, university, and everything else – and it still serves me now. Every plan goes into my calendar – whether it’s something work-related or personal. It helps me prepare in advance, keep track of commitments, and maintain an important balance.
Zayyana is based in our London office. Connect with Zayyana.