Author: theciotimes

The QBIPOC community embodies resilience, courage, and authenticity. They know what it’s like to have to advocate for the future they want because they have had to fight for rights that others take for granted: the right to marry, to live openly without fear, to be recognized in life and law. With the help of Fern Connections CEO, Daphney Poyser, this time around Poyser is leading the charge towards battling for something else meaningfully heartening: the chance for love, for all.

Before becoming a Certified Matchmaker and Date & Relationship Coach, Daphney spent over 25 years working in Information Technology (IT) Project Management. She has worked with Fortune 500 Companies, namely, J P Morgan Chase, American Airlines, and more. In addition to being an IT Project Manager, Poyser spent years spearheading philanthropic initiatives for various marginalized communities within the tech space such as Women and African-Americans. Alongside these initiatives, she led leadership teams focused on youth mentorship for children who had aspirations to work in STEM but weren’t afforded the same opportunities to do so as their other peers.

After leaving Corporate America she decided to take a leap of faith and merge her love for helping others with her commitment to breaking down barriers for marginalized communities, and founded Fern Connections. Inspired and influenced by her background, she made it her mission to find a way to boldly assist in helping individuals and organizations learn how to embrace the power of connection.

Emphasizing the importance of building meaningful, lasting connections, encouraging radical authenticity, and demonstrating that by learning to love and accept both ourselves and others, new possibilities emerge, including opportunities once thought unimaginable.

Mission-led Venture

Fern Connections was founded in 2020 following a deeply personal experience within the matchmaking industry that left its founder feeling dismissed and discriminated against on the basis of her age, ethnicity, and body type rather than being evaluated through her character and intrinsic value overall. Determined to change that narrative, the company was built with a clear mission: to serve the LGBTQIA+ and Ally community by helping individuals embrace their worth, find love, and recognize themselves as the deserving, lovable, and dateable individuals they truly are, no matter how society may attempt to diminish them based on their gender, sexuality, age, or other biases.

Over time, Fern Connections has expanded its services to meet the evolving needs of its community. Today, it supports singles and couples across North America with matchmaking, date coaching, and relationship coaching. Beyond personal relationships, the company has extended its impact into business matchmaking, coaching, and event planning, empowering LGBTQIA+ and Ally-owned organizations and nonprofits to foster meaningful, authentic connections within their teams and with like-minded partners nationwide.

At its core, Fern Connections stands as a testament to resilience, inclusivity, and the belief that love and belonging should never be limited by societal prejudice.

Uniting Souls

For many people, finding someone who is mutually interested in going out on a date can be a challenge. The added challenges come in regards to the date itself. Everyone wants to leave a good impression on the person they’re on a date with, but knowing how to do so, what to say, and what not to say can feel overwhelming. This is where services like Fern Connections come in.

They are the support system helping their clients learn how to build meaningful connections and leave positive, lasting impressions. They are the bridge between helping you get from where you are to where you want to be in your dating journey. Beyond serving as representatives behind the scenes and acting as intermediaries between clients and their potential matches, Fern Connections goes a step further by arranging every first date, virtual or in person. This thoughtful support even extends to second dates, where the team’s guidance is encouraged but never imposed, allowing clients the freedom to choose how they wish to move forward.

At its heart, Fern Connections is dedicated to giving clients the best possible experience when meeting someone new. While the team does not believe in guiding every step of a relationship, what truly sets their matchmaking apart is the unwavering support clients receive. Each individual has someone in their corner cheering them on, preparing them with care, and ensuring that their first steps into new connections feel exciting, affirming, and filled with possibility.

Care is the Best Gift

Fern Connections has always devoted significant time and care to truly understanding the community it serves, recognizing the unique needs and experiences that shape their approach to matchmaking and coaching. The vision is not only to help clients find love but also to ensure they leave the process as stronger, more self-assured individuals than when they first arrived. While the hope is always that clients may find lasting partnerships through the matches made, the deeper goal is to equip them with the tools and confidence to build meaningful relationships wherever life may take them.

This philosophy is reflected in the company’s holistic approach. Matchmaking is never reduced to simply arranging a few dates and moving on. Instead, clients are invited into a year-long journey that blends introductions with ongoing coaching, monthly check-ins, and even practical exercises designed to strengthen new skills. Through this process, clients are supported not just in meeting potential partners but in preparing themselves for the kind of long-term, fulfilling relationships they aspire to have.

At its core, Fern Connections believes this combination of guidance, growth, and genuine care is one of the greatest gifts it can offer, helping clients feel seen, supported, and truly ready to embrace love when it comes their way.

Worthiness Redefined

From its very inception, the company envisioned working with individuals across the United States. An essential part of that mission was implementing a strong, accessible, and virtual-forward business model. With roots in the technology industry and years of experience in digital workspaces, the founder believed that if people could collaborate productively in virtual rooms, the same potential existed for singles exploring meaningful connections online.

Launching during the COVID-19 pandemic provided an immediate opportunity to put this idea into practice. Virtual dating quickly proved its value, and even today, nearly 80% of clients begin their journeys with online first dates. Beyond convenience, this approach has become a powerful way to promote safety and inclusivity, especially for individuals who are differently-abled or those who feel more comfortable building trust virtually before meeting in person.

For the team, success has never been measured solely by numbers or speed. Instead, it is defined by the heartfelt stories clients share of finding love, gaining confidence, and realizing they are worthy of meaningful relationships. This is why every service, from coaching to matchmaking, is designed with a minimum time frame: to allow people the space to grow, to prepare, and to embrace love fully.
At its core, the company’s mission is not just to arrange matches but to help individuals feel confident, prepared, and deserving of love, ensuring they are equipped to build healthy, lasting connections when the right person comes along.

Strategic Support

The team at Fern Connections often describes their work as a daily fight for love, a commitment to creating opportunities for people to find meaningful connections, no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from. For them, inclusivity is not just a value but a guiding principle. While not universally embraced, they believe it is far easier and far more powerful to be inclusive rather than exclusive. From a business standpoint, this approach has allowed them to engage with underrepresented communities that many organizations overlook, enabling the company to scale in meaningful and distinctive ways.

As their marketing manager often says, “We work with everybody, but not just anybody.” That phrase captures the essence of their mission. While the company opens its doors widely, it also maintains clear standards rooted in their core values: inclusivity, safety, and kindness. To truly provide a safe and supportive environment, especially in something as personal as matchmaking and coaching, they recognize that it is sometimes necessary to turn away individuals who do not align with those commitments.

This balance, welcoming diversity while safeguarding the well-being of their clients, has not only strengthened their company culture but also made it possible for people to feel genuinely safe and vulnerable as they entrust Fern Connections with their search for love. Their unwavering dedication to practicing inclusivity each day has been the cornerstone of their growth, shaping the business into what it is today.

The Nurturing Spirit

Daphney’s philosophy on how others should be treated, both personally and professionally, is deeply rooted in her own values. She believes in leading with kindness, consideration, honesty, and genuine understanding. As an Ally, she is passionate about uplifting people in every sphere of her life, whether it’s supporting clients, empowering her team, or standing beside her community. For her, respect and empathy are not just guiding principles, but everyday practices that shape the way she shows up for others.

The Future Outlook

What Daphney envisions for the future of the matchmaking industry is a space where companies are courageous enough to ask people about their sexuality, to truly listen, and to learn from what is shared. More importantly, she hopes to see individuals from marginalized communities afforded the same respect and validation as clients who are straight, white, and cisgender.

To her, building a meaningful relationship goes far beyond physical attraction. It is about creating a foundation strong enough to sustain a shared life, one built on kindness, shared values, mutual goals, and the ability to weather every season of emotion together. Looks alone will never be enough to carry love forward.

The organization’s commitment lies in championing a spectrum of acceptance and inclusivity because that is what true love requires. If people take away anything from their work, they want it to be this: your appearance, age, gender, or sexuality are not the most important things about you, and they should never be the most important things to your partner either. What matters is connection, respect, and the courage to build a life worth living together. In this, they strive to lead by example, showing the world that inclusivity and authenticity are the cornerstones of lasting love.

Aspiring Change

The change Daphney most hopes to see and one she believes is already taking root is organizations taking real, actionable steps to redefine what it means to embrace diversity and inclusion across the full spectrum of DEI. To her, it is disheartening that some organizations still choose to limit or exclude individuals for reasons unrelated to credibility or qualification. As she sees it, such practices not only harm individuals but also hold entire industries back.

She believes firmly that the future is diverse and inclusive. For leaders and entrepreneurs, this means adapting to what lies ahead rather than clinging to outdated models of the past. Comfort in old ways may feel safe, but it does not leave room for progress. True innovation cannot flourish in spaces where voices are silenced or perspectives are ignored.

In her view, the responsibility of future-focused leaders is clear: to open the door to reimagination, to cultivate environments where inclusion fuels growth, and to recognize that sustainable success will only be achieved when every voice is given space to shape what comes next.

The Flagbearers

As proud Allies of the LGBTQIA+ community, their commitment to advocacy extends far beyond the framework of their business and into their daily lives. For Fern Connections, building and sustaining healthy partnerships is not only vital to their company’s success but also reflective of a deeper truth: no business thrives in isolation. The trust the LGBTQIA+ community has placed in them over the years has been the foundation on which their work continues to grow.

One of the ways they honor that trust is through their partnership with Dallas Hope Charities, a DFW-based nonprofit dedicated to providing food, shelter, and life-assisting services for LGBTQIA+ youth across the metroplex. This collaboration is more than philanthropic; it is a visible demonstration of their belief that inclusivity must be lived, not just promised. By organizing events, connecting donation partners, and supporting outreach efforts, they work to help ensure young people in need have access to housing and critical resources.

Their philosophy has always been to inspire through action. Supporting Dallas Hope Charities allows them to live out that belief in a way that impacts lives today while helping to build a stronger, more inclusive future. For them, showing up for the present moment, doing what they can, for as long as they can, is not just a responsibility, but a privilege.

Unconditional Support

Daphney aspires that in the next five years, more people will know about Fern Connections and take inspiration from what the firm does, who they are, and the passion they have for their job. She wants to instill the belief that love is for everyone and that no matter how tough it may seem to find love, organizations like theirs are always there to support. She also wants people to understand that there will always be people out there who are looking for love, and if they’re willing to look for it, it will find them too.

Favorite Quote

Daphney shared that one of her favorite quotes is, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” She highlights that one of the most fundamental things in business is to ensure that people know that one wants their business, and she believes that if an individual truly wants something, they must ask for it.

Digital Magazine Link: Empowering Love – The Woman Breaking Barriers in Modern Matchmaking

“With two decades of expertise spanning logistics, AI, and enterprise systems, Abdullah AbuSido is rewriting the rules of digital transformation in the Middle East’s fast-moving consumer sector.”

Abdullah AbuSido is a transformative force behind enterprise-wide innovation at Abudawood Group—a diversified international conglomerate and premier distributor of global brands like Procter & Gamble, Ferrero, and Quaker. As Director of Business Applications, he is spearheading a digital evolution that transcends traditional logistics, weaving agility and intelligence into every layer of operations, sales, finance, and supply chain. His approach redefines how data, AI, and business intelligence converge to tackle real-world challenges across functions and geographies, setting a new benchmark for tech-enabled growth in FMCG.

Abdullah is known to blend deep domain expertise in supply chain technology with strategic oversight in trade promotion, financial analytics, and commercial operations. His leadership has been pivotal in deploying AI-powered platforms that streamline planning, enhance visibility, and synchronize execution across five key markets: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, and Bahrain. Under his guidance, Abudawood is transitioning into a data-driven, automated ecosystem—one that empowers teams, elevates customer experience, and fuels sustainable growth.

In recognition of this transformation, Abdullah and the Abudawood Group were honored with the Boomi EMEA 2024 Customer Innovation Award, celebrated as one of the most innovative customers across the region. This accolade reflects the team’s pioneering work in API-led integrations, agile automation, and platform orchestration using Boomi, Power Platform, and OutSystems. Their efforts have enabled robust e-invoice integrations with tax authorities in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan—reinforcing compliance while accelerating digital maturity.

Abdullah’s strategic vision also encompasses geographic expansion and operational scalability. Through advanced warehouse management solutions—implemented in partnership with Infor—he’s optimizing replenishment, maximizing capacity, and enabling real-time control across Abudawood’s facilities. His cross-functional approach reflects a nuanced understanding of FMCG dynamics, from shelf-life and inventory management to sales forecasting and financial performance.

From Warehouse Floors to Digital Frontiers

Abdullah’s professional journey is a testament to the power of strategic evolution—where operational depth converges with technological foresight. Over the course of nearly two decades, he has cultivated a rare hybrid expertise that spans supply chain execution, enterprise systems, and AI-driven transformation. His path has been shaped by deliberate pivots, high-impact roles, and a consistent drive to translate complexity into clarity.

He began his career in 2006, deeply embedded in the logistics and distribution domain. Working across warehouse operations, inventory management, S&OP, demand planning, and third-party logistics oversight, Abdullah gained firsthand exposure to the mechanics of supply chain execution. This early phase instilled in him a discipline rooted in process efficiency, operational KPIs, and the realities of frontline constraints—an experience that would later inform his approach to digital systems.

By 2010, Abdullah transitioned into ERP implementation roles, bridging the gap between logistics and technology. Leading deployments of business systems across retail and supply operations, he saw how purpose-built tools could unlock orchestration, scalability, and cross-functional alignment.

Between 2014 and 2018, Abdullah’s scope expanded further as he took on leadership roles in SAP ERP initiatives, Microsoft Power Platform, and Boomi integration projects. His focus shifted toward enterprise-scale strategy—aligning IT governance, data architecture, and vendor ecosystems to support long-term transformation. During this period, he also began pioneering the integration of Generative AI with data analytics and process reengineering, creating intelligent workflows that could adapt to changing business conditions.

His expertise soon led him to be invited to contribute to digital transformation programs aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. These initiatives across government and semi-government entities enriched his experience and deepened his understanding of policy-driven innovation and the role of technology in national progress.

In recent years, Abdullah has taken on full responsibility for leading multi-stream proposals involving AI, automation, ERP modernization, and process integration—often in collaboration with global technology firms.

Today, as Director of Business Applications at Abudawood, Abdullah leads digital transformation across multiple geographies. His work integrates back-office ERP modernization with front-end supply chain innovation, deploying intelligent planning platforms, low-code workflow solutions, and regional data hubs that enable real-time decision-making powered by GenAI.

Throughout his journey, Abdullah has remained committed to mentorship, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning. Fluent in both the language of logistics and the lexicon of enterprise architecture, he stands as a bridge between strategy and execution—an architect of transformation in every sense.

Technology as a Strategic Lever

At the heart of Abdullah’s current mandate lies a clear objective: to align technology initiatives with Abudawood’s broader business strategy—one that spans market expansion, supply chain resilience, customer service excellence, and talent optimization across the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) landscape.

