It’s been a fun year here at Oii and with all the global challenges we see daily, having some fun at work really is a blessing!

As we close out the year, I wanted to share some reflections as I take stock on some of my key learnings. I don’t think there is anything profound here but just a back-to-basics reminder that in this modern AI age, we can forget that ultimately it all about people!

The importance of trust

As we build out the business, I feel incredibly grateful to have such a dedicated and focussed team. I can wholeheartedly say that I am privileged to work with a team that I trust to make the right decisions, work with their own creativity and flair and use me for guidance, clarity support or even as a punch bag when things are not going to plan!

I don’t think enough is spoken about the importance of trust. It’s intangible and hard to create but I strongly feel, that to be a great manager, you must delegate and trust your direct reports – even if they don’t always get it right! This helps people develop, sets the right tone and culture for the organisation to turbocharge growth.

Corporate values

In our first off-sight in April this year, we all committed to a common set of values that we uphold – a common purpose to help us all identify and connect.

We kept it simple and easy to remember and use it in all working practices. It’s not designed too just sound good. It’s a practical way to hold each other accountable.

They are (1) Do what you say, (2) Transparency and (3) Innovate with purpose.

Adopting these values, companywide, naturally engenders trust and respect for each other which is the culture we all want to work within and for me at least, it’s a critical piece for our business growth.

And breathe

The definition of ‘to breathe’ is to take air into the lungs and then expelling it - taking in oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide through natural processes.

Management can learn a lot from this most basic of natural processes. I strongly believe that giving people the space to think, consider and use their initiative helps them to make better decisions, supports their growth as a leader and provides real accountability. Providing realistic targets and timelines that they genuinely commit to give them the breathing space to develop and most importantly. enjoy the feeling of ‘oxygen in their lungs’.

Listen

Your trusted team are out there, in the field talking to clients, colleagues, friends and networking – so they are a perfect source of intelligence.

I can’t pretend to know it all, nor can I be everywhere all the time. My role as the team captain is to listen to all ideas, views and thoughts and then make the right decisions on how to navigate and build.  I make a conscious effort to spend time internally listening, sharing and debating ideas, discussing how to handle challenges and thinking about the best direction for our innovation investment.

Many leaders look externally for reference points and data, but the secret is believing in your team and mining this rich data source in addition to market insights and the external ecosystem.

In addition, we will solicit views from our clients, the market and industry as these reference points are critical to ensure we continue to produce world class market-desired innovation – innovation with purpose.

Being true to ourselves

Sustained success comes from being honest with each other, aligning value sets to develop real cohesion.  That’s when I see people truly excel and feel the excitement of what we are building.

When people insist on attending a scheduled evening call or the odd urgent weekend call because they don’t want to ‘miss out’, I feel proud and excited at the same time.

Most of our early hires at Oii have all been awarded equity grants / options as I want to make sure that they all benefit if we make a this a success.  It’s a team effort!

I thought that this was a key driver for real participation, but to my surprise, whilst this is important, it’s not the driver for people going beyond the normal.  It’s because they truly believe in the value we are creating, feel aligned to the core values and know that they are all important innovative contributors to the success of this innovation.

That’s when I know we are all aligned and being true to ourselves to achieve something special!

Thanks to all our investors, clients, partners and friends for their support this year.  I have had the honour of working with some truly gifted people and a big shout out to Bob Rogers and Eugene Buckley who were instrumental in getting me involved in this exciting business.

The energy is infectious, and I am excited to make 2026 a memorable year inshalla (means God Wiling).

Wishing you all a peaceful and restful time over the festive season and a great start to 2026!

Best,

Uzair

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