Bianca Sammut is the general manager of Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi. Born in Australia, she has 22 years of experience running theme parks, working for eight years as parks attractions manager for Warner Bros Movie World and Sea World in Queensland, and for two years as park operations manager for Wet’n’Wild water park in Sydney. She moved to the UAE in 2014 to take up the position of park manager at Yas Waterworld, and was promoted to general manager in April. The 39-year-old is married with a four-year-old daughter.
How do you spend your weekend?
Weekend is always time for my family. We’ll normally go for breakfast somewhere, go to the park or Yas Beach, walk the dog and have a family dinner.
How did you become a general manager?
I’ve been working in theme parks for 22 years now, starting off as a ride operator all those years ago. It’s been an incredible journey that’s brought me to this point. I’ve worked at many different attractions and theme parks over the years, constantly developing my skill set and gradually working my way up through the ranks to where I am now. I’ve been with Yas Waterworld for the past two years, and it really is my dream job.
What is your go-to gadget?
It’s a tie between my iPad Mini and my Fitbit. While I still use my laptops for meetings, I use my iPad Mini when I want to be a bit more creative. I use it to set up different mood boards for different projects, and use it as a search engine for images when I’m looking for inspiration. My Fitbit keeps me moving, and helps me track my calories and my balance, which is great for days when I’m sitting in meetings. Doing a couple of laps around the water park helps keep my step count up.
What has been the lowest point in your career?
Several years ago in Australia I was working on the design and vision for a new theme park attraction, but the company was sold and restructured before it was completed, which meant that I wasn’t able to be there for when it opened. That was a real low point, having put my heart and soul into a project for three years, and then for whatever reason not being able to be there when it launched. You just have to let it go and move on.
What advice would you offer others starting out in your business?
Be ready for the adventure. Be open to new opportunities and say yes to them when they come along. When I started out as a ride operator, never in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d travel the world with this industry, make lifelong friends and meet my husband. The theme park industry is quite small, but it provides you with an incredible adventure that can take you around the globe.
What is your most indulgent habit?
That would be spa treatments and massages, which being the UAE is great for. Abu Dhabi has some wonderful places that I’m gradually working my way around. Right now I particularly like the facilities at the Yas Viceroy, which has great service and great treatments.
What’s on your desk at work?
There’s always a stack of paperwork to sign, which try as I might never seems to go away. And there’s always a sparkly notebook that contains my notes and ideas.
What can’t you live without?
My husband and my daughter. They’re my people, and life is better with them around. It’s been great having them with me as we explore the life and culture here in the UAE. It’s amazing to see my daughter growing up here and speaking different languages at the age of four. She and my husband are my everything.
What kind of car do you drive?
A BMW 1 Series.
How do you achieve a work life balance?
CrossFit. I’m up at 4.45am every morning for a CrossFit class at 5.30am at Yas Marina before work, and I find it really hard to function without it. They’re a great bunch of people and a great community who challenge each other. It’s my own time in the early morning, which resets my brain if I’ve had a difficult day the day before. It’s like a mental preparation, doing something for myself and setting me in good stead for the rest of the day.
If you could swap jobs with anyone, who would it be and why? Michelle Obama. I love the way she speaks and carries herself in public, but more than that I really admire her for the initiatives she leads in the fields of education and empowerment of women and families.
jeverington@thenational.ae
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