Inside TIER: Meet Sami, our Central Operations Lead

TIER runs on one mission: Changing Mobility For Good 🌍 There are countless of dedicated people from across the globe who contribute to our vision. In the new Inside TIER interview series, we will give you a glimpse into who sits behind our operations and what drives them and their teams.

In this edition, we sit down with Sami Issa, our Central Operations Lead.
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Let’s start off with you telling us something about yourself that we don’t know?

I am labelled as a ‘third culture kid’. Both my mom and dad are from two different countries and cultures – Persian and Lebanese. Although I have not lived in either country, I grew up with both cultures and languages. I was born and raised in Germany then moved away at 12, where I have spent the last 20 years in Kuwait (short stint!), Dubai, Canada, the US (another brief stint!), and most recently, the UK.

While having such a mixture of cultures often sounds exciting saying it out loud, if I were to be completely authentic, it can at times mean that I find myself asking questions about my identity and the traditional meaning of home.

Tell us a little bit about your role at TIER and what your day-to-day looks like?

I lead one of the four teams within the Central Operations function, called Operations Resource and Forecasting. We work on a mix of projects that are longer-term strategic, and shorter-term, day-to-day operational.

My team and I are responsible for ensuring the efficient use of TIER’s resources, providing visibility over actual and forecast performance, and sharing best practices and knowledge throughout the ops organisation.

My day-to-day varies, which is one of the things I enjoy about my job. Generally speaking, I spend half of my time delivering work and the other half in meetings making decisions and providing guidance, which my team and I then deliver on. I enjoy stakeholder management and it’s an element of my job that I am grateful for.

I also spend a lot of time in Google Sheets and Google Slides – is it just me that plans a holiday in a spreadsheet and pitches it using a visually appealing slide deck? (totally joking).

What is the best part of working at TIER?

Hands down, my team and the people. There are people from all walks of life and from all over the world. Above all, I see qualities of boldness, humility, and a strong work ethic. As hard as we work, we also like to have fun and enjoy ourselves outside of work!

Our mission is to change mobility for good, which centres around sustainability. What role does that play in your work and life?

A big focus of what my team and I do is to ensure the efficient use of TIER’s resources. This means that we always maximise the use of what we already have before looking to other options. For instance, my team and I ran a detailed battery demand-supply analysis to identify the most efficient use of our existing supply, before making capital expenditure recommendations.

In my everyday life, I try to be conscious about minimising my contribution to harming the planet. Saying this, I share the same sentiment as a lot of people who are doing the same – there is always more to be done!

Last but not least, what advice would you give your younger self?

Three things: don’t be driven by money, say yes to more, and always be your true self.

Firstly. Let’s be honest, we all need money and always want more of it, but don’t let it be your top criteria in your decision-making – if circumstances allow. Explore what the things are that fulfil you and make you happy, and prioritise those. Money comes and goes, but experiences shape and grow you.

Secondly. Don’t overthink it. Don’t overcomplicate it. If it causes no harm and aligns with you, then say yes to an opportunity that presents itself. You never know what an experience may teach you. Even if it might not appear like it then, it will undoubtedly teach you a new perspective you will reflect on someday.

Last but not least, this is something that I learnt the true value of only recently in my life. Always show up as your true, authentic self. Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability, it’s a strength and not a weakness. By opening up, you not only normalise vulnerability and show that you’re human but invite others to do the same. This dovetails well into raising mental health to the surface, something I have only recently been more vocal about. It is OK to speak up about your struggles, we are complex and life is anything but easy. You would be surprised to see that people can understand you and empathise with you.

Want to work with Sami and his team? Check out our job openings here: https://about.tier.app/jobs