Abudawood Group is a diversified international conglomerate with a legacy dating back to 1935. Headquartered in Saudi Arabia, the company operates across the Middle East, Europe, and the USA, with a footprint in Sales & Distribution, Trading, Real Estate, Financial Investments, and Education & Training. As the exclusive distributor for global brands such as Procter & Gamble, Ferrero, Quaker, and Clorox, Abudawood delivers over 80 million cases annually to more than 260,000 stores, supported by a fleet of 1,500 vehicles and a workforce of over 4,000 employees. The company’s reach and scale demand a technology backbone that is both agile and deeply integrated.

As Director of Business Applications, Abdullah has architected a digital transformation strategy that touches every layer of the enterprise. One of his first major initiatives was the consolidation of disparate systems into a centralized ERP platform—streamlining procurement, finance, and inventory across multiple subsidiaries. This not only enhanced operational efficiency but also laid the groundwork for scalable growth.

To ensure seamless data flow and process automation, Abdullah introduced an orchestration layer powered by Boomi for secure API-led integrations and Microsoft Power Platform for agile front-office solutions and OutSystems for low-code, no-code in-house development. These tools have enabled rapid feature rollouts, improved data quality, and ensured compliance across markets.

Abdullah’s focus on AI and analytics has been equally transformative. He led the deployment of machine-learning-driven supply chain planning tools that support demand sensing, forecasting, and replenishment. Financial AI platforms like Hila Conversational Finance by VIANAI now deliver instant insights and have redefined financial analysis across the organization. These integrated tools collectively enable faster, data-informed decisions for leaders at every level.

Governance is another cornerstone of Abdullah’s approach. By implementing role-based access, audit tracing, and modular rollouts—from pilot to scale—he ensures that every technology deployment is aligned with change management protocols and local business buy-in. This is also why he introduced CTRL7—an enterprise IT asset management and infrastructure control platform—not because it’s a marquee name, but because it delivers the right functionality, visibility, and security at the right cost. Abdullah’s approach consistently favors fit-for-purpose solutions over flashy tech, ensuring every tool serves the business, not the other way around.

Beyond implementation, Abdullah plays a strategic advisory role. He partners with global firms to translate business strategies into actionable technology roadmaps. His ability to analyze complex technical trade-offs and their business implications helps leadership teams make informed investment decisions—whether for market entry, capacity scaling, or targeted automation.

Navigating Digital Complexity across a Diverse Footprint

Managing digital transformation across Abudawood’s diverse operational footprint—spanning Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, and Bahrain—requires more than just technical expertise. It demands a nuanced understanding of regulatory landscapes, cultural contexts, and legacy systems that vary dramatically from one market to another. Abdullah’s role in orchestrating this complexity is both strategic and deeply hands-on.

One of the most pressing challenges is data sovereignty and localization. Each country enforces its own regulatory framework, with specific mandates around data residency, file formats, and digital standards. These requirements necessitate tailored infrastructure strategies that balance compliance with performance.

Another layer of complexity arises from business process divergence. Over time, country offices have developed distinct operational workflows. These variations are not just procedural; they reflect local market dynamics, stakeholder expectations, and historical practices that must be respected while integrating systems.

Compliance and governance variance add further intricacy. Tax reporting, supply chain traceability, and import regulations differ across geographies, requiring highly configurable tax engines, localized reporting modules, and robust audit support. Abdullah’s approach ensures that these elements are not treated as afterthoughts but as core components of the digital architecture.

To address these challenges, Abdullah has implemented a central shared data model and API layer, which serves as the backbone of Abudawood’s digital ecosystem. This model is complemented by country-specific configurations that allow for flexibility without compromising standardization.

Additionally, local deployment pods—such as separate cloud tenants managed by regional system administrators—ensure that each market operates within its regulatory boundaries while remaining connected to the broader enterprise framework.

Technology for Success in FMCG Strategy

In the high-velocity world of fast-moving consumer goods, success hinges on three critical dimensions: speed, precision, and adaptability. For Abdullah, these aren’t abstract goals—they’re operational imperatives that shape every technology decision at Abudawood.

Speed is essential in a market defined by tight order-to-delivery windows, flash promotions, and rapidly shifting consumer demand. Abudawood leverages real-time inventory tracking and demand sensing models to preempt stock-outs and respond swiftly to market fluctuations. Integrated scanning systems and predictive analytics ensure that replenishment decisions are made proactively, not reactively.

Precision is equally vital. In a sector where inventory depletion, shrinkage, freshness, and expiration management can make or break profitability, Abdullah has championed the deployment of intelligent planning platforms. These systems monitor order accuracy, shelf-life, and product rotation with granular control—minimizing waste and maximizing service levels.

Adaptability, meanwhile, is the backbone of Abudawood’s multi-channel distribution strategy. The company’s systems are designed to be elastic. Dynamic route optimization tools, integrated with fleet management platforms and third-party carriers, allow for automated route planning, real-time tracking, and exception handling—all managed through unified digital platforms.

To support promotional agility, Abdullah led the development of ERP-integrated rules engines that automate tiered pricing, volume discounts, and trade program execution. This reduces manual error and accelerates go-to-market timelines, especially during seasonal campaigns and product launches.

Customer-facing technology is also a priority. Abudawood has launched enhanced order entry and tracking portals for distributors and retailers, streamlining order windows and enabling real-time feedback. These platforms not only improve operational efficiency but also strengthen partner relationships across key categories.

Legacy Modernization

At Abudawood Group, digital transformation isn’t a response to scale—it’s a strategic aspiration to eliminate manual processes and embed intelligence across every business function. Abdullah’s approach to modernization is rooted in a clear philosophy: preserve what works, automate what doesn’t, and continuously evolve toward an AI-driven enterprise.

Rather than pursuing change for the sake of size, Abdullah initiated a comprehensive modernization journey to unlock agility, accuracy, and speed across departments—from finance and HR to sales, trade promotion, and supply chain. His team engineered traceable ETL pipelines to retain institutional knowledge, ensuring that historical data, audit trails, and versioning remained intact even as legacy systems gave way to smarter platforms.

Transformation followed a modular rollout strategy, with new systems introduced in waves and legacy interfaces temporarily retained to ease adoption. But the real shift came with the integration of AI and machine learning—not just in planning, but across core processes. Forecasting, demand sensing, financial modeling, and promotional analytics were all reimagined through intelligent algorithms that learn, adapt, and improve over time.

These tools operate within dynamic feedback loops, empowering business users to validate assumptions, refine models, and drive continuous improvement. Abdullah’s vision is not about chasing the latest tech trend—it’s about selecting fit-for-purpose solutions that deliver real value, at the right cost, and with minimal disruption.

This transformation reflects a deeper commitment: to build a future-ready organization where data flows seamlessly, decisions are insight-driven, and every process—from procurement to performance management—is powered by intelligence.

Business Applications as Engines of Agility and Customer Experience

In Abdullah’s view, business applications are far more than operational tools—they are the connective tissue between digital infrastructure and customer satisfaction. At Abudawood, these platforms play a pivotal role in delivering agility across the supply chain while elevating the customer experience in every interaction.

One of the most impactful contributions of business applications is order visibility and responsiveness. Through client-facing portals, customers gain real-time access to order status, proof of delivery, returns handling, and stock availability. This transparency not only builds trust but also reduces the volume of follow-up inquiries, allowing teams to focus on proactive service rather than reactive troubleshooting.

To maintain agility in inventory management, Abdullah has implemented systems that enable predictive rebalancing across distribution zones. These applications analyze demand shifts and reroute inventory accordingly—helping avoid dead stock, minimize shortages, and ensure optimal product availability across markets.

Trade programs and promotions are another area where business applications deliver measurable impact. Abdullah’s team has automated rebate settlements and promotional pricing through ERP-integrated rules engines. Customers receive accurate invoice credits and rebate allocations without delays, boosting loyalty and reducing the time spent resolving disputes.

Customer support is also streamlined through Power Platform-based help desks and feedback mechanisms. These tools escalate issues directly to logistics or Sales DOA levels, with SLA tracking dashboards that ensure accountability and timely resolution. The result is a support system that’s not only responsive but also deeply integrated with operational workflows.

Embedding Data and Gen AI Across the Enterprise for Intelligent Operations

For Abdullah, data is not just a tool—it’s the connective tissue of the enterprise. His strategy transforms decision-making into a synchronized, insight-driven engine that spans logistics, sales, inventory, and beyond. Every function becomes a node in a living, learning ecosystem.

At Abudawood, data intelligence is embedded through:

Cross-Functional BI Dashboards: Unified dashboards deliver real-time visibility into KPIs across geographies and categories. Stakeholders can drill down by product, customer segment, or time frame—enabling granular insights and faster pivots.

Integrated Planning & Sales Modules: Commercial, supply chain, and demand teams operate from a single source of truth. Master data governance ensures consistency, while audit-ready layers support compliance and traceability.
Collaborative Decision Hubs: Weekly syncs between logistics, finance, procurement, and sales are powered by shared dashboards. These forums drive agile course corrections and foster a culture of accountability.

Mobile Access & Alerts: Country managers receive real-time alerts—stock-outs, demand surges, or pricing anomalies—and can act instantly via mobile workflows, keeping operations responsive and resilient.

Digital Ontology & Shared Glossaries: Terms like “promotion uplift” and “order lead time” are codified across regions, ensuring semantic clarity in reporting and benchmarking.

Gen AI-Powered Business Interfaces: Abdullah has pioneered the use of conversational AI platforms like hila Conversational Finance, enabling business users to “talk to their data.” These interfaces dramatically reduce analysis time, simplify tech stacks, and empower teams to extract strategic insights without technical barriers.

This fusion of structured data and generative intelligence marks a new era in enterprise operations—where decisions are not just informed, but accelerated. Under Abdullah’s leadership, Abudawood is not just data-driven; it’s insight-native.

Strategic Innovation: Where AI Meets Business Optimization

For Abdullah, innovation is not a technical exercise—it’s a business imperative. His philosophy centers on the strategic fusion of AI and enterprise operations, where every digital initiative is designed to optimize cost, elevate performance, and unlock latent value across the organization.

Rather than treating innovation as a standalone IT function, Abdullah embeds it within the business strategy. His approach begins by identifying high-impact touchpoints—whether in sales, finance, trade promotion, or supply chain—and reengineering them through machine learning and data-driven automation. The goal is clear: eliminate manual friction, accelerate decision-making, and drive measurable outcomes.

This transformation is not about deploying flashy tools—it’s about maximizing ecosystem utilization. Abdullah leverages existing platforms, integrates modular AI capabilities, and ensures that every system enhancement aligns with business KPIs. From predictive analytics in demand planning to intelligent workflows in financial reconciliation, each initiative is calibrated to reduce overhead and improve agility.

Change management plays a pivotal role. Abdullah champions a culture of adoption, not disruption—where business users are co-creators in the innovation journey. Training, feedback loops, and iterative rollouts ensure that new capabilities are embraced and refined in real time. Governance isn’t just oversight—it’s strategic alignment, with cross-functional steering guiding every milestone.

In this model, operational stability is not compromised—it’s redefined. AI becomes a stabilizing force, enabling proactive monitoring, anomaly detection, and self-healing systems that adapt to business dynamics.

KPIs for Digital Transformation to Measure Impact

For Abdullah, digital transformation isn’t just about deploying new technologies—it’s about delivering measurable value across the enterprise. His KPI framework blends quantitative precision with qualitative insight, ensuring that every initiative is tracked for real-world impact. The framework includes:

Customer Service Levels (OTIF): On-time in-full delivery percentages, return rates, order accuracy.

Inventory Metrics: Days of inventory, forecast accuracy, stock-out rates, inventory turnover ratio.

Operational Efficiency: Order-to-fulfillment cycle time, average order processing time, warehouse docking efficiency.

Adoption & Usability: Number of users on new workflows, training completion rates, issue logs, and resolution times.

Financial Impact: Working capital reduction, cost-per-order, promotional benefit optimization, and audit compliance rates.

Innovation Velocity: Time taken from requirement intake to digital solution delivery (e.g., Power Apps dashboard).

Data Quality: Reconciliation error rates, master data unification scores, and exception reconciliation volumes.

This holistic KPI framework mirrors best practices across industries, where success is defined not just by activity but by sustained business outcomes. Abdullah’s approach ensures that digital transformation remains accountable, agile, and aligned with strategic goals.

Trends in Supply Chain Digitization

Abdullah is closely aligned with the evolving landscape of supply chain digitization, and Abudawood is actively preparing for several transformative trends that promise to reshape operational agility and customer responsiveness. They’re actively preparing for—and investing in—the following trends:

Autonomous Planning Engines: Models that automatically adjust replenishment rules and reorder thresholds based on live demand signals and external factors.

Hyper-Personalization for Retail: Enabling micro-targeted promotions and assortment customization linked to client behavior and secondary sales.

Digital Twins: Building mirrored simulations of logistics networks to plan service level strategies or ‘what-if’ scenarios before execution.

Blockchain for Traceability: Piloting initiatives to tag high-value FMCG goods and track traceability across the region.

To support these innovations, Abudawood is investing in automation, smart warehousing, and end-to-end visibility, while building robust data infrastructure—including real-time feeds and BI overlays—that serve as the backbone for next-gen capabilities. These efforts reflect broader industry shifts toward adaptive, intelligent, and resilient supply chains.

Five-Year Vision: Shaping Strategy, Scaling Impact

Abdullah’s five-year vision reflects both personal ambition and organizational foresight—anchored in digital transformation, regional leadership, and sustainable growth.

His personal goal is to evolve into a recognized thought leader and regional strategist in digital supply chain transformation—a trusted advisor for Kingdom-level innovation programs, smart logistics clusters, and enterprise automation platforms. His approach to digital leadership goes beyond systems—it’s about building talent and strengthening ecosystems.

He’s launched IT cadet programs and rotational roles to develop Saudi technical capacity in line with Saudization goals. He believes strongly in the potential of local teams, noting that with the right mentorship and trust, they’ve delivered exceptional results in digital transformation. By partnering with global SaaS platforms and engaging with regional tech communities, he’s helping localize advanced capabilities. His team also supports tech literacy for underserved youth and works with small logistics businesses to digitize operations, extending impact beyond the enterprise.

As for the company, over the next five years, Abudawood aims to be:

Digitally Synergized Across Markets: Deploying a fully unified ERP and analytics infrastructure across all operational geographies, while maintaining region-specific agility.

Point-to-Point Automated Supply Motion: Enabling seamless movement from factory loading to last-mile delivery through IoT, predictive routing, and smart warehousing.

Data-Enabled Commercial Excellence: Driving personalized client engagement and trade planning powered by real-time analytics and AI-based recommendations.

