Amanda Gravitis is the 33-year-old Australian powerhouse who is breaking barriers and championing women in the workplace with her ‘purpose-led’ and ‘people-first’ leadership approach.
Smart Salem is a premium medical fitness centre that puts proactive care at the forefront. Making advanced testing more accessible, Smart Salem is most well-known for offering Dubai’s fastest visa medical test, but its mission is about far more than just blood testing. Offering cutting-edge services like Smart DNA testing for age, skin & hair health and nutrition and AI-powered gut microbiome analysis, Smart Salem is also actively driving conversations around taboo health issues like menopause.
With almost 50% of the leadership team consisting of women, Smart Salem is way ahead of the curve, using the latest technology to provide preventative healthcare with an edge of luxury – think valet parking, world-class facilities, smart queuing and coffee serving robots. I’ll have a flat white please x
Since joining almost three years ago when there were only twenty staff and one health centre, Amanda has taken Smart Salem from strength to strength. The third centre in Knowledge Park opened in 2023 and the number of staff has grown considerably, now over 120.
Speaking to CEO Amanda was as inspiring as you can imagine. She tells Cosmo ME exactly what it takes to become a visionary leader and provides some unparalleled insights into her journey to get there.
Cosmo ME: You’re 33 years old and your journey is impressive! How did you get to where you are today?
Amanda Gravitis: So, I didn’t start out in healthcare. I’ve had a very unique collection of experiences and I do feel very proud about where I am today. My background is in consulting and industry. After consulting, I moved into a government role, working in transport services where I was responsible for ensuring people had access to essential services via trains and coaches.
From there I was asked to join a start-up boutique consulting company, then I moved to Dubai to join PwC, another consulting company, before becoming COO at Smart Salem in 2022 and now CEO.
However, my years in the consulting industry came at a cost to my health. I was overworking myself and constantly in fight or flight mode and this manifested as symptoms like hair loss and hormone imbalances. I decided to get tested and this really was a wake-up call for me.
A key thing is that I’ve been open to all of these opportunities. I love building teams and workplace culture and making an impact within the workplace.
Cosmo ME: What inspired the shift into preventative healthcare and how do you see it shaping the future of healthcare in the UAE?
Amanda Gravitis: At Smart Salem, we are really passionate about preventative healthcare through innovative and life-changing services. We are moving away from administrative healthcare and we want to encourage people to make informed decisions.
When you think of a car owner, there are two types; those who take the car for a routine service and those who never check it, until something goes wrong. People in Dubai live very fast-paced lifestyles and they’ll likely go through the same experience as me. When I became CEO a year ago, I felt fatigued and my productivity dropped. I thought it was part of the job, but I did a blood screening test and a gut microbiome test and discovered that I had low vitamin B9 and it wasn’t being absorbed by my gut. The first step was having this knowledge and then I worked with a dietitian to replenish my B9 stores.
The great thing about Smart Salem is that you don’t need a referral from your doctor. You can come to the clinic, get your car valet parked, and you’ll be in and out within six minutes. We also work with referral partners like endocrinologists and nutritionists who can provide ongoing support if needed.
Cosmo ME: Smart Salem was ranked among the best healthcare companies to work in the GCC. What specific strategies have you implemented to create such a positive work culture?
Amanda Gravitis: We have a number of policies and benefits for example, extended parental leave (168 days for new mothers and 14 days for new fathers), remote working where possible and heavily discounted services. I have spent a lot of time ensuring we take care of our people, providing exceptional employee facilities and family-friendly policies so that our employees can provide the outstanding customer service our patients expect and deserve. Our people are proud of what they do and they go over and beyond for our customers, which shows in the fact that we have over 28,000 five-star Google reviews.
We also place an emphasis on leadership development programs at Smart Salem and have introduced personal development plans to help staff feel empowered in the workplace. In addition to this, we regularly hold team events like the family picnic before Ramadan and end-of-year celebrations.
Cosmo ME: You’ve achieved incredible growth at such a young age. What advice would you give to other young women looking to fast-track their careers?
Amanda Gravitis: Be open to opportunities and be prepared to make change. If you’re a leader, don’t expect anyone to work harder than you. I do have high expectations of the team, however I will get stuck into any and every role.
Specifically to young women, I would say it is okay to fail, as long as you learn from it. Making the wrong decision is better than making no decision. And on perfection – sometimes things aren’t quite perfect but just ask yourself if it’s good enough.
Cosmo ME: How do you balance a demanding career with your personal commitments like showjumping?
Amanda Gravitis: I actively focus on balance and setting boundaries, for example, I intentionally protect my mornings by not scheduling meetings until after 9:30 am. Being active and playing sports is very important to me so I have to make time for it. As an individual, it’s your responsibility to manage your own work-life balance. We are very flexible as a company – employees are free to work from home or wherever they like. For me, it’s more about getting the job done than where or how you do it.
Cosmo ME: What’s next for you and Smart Salem? Are there any exciting projects or expansions we should watch out for in the near future?
Amanda Gravitis: We are continuing to grow rapidly expanding our services and always looking for innovative ways to provide the very best healthcare for people in the UAE. We have some new developments coming that are at the forefront of preventative health that I am very excited about so watch this space.
We will also be continuing to drive the conversation and raise awareness about important health issues like gut and hormone health. There is a real lack of understanding around perimenopause and menopause, many women suffer from debilitating symptoms they think are normal like fatigue and ‘brain fog’ when in fact they are due to hormonal imbalance. These symptoms left untreated can a have significant impact on day-to-day life, relationships, work performance and mental health so it’s really important we talk about it and make sure women are getting the help they need.
Here’s your ultimate guide to getting your gut health in check.