Why developing people will be just as important as investing in technology
By Hani Attia, General Manager, KSA & Bahrain, John Crane
Saudi Arabia is in the midst of one of the most ambitious industrial transformations anywhere in the world.
Driven by Vision 2030, the Kingdom is investing heavily in advanced manufacturing, localisation, digitalisation and infrastructure, creating new opportunities across industries that will shape its future economy. New facilities are being built, industrial capability is expanding and supply chains are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Technology will undoubtedly play a critical role in that transformation. But technology alone will not determine its success. The businesses that thrive over the next decade will be those that develop the people capable of leading that change.
Across industry, the demands placed on leadership are evolving rapidly. Organisations are operating in an environment shaped by global supply chain disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, changing customer expectations and accelerating technological innovation.
Leaders are expected to make faster decisions, build more resilient organisations and create greater value with increasing efficiency. That requires a different mindset.
Technical expertise
Technical expertise remains fundamental, but it is no longer enough on its own. Today’s industrial leaders must also be collaborative, adaptable and committed to continuous learning. They need to understand customers as well as operations, build trusted relationships across functions and create environments where talented people can grow.
These changes are reshaping every part of industrial businesses, including procurement.
Once viewed primarily as a commercial function, procurement has become central to operational resilience and business performance. Decisions made by procurement teams influence supplier partnerships, production continuity, localisation programmes and ultimately the ability to serve customers effectively.
The role has become increasingly strategic because supply chains have become increasingly strategic. That is something we experience every day at John Crane.
Long-term partnerships
Our customers operate some of the world’s most demanding industrial environments, where reliability, operational performance and long-term partnerships are essential. Supporting those customers requires close collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, operations, commercial teams and procurement.
No single function succeeds in isolation. That collaborative approach is becoming one of the defining characteristics of modern industrial leadership. It is also changing how organisations develop future leaders.
Increasingly, the strongest leaders are those who understand the wider business rather than only their own specialism. Experience across different functions develops broader commercial awareness, stronger communication skills and a better understanding of how decisions affect customers.
Appointment
One recent example within John Crane is the appointment of Bedour Bubshait as Regional Procurement Manager. Bedour’s career did not begin in procurement. She joined the business in Customer Service, where she developed a deep understanding of customer expectations before moving into procurement and progressing through increasingly responsible leadership roles.
That experience provided something many leadership development programmes seek to achieve: an appreciation that every business decision ultimately influences the customer. Her appointment reflects the value of developing talent from within, encouraging continuous learning and providing opportunities for people to broaden their experience before moving into leadership positions.
It also reflects another important change taking place across Saudi Arabia. As industrial investment continues, more women are building careers across manufacturing, engineering, supply chain and industrial operations, contributing new perspectives and strengthening the talent pipeline available to employers across the Kingdom.
For organisations, this is not simply about representation. It is about ensuring the widest possible pool of talent has the opportunity to contribute, innovate and lead. Industrial transformation depends on diversity of thought just as much as investment in technology.
Artificial intelligence
Looking ahead, technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation and advanced analytics will continue to reshape industrial operations. These tools will make organisations more efficient, more connected and more informed.
Yet the qualities that define outstanding leaders are unlikely to change. Curiosity. Integrity. Resilience. The ability to build trust. The willingness to keep learning. These remain the characteristics that enable people to lead teams through uncertainty and help organisations adapt to an increasingly complex world.
As Saudi Arabia continues its industrial journey, businesses have an opportunity to rethink not only how they invest in technology, but how they identify, develop and support the next generation of leaders; because while technology will shape the future of industry, it is people who will ultimately define it.