Operational Model for Scaling: Establishing a modular playbook for system rollouts in new markets—accelerating growth in emerging geographies.

Sustainability & Social Impact: Leveraging digital systems to measure and reduce carbon footprint per SKU, enhance cold-chain efficiency, and support national food security programs.

This vision positions both Abdullah and Abudawood at the forefront of regional innovation—where digital excellence meets strategic impact.

“The future of isn’t just digital—it’s human. It’s built by empowered teams, guided by data, and driven by purpose. If we invest in talent and trust the process, the region’s tech evolution will be unstoppable,” concludes Abdullah.

Quote: “Innovation is not about inventing something new—it’s about enabling people to work better. This quote keeps me grounded on the human side of transformation—the real ROI of any project is how it empowers people, improves outcomes, and enables continuity.”

Quote: “My journey from ground-level logistics to enterprise-level digital orchestrator reflects a deep belief in aligning operational discipline with technical architecture.”

Quote: “At Abudawood, our strategy is rooted in data, agility, and human-centered transformation—serving not just consumers and partners, but national goals connected to Vision 2030.”

Digital Magazine Link: The 5 Best Dynamic Leaders To Watch In 2025

Life for Relief and Development (LIFE)is a global humanitarian organization headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, USA. Established in 1992, LIFE is dedicated to alleviating human suffering and providing essential aid to people in need, regardless of race, gender, religion, or cultural background. Over the past three decades, LIFE has distributed over $595 million in humanitarian aid across more than 55 countries.

LIFE’s mission encompasses a wide range of services, including emergency relief, orphan sponsorship, health and wellness programs, water and sanitation projects, and community development initiatives. The organization prides itself on its transparency and accountability, holding a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. With a consultative status at the United Nations, LIFE continues to make significant strides in supporting vulnerable communities worldwide.

Global Initiatives

Under the leadership of its President/CEO, Dr. Hany Saqr, LIFE has expanded its reach to 55 countries and growing its programs to aid more people. The organization has distributed nearly $600 million in aid, earned a 99% rating on Charity Navigator, and is recognized as one of the top humanitarian organizations in the U.S.

LIFE’s key focus areas include emergency relief, education, healthcare, clean water, orphan sponsorship, refugee assistance and refugee assistance.

LIFE’s healthcare initiatives have had a profound impact, with over 16 million in medical aid distributed worldwide in 2023 alone. LIFE also partners with other major organizations to maximize its impact. For example, its partnership with World Medical Relief has seen 77 large shipping containers full of medical supplies distributed worldwide since 2018 which has helped over a million people have access to medical aid.

The organization’s clean water projects, including the construction of wells in underserved regions, have improved access to safe drinking water for countless communities. Over 11,000 orphans are currently sponsored through LIFE, emergency aid was provided to 27,000 people in 2023 and winter relief was given to 9,000 individuals this past winter, to name a few accomplishments.

Through Dr Saqr’s vision and leadership, LIFE continues to increase and elevate its humanitarian efforts, ensuring that each initiative not only addresses immediate needs but also creates a foundation for sustainable development, empowering communities to thrive in the long term.

A Humanitarian Leader

Dr. Hany Saqr’s professional journey began in medicine, where his focus was on individual patient care. After earning his medical degree, he transitioned into academia as a professor, teaching and mentoring young doctors.

Dr Saqr has lived and travelled all over the world. It was during this time that he saw so much suffering in the world and felt compelled to help. He knew that a larger impact could be made on entire communities.

His passion for education and healthcare fueled his interest in broader, systemic changes that could uplift underserved regions, as well as his many decades of work on the boards of many non-profit organizations.

The shift from academia to humanitarian work was a natural progression for Dr. Saqr. The opportunity to join Life for Relief and Development came at a crucial time when he was ready to move beyond the classroom and operating room to take on a leadership role that would allow him to address both immediate needs and long-term community development.

As President/CEO of LIFE, Dr. Saqr uses his medical background and academic experience to guide the organization in providing emergency relief, as well as sustainable development solutions in education, healthcare, and access to clean water.

The Leader’s Approach

What sets Dr. Hany Saqr apart as a leader is his unique blend of compassion and strategic thinking. With a background in medicine, he has always been driven by a desire to help people heal. Over time, however, he realized that true impact goes beyond individual treatment and requires addressing the root causes of challenges like poverty, education deficits, and healthcare crises.

Dr. Saqr’s guiding principles include collaboration, transparency, and innovation. Collaboration is essential in humanitarian work, as no single person or organization can tackle the world’s issues alone. He prioritizes partnerships with local communities, governments, and international agencies to amplify LIFE’s efforts. Transparency is equally important—he believes that donors, partners, and beneficiaries should have a clear view of how resources are utilized. Lastly, innovation drives LIFE’s mission forward, with the use of tools like satellite imagery for disaster/conflict assessment and making mobile classrooms being prime examples of thinking outside the box.

Treading through Challenges

One of the most significant challenges Dr. Saqr faced as a leader was during LIFE’s recent work in Gaza. The ongoing conflict made it difficult to provide consistent aid due to restricted access and overwhelming needs. At one point, medical supplies faced political and logistical roadblocks, delaying their delivery to the area.

To overcome this, Dr. Saqr adopted a persistent yet flexible approach. LIFE collaborated with local NGOs, developed new shipping routes, and partnered with international agencies that had different access permissions. Throughout the process, communication with donors was essential and a main priority, keeping them informed of the challenges and reassuring them of the continued efforts to provide aid. LIFE successfully delivered supplies and continues to today, proving its capacity to navigate in high-risk regions.

Making Significant Contributions to the Society

Much like the universe, which is in a constant state of expansion, Dr. Saqr believes that our journeys reflect this same principle on a smaller scale. For Dr. Saqr, life is about growth and evolution.

Taking Life for Relief and Development from its humble beginning to today, being one of the largest and most revered humanitarian organizations in the U.S.A., has been an incredible accomplishment for Dr. Saqr.

The more supporters, collaborations, projects, and countries that LIFE is able to reach, the more good it can do. It is for that reason that expansion continues to be a large focus of Dr. Saqr’s work and one of the greatest achievements in his career.

Fostering a Culture of Growth and Collaboration

At LIFE, Dr. Saqr encourages a culture of curiosity and flexibility. He believes innovation starts with asking questions and challenging the status quo.
Adaptability is also a key focus, given the ever-changing landscape of humanitarian work. Dr Saqr promotes a mindset of learning from setbacks and being ready to change courses when necessary.

This constant improvement and growth mindset means always asking, “How can we make our work even better?” which allows for a steady increase in the quality and effectiveness of LIFE’s work.

For personal growth, Dr. Saqr dedicates time to reading, attending leadership seminars, and networking with other leaders. He remains open to feedback, believing that there is always something new to learn.

Reflection is another important strategy for him. By taking time to evaluate what’s working and what can be improved, this continues to enhance his leadership abilities.
Additionally, mentoring others helps him solidify his understanding of leadership while encouraging critical thinking about his own style.

By emphasizing communication and trust Dr. Saqr ensures that his team feels heard and respected through regular meetings and an open-door policy. When people feel valued, they are more motivated and engaged in their work.

Collaboration is a key element of LIFE’s culture. Dr. Saqr encourages cross-departmental teamwork and provides opportunities for teams to share ideas. Celebrating successes, big and small, helps to build morale and builds a sense of collective achievement.

Taking Tough Calls

Dr. Saqr had to make a tough decision during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis affected every part of the globe, and LIFE was faced with a sudden surge in demand for relief across multiple regions. With healthcare systems collapsing and communities struggling with food shortages, the organization had to prioritize where and how to allocate its resources amidst global chaos.

Dr. Saqr approached the challenge by taking a strategic approach. He convened an emergency task force and relied on both internal experts and external partners, such as local health officials and global aid organizations, to gather information on the most critical regions and the resources required. The decision he had to make was whether to focus LIFE’s efforts on delivering medical supplies, like ventilators and PPE or to focus on food distribution in regions where starvation was becoming a critical issue due to lockdowns.

For the Leaders of Tomorrow

Dr Saqr advises aspiring leaders, “Leadership is about service, not titles or accolades.” He encourages them to remain adaptable while staying grounded in their core values. Collaboration is another critical component of success, as no leader succeeds alone. Surrounding oneself with people who challenge, support, and share a vision is key to achieving long-term goals.”
He also shares the qualities that a dynamic leader must possess like compassion, adaptability, and vision.

“Compassion drives a leader to care deeply for both their team and the people they serve, putting others ahead of himself.
Adaptability is essential in a world that changes rapidly, requiring leaders to be flexible and open to new approaches.
Vision sets great leaders apart, as it enables them to see the bigger picture and anticipate future challenges and opportunities.
A leader must also inspire their team with this vision, guiding everyone toward their common goal.”

Expanding the Impact

Looking ahead, Dr. Saqr envisions Life for Relief and Development expanding its reach and deepening its impact. With global challenges like world hunger, conflicts, and pandemics continuing to evolve, LIFE must be prepared to respond swiftly and efficiently. He envisions the organization innovating further in areas like portable education and 3D prosthetic printing, bringing previously inaccessible services to vulnerable populations.

Rapid Fires:

Favourite Book
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

One Word to Describe Personality
Compassionate

Most Important Lesson
Always listen more than you speak; understanding others is key to solving problems.

Favourite Productivity Hack
Prioritization—knowing what needs to be done now and what can wait.

Best Advice Received
Lead by example, not by instruction.

Favorite Quote
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Quote: “Life for Relief and Development is a global humanitarian organization dedicated to providing aid and development for vulnerable populations worldwide.”

Quote: “Seeing communities gain access to clean water or hearing children express their gratitude for educational supplies are the moments that truly move and drive him.”

Explore the full edition here: [link]

Enterprises today face a critical dilemma—how to maintain agility while ensuring airtight security in a cloud-first world. Traditional security models often slow down operations, creating friction where speed is essential.

Fortytwo.io eliminates this trade-off. With automated, scalable identity and access management solutions, the company empowers organizations to secure their cloud environments without sacrificing efficiency. By redefining how enterprises protect and manage digital assets, Fortytwo.io ensures seamless operations, allowing businesses to innovate with confidence.

As digital transformation accelerates, Fortytwo.io stands as a trusted partner, bridging security, efficiency, and innovation—so enterprises can thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

From Complexity to Clarity: Fortytwo’s Approach to Secure Cloud Operations

Businesses today struggle with fragmented identity and access management (IAM), manual processes, and increasing compliance risks. These inefficiencies not only slow operations but also expose organizations to security vulnerabilities and regulatory challenges.

Fortytwo removes this complexity with a unified, cloud-native platform that centralizes IAM, automates governance, and integrates seamlessly with existing systems. By consolidating these critical functions into a single, programmable layer, Fortytwo helps organizations reduce operational overhead, eliminate redundant tools, and enforce consistent security policies across their environments.

Scalability is built into the platform by Fortytwo. Whether operating in one market or across multiple regions, businesses can spin up new environments in minutes, not weeks, thanks to infrastructure defined in code and designed for repeatability.

Compliance is another key advantage. As regulatory requirements grow more stringent, Fortytwo embeds compliance controls directly into workflows, ensuring businesses remain audit-ready with minimal manual effort.

Most importantly, Fortytwo frees up internal teams to focus on innovation, customer experience, and market expansion—while ensuring their digital foundation remains secure, compliant, and optimized for growth.

Navigating the Complexities of Digital Transformation

Fortytwo was founded with a clear purpose: to give enterprises control over cloud identity and access management in a way that’s both secure and scalable. As the digital landscape evolved, businesses struggled to manage access across multiple platforms—creating inefficiencies and security risks.

The solution wasn’t just great technology—it was great people. Fortytwo’s team of consultants-turned-builders brings deep expertise, working side by side with clients in their workflows. Instead of relying on ticketing systems, they collaborate in real time through Slack and Teams, ensuring agility and trust.

Today, Fortytwo’s vision extends beyond identity management. The company helps clients build resilient, secure, and agile IT foundations that support long-term growth.

“We thrive alongside organizations that want to stay hands-on but need expert guidance when challenges arise,” says CEO Robert Darre-Nilsen.

A Game-Changing Approach to Identity & Access

At Fortytwo, Robert and his team are tackling one of the most pressing challenges in modern IT: getting identity and access right. At its core, this isn’t just a technical issue—it’s about trust. Who has access to what? Can you prove it? And can that trust scale as businesses grow or adopt new technologies like AI?

AI is transforming the landscape, accelerating innovation while simultaneously equipping cybercriminals with new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. Without rock-solid identity and access controls, organizations aren’t just at risk—they’re exposed. And for companies building AI responsibly, knowing exactly who is accessing their data and systems is non-negotiable.

That’s where Fortytwo.io comes in. The company delivers centralized, cloud-native identity and access management, ensuring businesses can scale securely. Its Managed XDR service goes beyond detection, enabling real-time threat response.

Meanwhile, Proactive Security Advisory helps organizations stay ahead of evolving risks, and Platform Engineering ensures security is embedded into infrastructure from day one.

What sets Fortytwo apart is its commitment to “alt i kode”—everything in code. Clients can define infrastructure, access policies, and security controls programmatically, making operations faster, more consistent, and infinitely scalable.

But Fortytwo isn’t just about deploying solutions—it’s about partnership. Whether working with municipalities, defense agencies, or global brands, the team ensures that security strategies evolve alongside their clients’ needs.
“We’re not just a vendor; we’re a partner,” says Robert.

Security and compliance shouldn’t be roadblocks—they should be enablers. Fortytwo helps businesses stay audit-ready, meet regulations like GDPR and NIS2, and still move fast. Because in today’s world, if you can’t move fast securely, you’re falling behind.

“And I think it’s worth mentioning—we were incredibly proud to be nominated as one of three finalists for Microsoft Security Partner of the Year in Norway for 2024. It’s a strong validation of the work we’re doing, especially in a space where trust, innovation, and execution really matter. For us, it’s not just about building secure systems—it’s about building long-term confidence in the digital future,” adds Robert.

Leading the Charge

As CEO, Robert’s role is to set the direction together with the team, shape the culture, and ensure they’re always moving forward with purpose. That means working closely with the leadership team, supporting the people, and staying deeply connected to the clients. He spends a lot of time thinking about how they can grow sustainably, how they can innovate without losing focus, and how they can be a true partner—not just a provider—for the companies they work with.

At Fortytwo, culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation for how they operate and make decisions. The team believes in transparency, trust, and autonomy. The teams are empowered to take ownership, challenge ideas, and move fast without unnecessary bureaucracy.

“When we make decisions, we do it collaboratively and with intention—balancing technical insight, business value, and cultural fit. That’s how we stay agile, aligned, and always ready for what’s next,” shares Robert.

