Ali Khursheed Ahmad, SHRM-SCP

At #HRSEKSA, I had the privilege of joining the panel “Unite for Impact: Boosting Workforce Readiness Through Strategic Partnerships”. to share how L&D can lead through ecosystem collaboration with partners such industry, academia, research centers, government, training providers, and technology partners. L&D must move beyond internal coordination, traditional function and invest in partnerships that will drive real workforce transformation. These partnerships are not one-off projects they are strategic alliances built to solve shared challenges, fuel innovation, and create scalable impact. 🔹 To enable and sustain external partnerships, L&D must: 1. Create a shared purpose to guide all collaborators 2. Establish transparent L&D priorities to manage demand. 3. Define cross-functional responsibilities to ensure ownership 4. Set reflection points to stay aligned as priorities evolve 🤝 An Effective external partnerships require a shift in mindset by: • Align with stakeholder agendas and speak the Business language. • Connect learning to measurable business goals. • Deliver with consistency, credibility, and speed. • Promote results that show ROI, agility, and long-term value. 🛠 I shared the a framework to structure partnership engagement: 1. Define and agree 2. Discover and analyze 3. Deliver and decide 4. Design and implement 5. Disengage and review 📊 L&D shall build the business case for collaboration starting by: - Examining organization’s strategy. - Identify how the partnership can contribute to organizational priorities. - Determine the key deliverables you might be able to use. - Create a big-picture budget to align with the success deliverables. - Create a pitch your CEO will see as an investment, not a cost. A big thank you to Informa Connect HR Events team for creating a space where we could challenge ideas, share models, and move this conversation forward. #LearningPartnerships #TalentDevelopment #Partnerships #HRKSA #InformaConnect

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Productivity drives valuation, Ethics sustains trust. AI undeniably improves speed, reduces cost, and enhances scale. From a shareholder lens, it is rational, from a human lens, it is disruptive. The uncomfortable question leaders must confront is : If technology increases output but reduces livelihoods, have we created value or merely shifted it? This is not an anti technology argument. Innovation is inevitable. AI is transformative,businesses must evolve but evolution without responsibility becomes extraction. The real leadership test in the AI era is not how fast we automate , It is how responsibly we transition. • Are we reskilling or mere replacing? • Are we communicating transparently or reacting tactically? • Are we building long term trust or short term margins? Markets reward productivity. Society remembers ethics. The companies that will truly lead in this decade will not choose between efficiency and empathy , they will integrate both. Because sustainable growth is not just about doing more with less. It is about doing better with care. #Leadership #AI #FutureOfWork #Ethics #CorporateGovernance #Productivity #HumanCapital

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Ensure your HR practices stand up to scrutiny with this results-driven certification course in Dubai. Tailored for HR professionals, auditors, and business leaders, this program equips you with the tools to evaluate compliance, assess risk, and align HR strategy with organizational goals. Master best practices in auditing to strengthen accountability, mitigate exposure, and drive HR excellence. 🔹 Identify and close HR compliance gaps 🔹 Build risk-based HR audit frameworks 🔹 Align HR functions with strategic objectives Meirc Training & Consulting #HRAuditing #HRCompliance #StrategicHR #RiskManagement #BusinessExcellence

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HRSE HR SUMMIT & EXPO 💡 L&D + AI + Assessments: A Space That’s Getting Really Exciting This time, the discussions were mainly around Learning & Development, AI, and Assessments, and honestly, it was exciting to see how fast things are evolving. AI is clearly making a big impact in L&D, whether it’s standalone learning apps or traditional HR systems adding smarter L&D modules to keep up with how people actually learn today. What stood out most for me was how AI is being used carefully and responsibly in assessments not to replace human judgment, but to make it sharper, fairer, and more data-driven. And of course, met a few fantastic people who are doing amazing work in this space, always great to connect, share ideas, and learn from each other. More to follow soon. If you’re exploring tools that blend AI and assessments beautifully, I’d suggest checking out: 👉 #AssessFirst 👉 #TeamFlect 👉 #MercerAssessment 👉 #LPI AI isn’t here to take away the human side of learning — it’s here to amplify it. #LearningAndDevelopment #AIinHR #TalentDevelopment #FutureOfWork #HRInnovation #hrse #hrsehrsummitexpo Colm O'Brien, Bora Ünlü, Kate Seber Akay, MBA, Prasanjit Sarkar,Scott Sheppard (FLPI)

