With over 15 years of global experience across multiple domains, including innovation, operations, architecture, design, and digital fabrication, industry expert Robert Garita is revolutionizing business performance and is a reflection of exceptional leadership, driving impactful change and success.
Robert Garita, a seasoned professional with a multifaceted background, has been in various esteemed roles, be it Professor of Architecture, Mentor and Tutor at innovation and entrepreneurship centers in Qatar, or Guest Speaker and Jury Member at renowned international events. Certified as an Innovation Manager and Product Manager, Robert currently serves as Director of Operations at Ibtechar, where he empowers individuals and organizations to foster a culture of continuous innovation and self-sustaining growth.
Early Life And Career
With 15 years of experience spanning Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, Robert has had the privilege to lead and contribute to projects across diverse domains including innovation, strategic operations, architecture, design, and digital fabrication. An architect from LCI Veritas University in Costa Rica, Robert holds a Master’s degree from the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia and a Diploma in Digital Fabrication. He is certified as an Innovation Manager and Product Manager and is currently pursuing the Chief Innovation Officer certification from the Global Innovation Institute.
Robert Garita shares, “I have been a professor at Veritas University’s Architecture and Product Design schools in Costa Rica from 2007 to 2016. In 2015, I taught a digital manufacturing course as part of ‘FACILIDAD’ in El Salvador to support youth employment, sponsored by GIZ. I have also been a guest tutor at prestigious institutions like the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Bartlett School of Architecture in London, and the University Center for the Arts of San Luis Potosí in Mexico. Additionally, I mentor and tutor at innovation and entrepreneurship centers in Qatar, including QBIC, M7, QSTP, and Tasmu Accelerator Program.
I have had the honor of participating as a guest speaker and jury member at renowned international events such as ‘Pechakucha 20×20’ at the Maker Faire in Rome (2013), ‘City Lab’ in Miami (2016), the ‘Medellin Design Week’ in Colombia (2016), ‘TEDx Pura Vida’ in Costa Rica (2018), ‘Phi’s Research and Innovation Summit’ in Jordan (2019), the ‘Teaching Innovation Forum’ at the Ibero-American Design Biennial in Madrid (2019), the ‘Rowad’ Entrepreneurship Conference in Doha (2019), Edtechx Europe in London (2019), the Global Education Technology Summit in Beijing (2019), and most recently, the ‘BETT Show’ in London (2022).
Since January 2018, I have been based in Doha, Qatar, serving as the Operations Director of IbTECHar Digital Solutions, a pioneering Qatari company recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the 100 new companies shaping the 4th Industrial Revolution (4iR) in the MENA region.”
Presence Of Ibtechar
Ibtechar is a Qatari company specializing in innovative solutions for capacity building. With over a decade of experience, they have recruited and managed over 600 skilled talents and completed 40 successful innovation projects, capturing 70% of the market share for certified innovation spaces in Qatar.
Robert Garita reflects, “Our mission is to empower individuals and organizations to cultivate a self-sustaining culture of continuous improvement in innovation. We achieve this through two primary service divisions:
- Ibtechar Academy: We focus on developing digital and innovation skills across all stages of the learning journey, from educational institutions to the professional workplace.
- Ibtechar Consultancy: Our consultancy services are dedicated to embedding innovation into organizational culture and processes. We collaborate closely with our clients to co-create new products and services that drive growth and transformation.
We drive innovation for a prosperous future by partnering with diverse organizations in Qatar and globally, emphasizing excellence and empowering clients.”
Impact Of Effective Leadership
A successful leader takes the business to new heights of success and new opportunities. On this aspect, Robert says, “I would like to shift the focus away from the traditional analysis of leaders as isolated figures, often depicted in solitude. Instead, I believe the key lies in identifying the essential qualities needed to effectively lead teams and foster synergy that drives impactful results. This approach emphasizes a human touch, nurturing solidarity among all team members to ensure collective success.
Reflecting on the innovation processes I have led or been involved in Qatar recently, as the Operations Director of Ibtechar, I’ve focused not only on evaluating project outcomes for various organizations, particularly Qatari governmental entities but also on our internal actions and the organizational culture we’ve cultivated to ensure tangible impacts.”
To further strengthen the company’s leaders in how they work and lead the teams, towards the end of last year, Ibtechar’s leadership team made a pivotal decision to invest in processes, tools, and methodologies aimed at holistic growth – financially, operationally, and in terms of human resources.