Built on Values, Driven by Innovation

Innovation keeps it ahead of the curve. Whether it’s pioneering “alt i kode” (everything in code) to automate cloud security or redefining identity management, the company constantly pushes boundaries to create smarter, scalable solutions.

– Integrity ensures transparency and trust. From compliance with GDPR and NIS2 to working closely with clients in real-time collaboration tools like Slack and Teams, Fortytwo prioritizes honesty and accountability.

– Customer-centricity means it listens first and builds second. Its approach isn’t about dropping in a solution—it’s about embedding itself in workflows, ensuring security strategies evolve alongside business needs.

– Excellence is measured in outcomes. Whether it’s reducing operational overhead, eliminating security gaps, or earning recognition—like being a finalist for Microsoft Security Partner of the Year in Norway—Fortytwo delivers results that matter.

Fortytwo’s team—former consultants turned builders—wanted to break away from rigid IT structures. That mindset shaped a company where people feel ownership over their work and are encouraged to think boldly. Even the name, Fortytwo, is a nod to ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, a science fiction classic that reminds us that tech should be fun, purposeful, and a little rebellious.

Fortytwo also invests heavily in standardization and automation, delivering out-of-the-box modules for security and identity management. This removes complexity for clients and frees the teams to focus on solving real problems—not reinventing the wheel.

“At the end of the day, innovation at Fortytwo isn’t a buzzword. It’s how we stay relevant, deliver value, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the cloud,” sums up Robert.

Navigating Industry Challenges

The cybersecurity landscape is evolving rapidly, with threats becoming more sophisticated and well-funded. AI-driven phishing, zero-day exploits, and supply chain attacks are no longer isolated incidents—they’re part of a growing wave of cybercrime that demands a proactive, intelligence-led approach rather than traditional reactive security models.

At the same time, regulatory complexity is intensifying. Compliance isn’t just about meeting GDPR in Europe or CCPA in California—it’s a continuous process that requires businesses to adapt across multiple jurisdictions. For global enterprises, staying audit-ready while scaling securely is a constant challenge.

Security must also balance usability and speed. Fast-growing companies, especially those expanding internationally, often struggle with the tension between locking systems down and enabling innovation. If security becomes a bottleneck, teams find workarounds—introducing risk. The real challenge is building secure, compliant systems that remain developer-friendly and user-centric.

Finally, the talent gap looms large. The demand for skilled cloud engineers, security specialists, and compliance experts far exceeds supply, forcing companies to invest in upskilling their teams and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
“At Fortytwo, we tackle these challenges head-on by embedding security and compliance into our platform from day one, automating wherever possible, and maintaining a strong focus on developer experience. It’s not easy—but it’s essential for building resilient, scalable, and trustworthy digital services,” shares Robert.

The Evolving Industry and Its Trends

The digital landscape is shifting rapidly, with three key trends shaping the future:

– Cloud-Native & Zero-Trust Security: As businesses move away from traditional infrastructure, cloud-native architectures and zero-trust security models are becoming the standard. Organizations must ensure secure, flexible access without relying on outdated perimeter-based defenses.

– AI-Driven Automation & Identity Management: Machine learning is transforming identity and access management, enabling anomaly detection, automated decisions, and personalized access. As AI disrupts business processes, security must evolve to maximize opportunities while minimizing risks.

– Balancing Security & User Experience: Security can’t come at the cost of productivity. The future of cybersecurity lies in frictionless, user-centric solutions that empower teams to work securely without unnecessary barriers.
Robert and his team believe that modern identity and access management will be the key to navigating these shifts—ensuring businesses stay secure, agile, and ready for what’s next.

Blueprint for the Future

Fortytwo is continuously innovating to make identity management smarter, faster, and more intuitive. One of its latest developments is Identification Verification, designed to automate onboarding for new employees and external consultants. By leveraging well-known Nordic IdPs like BankID and MitID, Fortytwo ensures seamless, secure access to customer environments from day one.

Security is at the core of everything Fortytwo builds. The company embeds advanced encryption, automated compliance controls, and proactive risk management into its solutions—ensuring businesses stay protected without compromising agility. But beyond technology, Fortytwo is committed to strategic guidance, helping clients understand their risk profile, prioritize improvements, and stay ahead of evolving regulations.

“It’s not just about ticking boxes—it’s about building trust,” says Robert. “Our goal is to be the leading identity and access management partner and Infrastructure as Code provider in the Nordics—and beyond. We want to grow responsibly, continue innovating, and deepen our relationships with clients. More than success, we’re building something meaningful—a company where people are proud to work and where our impact extends far beyond the bottom line.”

The following need to be designed in the PDF version:

Quote: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. That quote from Steve Jobs really resonates with me. Passion fuels perseverance, and when you care deeply about your work, it shows—in the results, in the relationships, and in the culture you build.”

Quote: “Our solutions are especially valuable in regulated industries where security and traceability are non-negotiable.”

An Impactful Partnership

One of the client success stories Robert is most proud of is Fortytwo’s partnership with Attensi. They’re a fast-growing Norwegian tech company gone global, delivering game-based learning solutions globally. When they first met, Attensi was at a crossroads—growing fast, but with an IT setup that wasn’t scalable and heavily reliant on a few key persons. That’s a risky place to be.

Fortytwo stepped in and helped them modernize their infrastructure, reduce risk, and build a more resilient IT foundation. It didn’t just provide tools—it became an extension of Attensi’s team. Together, they identified cost savings of over 25%, improved security, and helped Attensi prepare for ISO certification and investor due diligence. Today, they’re stronger, more agile, and better positioned for global growth. That’s the kind of impact Fortytwo provides for its customers.

Explore the full edition here: The 5 Most Trusted Microsoft Partners To Watch In 2025

Business organizations and entrepreneurs have become conscious of the environmental hazards these days. There’s an increased quest to adopt sustainable innovation. Among them is Dr. Shailendra Singh, Chief Operating Officer at Zydex Group. His relentless pursuit of innovation, nurturing sustainability, and blending efforts towards a greener future caters to his corporate values. His professional journey is one of consistent learning, transformation, and leadership across the entire agribusiness spectrum. He has worked in every facet of the industry. His career trajectory has exposed him to supervising manufacturing floors to tackling leadership roles in sales, product development, research, regulatory affairs, and new technology deployment. Each phase has helped him shape his perspective on business growth and leadership.

Team building has been Dr. Shailendra’s most foundational experience. He has witnessed fruitful results by leading diverse teams, mentoring talent, and cultivating a culture of resilience and continuous improvement. He recalls training senior leaders in Lean Six Sigma, developing nine Black Belts across multiple manufacturing facilities, and empowering large field teams and channel partners to align with organizational strategy. These experiences reinforced his commitment to strategic planning, strengthened his emotional intelligence, and deepened his belief in providing stability during periods of change.

Cross-functional collaboration has played a defining role in his career. Working with government agencies, industry associations, and global business units honed his ability to build consensus, influence effectively, and deliver results in complex regulatory landscapes. Leading major Six Sigma initiatives in sales and marketing generated substantial business savings, reinforcing that operational excellence, when pursued rigorously, can simultaneously drive profitability and long-term impact.

Dr. Shailendra’s experience with diversified enterprises such as the Jubilant Bhartia Group deepened his respect for research-driven growth, while his early work at Savannah Seeds instilled the discipline to balance technological innovation with farmer-centric validation.

Now serving as COO of Zydex, he is guided by three core principles: resilience, authenticity, and empathy, believing that true leadership is not only about achieving business goals but also about creating enduring value for people, organizations, and communities.

Strategic Moves for Empowerment

A renowned polymer scientist, Dr. Ajay Ranka, founded Zydex in 1997. The vision is to be a global specialty chemicals company built on the principle of innovating sustainably and conserving resources for a better world. The cross-border operations cover 40 countries with more than 1,100 dedicated professionals skilled in diverse sectors like agriculture, textiles, roads, waterproofing, and paints.

Zydex has remained deeply committed to green chemistry, creating eco-friendly and non-hazardous technologies that are valued not just for their business impact but for the positive difference they make to society and the planet. The company’s work reflects a belief that innovation should serve people, communities, and the environment at the same time.

The Agricultural Division lives by the philosophy of “sustainable farming for nutritious, safe, and affordable food for all.” Backed by strong R&D, robust infrastructure, and global partnerships, Zydex turns science into practical solutions that help farmers while protecting natural resources.

The shift toward bio-farming was inspired by real challenges farmers face every day: declining soil health, falling water tables, and growing dependence on chemicals. Agriculture today is caught in a paradox: farmers must deliver more food of better quality even as ecological pressures increase. Zydex chose to lead change by introducing technologies that restore soil health, reduce chemical inputs, and improve both yields and farmer livelihoods.

At the heart of this effort is Prakalp Sanjivani (Project Farm Revival). Through organic-certified bio-fertilizers, soil conditioners, and advanced inoculation technologies such as mycorrhiza, NPK consortia, and zinc-solubilizing bacteria, farmers can move away from chemical fertilizers right from the first crop cycle. The results bring healthier soils and stronger farmer economics together.

For Zydex, this journey into bio-farming is more than a business strategy; it is a reflection of values: integrity, prudence, empathy, and sustainability. It represents a promise to farmers, communities, and future generations that agriculture can be productive, profitable, and sustainable at the same time.

Essential Parameters

Dr. Shailendra recognizes that soil health forms the very foundation of sustainable agriculture. It influences not only productivity and crop quality but also the resilience of farming systems against climate stress. Healthy soils can be assessed through several critical measures:

• Organic Carbon Content: The cornerstone of soil fertility, enhancing microbial activity, nutrient retention, and ecological balance.
• Microbial Diversity and Activity: A healthy soil is alive; microbial biomass, enzyme activity, and species diversity drive nutrient cycling and natural disease resistance.
• Porosity and Compaction Levels: Soil structure governs water infiltration, aeration, and root development, while compaction restricts growth and lowers yields.
• Nutrient Balance: Ongoing assessment of macro (N, P, K) and micro (zinc, boron, etc.) nutrients ensures balanced growth while preventing environmental harm.
• Water Retention and Infiltration: Critical in drought-prone regions, efficient water use safeguards both crops and ecosystems.
• pH and Electrical Conductivity: Key to nutrient availability and early detection of issues like salinity.
• Texture and Aggregate Stability: Determining the soil’s resistance to erosion and its ability to support roots.

At Zydex, these parameters guide the integration of soil health amendments and biological innovations designed to restore vitality, enhance resilience, and secure sustainable productivity for future generations.

Farmer-centric Magnitude

Innovation is measured by the value it creates on the farm. The company’s product development philosophy rests on three core pillars.

Rigorous science forms the foundation for every product that undergoes extensive R&D, multi-location field trials, and data-driven validation to ensure reliability. Equally important is farmer-centric design, where simple instructions, easy application methods, and continuous user feedback make technologies practical and accessible. Finally, through capacity building initiatives, training programs, field demonstrations, and digital learning modules, Zydex equips farmers and partners to confidently adopt new solutions.

This balanced approach ensures that every product remains both scientifically robust and farmer-friendly, enabling widespread adoption and meaningful impact in the field.

Bio-Farming Expansion

Zydex’s approach to scaling bio-farming across geographies and crop types is built on adaptability, collaboration, and innovation, explains Dr. Shailendra. The company has established demonstration farms, where local success stories inspire confidence and encourage wider adoption among farming communities. Academic partnerships, such as those with Parul University, help prepare the next generation of agri-leaders by embedding bio-farming practices into agricultural education.

A flexible product portfolio, particularly the Zytonic range, ensures applicability across cereals, vegetables, horticulture, and specialty crops, making the solutions relevant to diverse farming needs. Knowledge transfer is a cornerstone of the strategy through farmer training programs, workshops, field demonstrations, and digital platforms. Zydex equips farmers with practical skills and insights.

Equally important is government engagement, where collaborations with local agencies align Zydex’s solutions with regional priorities and policies. Together, these strategies have enabled hundreds of farms to transition toward chemical-free, sustainable farming, delivering benefits that extend to farmers, consumers, and the environment alike.

Leveraging Indigenous Technology

Zytonic technology is among Zydex’s most transformative innovations, designed to address two of agriculture’s most persistent challenges: soil compaction and nutrient depletion.

For soil compaction, the Zytonic platform combines advanced microbial consortia with innovative formulations to restore porosity and aggregate stability. This improves aeration, water infiltration, and biological activity in the soil. Farmers experience stronger germination, deeper root systems, better nutrient uptake, and enhanced resilience to climate stress. To further enrich organic carbon, Zytonic also enables rapid and complete bio-digestion of animal waste and other organic matter into high-quality farmyard manure through simple composting methods, improving soil fertility sustainably.

To combat nutrient depletion, Zytonic inoculates soils with mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and phosphorus- and potassium-solubilizing microbes. These organisms naturally unlock nutrients, build organic matter, and restore long-term soil fertility. The improved structure with greater aeration, higher water retention, and thriving microbial populations ensures consistent performance across cropping cycles.

The field results speak for themselves: germination rates increase from 70–75% to 85–95%; input costs decline due to reduced reliance on fertilizers and irrigation; and water-holding capacity improves from the very first cycle.

Debunking Delusions

Dr. Shailendra highlights the fact that Zydex recognizes that transitioning from chemical to biological farming is often perceived as risky or impractical, largely due to common misconceptions. One widespread belief is that yields and profits will decline; however, the organization’s data consistently demonstrates equal or even superior yields, with better quality and improved profitability. Another misconception is that biological products are slow to act, yet the Zytonic range delivers visible improvements within the very first crop cycle.

Farmers also fear that transitioning is complex and risky, but with phased adoption models and continuous support, the shift can be both smooth and low-risk. Concerns around economic viability are equally misplaced, as reduced input costs combined with higher productivity ensure sustainable financial gains. Finally, the notion that biological solutions offer weaker pest and disease control is countered by integrated, science-backed approaches that deliver strong protection.
Furthermore, Dr. Shailendra emphasizes that, for Zydex, the reality is clear: when implemented strategically, biological farming is not only viable and profitable but also essential for building an environmentally sustainable future.

Agro Resilience

Zydex recognizes that agribusiness stands at the frontline of the climate crisis, with a responsibility to evolve from being input-driven to becoming a true steward of resilience. This shift requires a multi-dimensional approach, developing climate-resilient seeds and strengthening soil health, building integrated low-carbon value chains, and promoting farmer education in risk management.

Equally important is the use of data and technology to help farmers adapt to climate variability with confidence and precision. In this new paradigm, agribusiness is called to deliver more than productivity; it must safeguard food security, improve nutrition, and strengthen the livelihood resilience of billions of people around the world.
Pillars of Responsible Farming

Zydex identifies three regulatory shifts as critical to accelerating sustainable agriculture in India:

1.Clear Standards: Establishing harmonized definitions, transparent certifications, and fast-track approval processes for biological products.

