Connecting and paying it forward: LGM's Hassan H. Rmaile on the importance of networks

As a student coming to the U.S. for the first time, alone, Hassan quickly learned the value of a strong network. “Opportunity comes through the people you know and the connections you make,” he explains. “Many many people come to the U.S., like me, having worked hard and wanting to contribute, but they have no network.” A network, Hassan explains, accelerates cultural, social and professional integration. It helps people be who they are but also successfully adapt and find opportunities to work, learn, grow, and, he adds, continue the legacy of helping others in similar situations.

Helping those who follow in his footsteps is very important to Hassan. Each year he funds a travel scholarship at his alma mater that enables 1-2 materials science/engineering Ph.D. candidates to travel to a professional conference fto network, present their scientific work, and explore career opportunities. “You can be the top student in your state, with the best education,” he says, “but if you don’t have the means to network professionally and build those connections, launching your career can be an uphill battle.” Providing students with these opportunities is what the travel scholarship is all about.

Hassan adds that having access to opportunities is only part of the picture. “Many people talk about luck,” he says. “‘I don’t believe in luck. Luck is really the ability to recognize opportunities when they arise and having the willingness to take a risk and swiftly act on those opportunities.”

Hassan also believes in supporting people who take risks and demonstrate the courage to speak up. He actively mentors junior team members at Avery Dennison, adding that if someone just starting their career is brave enough to approach a senior leader to ask for advice, he feels a personal commitment and responsibility to help that person. “It takes courage to network, to ask for help,” Hassan says. “That courage needs to be rewarded.”