Robert Garita adds, “One of the most challenging methodologies we implemented was Verne Harnish’s ‘Scaling Up,’ providing a structured framework for sustainable company expansion. Through this journey, our recognition and integration of diversity have been pivotal. We highly value the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of our team, which significantly enhance our ability to deliver innovative solutions through what we term ‘practical innovation.’
Furthermore, our team’s diversity, with members from 10 different nationalities across continents, enhances our collective intelligence and encourages the exploration of unconventional ideas. Each member brings a unique cultural perspective and skill set, fostering innovation and creating a corporate culture where every voice is valued. This diversity drives our ability to be agile, continuously learn, gain expertise, and break down silos for a common purpose.”
The Digital Shift, We asked: Robert Garita
Digital transformation is significantly impacting businesses as its crucial role in driving success and resilience is widely recognized. Robert says, “The digital revolution is driving global spending on digital transformation technologies and services as businesses seek to enhance operations and customer experiences. This trend highlights an increasing recognition of digitalization’s pivotal role in fostering business success and resilience within a rapidly evolving market environment.
Building on this landscape and insights from recent studies by MIT, digital transformation has taken on a new focus since 2023 – prioritizing employee experience. Current digitization initiatives emphasize enabling employees to effectively use technology to perform tasks. This often involves employing platforms that consolidate various aspects of their workflows into a cohesive space or integrating tools that seamlessly interact with one another.”
In response to these trends, Ibtechar has embarked on a comprehensive digital transformation journey since late 2023. Aligned with the earlier mentioned implementation of the Scaling Up methodology within the company, they have initiated a detailed and specific digitization process.
Robert Garita adds, “This process begins with assessing our current state and defining clear objectives and goals for digital transformation, all closely aligned with our business strategy and objectives. We have implemented a suite of digital tools and digital change mechanisms aimed at developing more effective processes that significantly impact:
- Customer Experience: Enhancing digital channels and personalization efforts.
- Operations and Efficiency: Automating processes, optimizing supply chain management, and improving project management.
- Employee Empowerment and Collaboration: Enabling digital workplaces, supporting remote work capabilities, and fostering skills development.
- Product and Service Innovation: Introducing digital products, refining service delivery, and enhancing innovation processes.
- Data-driven Insights and Decision Making: Leveraging data analytics, real-time reporting, and business intelligence.
- Customer Insights and Feedback: Establishing feedback loops for continuous improvement.
This transformation has been made possible and continues to progress through alignment with our leadership team, ongoing analysis, and enhancement of cross-functional collaboration across all departments. Our approach involves implementing these initiatives in five distinct phases, ensuring meticulous planning, execution, and monitoring to manage risks and seamlessly integrate with existing processes.”
Starting Strong: Words Of Wisdom For Beginners
Beginners in this field will find it extremely helpful to hear from an industry expert like Robert Garita. Addressing the aspiring professionals, Robert shares, “I believe my feedback extends beyond merely advising someone in my field. I would like to offer guidance to expatriates who have the opportunity to work in the Middle East, especially those, like me, who come from distant countries with different customs, traditions, mindsets, and worldviews.
Currently, Middle Eastern countries are among the most prominent emerging economies, thanks to their high-income economies fueled by vast natural gas and oil reserves. These resources have driven rapid growth and high per capita income levels, primarily in three areas – economic diversification, economic growth, and attraction of foreign investment.”
Robert Garita further adds, “Since I arrived in Qatar in January 2018, understanding the local culture, being highly resilient, and embracing cultural diversity while honoring my personal and cultural values have been crucial. Six elements have personally helped me and my family tremendously to adapt to a different culture, facilitating an easier transition and fostering a deeper local and regional understanding:
- Education and Cultural Awareness
- Respect and Adaptation
- Effective Communication
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Flexibility and Patience
- Community Participation
Additionally, a seventh element, which not everyone may have but has been a great blessing in my case, is being part of a company that started as a startup and is growing step by step with it. This experience has fostered a strong sense of ownership in me. Having a supportive team, from my CEO to the administrative staff, who have embraced my differences, guided and oriented me, and together we have built an understanding to work more effectively as a team.”
Follow Robert Garita on LinkedIn and visit his website www.robertgarita.com
Find Ibtechar on LinkedIn and visit their website http://www.ibtechar.com/
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