2.Financial Incentives: Introducing subsidies, green financing mechanisms, and climate-smart grants to support farmer adoption.

3.Integrated Monitoring: Deploying digital systems for soil and crop health tracking to enhance transparency, accountability, and compliance.

The company underscores that these reforms can only succeed through close collaboration between government, regulators, and industry stakeholders.

The Future Luminary

Dr. Shailendra envisions Zydex as the world’s leading catalyst for sustainable agriculture. It includes:

Empowering farmers everywhere to transition to profitable, chemical-free farming.

Acting as a bridge between research, industry, and communities.

Designing solutions for diverse agro-ecologies worldwide.

Integrating profitability with sustainability and social responsibility.

Zydex will be a prolonged source of inspiration for farmers, partners, and teams. Together, the organization will jointly shape an abundant and regenerative future.

A Go-to Quote

When asked about a quote that reflects her philosophy of work and leadership, she highlights one that resonates deeply: “Transformation begins at the roots—when you empower people, restore nature, and innovate with purpose, prosperity follows for all.”

For her, these words embody both her personal ethos and Zydex’s broader organizational purpose, uniting people-centric values with a vision of sustainable innovation and shared prosperity.

On an Ending Note

While concluding, Dr. Shailendra says the organization envisions itself as a part of a larger mission, which is to restore soils, empower farmers, and secure sustainable food systems for future generations. With an unwavering commitment to prosperity through sustainability, the organization will continue to develop cutting-edge bio-farming technologies while also investing in community education.

Dr. Shailendra’s professional journey highly resonates with the organization’s principles. It is about the relentless pursuit of innovation, operational excellence, and people empowerment. Working unitedly with farmers, partners, and communities, the organization is commencing a new chapter in agriculture. This chapter promises abundance, resilience, and sustainability for all.

Explore the full edition here: [link]

In an industry often defined by tradition and caution, Joy Saphla is rewriting the rules of legal transformation. With over three decades of experience at the intersection of law, strategy, and innovation, she has become a trusted advisor to some of the world’s most respected corporate legal departments and law firms.

As Senior Managing Director of Legal Solutions at Epiq, Joy leads with a rare blend of operational rigor and visionary thinking—helping clients reimagine how legal services are delivered through the power of people, process, technology, and data. Named among the Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy and Consulting and honored as one of the Top 20 Most Successful Women Leaders, she’s not just shaping the future of legal operations—she’s inspiring a new generation of changemakers to lead with purpose and precision.

From Pioneer to Powerhouse

“My career has been a continuous evolution of purpose and possibility,” says Joy, reflecting on a path that began in the mid-90s at Arthur Andersen, where she and her partners were early champions of running legal like a business as a strategic imperative. When Andersen closed its doors, they carried forward their vision by founding Huron Consulting Group—ushering in over a decade of transformative growth and industry-wide influence. At Huron, Joy helped commercialize and standardize legal business transformation practices, laying the groundwork for what would become a defining theme of her career.

Her next chapter unfolded at Morae Global, where she led the firm through seven years of rapid expansion, once again proving that legal innovation thrives when anchored in client-centricity and operational excellence. Today, as Senior Managing Director at Epiq, Joy continues to push boundaries—leveraging broader capabilities to meet the evolving needs of legal departments and law firms worldwide. Her journey is not just a timeline of roles—it’s a blueprint for how vision, resilience, and strategic foresight can reshape an entire industry.

Drawn to Scale

With three decades of experience building and leading legal transformation services, Joy has partnered with some of the world’s largest corporations to reshape how legal services are delivered and consumed. What drew her to Epiq was its unmatched scale and capability — it’s the most comprehensive legal services organization she has encountered in the industry.

“What truly sets Epiq apart is its unwavering, solutions-oriented client service mindset. Time and again, I’ve seen the team bring forward thoughtful, effective answers to the very challenges my clients face. The depth and quality of Epiq offerings not only impressed me; they’ve resonated with my clients, delivering real impact for today’s needs and tomorrow’s demands,” says Joy.

As the Senior Managing Director, Legal Solutions, Joy’s role centers on partnering with clients and industry leaders to deeply understand current challenges while also helping them anticipate what’s coming in three to five years.

As part of that mission, Joy collaborates across Epiq’s legal services business to orchestrate comprehensive, integrated solutions. “It’s about aligning innovation with real-world needs and ensuring our clients are ready for what’s next,” she says. She is also responsible for client acquisition, for which the most effective way, she understands, is to earn and retain client relationships by consistently delivering high-quality work. She has invested deeply in building a reputation for excellence, and Epiq shares that same commitment. Most of her new client relationships come through referrals, a reflection of the trust she has earned by staying focused on results and providing exceptional service time and again.

Understanding Legal Transformation

At its core, legal transformation is about reimagining how legal services are delivered and consumed. Today’s Chief Legal Officers and General Counsel are no longer focused solely on legal matters; they’re increasingly responsible for areas like HR, corporate security, and enterprise risk.

We may call it “legal,” but the real transformation lies in how legal enables businesses through technology, AI, people, processes, and data. It’s the intersection of all these elements that drives meaningful change.

Epiq is uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive, sustainable solutions across this spectrum. What Joy values most is Epiq’s results-driven mindset. It’s not about how much effort it takes — it’s about helping the clients succeed. That’s how they measure their impact.

The Epiq Edge

Epiq provides a comprehensive range of legal and business services to corporations, law firms, financial institutions, and government agencies. These services span eDiscovery and litigation support, regulatory and compliance, flexible legal talent, Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), and advanced technologies, including Epiq AI Discovery Assistant™.

When you work with Epiq, you gain access to a team of experts with years of experience in every solution offered. Epiq AI Discovery Assistant™ is the first tool of its kind to introduce agentic AI and chat capabilities to streamline existing workflows in an unprecedented way. These tools automate document review, classify privilege and responsiveness, and provide conversational interfaces for legal research — delivering faster, more accurate outcomes while cutting costs and time spent on manual review.

Another differentiator is the Epiq Service Cloud, a unified platform with centralized access and a user-friendly interface for clients. It offers tools such as SSO integration, cross-application reporting, and more to enhance both security and user experience.

“We are the only Gold-level global distributor of RelativityOne, with 25 global instances and over 2,000 users. Our expertise includes 200+ certifications and 17 client-dedicated environments,” shares Joy.

With offices worldwide, Epiq ensures consistent service quality across jurisdictions. Whether in New York, London, or Tokyo, clients receive seamless support globally. Each of its solutions emphasizes early insight, flexibility, and measurable outcomes. They are designed not just for compliance, but for strategic advantage — helping clients avoid significant costs and improve outcomes.

Epiq recently earned Band 1 rankings in Chambers and Partners’ NewLaw Guide, which reflects its continued focus on real-world use cases, helping legal teams review documents faster, build AI into workflows, and get more done without working longer hours.

Legal’s Toughest Challenges

Legal departments today are navigating a perfect storm of rising workloads, constrained budgets, and the urgent need to retain top talent. Add to that the complexity of adopting new technologies — and it’s clear that transformation isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Epiq steps in as a strategic partner, helping legal teams align tech adoption with operational goals, streamline processes for measurable ROI, and build resilient systems that support both performance and people. In a landscape, where doing more with less is the norm, Epiq offers the clarity, tools, and expertise to make that possible.

Tech Smart Legal Ops

At the heart of Epiq’s technology strategy is the Epiq Service Cloud, a centralized platform that orchestrates legal service delivery across people, processes, and technology. It integrates proprietary tools like Epiq Access, Epiq Discovery, Epiq AI Discovery Assistant™, Epiq Chat, and EpiqTMX into a seamless SaaS ecosystem.

The Epiq Service Cloud includes a data and analytics layer that transforms legal data into actionable insights using predictive analytics, machine learning, and business intelligence tools. It’s built to meet stringent legal industry standards and to ensure secure data ingestion and storage while processing across global jurisdictions.

Epiq AI Discovery Assistant™ is a standout innovation in litigation support:

· It’s used for automated document review, fact interrogation, deposition prep, and Early Case Assessment.

· In less than a year since its introduction, over 21 million documents have been analyzed, saving clients over $10 million in review costs.

· Accepted by regulators like the SEC and DOJ, it’s trusted for high-stakes legal work.

Epiq’s approach reflects a broader industry transformation, where legal teams are becoming strategic business partners. AI is reshaping how legal work is done, from research to due diligence, while data governance and ethical AI use remain top priorities for its clients.

Reinventing the Industry

The legal industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation, driven by a combination of technological, regulatory, and cultural shifts. That includes the advancement of AI, combined with changing client expectations and compliance standards. AI is changing how legal work is done — from drafting to research and due diligence.

As a result, corporate legal departments are considering new, innovative business models and outsourcing many legal processes to Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs) as they offer cost efficiency and scalability.

At the heart of this transformation is AI and automation. AI enhances legal research, workflow automation, and self-service. Automation leads to more comprehensive and accurate legal insights that have critically supported legal teams. With streamlined research comes the automation of tasks like document review, first drafts, contracts analysis, and compliance checks, which, we know, frees up legal teams to focus on higher-value work, along with enabling businesses to be self-sufficient.

“One negative trend, I will say, is that AI holds bias, and while it can reduce error, it can also perpetuate these biases if they’re trained incorrectly. Working with an ALSP strategically evaluates AI recommendations,” shares Joy.

Overall, she feels, one of the biggest pros of AI automation is cost reduction. Reducing manual labor and external counsel costs lowers operational spend dramatically.
“At Epiq, I’ve personally seen this happen for several clients who are shocked at the cost savings upon AI implementation,” she says.

Emerging Trends in ALSPs

Joy has observed that this industry is being shaped by explosive market growth and a high demand for AI tools. It has become ‘mainstream’ for law firms to integrate with ALSPs, with over 50% of corporate legal departments now leveraging outside services for eDiscovery, litigation support, and contracts management. ALSPs that lead in AI adoption are seen as more attractive to corporate legal departments and law firms; new software that integrates with AI is the primary differentiator for competitive legal departments and firms.

In collaboration with an ALSP like Epiq, AI is used to streamline document review, automate workflows, and enhance legal research. Clients also seek more value-based pricing and predictable costs, which ALSPs are well positioned to deliver. This trend is only accelerating as automation with AI reduces the need for time-based billing.

Of the firms embracing ALSPs and more traditional organizations that resist change, Epiq has found that those leveraging ALSPs gain that competitive edge in this industry, with more room for efficiency and innovation. ALSPs are moving beyond commoditized tasks into high-value service areas like legal consulting and compliance advisory. This evolution is blurring the lines between ALSPs and traditional firms, a trend that is seen emerging in each of these categories.

Strategy, Skills, and a Future-Ready Legal Industry

As legal departments face mounting pressure to deliver more with less, strategic adoption of AI is no longer optional — it’s essential. From automating routine tasks like billing and document review to streamlining workflows, AI empowers legal teams to focus on higher-value work and deliver superior client experiences. But technology alone isn’t the answer. Success hinges on transparent communication, proactive feedback loops, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Optimizing business strategy also means expanding your ecosystem. Collaborating with ALSPs, consultants, and tech vendors ensures you’re aligned with the latest legal tech, regulatory shifts, and market trends. As automation becomes second nature, legal professionals must prioritize skill development in project management, data literacy, and client relations—building teams that are not just tech-savvy but strategically agile.

Looking ahead, Epiq is doubling down on innovation. Over the next five years, the organization will continue to evolve its AI solutions to meet the dynamic needs of legal departments worldwide. With a proactive mindset and a client-first approach, Epiq is committed to delivering cutting-edge tools that streamline legal workflows, enhance operational performance, and redefine what is possible in legal service delivery. The future isn’t just about technology — it’s about transformation, and Epiq is ready to lead the way.

To know more about Joy Saphla and Epiq, please visit:

• Joy Saphla LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-saphla-9934295/
• Epiq Website: https://www.epiqglobal.com/en-us

Read her inspiring interview and explore the full edition here

In an era where Artificial Intelligence is reshaping industries and redefining possibilities, Abdulrahman Almuhaidib is quietly building the scaffolding for the future. As a lecturer at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, he’s shaping the next generation of computer scientists with a curriculum rooted in rigor and relevance. But his impact doesn’t stop at the classroom door.

As Chief Scientific Officer at InteliDexer, Almuhaidib is at the helm of cutting-edge research in AI and data science, driving solutions that bridge academic theory with real-world application. His dual role reflects a rare blend of educator and innovator—someone who not only teaches the principles of intelligent systems but also architects them in practice.

This feature explores how Abdulrahman Almuhaidib is redefining the boundaries between research and enterprise, and why his work is a blueprint for the kind of scientific leadership the digital age demands.

A Mission-Driven Journey

Abdulrahman’s professional journey is a mission to secure the future of the digital world—one rooted in a pivotal moment that convinced him that cutting-edge knowledge is our strongest defense. This mission aligns closely with Saudi Vision 2030’s goal of building a knowledge-based, digitally empowered economy that leads in innovation and security.

The catalyst came during his time at Sahara Net, Saudi Arabia’s first ISP, where he worked as a Cybersecurity Engineer. When the company was hit by a sophisticated cyberattack, Abdulrahman was the first to detect the anomaly and was tasked with leading the response team. His team not only halted the breach and prevented data leakage but also reversed the damage and implemented safeguards to prevent recurrence. That high-pressure experience shaped his belief that Cybersecurity resilience depends on equipping the next generation with deep, actionable knowledge.

His move into academia was a deliberate step to fulfill that mission.

Today, Abdulrahman serves as a Lecturer at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University and leads research that bridges theory with real-world application. His PhD work—Improved Framework of Fine-Tuning Llama 3 for Accurate Penetration Testing in Cyber Warfare—uses Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) to fine-tune Llama 3 for automated vulnerability validation with human-level precision. He has validated this Autonomous Pentesting Agent through active hacking in controlled environments, aiming to reduce the 38% of operational capacity currently spent on manual validation.

This research is more than academic—it’s a blueprint for building fully Saudi-made, AI-driven Cybersecurity tools. These can be deployed on “Bullfight servers” for continuous testing or on portable edge devices for on-site audits. It’s a direct contribution to the Kingdom’s Cybersecurity resilience and the Saudi Made initiative. “My vision is to teach, yes—but more importantly, to build the future by empowering Saudi talent to lead in securing our digital world,” says Abdulrahman.

Teaching Tomorrow: Cybersecurity Leadership in a Disrupted Era

As a Lecturer and researcher at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Abdulrahman mentors and trains emerging Saudi Cybersecurity talent. His role is a vital part of his broader mission to secure the digital future. Positioned at the intersection of academic rigor, industry demands, and rapid technological innovation, he acts as a bridge between theory and practice. His active involvement in the Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Curriculum Unit ensures that the university’s programs remain agile, relevant, and forward-looking.

