Welcome Introduction

Welcome to 20 Questions with Wrk—a variation on the classic road trip game where we pose 20 questions to a member of the intriguing cast of characters we are assembling here at Wrk. Unlike the original version of the game, our interviewees are free to answer questions fully so that we can really understand what makes them tick! OK, let’s get to it and see what’s inspiring our team today!

This month, we spoke with Bassem, our Head of Wrk Action Product & Partnerships.

1. What is your go-to snack?

Lotus Biscoff biscuits, never enough!

2. A perfect Saturday afternoon is…?

Picking up croissants from the bakery and reading Monocle at the coffee shop.

3. Name something you think is overrated.

NFTs.

4. What emoji do you use the most?

This is a tough one, I love using emojis to communicate—80% of my texts include emojis. I probably mostly use the thumbs-up emoji! 👍

5. So, what do you do at Wrk?

As the Head of Wrk Action Product and Partnerships, I simply ensure that our platform has the Wrk Actions that meet the needs of our target users and clients while making sure that they are easy to use and configure. I also find the right solutions and partners to power our Wrk Actions.

6. What’s your favourite restaurant in Toronto?

Byblos on Duncan.

7. How do you deal with a stressful environment?

Very deep breaths 5…4…3…2..1. If accessible, a very cold shower always helps.

8. What is the last book you read?

Like Streams to the Ocean by Jedidiah Jenkins.

9. What can you not live without?

My iPhone!

10. Describe Wrk in 3 words…

Insanely. Simple. Automation.

11. What is the best thing about working from home?

Not commuting to an office, I dread the energy on public transportation in the morning—almost everyone seems like they were kicked out of their bed.

12. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

I love to travel, so definitely the power to teleport.

13. Your top 3 dinner guests (dead or alive) and why?

Ernest Shakelton: To hear stories about his endurance expedition, which aimed to complete the first land crossing of Antarctica. But it failed entirely in this aim and is instead remembered as an incredible survival story.

Zaha Hadid: Famous for her intensely futuristic architecture characterized by curving facades and sharp angles. She took the strongest materials in the world and manipulated them to form objects that appear soft and sturdy at the same time. I would like to discuss one of my favourite projects of hers, the design of her Riverside Museum in Glasgow with a zig-zagging, zinc-clad roof.

Dennis Paphitis: the founder of one of my favorite brands, Aesop. We will most probably have a conversation about product formulation and development, and fragrance design.

14. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Waking up to construction noise.

15. What is your dream vacation?

Exploring the Amazonian jungle (Peruvian and Brazilian side).

16. What is the last movie you watched?

Umma - it's a family trauma movie mixed with a bit of supernatural.

17. What TV series could you watch multiple times?

The Office and Killing Eve.

18. If you were given the chance to travel back in time, what time period would it be and where would you go?

Ancient Greece is absolutely fascinating to me. Such a remarkable society that truly was incredibly forward in design, architecture, and engineering.

19. What is your favourite podcast?

The Urbanist by Monocle discusses making better cities, be it new technology, state-of-the-art subways, or legacy city planning and design. The last episode I heard was about London’s Mail Rail, which delivered letters beneath the feet of Londoners until the early 2000s.

20. What is your favourite season?

Fall. Light sweater weather, the changing colors, and comfort food!

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