In the corporate sphere, a leader with a keen eye for the complex details of the human element is essential. The role of HR is key to enabling the business putting the right strategies in place that people can see, hear, and feel in the societies, as end users, and as customers. A leader like Maya El Husseini, possessing such a perceptive outlook, emerges as a driving force for constructive organizational change and sustained excellence.

Maya El Husseini, the esteemed Regional Head of HR at Jubaili Bros, is a dynamic force driving people-centric leadership with a powerful focus on culture transformation, human capital, organizational excellence, and people science. A certified Agile Lean and Scrum Master, Transformational Coach, NLP Practitioner & Life Coach, Maya brings a diverse skill set to the table.

Below is an excerpt of Maya El Husseini’s exclusive interaction with The Global Women Leader magazine.

Take us through the formative years of your life. What were some key early influences in life that shaped you as an individual?
Starting my professional career sooner turned out to be a crucial phase during my developmental years, bringing about significant transformation. Balancing work responsibilities with academic pursuits was no small feat, but it projected me into a world where I could shape my understanding of service and human connection. These early experiences allowed me to cultivate meaningful relationships, sharpening my ability to comprehend and connect with diverse individuals.

The HR landscape became a canvas for understanding the coordination of human aspirations, steering me towards a future deeply rooted in the pursuit of shared goals and the profound impact of meaningful connections, which molded me into an individual with a genuine appreciation for the depth and diversity of human capabilities.

"My success mantra stems from the profound impact of great coaches, particularly NLP & Agile coaches, who instilled in me the essence of a healthy mindset, servant leadership, & the adaptability required for diverse industries"

You have built an illustrious career in the field of Human Resources over the past two decades. Can you take us through your vast and expansive professional journey so far?
Embarking on a 24-year journey in Human Resources. I delved into Employee Relations and the wide range of HR functions. My professional experience broadened across diverse industries, including Large Retail Groups, Medical and Surgical, construction, petrochemical, information technology, and presently power solutions. Each industry offered a distinctive and complicated experience for learning, demanding a dynamic approach to HR functions. I moved through a variety of HR roles, honing my adaptability to tailor people strategies suiting the individual needs of each industry. I developed a critical mindset essential for crafting subtle and refined strategies, fostering engagement, and curating unparalleled employee experiences.

A business leader’s journey is replete with challenges. Throw some light on the major challenges you encounter in your current role. How do you overcome the said roadblocks?
HR involves a delicate interplay between internal and external dynamics, the focus lies on cultivating a workforce that not only serves as the organization's backbone but also extends its impact externally. Balancing these dynamics requires a carefully detailed and precise HR approach that aligns internal investments with external outcomes. A challenging task surfaces in bringing together different viewpoints in a coordinated way, creating an adaptive & agile workforce, knowledge, and skills gathered together for a common purpose. To overcome this, fostering awareness of the organizational purpose, articulating shared goals, and forming a cohesive vision becomes paramount.

Additionally, building a well-presented, empowered, and aligned leadership team is a pivotal challenge, necessitating adept dialogue and relationship-building to underscore HR's strategic partnership. The organization needs to build effective front liners that can also drive the shared vision and diverse workforce focusing on communication, and strategic coaching.

Introduce us to Jubaili Bros, what are you trying to achieve as an organization, and what are the key focus areas of HR?
Jubaili Bros is a leader in power solutions providing conventional and renewable energy solutions across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The organization offers a comprehensive range of products, solutions, and services, covering design, engineering, fabrication, assembly, and distribution via delivering high-quality and innovative power products and solutions. With more than 45 years, our vision is to be a pioneer in conventional and renewable power solutions and as such, we need to keep our existing workforce always at the forefront of new developments in those markets while continuously recruiting new talent to support our growth ambitions.

HR at Jubaili Bros focuses on People first culture and ensures that core values are embedded to foster a sense of allegiance and dedication among employees, demonstrate a steadfast dedication to the organization's goals, and fulfill the organization's responsibilities to society and the environment. Our shared principles are what unite us as a team while at the same time diversifying us from other players in the market  those values are being conveyed from the first day of onboarding throughout the entire journey during our team’s career path carved in all we do.

How do you foresee the global HR landscape evolving shortly? Which industry trends will have the most significant impact?
In the near future, the global HR landscape is poised for a fundamental shift, liberating itself from traditional administrative roles. HR professionals are transforming into change agents, pivotal in catalyzing and disseminating organizational initiatives, by taking an executive seat in the leadership stream. Another critical trend involves a departure from generic HR strategies to a personalized approach, tailoring initiatives to the unique context of each organization that will allow an organization to feel the results on the bottom line and return on investment.

In your opinion what have been the biggest ‘wins’ that you have achieved so far in your professional journey?
My biggest wins encompass certifications in NLP coaching, and transformational business & life coaching, recognized by the American Board along with Scrum Agile certification. These certifications delve into neuro-linguistic programming, and others focus on managing company programs and transformational initiatives by adopting an agile approach.

Moreover, I have successfully scaled startup HR functions, building departments from the ground up. Positioned at the executive level, I have restored the perception of HR, managed triple workforce expansion, and built harmony across leadership and the front line assembling towards one shared goal.

In your opinion what defines you as a leader? What is your success mantra?
As a leader, my definition transcends conventional strategies, delving into an unexplored book that acknowledges the complexities of an ever-changing environment. In an era of uncertainty and fierce talent competition, I challenge the traditional leadership paradigm. Rather than bombarding leaders with generic recommendations, I advocate for Empowering leadership which enables them to perceive strategy as a tangible value in societies, a consumable product or service that serves ambitions and enhances capabilities. This alternative philosophy rejects artificial strategy statements and embraces a visual, participatory approach, involving customers and employees in the strategic journey.

My success mantra stems from the profound impact of great coaches, particularly NLP and Agile coaches, who instilled in me the essence of a healthy mindset, servant leadership, and the adaptability required for diverse industries. Their guidance has been instrumental in shaping my leadership philosophy, fostering a unique wealth of knowledge, and propelling my continual self-development.