Meet our new ANZ Co-Director
Pictured: TBB ANZ Co-Director, Louna Ghawi, addresses attendees at the Global Refugee Labour Mobility Summit in Amman, Jordan.
Louna Ghawi has been working for and alongside TBB for many years, and we’re delighted to announce that she has recently agreed to step up into the role of ANZ Co-Director (alongside Sathya Gnanakaran).
Congratulations on your new role, Louna! Tell us a little about your background and career so far…
I’m originally from Syria. I arrived in Australia on a humanitarian visa in 2017.
In the early stages of my career, I started working in the corporate world - in different sectors for major companies in telecommunications, banking and private universities. But when the conflict started in Syria, my career shifted completely and my focus turned toward humanitarian and emergency response work through my employment with the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2015, I was the recipient of the Director-General's award for excellence as a member of the Syria WHO country office team, recognising my exceptional performance in a very challenging work environment.
After moving to Australia, I have continued working with organizations where their values align with mine, with a focus on helping refugees.
Alongside my role at TBB, I'm currently work with the Australian Red Cross, as both a board member (Victorian Divisional Advisory Board) and a member of the Victorian International Humanitarian Law committee.
I hold a Master of Economics and Social Sciences, with a major in Finance, Banking, and International Negotiation (University of Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV – France 2007) and a Bachelor of Economics, with a major in Business Administration (Damascus university –Syria 2005). I also have a Diploma in Project Management from Australia.
How did you first get involved with TBB?
I came across TBB for the first time when I met our CEO, Steph Cousins, while volunteering at Oxfam Australia. Straight away I was fascinated with TBB’s mission and vision, that very much align with my personal values.
Later, I started volunteering for TBB, then in 2021 I joined Refugee Talent (now Gateway2Talent) who were TBB’s local implementing partner, working on the recruitment and settlement part of TBB’s program in Australia. In 2022, I crossed over and joined TBB in a Program Manager role. Then 6 months later I was promoted to Co-Director, focusing on operations and program implementation.
What’s something that you wish more people knew about hiring a skilled refugee internationally?
Hiring international talent means hiring talented people located offshore - and hiring talented refugees is exactly the same! The only difference is that refugees have been forced to leave their home country.
No one chooses to be a refugee. The word “refugee” simply describes that a person has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, conflict, or natural disaster. Refugees have skills and talents just the same as any international candidate still residing in their home country.
Pictured: Louna (second-from-left) and Co-Director Sathya Gnanakaran (far left) with Middle East-based TBB colleagues at the Global Refugee Labour Mobility Summit in Amman, Jordan.
Pictured: Louna (second-from-right) and Co-Director Sathya Gnanakaran (far left) with Australia-based TBB colleagues at TEMI’s annual workforce management awards in Sydney.
How do you believe Australia benefits from welcoming skilled refugees, and vice-versa?
When hiring a talented refugee, you are not only helping Australia address our massive shortage of skilled labor, you are also saving talented people of working age from having their skills go to waste in their country of displacement (where refugees are often prohibited from working in their profession or using their qualifications).
Helping a displaced family to find peace and stability through skills mobility pathways also helps build Australian businesses and the Australian economy. I can't see anything more impactful than that; it is win-win for everyone.
What are you most excited about in your new role?
Changing the narrative and shifting people’s mindset to think of a refugee as an asset; not a risk… as a talent and contributor to the economy - and not a burden!
Who/what inspires you to keep going when you face challenges?
What inspires me is my family; my husband and my two little ones (who are not so little anymore!). We have all been through the refugee journey together, and we have been lucky to be recognised as highly skilled people in this beautiful country.
This gives me the drive to work harder and overcome challenges to open up pathways for more talented refugees and their families to have the chance to flourish and contribute.
What’s your favorite Slack emoji and why?
I love to celebrate, so I use the ‘partying face’ emoji 🥳 🥳 🥳 whenever I have a chance! Celebrating our hard-working team, celebrating when job offers are issued, celebrating the arrival of new refugee families in Australia!
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Spending time with my family doing fun things, traveling, watching movies, karaoke, and dancing! I also love reading and still enjoy reading in my native language, Arabic.