KAMPALA SERENA’S MERCY KATEERA CLAIMS CONTINENTAL AWARD AS PA OF THE YEAR 2018
(Posted 15th December 2018)
For those who deal with the Executive Offices at the Kampala Serena Hotel, which is also at the same time the country office for Serena Hotels in Uganda, Mercy Kateera has become the ever present gate keeper and Jackie of All Trades and Master of Many.
Cordial if not outright friendly but when needed also firm and never shy to crack a whip has Jackie over the past years made the best of her formal education after becoming a Chartered Executive Assistant (CPEA).
Being an EA or PA is today a far cry from being the Managing Director’s secretary of old, although even in the old days I personally met many who were a fit like hand in glove into the job requirements and job descriptions of today.
Just to clarify on that, the role of the Executive Assistant has significantly evolved over the past decades and the responsibilities of this highly demanding and visible role continue to grow exponentially.
To become a true business partner to a Senior if not Top Executive, it is now imperative that Executive Assistants have a deeper understanding of the business and their Executives’ role & responsibilities. Executives are looking now, more than ever, for Assistants that possess ‘Executive Level’ business acumen and skills.
Said Mercy subsequently to ATCNews.org:
· I am a Chartered Executive Assistant (CPEA ™)
· Two – time trainer at the PA Summit 2017/2018 in Nairobi, Kenya on the Changing role of the Executive Assistant and Digital Marketing Skills for the Executive Assistant.
· “Breaking the Stereotype” training of Administrative professionals from Kenya.
· In- House trainer for the Frankline Covey – 5 Choices to Extraordinary Performance.
· Manage KSH’s online presence / marketing campaigns.
· Conduct career guidance, counselling and training to young adults.
Asked how she enjoyed working at the Kampala Serena Hotel and the country office of Serena Hotels in Uganda she answered that with two sentences:
‘I couldn’t think of a better place to work. The Serena Hotels stands for the same exact same values that I live for. They are a very professional company and develop their staff‘.
I am also personally very determined to change the degrading attitude of our society particularly towards career choices in the hospitality industry and hope that my story of success will inspire other women not to restrict their ambition‘.
So what exactly is that award which Mercy won recently?
The Executive PA Awards are the oldest and most established awards for administration professionals and the only EA & PA awards that are run globally. The award organizers accept nominations from 141 countries across the globe, which makes them the largest awards for EAs and also the oldest in the world, already established in 1991.
The annual awards are organized by the Executive PA Media which is the world’s leading business management information provider for senior executive assistants & career minded administration professionals and is a leading training & professional development resource.
The Executive PA Awards recognizes administration professionals by rewarding and profiling their contribution to the successful running of their organizations. The awards also recognize the efforts of employers and management to empower their administration team members, as well as encourage good practices and aid establish identifiable career paths for administration professionals in organizations.
The awards also contribute to the role of Executive Assistant becoming a chosen career path and goal for young people entering into the workplace.
Within this context did Mercy Kateera win the continental award for Africa
PA of the Year Africa
- Winner: Mercy Asiima Kateera, Executive Assistant to the Country Manager, Kampala Serena Hotel
and put herself and Serena Hotels / Kampala Serena Hotel on the global map.
From ATCNews.org congratulations and felicitations to Jackie on this outstanding accomplishment and for living her potential but also the best wishes to her for her future career, which will certainly not stop at the PA’s desk but no doubt reach for the keys to an Executive suite for herself.
