Introducing Manale Azar, postal sector expert, mother of three and keen hiker.

“I began my journey by studying Industrial Engineering at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, Canada. It provided me with a solid foundation in both organisational and technical skills. Following a number of internships, I joined Canada Post full-time and so began my 25 year career in the postal sector.

My journey at Canada Post got me involved in operations and production improvement and this gave me the opportunity to work in International Affairs at Lebanon Post in my home country. Subsequently I became Secretary General of the Postal Union for the Mediterranean. This wide ranging experience broadened my perspectives and insights into the challenges and potential of the postal sector in both developed and under developed countries.

For the past five years, I have worked as a freelance consultant, primarily focusing on postal but also logistics and supply chain. At the Small Posts Forums in Slovenia and Iceland I met Robert Jordan and Gordon Steward. Our discussions underlined postal and logistics sector needs to leverage data analytics and this led to my collaboration with The Information Factory.

In this new role, I am supporting the design and development of an end-to-end costing tool adapted to the postal, express and logistics sectors. The aim is to create a standard solution that can be used by any organisation whether they have limited data availability or have complex operational processes and an extensive network. It’s rewarding to create a flexible solution that identifies gaps and help customers improve their processes through better data capturing, leading to improved cost allocation and profit visibility.

Outside of work, I am a busy mom of three, including twins. I spend most of my free time participating in family activities, hiking being one of my favorites. Lebanon's mountain chains offer extraordinary hikes with breathtaking views, where you can see the mountains and the sea at the same time. It is a good way to unwind, be outside and come back energized. I invite everyone to discover the charm of my country!”