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At the HRSE Summit in Riyadh last week, I had the privilege of leading a session titled “Emerging Technologies in Human Resources Development” Over 30 HR professionals and leaders joined a live pulse-check survey I run — and the insights were powerful. 🔍 the survey results reveal that while many organizations are investing in systems, real transformation still faces challenges: - 70% are operating at basic or intermediate levels of digital maturity - Only 1 participant reported full AI integration across HR functions - 62% say their teams have little or no hands-on experience with AI tools - Half haven’t yet defined a budget for transformation - Key barriers? Data security, integration complexity, and crucially — skills gaps This confirms what we see daily: technology alone doesn’t transform HR — HR leaders do. The shift toward AI, automation, and analytics isn’t just about platforms. It’s about vision, capability, and culture — and HR leaders are at the center of this change. One of the most strategic roles we must play as HR leaders is building digital fluency across our teams, especially in emerging technologies like Ai. At Tharwah, we’re proud to support many HR leaders across Saudi Arabia who are navigating this journey. Through skills development, capability building, and transformation planning, we help organizations not only adapt but lead. Let’s keep moving forward. Together 🚀 #HRSE2025 #DigitalHR #AIinHR #Leadership #HRTransformation #TharwahAcademy

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From Talent Strategy to Organizational Transformation: The Journey of an OD Architect (By Sayed Kassem, MBA, PHRi™, CTMP™, C-PMAP®, CHRM®, PROSCI® Head of People & Organization, Confidential) In Saudi Arabia's industrial landscape, organizational excellence isn't just about managing people it's about architecting cultures, orchestrating transformation, and building talent ecosystems that drive sustainable performance. For Sayed Kassem, an OD Interventionist with over 15 years of experience, that transformation defines every initiative he leads. Currently serving as Head of People & Organization at a confidential organization, Sayed leads the Center of Excellence for Organizational Development. His strategic mandate includes HR strategy and BSC mapping, Target Operating Model design, organizational restructuring, and change management programs using ADKAR methodology. He architects performance management systems using OGSMs, OKRs, and KPIs, while implementing talent management and succession planning through 9-box talent grid matrix frameworks for high-performers and high-potentials. His work extends to employee engagement surveys using Gallup Q12, sustainability initiatives, and ESG integration. Before joining the confidential organization, Sayed spent nearly four years at Elmarakby Steel, progressing to Senior Manager of People and Organization Capability. He led comprehensive OD interventions including job analysis for 400 positions, created 65+ HR policies and SOPs, built performance management systems, designed competency frameworks, and implemented succession planning using 9-box talent grid matrix methodology. His restructuring initiatives and grading systems transformed organizational effectiveness across multiple plants. Earlier experience at Daltex Corporation, Hayat Kimya, and Food Lover provided comprehensive expertise in talent acquisition, total rewards, learning and development, and organizational design across FMCG, manufacturing, and agribusiness sectors. At Hayat Kimya, he hired over 1,000 candidates for new factories and implemented job evaluation using Hay methodology. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic HRM & Organizational Transformation from International Business Academy of Switzerland GmbH, Sayed combines academic rigor with certifications including MBA, PHRi, CTMP, C-PMAP, CHRM, and PROSCI.

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I am glad to share the abstract of my paper titled "Thriving in the VUCA-BANI World: HR and OD Interventions Using the ‘CIP’ Framework" Abstract: Modern organizations operate in an environment defined by rapid disruption, captured by the acronyms like VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) and BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible). To navigate this landscape, organizations must move beyond simple adaptation to actively thrive by maintaining performance and finding new opportunities amidst adversity. This paper proposes that the key to such resilience lies in developing an organizational culture characterized by Radical Clarity & Purpose, Psychological Safety & Trust, Relentless Accountability & Ownership, and Agility & Simplification. The author advocates for the Causing Incredible Performance (CIP) Framework – a system of ten action principles grounded in over a decade of empirical results – as the primary vehicle for this cultural transformation. The CIP Framework focuses on producing measurable, "extraordinary" results by aligning individual thoughts and actions with "incredible goals". The paper maps the Action Principles of the CIP Framework to the elements of the organisation culture needed to thrive in the VUCA-BANI world. It goes further to elaborate HR and OD interventions that can build the four characteristics of the organisation culture needed to thrive in the VUCA-BANI world.  By shifting from theoretical training to actionable, coaching-based development, the CIP Framework aims to build the psychological and structural resilience necessary for organizations to remain effective in an increasingly chaotic world. #VUCA #BANI #RUPT #TUNA #TACI #SHIVA #OrganisationCulture #thriving #flourishing #Interventions #HR #OD #HumanResources #HumanResourcesDevelopment #OrganisationDevelopment #Consultants #Facilitators #Trainers #Coaches #Mentors #CIP #CausingIncrediblePerformance #Athulya Performance Facilitators #Clarity #Purpose #PsychologicalSafety #Trust #Accountability #Ownership #Agility #Simplification #Volatility #Uncertainty #Complexity #Ambiguity #Brittleness #Anxiety #Nonlinearity #Incomprehensibility #Rapid #Unpredictable #Paradoxical #Tangled #Turbulent #Novel #Speedy #Heightened #Irreversible #Violent #Absurd #Turbulence #Aggression #Change #Inimical

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