In an age defined by disruptive technologies—AI Agents, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Machine Learning—Abdulrahman views educational leadership as more than instruction. It’s about preparing students for a future that is constantly evolving. His approach is anchored in two key principles.

First, he emphasizes a curriculum that is not only current but anticipates future trends. By integrating insights from his research and his work at InteliDexer, he brings cutting-edge, real-world knowledge into the classroom, equipping students with tools that are already shaping the Cybersecurity landscape.

Second, he fosters a mindset of continuous learning and ethical responsibility. Abdulrahman encourages students to think critically about the societal impact of their work, ensuring they grow into innovators who are both technically proficient and ethically grounded.

Through this dual focus, he ensures that students are not merely adapting to change—they are leading it. His work exemplifies how academic leadership can actively shape the future of Cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Industry Meets Academia

As Chief Scientific Officer at InteliDexer, Abdulrahman plays a pivotal role in bridging academia and industry, creating a dynamic feedback loop that fuels innovation in Cybersecurity and AI education. InteliDexer connects him directly to real-world challenges, which sharpen the focus of his academic research and ensure it remains practical and solution-oriented.

This synergy drives meaningful advancements in higher education. Technological frameworks developed through Abdulrahman’s research—such as his fine-tuned Llama 3 AI Agent for automated penetration testing—are validated at InteliDexer and explored for commercialization. This creates a tangible pathway from academic discovery to industry deployment, offering students firsthand exposure to cutting-edge tools and methodologies.

The collaboration goes beyond research. InteliDexer’s CEO regularly conducts free workshops for university students, while the company provides hardware, technical reviews, and co-authorship on Abdulrahman’s papers. This partnership ensures students aren’t just learning about emerging technologies—they’re actively contributing to their development.

Through this dual role, Abdulrahman is redefining how scientific leadership can shape the future of Cybersecurity and AI. His work exemplifies how close collaboration between academia and industry can empower students to become innovators in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Rethinking Cybersecurity Education for the Age of Autonomous Agents

Teaching students about Autonomous Cyber Agents demands a fundamental shift in pedagogy. The traditional reactive model—focused on known threats—is no longer sufficient. Abdulrahman advocates for a proactive approach that prepares students for a future shaped by intelligent, self-directed systems.
He identifies two key shifts. First, the curriculum must evolve from tool mastery to understanding and managing AI Agents. Students need to learn how to interact with, evaluate, and build these systems—not just memorize rules and signatures. The future lies in grasping the logic behind agent decision-making, recognizing their potential for misuse, and learning how to control them effectively.

Second, the learning environment must be both realistic and ethically grounded. Abdulrahman’s “Bullfight server” concept exemplifies this— an isolated lab environment where students can safely simulate and analyze full-scale aggressive cyberattacks generated by Gen-AI systems. This hands-on simulation helps learners understand the power and limitations of these technologies.

His research on deploying fine-tuned Llama 3 Agents on portable edge devices offers a practical framework for on-site security audits. Through this model, students gain technical proficiency while developing ethical awareness—essential for navigating the complexities of an AI-driven digital world. Abdulrahman’s approach ensures learners aren’t just adapting to change—they’re equipped to lead it.

Building a Cybersecurity Ecosystem Through Collaboration

For Abdulrahman, collaboration between universities, industry leaders, and policymakers is not a lofty ideal—it’s a strategic necessity for advancing Cybersecurity education. He views the Cybersecurity landscape as a dynamic ecosystem, and his role is to serve as a bridge, facilitating the continuous exchange of knowledge and resources across sectors.

On the industry front, Abdulrahman has cultivated a strong partnership with InteliDexer, where he serves as Chief Scientific Officer. This collaboration goes beyond theory. InteliDexer’s CEO, Abdulaziz Almuhaidib, regularly conducts free workshops for university students, offering hands-on exposure to real-world challenges. The company also supports Abdulrahman’s research with hardware, technical expertise, and co-development, creating a feedback loop where academic insights directly inform industry solutions—and vice versa.

On the policy side, Abdulrahman’s work is closely aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. His focus on developing homegrown Cybersecurity tools and nurturing Saudi talent inherently supports national goals. By integrating strategic priorities into his teaching and research, he ensures that graduates are not only technically skilled but also aligned with the Kingdom’s vision for a secure, digitally empowered future.

Through these efforts, Abdulrahman is helping shape a collaborative model where academia, industry, and policy converge to build lasting Cybersecurity resilience.

Empowering Future Cybersecurity Innovators

Abdulrahman’s approach to student empowerment centers on cultivating innovators, not just professionals. He believes the most effective way to achieve this is through immersive, hands-on experience that extends beyond traditional classrooms. A key initiative involves integrating students directly into his research—engaging them in every phase, from literature reviews to data collection and writing. This method trains them to become true researchers, capable of independent inquiry and innovation.

As Chief Scientific Officer at InteliDexer, Abdulrahman has also built a mentorship platform that connects students with real-world challenges. Through this collaboration, InteliDexer offers free workshops and project-based learning opportunities, giving students firsthand exposure to startup dynamics and industry-relevant problems. These experiences encourage them to think creatively and develop practical solutions.

“Ultimately, every initiative I lead is designed with one goal in mind: to cultivate a new generation of Saudi talents who are not just prepared for the job market but are equipped to become the leaders who will shape the future of Cybersecurity,” he says.

Ethics Meets Engineering

Abdulrahman views the balance between technical rigor and ethical awareness as the cornerstone of modern Cybersecurity education. He believes these elements are inseparable—each technical skill must be paired with a deep understanding of its ethical implications and real-world consequences.

This philosophy is embedded throughout his teaching. For instance, when exploring advanced topics like fine-tuning Large Language Models (LLMs) for penetration testing, Abdulrahman emphasizes not just the “how,” but the “why”—why the technology matters, the ethical responsibilities it entails, and the risks of misuse. His recent paper, Weaponizing Language Models for Cybersecurity Offensive Operations, serves as a catalyst for these discussions, prompting students to confront the ethical dimensions of emerging tools.

By integrating ethical inquiry into technical instruction, Abdulrahman ensures students develop both critical thinking and moral responsibility. His goal is to mentor Cybersecurity professionals who are not only technically exceptional but also ethically grounded and committed to serving the greater good.

Future-Ready Cybersecurity Leaders: Skills, Mindsets & Mentorship

By 2030, Cybersecurity professionals will be defined by more than technical expertise—they’ll need a fusion of mastery in AI, adaptability, and ethical awareness. Abdulrahman emphasizes the importance of proficiency in developing AI Agents and ML models, especially in leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) for both offensive and defensive operations. Skills in deploying intelligent systems on edge devices will also be critical for physical security audits.

Yet, technical ability alone won’t suffice. Abdulrahman believes future professionals must embrace continuous learning, strategic thinking, and a deep sense of ethical responsibility. To mentor emerging talent, he embeds students directly into his research projects, allowing them to co-author papers and gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies. His collaboration with InteliDexer further enhances this by offering students exposure to real-world challenges.

Keeping Academia Ahead of Cyber Threats

Abdulrahman ensures academic institutions stay agile and relevant by treating the curriculum as a living framework—constantly evolving to meet emerging cyber threats. His proactive strategy links academic programs directly to industry developments, creating a dynamic feedback loop.

As a member of the Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Curriculum Unit, Abdulrahman integrates cutting-edge topics like AI Agents, Machine Learning, and advanced attack vectors into coursework as soon as they surface. His research and insights from InteliDexer play a key role in shaping what students learn, ensuring alignment with real-world challenges.

He also champions flexible learning models, such as the “Bullfight server”—an isolated lab environment where students can safely simulate and analyze cyberattacks. This enables rapid, hands-on training tailored to current threat landscapes.

To maintain relevance, Abdulrahman aligns academic content with industry certifications and standards. This ensures students graduate with skills that are both academically rigorous and professionally validated. Through this multi-pronged approach, he prepares students not just for today’s Cybersecurity roles, but to lead and innovate in the evolving digital frontier.

Leading the Future of Autonomous Cyber Defense

Abdulrahman envisions a future where the boundary between human threat actors and AI Agents becomes indistinguishable. Cybersecurity will evolve into managing autonomous digital warfare, with intelligent systems acting as both attackers and defenders. His mission is not just to prepare for this future—but to lead it.

Over the next five years, Abdulrahman aims to complete his PhD and commercialize his automated AI Agent framework through InteliDexer, establishing it as a Saudi-made product that strengthens national Cybersecurity and supports the Saudi Made initiative.

At the institutional level, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University shares this vision. The goal is to become a regional leader by launching specialized Master’s and PhD programs focused on AI and Cybersecurity. Abdulrahman also plans to help establish a Center of Excellence that attracts top Saudi talent, drives world-class research, and positions the university as a global hub for preparing the next generation of Cybersecurity leaders—fully aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Building a Legacy of Innovation and Impact

Abdulrahman envisions his legacy not as a single achievement, but as a self-sustaining ecosystem of innovation built on three pillars: product, people, and process.

The product is his PhD-developed automated AI Agent—a homegrown Saudi framework designed to strengthen the Kingdom’s Cybersecurity resilience and showcase its capacity for indigenous innovation.

The people are his students, whom he considers his greatest legacy. Abdulrahman’s mission has always been to mentor and train them as real researchers and ethical innovators, capable of leading Saudi Arabia’s digital future.

The process is the bridge he’s built between academia and industry. Through collaborations with institutions like Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University and companies such as InteliDexer, he has created a model for how education and business can jointly tackle complex challenges. His goal is to ensure research remains relevant and the talent pipeline remains strong—laying the foundation for lasting national impact.

Defining Words

“Knowledge is a weapon”.

This quote embodies Abdulrahman’s entire professional journey.

He says, “My experience at Sahara Net showed me firsthand the devastating impact of cyberattacks and the critical importance of deep, technical knowledge in mitigating them. It solidified my belief that true expertise is a powerful tool, and my mission now is to arm the next generation with that same knowledge to defend our digital future.”

Connect with Abdulrahman Almuhaidib on LinkedIn

Manohar Ashwath is a seasoned professional with a remarkable career spanning over two decades in the telecommunications, cable, and media industries. As a Segment Leader – Media, Entertainment, Publishing & Communications, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in driving innovation and strategic growth. His journey includes impactful roles at Genpact, Fidelity and Molex, showcasing his ability to lead technology-driven transformations and deliver results. Manohar’s dedication to excellence and his ability to navigate complex challenges make him a standout leader in his field.

A Journey Driven by Passion

Manohar’s professional journey has been shaped by a deep passion for storytelling, technology, and transformation. From his early days as a hands-on technologist to now leading a global vertical, he has always gravitated towards industries that are constantly evolving, constantly creative, and deeply connected to people’s lives. The Media, Telco, and Entertainment industries are not just about content or connectivity — they are about culture, emotion, and human experience. What inspired him to stay in this space is the opportunity to shape the way people live, work, and engage — whether it’s a studio executive looking to monetize content across platforms, a telco transforming into techno, or a digital publisher building the next-gen newsroom.
“Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to lead large global teams, launch industry-first platforms, and serve some of the most iconic brands. Along the way, I’ve embraced change, built lasting partnerships, and stayed curious. My journey so far? It’s been energizing, humbling, and filled with purpose. And I feel like I’m just getting started,” says Manohar.

A Leadership Approach Shaped by Experience

Early in his career, Manohar led with structure and precision — focusing on delivery excellence, KPIs, and operational outcomes. As he progressed, he realized that transformation isn’t just about better execution — it’s about inspiring belief. So, his leadership evolved from being directive to being empowering. Today, he leads with purpose, vision, and inclusion. He invests deeply in his teams — in building trust, psychological safety, and a culture of ownership.
Manohar has also learned the value of adaptability. In industries where the playbook changes every quarter, the ability to listen, learn, pivot, and still lead with clarity is critical. “At the core, my leadership is now about enabling others to lead — giving people room to grow, challenge assumptions, and co-create the future,” he says.

The Seismic Shift in the Industry

As an industry veteran, Manohar points out that over the last two decades, these industries have been transformed by three monumental shifts that continue to shape their future:
1. The Digital Revolution and Direct-to-Consumer Models: The emergence of streaming services, OTT platforms, and creator-driven channels has disrupted traditional hierarchies and empowered audiences. Media consumption is now a deeply personalized experience—on-demand, algorithmically tailored, and accessible at the tap of a finger.
2. Data-Powered Personalization: The proliferation of data has changed everything. From tracking content engagement to gauging audience sentiment, companies now have unprecedented insight into user behaviors. The real winners are those who can translate this wealth of data into dynamic, real-time, hyper-personalized experiences that resonate with individual preferences.
3. Industry Convergence: The once-distinct boundaries between media, telecommunications, technology, and commerce are dissolving. Telcos are evolving into content creators. Media companies are building tech ecosystems. The lines of competition have become fluid, ushering in unexpected challenges and redefining collaboration opportunities.
“These seismic shifts have not only revolutionized the way we define value, growth, and innovation—they’ve accelerated the pace of change itself, leaving us to continuously adapt and innovate to stay ahead in this new landscape,” says Manohar.

Overcoming Challenges

One of the biggest challenges for Manohar over the years has been driving large-scale transformation in legacy-driven organizations. Often, there’s a strong attachment to ‘what worked before.’ Shifting mindsets, not just tools, is the real work.
To overcome this, he focused on building trust early — by listening, showing quick wins, and co-creating the journey with stakeholders. He also invested in education — demystifying AI, cloud, or automation through workshops and real-world examples. And most importantly, he led with empathy. Change is personal. When people feel heard and supported, resistance turns into resilience.

Inspiring the Team

To inspire his team and foster innovation, Manohar focuses on three key pillars—clarity, autonomy, and celebration—because they form the foundation of a motivated and high-performing team:
1. Clarity: He believes that people thrive when they understand where they’re heading and why it matters. Sharing a compelling vision and aligning goals empowers teams to see the bigger picture and feel connected to a mission that resonates beyond day-to-day tasks.
2. Autonomy: Creativity flourishes in an environment of trust. He encourages his teams to take ownership of the “how”—to think boldly, experiment freely, and challenge conventional wisdom. This autonomy fuels their confidence and inspires innovative approaches.
3. Celebration: Progress deserves recognition, whether it’s the smallest breakthrough or a collaborative milestone. By celebrating effort, ingenuity, and teamwork, we create a culture of appreciation that drives sustained energy and motivation.
Additionally, Manohar actively involves clients in their innovation journey through co-creation workshops, immersion sessions, and rapid prototyping. When his team sees their ideas transform into tangible solutions that drive real impact for clients, it’s more than rewarding—it’s deeply inspiring. At that point, the work becomes a shared mission, igniting passion and purpose for everyone involved.

