Over 10,000 residents call the DQ home. Meet Your Neighbor profiles interesting people in our international DQ Community. Learn about the diverse experience, interests, and backgrounds of DQ dwellers. Read on, and Meet Your Neighbor.
Tell us about yourself.
I am a diplomat from Argentina and I am proud to say that I am the first female Argentine diplomat appointed here in Riyadh. But long before this post, I started my diplomacy career in a very different domain, as part of my country’s legal team for Dispute Settlements in WTO. Then, I was posted for 5 years in our Mission to the EU, dealing with trade policy issues. Back in Buenos Aires, and after a period of time, I was promoted to head of the Department of economic relations with EU and European countries. I have a law degree and a LLM in International and European Law from VUB (Belgium) and Master Studies on International Relations from the University of Bologna, Italy.
How would family and friends describe you?
I should ask them… Hopefully, they have nice things to say. Joking aside, family and friends are blessings in this life and they have been a valuable support throughout the years.
Who or what have been the strongest influences in your life?
My parents, not in my career choice, but in the way I live my life. From them, I learned the importance of having values and behaving accordingly.
What brought you to Riyadh?
For many years, our Embassy in Riyadh had a very small team, highly professional and efficient, to cover not only Saudi Arabia but also Oman, Bahrain, and Yemen. Nevertheless, with the increasing role of Saudi Arabia in the international arena and the business opportunities as result of the implementation of Vision 2030, my authorities decided that it was about time to reinforce the team. I was one of the candidates that applied for the post.
What led you to your career and how has Saudi Arabia helped you in your career goals?
Although I started as a lawyer dealing with domestic issues, I soon realized that I was more inspired by international legal and political complexities. In addition, the excitement that comes with new tasks and new cities, that put us in situations of constantly pushing ourselves to study new topics and to adapt to new environments, played an important role in my professional path. As for Saudi Arabia, it has become an exciting place to be. As diplomats, our job is to build and reinforce bridges between countries and people, so hopefully, I would make my contribution towards that end. Diplomacy is a building block career and Saudi Arabia will be a major influence in my future. I know when I look back, I will remember this post with enormous gratitude at personal and professional levels.
What were your first impressions of the DQ?
I moved to the DQ four months ago. What immediately called my attention was its individuality with its Arabic designs and palm trees lining the streets. Also, its structure is a well curated labyrinth.
What do you like most about the DQ?
I like that, alongside buildings and residential sectors, areas of nature have been preserved where you can walk, encounter wildlife (we have spotted Ruppell’s fox and hedgehogs), and enjoy sunsets. I should also mention the great selection of coffee shops and, of course, Oud Square. As soon as we arrived in Riyadh, we became addicted to Cafe Bateel and Crazy Pizza due to their high quality and amicable service.
What are you looking forward to in the coming season?
Just having a peaceful and relaxed summer break with my family.
