Cynthia Dearin is an Australian businesswoman with some very unique international experience, including a three and a half year stint working in Iraq during some of its most volatile years, from 2006 to 2010.
Returning home after working on major projects with the British and US governments, the former diplomat was surprised to find her Arabic language skills and experience were almost considered too “exotic” for employers back here. She felt like a foreigner, with a CV that didn’t fit the ‘norm’ of the experience big legal and consulting firms expected.
With a belief that, “If you can’t find a job, make one” Dearin established her own business instead. She’s now at the helm of an international trade consulting company that helps businesses successfully enter international markets, with a major focus on the Middle East.
And she wants to tell anybody who’ll listen that the Middle East is a great place for Australian companies to do business.
Read more on Women’s Agenda