Balancing Creativity with Data-Driven Objectives

Creativity and data, explains Manohar, aren’t opposites — they’re partners. In the Media, Telco, and Entertainment space, the magic happens when we blend gut and guidance — intuition with insight.
To nurture creativity, he empowers his teams with the freedom to experiment, embrace failure as a stepping stone, and co-create solutions alongside clients. This environment encourages bold ideas and innovative thinking. However, he doesn’t let creativity drift without direction—every experiment is rooted in clear, measurable outcomes such as audience engagement, monetization, or operational efficiency.
A key strategy Manohar relies on is hypothesis-driven innovation. He encourages blue-sky ideas but anchors them to testable assumptions. By closely tracking performance, iterating quickly, and allowing data to inform scaling decisions, his team ensures that innovation isn’t just imaginative—it’s impactful. This harmony between bold creativity and accountable decision-making drives sustainable progress and measurable success.

An Integration Shaping the Industry

Manohar believes we’re entering a Golden Age of Intelligent Media and Telco — powered by AI, hyper-personalization, and edge-to-cloud intelligence. He explains further:
In Media: AI is transforming content creation, personalization, dubbing, accessibility, and monetization. With tools like Copilot and generative AI, we’re unlocking new workflows for editors, writers, and marketers alike.
In Telco: AI is driving network optimization, customer service transformation, and churn prediction — making operations smarter and more responsive.
Across the board: The integration of data and AI is moving from a back-end advantage to a front-end experience differentiator. It’s not just about faster decisions — it’s about more human-centered, emotionally resonant experiences at scale.

Turning Trends Into Tangible Impact

Staying ahead in a dynamic industry is all about operating at the crossroads of signals, strategy, and storytelling. Manohar believes successful trendspotting combines foresight with action, and here’s how he approaches it. He identifies trends by leveraging three rich sources of insight:
– Industry foresight: Collaborating with analysts, startups, and venture capital firms to uncover emerging opportunities and disruptions.
– Hyperscaler ecosystems: Co-creating innovative solutions with leaders in cloud, AI, security, and customer experience to explore what’s next.
– Frontline client insights: Some of the most valuable trend signals come directly from conversations with creators, consumers, and CIOs, offering unique perspectives on needs and behaviors.
However, identifying trends is just the beginning. The true challenge, he shares, lies in action—quickly testing hypotheses through design-led workshops, proofs of concept (POCs), and accelerator programs.
“If a concept proves viable, we scale rapidly. If it doesn’t, we pivot and learn at speed. This agile approach ensures that emerging trends are not just observed but leveraged to drive meaningful, measurable impact,” says Manohar.

Words of Wisdom

Here’s Manohar’s advice to companies looking to expand their market share in the Media, Telecommunications, and Entertainment sectors. They should take care of three things:
1. Start with the audience. Deeply understand how their behaviors, values, and expectations are evolving. Then reverse-engineer your content, products, and experiences from there.
2. Invest in intelligent platforms. Cloud, data, and AI aren’t just IT decisions — they’re growth enablers. The ability to adapt, personalize, and monetize in real-time is now a market-maker.
3. Partner with purpose. You don’t need to do it all alone. The right partners can accelerate capabilities, open doors, and co-innovate at scale. Focus on those who understand your industry and can move fast with you — not just sell to you.

Mission Ahead

Over the next 3-5 years, Manohar wants to continue shaping the future of this industry — with impact that’s global, digital, and human.
He’ll focus on:
– Helping clients unlock AI at scale — not just for automation, but for creativity, trust, and growth.
– Scaling innovation that is inclusive, ethical, and sustainable.
– Building the next generation of industry-ready leaders who can navigate complexity with clarity and courage.
“I also want to give back more — through mentoring, board service, and community-based tech initiatives. I believe true influence lies in how you elevate others along the way,” he concludes.
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A Quote to Live By:

“Leadership is not about being the best. It’s about making everyone else better.”
– This quote resonates deeply with me because I believe true leadership is measured by how you empower those around you. Whether it’s uplifting a team, unlocking a client’s potential, or inspiring the next generation of changemakers — my goal has always been to create a ripple effect of positive impact. In an industry as dynamic as ours, that kind of leadership creates lasting value.

Lessons From the Leader’s Life:

Manohar shares a few powerful lessons from his journey as a business leader in the industry:
– People over process. No matter how digital we get, business transformation always comes down to human transformation.
– Progress over perfection. Especially in innovation — start, iterate, and refine. The market rewards speed and learning, not waiting for the perfect solution.
– Trust is the real platform. Whether it’s clients, teams, or partners — trust accelerates everything. I focus on transparency, follow-through, and servant leadership.
– Culture scales strategy. You can have the best ideas, but if your people don’t feel safe, seen, and inspired — it won’t move. Culture is the lever that sustains growth.

In a world where governance and enterprise operations are increasingly strained by complexity, fragmentation, and legacy systems, Aanchal Gupta is tackling a problem most leaders sidestep: the widening gap between institutional decision-making and technological capability. Through her venture, Agents Stack, Aanchal is addressing a critical challenge—how to embed AI-driven intelligence into the very fabric of governance, compliance, and operational strategy without losing the human oversight that ensures trust and accountability.

Why does this matter? Because the stakes are enormous. From cybersecurity lapses to inefficient ESG reporting, from outdated ERP systems to reactive public infrastructure management, organizations across sectors are struggling to keep pace with the demands of a digital-first world. Aanchal’s solution is bold and timely: a portfolio of AI-powered, human-governed consulting services that span cloud optimization, geospatial intelligence, sustainability, and manufacturing systems—all designed to make institutions not just smarter, but more resilient and responsive.

Her journey from a high-flying corporate career to founding Agents Stack is more than entrepreneurial—it’s a strategic pivot toward impact at scale. And in doing so, Aanchal’s not just building a company; she’s architecting a new blueprint for how technology can serve governance, not overwhelm it.

From Corporate Strategy to AI-Led Impact

After years of leading digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives across global enterprises, Aanchal found herself at a crossroads. Clients across Asia were grappling with operational inefficiencies, and the emergence of AI—particularly its ability to simplify coding—presented a unique inflection point. For Aanchal, who had always been more drawn to solving high-value problems than writing software, this shift unlocked a new possibility: building a company that could tackle systemic challenges faster and more effectively.

Agents Stack was born out of that moment. With a deep understanding of enterprise pain points and a long-standing curiosity nurtured through side hustles and startup experiments since college, Aanchal decided to leave her corporate career and commit full-time to a vision that finally felt achievable. The timing aligned, the team rallied, and her family backed the leap.

But the transition wasn’t without its challenges. Bootstrapping the business while raising two young children and sharing entrepreneurial responsibilities with her husband required a complete reconfiguration of home dynamics. Aanchal describes this phase as an “internal transformation”—slower than any business pivot, but foundational to the resilience she now brings to Agents Stack’s culture. That lived experience has shaped the company’s ethos: a blend of grit, empathy, and alignment, where solving tough problems is a shared pursuit, not just a professional goal.

Engineering Efficiency with Ethics

At its core, Agents Stack is built to solve high-impact, high-complexity problems—particularly where operational technology (OT), sustainability, and data security intersect. Founded by Aanchal, the firm delivers AI-powered consulting services that are not just technically advanced but also architected with governance and ethical responsibility from the ground up.

The company’s portfolio spans cybersecurity, cloud optimization, ESG integration, geospatial intelligence, and manufacturing systems modernization. What sets Agents Stack apart is its “by-design” approach: AI is embedded at the data layer to drive efficiency, but always within a framework of responsible governance. Whether it’s reducing cloud costs, enhancing security postures, or enabling predictive maintenance through GIS, every solution is engineered to be sustainable, auditable, and aligned with long-term institutional goals.

The team behind Agents Stack brings decades of domain expertise—from enterprise IT and compliance to public infrastructure and industrial automation. This depth allows them to navigate the nuanced regulatory and ethical terrain of agentic AI, ensuring that autonomy never comes at the cost of accountability.

Targeting the Hardest Problems First to Unlock Industrial Intelligence

For Aanchal, the decision to focus Agents Stack on infrastructure-heavy sectors like utilities, mining, and manufacturing wasn’t just strategic—it was personal. Having spent much of her career embedded in traditional industries, she saw firsthand how slow-moving change management and fragmented systems were holding back operational efficiency and sustainability. These sectors, often overlooked in mainstream digital transformation, are precisely where the stakes—and the potential returns—are highest.

“Efficiency in these environments isn’t just about cost savings,” Aanchal explains. “It’s about unlocking billions in ROI while directly impacting climate outcomes. That’s the kind of transformation worth building for.”

Agents Stack approaches these challenges with a dual lens: deep consulting expertise and AI-powered solutions tailored to the realities of industrial operations. From predictive maintenance in manufacturing to resource optimization in utilities, the company’s agentic systems are designed to solve complex data and resource problems—securely, scalably, and by design.

Cybersecurity is another critical layer. These industries are among the most vulnerable to targeted attacks, and Aanchal’s background in cybersecurity informs the firm’s proactive stance. Rather than layering security as an afterthought, Agents Stack embeds it into the architecture of every solution, ensuring that resilience is built in from the start.

With a team that brings decades of domain experience and a clear-eyed view of what transformation really takes, Agents Stack is proving that the hardest problems aren’t just solvable—they’re the ones worth solving first.

Designing for Alignment to Harmonize Expertise and Agility

Building a team that spans seasoned industry veterans and agile creative thinkers is no small feat—and Aanchal is the first to admit it. At Agents Stack, the challenge of fostering alignment across such diverse talent has been met not with rigid hierarchy, but with intentional design.

“We’ve had to architect a structure from the ground up,” Aanchal shares. “It’s not just about roles—it’s about visibility, collaboration, and removing chaos.”

To achieve this, Agents Stack has implemented AI-driven internal platforms that streamline workflows, enhance transparency, and enable cross-functional efficiency. These systems aren’t just tools—they’re part of the company’s operating DNA, helping bridge the gap between strategic depth and rapid execution. Whether it’s a cybersecurity expert working alongside a sustainability analyst or a GIS engineer collaborating with a cloud architect, the goal is the same: clarity of purpose and speed of delivery.

The process is ongoing. Aanchal acknowledges that full alignment is still a work in progress, but the foundation is strong—and evolving. By combining thoughtful organizational design with adaptive technology, Agents Stack is cultivating a culture where diverse minds converge around shared impact, not just shared tasks.

ESG by Design

At Agents Stack, ESG isn’t treated as a compliance checkbox—it’s embedded into the architecture of every solution. Aanchal and her team have taken a bold stance: sustainability must be engineered into operations from the ground up, not bolted on after the fact.

Their approach starts with data visibility. Using AI agents, IoT integrations, and advanced software platforms, Agents Stack enables real-time monitoring across complex supply chains—from Tier 1 to Tier 4 suppliers. This includes tracking labor practices, land use, biodiversity impact, raw material sourcing, and machine-level utility consumption. By digitizing and contextualizing this data, the firm helps clients move from ESG reporting to ESG action.

The consulting portfolio is aligned with global frameworks like CSRD, TCFD, and the GHG Protocol, ensuring that clients not only meet standards but exceed them through operational intelligence. Whether it’s a mining company seeking to reduce water usage or a textile manufacturer aiming for fair labor certification, Agents Stack tailors its ESG solutions to sector-specific realities.

What makes the model powerful is its integration with cybersecurity and IT infrastructure—ensuring that sustainability and security are delivered together, by design. In Aanchal’s words, “We don’t just assess ESG—we operationalize it.” And in doing so, Agents Stack is helping industries turn environmental and social responsibility into a source of resilience and long-term value.

Building Trust at the Core for Critical Infrastructure

In sectors where downtime isn’t just costly but potentially catastrophic, cybersecurity resilience demands more than reactive defense—it requires architectural innovation. At Agents Stack, Aanchal and her team are rethinking how digital trust is built and maintained across critical infrastructure.

One of their key offerings is enabling secure remote access to industrial systems by bypassing traditional TCP/IP protocols. Instead, Agents Stack help deploy encrypted communication channels using AES-level security, minimizing exposure to common attack vectors while maintaining operational continuity. This approach is particularly vital for utilities, manufacturing, and energy sectors, where legacy systems often lack modern safeguards.

Complementing this is a suite of AI-powered Cyber Agents that provide real-time visibility across internal infrastructure and endpoints. These agents continuously monitor network behavior, flag anomalies, and support automated penetration and load testing—ensuring that vulnerabilities are identified and addressed before they can be exploited.

The firm’s work in Singapore, where it supports national digital defense initiatives, exemplifies its commitment to proactive cybersecurity and responsible AI governance. By integrating resilience into the design of digital systems—not layering it on after the fact—Agents Stack is helping organizations move from risk mitigation to trust-by-default.

In Aanchal’s words, “Cybersecurity isn’t just a technical function—it’s a trust function. And trust must be engineered, not assumed.”

Catalyzing National Visions — Agents Stack’s Role in ASEAN’s Digital Future

Agents Stack isn’t just building AI solutions—it’s actively shaping the digital transformation agendas of Southeast Asia’s most forward-looking economies. Under Aanchal’s leadership, the firm has positioned itself as a strategic enabler of initiatives like Singapore’s Smart Nation and Thailand 4.0, aligning deep tech innovation with national priorities in cybersecurity, sustainability, and industrial modernization.

In Thailand, where global manufacturers are increasingly setting up base, Agents Stack is driving smart manufacturing and ESG integration at scale. The firm’s AI-powered consulting helps enterprises optimize supply chains, map multi-tiered sourcing networks, and embed sustainability into operations—all critical for enabling efficient, transparent global trade. Its work supports Thailand’s push toward Industry 4.0, with tailored solutions in MES, ERP, and geospatial intelligence that elevate productivity and resilience.

Singapore, meanwhile, serves as the company’s global headquarters and a model for responsible digital innovation. Agents Stack contributes to the Smart Nation agenda by fortifying digital trust across critical infrastructure, supporting SMEs in governance and compliance, and advancing sustainable finance through ESG data visibility and AI governance frameworks. The firm’s cybersecurity and AI ethics capabilities are particularly aligned with Singapore’s regulatory rigor and commitment to ethical tech development.

Across both markets, Agents Stack combines technical depth with local insight—delivering not just transformation, but transformation that fits. It’s a blueprint for how AI consulting can serve national goals while empowering industries to lead with integrity and intelligence.

Human-Centered Strategy for ASEAN Expansion

For Aanchal, regional expansion isn’t just about market entry—it’s about capacity building. At Agents Stack, local talent is central to the firm’s strategy across ASEAN, especially as AI accelerates the pace of change in industries like cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and digital infrastructure.
“Reskilling can’t happen overnight,” Aanchal notes. “But collaboration can close the gap faster than any one country can on its own.”

