Human-Centred Transformation: From Learning to Lasting Success
Technology and frameworks can enable progress, but it’s people who make transformation real. How can leaders design HR strategies that are felt by employees, championed by leaders, and built to last?
- On: September 30, 2025
Mohammad Alfawazi
Chief Human Resources Officer – MENA
Tabuk Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Company operates in a highly regulated and fast-evolving industry. How do you balance compliance with innovation in HR practices to attract, retain, and develop top talent across the MENA region?
“That’s a great question because in pharma, compliance is not optional — it’s the backbone of everything we do. But at the same time, to compete for talent across the MENA, we can’t be seen as rigid. What we’ve done at Tabuk is treat compliance as the foundation, and then innovate around it. For example, while ensuring we’re fully aligned with local labour laws and regulations, we’ve introduced digital platforms that give employees access to learning, career pathways, and even personalised onboarding experiences. So, compliance gives us the guardrails, but innovation keeps us agile and attractive to top talent. It’s really about making HR both reliable and exciting at the same time.”
Leading human capital transformation across multiple companies in MENA presents unique challenges. From your experience, what are the critical factors in successfully driving a cohesive culture and effective talent framework across diverse business units?
“Leading transformation across several companies in the region taught me that you can’t just copy-paste one culture everywhere. Each business unit has its own story, its own leadership style, and even its own rhythm. The key has been to create alignment without taking away that local identity.
I usually focus on three things: first, making sure there’s a clear, shared purpose that ties back to the bigger business strategy. Second, building a group-wide talent framework — things like performance systems or leadership models — but leaving room for local adaptation. And third, treating culture as something we co-create with people, not something handed down.
When you get those right, you end up with a culture that feels unified but still authentic in each market. And that’s what drives long-term engagement and performance.”
With your extensive experience in HR transformation, shared services, and leadership development, what has been your most rewarding project, and what key lessons have shaped your approach to driving organisational success?
“Honestly, one of the highlights of my career has been leading the transformation of our learning and development strategy at Tabuk. We moved away from the traditional, one-size-fits-all training model and built a personalised, immersive, and digital learning ecosystem. That shift not only helped our employees grow faster, but it also positioned us as a regional leader in development — and we were proud to be recognised for it.
The biggest lesson for me was that real transformation has to be human-centred. Technology helps, frameworks help, but if employees don’t feel it, it won’t stick. Another lesson was the importance of leadership sponsorship — when leaders actively champion learning, the culture changes dramatically.
So today, my approach is always: start with people, bring leaders along, and make sure what you build is sustainable. That’s what turns projects into lasting success stories.”
Don’t miss this inspiring case study, “Inside-Out HR: Rebuilding Culture, Talent & Structure for Business Growth in Pharma & Beyond”, from our esteemed speaker Mohammad Alfawazi, Chief Human Resources Officer – MENA, Tabuk Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Company, at the 16th Annual Strategic HR MENA Summit, taking place on 11 – 12 November 2025 in Dubai. Join this highly interactive conference and seize the opportunity to network with leading cross-industry professionals.
Short Speaker BIO:
Mohammad Alfawazi is a seasoned leader and Experienced Chief of Human Capital (HC) and Shared Services Officer with a demonstrated rich track record of working in the public and private sectors. Skilled in Various HR facets, both Management and Development. Strong hands-on experience in Human Capital and shared services in different companies’ stages- transformation and start-ups, with Leadership Development Programme focused on Business/Commerce and General Consultation from Duke Corporate Education.
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