Whether she’s tinkering behind a truck grille with spanners in hand, or hovering over a cast iron grill sizzling a steak, Swand Qat says life is all about enjoying every moment to its fullest.
As an electrical and electronics systems engineer embedded with the IMG product development team in Dubai, Swand looks after the regional localization of the centre display and instrument cluster, and also location tailored features like navigation, connectivity and system applications.
She also works with core engineering teams around the world to plan, test and evaluate new vehicle features – often years ahead of their market launches. Being part of the Middle East PD team also means getting involved in its validation drive programmes for pre-production vehicles.
Swand says her job is “like being in the front seat of a roller coaster ride through Innovation Land!”
“I’m not just part of a team—I’m in a league of extraordinary minds where we turbocharge ideas into cutting-edge car tech,” she says. “We're talking crafting engines that purr smoothly and dialing up the customer experience like turning up the volume on your favorite jam.”
Swand’s passion for engineering and the automotive world began in her early teens, and she gained her mechanical engineering degree at the University of Jordan in 2002.
She moved to Dubai to in 2006 to join GM and, after a short spell with construction equipment manufacturer Hilti, joined the Ford production development team in February 2020. She says she’s been the first woman in many technical roles in the Middle East and was the first female global regional repair expert in construction tools for Hilti.
Outside work, Swand dedicates much of her spare time to fitness and helping others. An avid road cyclist and Crossfit fan, Swand says her passion is to empower people of determination. She is part of a community-driven team of mentors that offers “free fitness training sessions, including CrossFit, football and swimming, that are as much about joy as they are about the sport.”
She also loves to travel but says she’s not the type of person to sit still and relax on vacation.
“Travelling is a chance to dive into new cultures, taste different foods, and collect memories. A real holiday needs to involve lots of cycling, hiking and kayaking and a week to recover from them when you get back home.”
Swand says her mother is a constant source of inspiration.
“Her ability to find joy in simple moments and face challenges with grace motivates me to be a better version of myself. Her love and wisdom guide my journey towards personal growth and self-improvement, shaping me into the person I aspire to become.”