Agents Stack works closely with universities, government bodies, and industry partners to identify priority skill areas in each market. In Thailand, for example, the firm is supporting the Thailand 4.0 agenda by nurturing AI and MES expertise for smart manufacturing. In Singapore, it’s advancing digital trust and cybersecurity resilience through its Talent Incubation Program, which blends global expertise with local mentorship.

The model is intentionally cross-border. By bringing in experts from across the world and pairing them with local teams, Agents Stack creates a multiplier effect—accelerating knowledge transfer while ensuring solutions are grounded in regional realities. This approach not only strengthens project delivery but also builds long-term digital capacity within ASEAN economies.

In Aanchal ’s words, “Technology moves fast, but talent is what sustains transformation. Our job is to make sure both evolve together.”

Scaling Impact, Sustainably — The Vision for 2029 and Beyond

Agents Stack’s ambition to empower 100 million industrial workers with AI by 2029 isn’t just a bold target—it’s a data-backed strategy rooted in the realities of Asia’s workforce. With over 60% of the region’s population engaged in frontline roles across power, mining, and manufacturing, the opportunity to drive transformation at scale is immense. Government tenders for infrastructure projects routinely mobilize thousands of workers per site, and when multiplied across the continent’s industrial footprint, the numbers quickly add up.

Aanchal’s vision is to turn these grassroots deployments into engines of digital empowerment. By embedding AI into projects focused on energy efficiency, cybersecurity, and sustainability, Agents Stack is creating jobs that are not only future-ready but also climate-conscious. Security by design—such as encrypted remote access to critical infrastructure—and sustainability by design—like machine-level monitoring of fuel and water consumption—are central to this transformation.

Looking ahead, Aanchal envisions a world where AI is not just a tool for productivity but a catalyst for livability. Agents Stack is building toward a fully remote model, enabling people to work from anywhere while contributing to reduced pollution, early disease detection through ML, and even better coexistence with nature. Diversity and inclusion remain core pillars, with the company actively fostering representation across gender, nationality, and lived experience.

Ultimately, Aanchal hopes to extend the company’s impact beyond industry—into sustainable tourism, wildlife preservation, and equitable living. It’s a future where technology doesn’t just optimize systems, but restores balance. And Agents Stack is engineering that future, one agent of change at a time.

Quote: “Try for the best and be prepared for the worst.”

With a rare blend of strategic foresight and operational depth, Anupam Ahuja drives transformation at the heart of AG&P’s global ambitions. As President of Corporate Strategy & Development at AG&P Group and Chief Corporate Services Officer at AG&P Industrial, she steers the company’s evolution across energy infrastructure, modular manufacturing, and integrated industrial solutions. Her leadership spans more than two decades across diverse sectors and geographies, shaping dynamic teams and future-ready strategies.
Anupam is widely credited for architecting AG&P’s corporate narrative, aligning brand, people, and purpose in a fast-moving global landscape. She brings a unique ability to bridge business vision with human capital, ensuring that growth is not just scalable but sustainable. Whether navigating stakeholder complexity or accelerating internal transformation, her approach reflects a mindset of impact, inclusion, and enduring value.

Purpose, Possibility, and the Power of Belief

“My professional journey can best be described as ‘going with the flow,’ shares Anupam. “I did not follow a fixed path or chase a predefined destination. I simply made choices that felt intuitively right at every step—and trusted that they would lead me where I was meant to be.” That instinctive approach, though unconventional, paved the way for a career defined by resilience, discovery, and impact. For Anupam, stepping into the energy industry was no different—it emerged from a confluence of visionary mentorship, rigorous effort, and a leap of faith in the face of existential risk.

A defining moment further crystallized her leadership philosophy. Faced with a crisis that threatened the organization’s very existence, she made the conscious decision to reject that outcome. “A solution had to be found—and fast,” she recalls. “And not only would we survive, we would thrive.” That belief spread quickly, rallying a highly motivated, can-do team where each member stepped up with accountability and courage. It was, as she describes, “a shining moment of human spirit—fearless, united, and determined to overcome the odds.” Her story is one of embracing ambiguity with conviction, where belief and purpose act not just as motivators but as catalysts for transformation.

Powering the World

AG&P is a global player in developing and operating LNG infrastructure and logistics, with a mission to accelerate access to natural gas and its adoption in high-growth and under-served markets. AG&P is present across the entire LNG downstream value chain from hand-off of supplier to end-customer, offering market-specific customized plug-and-play technology and project solutions through its in-house engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) arm to develop and operate and maintain downstream LNG terminals and provide last mile connectivity through its City Gas Networks to deliver natural gas.

From LNG terminals and storage to regasification units, trucking logistics, and downstream distribution networks, AG&P acts as both infrastructure developer, owner and operator, ensuring reliable delivery of natural gas to power plants, industries, transport fleets, and homes.

What sets AG&P apart it is its unique LNG ecosytem encompassing the integrated end-to-end downstream LNG value chain infrastructure solutions including project development, financing, LNG supply sourcing, project delivery (EPC) and commissioning and downstream LNG demand and logistics. Developed for each market, AG&P’s LNG ecosystem helps .terminals and downstream networks become reality faster, more economically and with proven, efficient and viable solutions, unlocking value faster and more sustainably than other players in the market.

Navigating Complexity Through Culture, Capability, and Care

At the heart of AG&P’s success, believes Anupam, is its people, their ability to execute jobs to the highest standards of quality and safety and being a trusted partner for its clients. That demands sourcing the right talent at the right time at the right cost – a consistent and important challenge. It demands cross-cultural teams united by purpose. It demands continuous training to meet the various international standards it operates under and is qualified for, and to build capacity.

As the largest employer in Batangas, AG&P is the preferred brand in the region and beyond. However, the EPC industry is faced with skill-shortages required to serve increasing execution complexities presented by the growing number of sophisticated projects. Utilizing technology, AG&P’s sourcing strategy is focused on hiring and building teams, instead of just filling roles, equipped to deliver to the requirements of modular construction. It is committed to developing a highly skilled, world-class workforce. Its training programs are designed to meet various international standards, ensuring that its workforce is not only globally competitive but also aligned with the evolving demands of the EPC industry. These trainings are tailored to meet the clients’ specific technical and operational requirements, cross-cultural orientations so the workers are equipped with the capabilities needed to execute with safety, quality, and excellence.

“We reward merit, nurture talent, with a goal to boost their careers with new and exciting opportunities for growth. In addition, regular competency assessment reviews combined with internal job postings to allow for the right fit and enable a career growth path,” assures Anupam.

Innovation with Responsibility

At AG&P, sustainability is at the core of the business, embedded in its growth strategy through strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. It enables the transition to cleaner energy by executing EPC projects that bring down carbon emissions and delivering affordable natural gas infrastructure to emerging markets, reducing reliance on high-emission dirty fuels like coal and oil.

AG&P’s modular LNG terminals minimize environmental impact while accelerating project completion. Across its operations, the company upholds strict health, safety, and environmental standards to ensure responsible and efficient energy delivery. It also prioritizes inclusive development and strong governance. AG&P’s ESG frameworks are built in line with global standards, promoting transparency, safety, and accountability.

Modular Tech Advantage

Technology is reshaping the energy sector, and AG&P is at the forefront with innovative, customizable LNG solutions that bring cleaner energy faster and more efficiently to emerging markets. For example, it designed, constructed and operates, and maintains the Philippines’ first LNG import and regasification facility, the Philippines LNG (PHLNG) Terminal in Batangas to deliver 2,500 MW to one of the largest power producers in the country. Its modular construction technique played a crucial role in the success of the Philippines LNG (PHLNG) Import Terminal, allowing it to fast-track the delivery and commissioning of PHLNG in a record 18 months post-site development.

“The PHLNG terminal is the world’s first, modularly constructed plant designed with flexible capacity utilizing plug-and-play technology, allowing for capex to meet market demand. Combining technology with modular construction allows for geography-market tailored solutions that are commercially compelling and conducive for the market to adopt to meet its requirement of energy and energy security, while bringing down carbon emissions. PHLNG essentially represents the right-sized LNG infrastructure, designed for quick deployment with the ability to scale and serves as a precursor to accelerate energy infrastructure development and downstream distribution in the country,” shares Anupam.

Global Policies, Local Impact

According to a study by Deloitte, “the global LNG market has progressively transformed in the past few decades—quadrupling in size, doubling its share of global natural gas trade, and emerging as one of the fastest growing segments in the energy industry.” Global energy policies create both challenges and opportunities requiring a thorough understanding and navigation of the investment climate, environmental regulations, geopolitical risks, trade policies, and infrastructure development strategies to ensure sustainable operations of and relevant contribution by the LNG companies to the evolving energy mix. In regards to the environmental regulations and climate goals, the policies are typically aimed at carbon taxes and pricing, renewable energy mandates, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the EU Emission Trading Scheme, included maritime emissions as part of its Environmental regulatory scope, and will now be able to charge a carbon tax for LNG cargoes entering Europe that will impact LNG prices and trade.

Further, while incentivizing renewable energy would make LNG costlier, however, after the Russia-Ukraine war, policies supporting energy independence, moving away from reliance of energy from few sources, will lead to restrictions on exports from certain countries, or the imposition of tariffs – all of which can impact LNG trade flows and pricing structures, just as much as those countries pursuing energy dominance will by incentivizing domestic production and export of LNG. Trading policies are similarly subject to the Department of Energy’s public interest determinations for LNG exports by factors that include energy security, economic impact, and environmental considerations.

Regulations that cause tedious permitting for infrastructure development, disincentivize returns on investment in LNG over renewables or vice versa, and the ESG goals and carbon emission targets set by the country are all major contributors to the propensity of growth of LNG in respective geographies.

AG&P is focused on the high-growth emerging markets in South and Southeast Asia and beyond. It addresses the gap between LNG supply and local demand by pioneering and operating LNG infrastructure and logistics. It delivers LNG terminals and downstream infrastructure built at significantly lower cost and higher speed and efficiency, with the ability to adapt incrementally to demand as markets grow, using standardized, modular technologies for development. With market-leading, blue-chip partners, LNG suppliers can link via AG&P’s terminals and downstream networks to end-customers.

“Our end-to-end integrated LNG platform, focused on project development, including demand aggregation, regulatory considerations, and financial solutions, accelerates the adoption of LNG downstream distribution networks in emerging markets,” says Anupam.

Championing Equity and Voice in the Workplace

AG&P has clearly laid out policies for gender equity and protection. Regardless of gender or race, everyone has the freedom to grow, lead, and shape their career. It has balanced representation in leadership and on the Board, career growth options for employees based on performance, a growing number of cross-cultural teams working on global projects who participate in internal job postings, and safe, empowering spaces for all voices to be heard.

Tackling Volatility with Vision

Anupam shares that the global LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) industry faces several challenges, including supply and demand imbalances and market volatility caused by oversupply of LNG on the one hand and geopolitical events causing disruptions in the supply chain in critical shipping routes the Red Sea or Strait of Hormuz, due to tension between nations. Further, infrastructure bottlenecks caused by delays in constructing the downstream LNG terminals and pipelines, financing challenges in emerging markets due to associated higher credit risks, and environmental and regulatory policies taxing LNG cause a spike in LNG prices and impact the reliability of supply.

To address these challenges, she believes the LNG market flexibility must be increased via more flexible contracts that allow for adaptation to the changing LNG supply and demand. Further, technology and commercial structures play a critical role in emerging markets in bringing LNG projects online.

AG&P has made strategic investments in cutting-edge LNG technology that modernizes LNG infrastructure, including LNG terminals, through plug-and-play, market-customized, scalable technologies and diversifies LNG supply and transportation routes through various agreements in virtual pipeline and break-bulk LNG distribution solutions and storage facilities, making LNG supply more reliable. Further, its modular technology allows for shorter construction timelines, reduced capital expenditure, and faster deployment. AG&P’s integrated LNG ecosystem solutions include demand aggregation and project development in emerging markets, and ability to configure optimized LNG infrastructure, customized for the region, and creative financing solutions that leverage support from local LNG players to secure anchor customers to make the project viable for investors to finance.

Future-Ready Infrastructure

The next decade will see LNG infrastructure evolve to become more modular, flexible, and accessible—especially in high-growth regions needing cleaner and reliable energy, supported by flexible agreements. Traditional large-scale terminals will remain important, but the future lies in right-sized infrastructure that can be deployed quickly and adapted to diverse geographies. This is exactly where AG&P is focused.

It is already seeing this shift with the development of the Philippines LNG Import Terminal—an example of how scalable solutions can accelerate access to LNG while minimizing environmental and financial costs. As demand continues to rise in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa, infrastructure will follow. Digitization and automation will also redefine how LNG facilities are operated, improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

“As the world moves toward cleaner fuels, future-ready infrastructure will need to accommodate evolving energy mixes, including bio-LNG and hydrogen. With this future in mind, AG&P is combining innovation with deep market understanding to ensure LNG infrastructure remains a vital, responsive part of the global energy transition. Our philosophy—Always Forward—drives us to innovate continuously, respond with agility, and deliver lasting impact,” adds Anupam.

Rooted in Legacy, Focused on the Future

AG&P is a company built on a legacy of over 125 years of engineering and construction excellence. From its early beginnings in 1900 as the Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila, to becoming a key player in building the Philippines’ earliest oil terminals, refineries, and major industrial plants, then expanding its footprint globally, AG&P stands out for its ability to evolve with the times and lead with innovation. It pioneered modular construction, introduced advanced modularization techniques, and most recently, developed and commissioned the Philippines’ first LNG import terminal—a milestone in the country’s energy independence – one of its many achievements it is extremely proud of as a company.

“It is in AG&P’s DNA to innovate and reinvent itself. Resilience, quality, and safety are inherent in its fabric. Global blue-chip clients, new techniques/technologies, with many firsts to its name, AG&P continues to grow from strength to strength, serving the rapidly growing South and Southeast Asia LNG /NG energy market and infrastructure projects globally. As for me, I hope to continue to contribute meaningfully wherever I am and wherever life takes me,” concludes Anupam.

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Quote: “It isn’t over until you say it’s over.”

Leading with Purpose: Anupam Ahuja’s Lessons in Vision, Unity, and Legacy

“Success doesn’t come from acting alone, nor from operating from ego. Fueled by vision and clear direction, a leader must lead by example, with courage, sheer hard work, empathy and be the glue that unites. I hope that is the legacy I leave behind and am remembered by the magic we created when we came together with the faith that there is always a way and did all that it took, one and all, beyond the call of duty, to overcome impossible odds and succeed. The power of people coming together unified by belief and purpose, moved mountains. I hope that the highest of human spirit that shone through and defined AG&P in those times lives on and becomes an inherent part of its DNA.”