My name is Khurram Majeed, and I currently serve as the Executive Vice President for the Middle East, Caspian, and Africa at Bureau Veritas, a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services. I have the honor of leading operations across 78 countries, overseeing the work and wellbeing of 8,000 employees across this diverse and dynamic region.
Leadership, for me, is not just a title—it’s a journey built on experience, challenge, and continuous evolution. Over the past 24 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the world’s most respected companies—including Engro and General Electric—before joining Bureau Veritas. My career has taken me across six countries—UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the USA—each offering new lessons, perspectives, and opportunities to grow.
Living and working in different parts of the world taught me much more than corporate strategies or operational execution. It taught me how to adapt, how to lead across cultures, and how to listen before speaking. It challenged me to rethink my assumptions, and above all, it shaped the core of my leadership style: a blend of authenticity, humility, resilience, and cross-cultural awareness.
At the start of my career, I was fortunate to be surrounded by inspiring leaders—each with their own unique style and philosophy. I treated every interaction as a chance to learn. From strategic thinkers to hands-on operators, from charismatic motivators to quiet, empathetic mentors, I observed, absorbed, and reflected.
Yet, while I learned from many, I knew I had to develop a leadership identity true to my own values. That identity has been shaped by both challenge and curiosity—by navigating cultural differences, switching between P&L leadership roles and functional roles, and learning to succeed in matrix-based global organizations.
Functional roles taught me discipline, structure, and the importance of specialized expertise. P&L roles taught me accountability, strategy, and how to manage complexity with a people-first lens. Together, they developed the muscles of a well-rounded leader—someone who can both roll up their sleeves and take a high-level strategic view.
Leadership today is no longer about command and control. It is about inspiring followership through purpose and authenticity. In 2025 and beyond, effective leaders must be vulnerable enough to admit what they don’t know, confident enough to lead through uncertainty, and empathetic enough to win hearts and minds—not just outcomes.
At the heart of my leadership philosophy are five core principles that guide how I think, act, and lead every day:
- Ethics and Integrity – In a global business environment, where decisions affect thousands of lives, integrity isn’t negotiable—it’s the foundation.
- Accountability – Leadership is about owning the outcome, both in success and failure. It’s about standing by your team and holding yourself to the highest standards.
- Customer Focus – Everything we do must create value for our customers. Listening, understanding, and delivering on their needs is key to long-term trust.
- Effective Communication – In a multicultural environment, communication is not just about clarity—it’s about emotional intelligence, empathy, and being present.
- Growth Mindset – I believe in always learning. Every experience, every challenge is an opportunity to stretch and improve.
One value that especially drives me is diversity. I have witnessed first-hand how diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones. Diversity isn’t just about representation—it’s about perspective, creativity, and better decision-making. At Bureau Veritas, I champion building gender-diverse teams, because women bring different, often complementary ways of thinking that enrich collaboration and innovation.
Equally important is national diversity. Hiring people from the same background or nationality can be comfortable—but it limits growth. In global organizations, we need voices from across cultures to reflect the world we operate in. When managed right, diversity doesn’t divide—it multiplies strength.
Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate that leadership is not a destination—it’s a marathon, not a sprint. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I offer younger professionals is simple: take care of yourself.
The pressure to perform, achieve, and lead can be relentless. But none of it is sustainable without mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Make time for your health, your passions, and your people. Leadership requires stamina, and stamina comes from balance.
I also remind young leaders not to be afraid of setting ambitious goals. As the saying goes, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.” Be bold. Dream big. And be prepared to fail, learn, and rise stronger.
Finally, success should never come at the cost of your values. As leaders, we have a responsibility not just to deliver results, but to model character, champion ethics, and uplift others. That is what builds lasting trust and impact.
