When it comes to business transformation, digitalization, mergers & acquisitions and rapid growth, a strong leader is needed. Haris Raza has a proven track record of navigating through modern-age disruptive challenges, a strong leader who is able to manage complexity. He's passionate about navigating new industries through cutting edge innovative solution and solving complex problems he's never seen before; staying calm and measured in the wake of change is what helps keep him and his teams focused with a positive mindset. His leadership has been tested at many critical junctures throughout his career in multiple industries, but no matter what he has remained true to his purpose. Haris is a strategic thinker and a guiding light for all those who choose to follow him.
Author of a book, Hacking Immortality: How to rule your inner and outer realms, Haris takes us on a unique yet thrilling ride through today's complex and ever-changing Corporate Jungle, while exploring one's deeper inner-realms. Showcases as to how to effectively Maneuver in today's volatile economies and the world's largest frontier markets, documented through the eyes of Syed Haris Raza, a seasoned and enigmatic CEO behind a leading Fortune 500 company.
Serving as the VP of Gerry's dnata in Pakistan, from 2013 to 2022, challenged Haris in new ways; in this role, he was responsible for the transformation of the business, along with designing and rolling out new business lines, developing and managing the organization's market strategy, and diversifying the business portfolio. His leadership has brought about 38% growth year-over-year, which is best in class in the global industry. Haris' strategic planning and superior execution secured an 80% market share for Gerry's dnata, up from a 38% market share in years prior, by addressing the challenges in the market and providing tech-enabled value-added products and services to the industry.
After designing, building and implementation of the transformation model, the organization is now operating at highest performance levels than ever before; while changing the organizational DNA, Haris has been taking on new challenges every now and then: modernizing the organization and bringing it into the digital age through automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), advanced business analytics, and much more. He's brought a number of awards to the organization during his tenure, including the GHI Award - a Global Award for Best-in-Class Operations for Cargo in 2019, held in Amsterdam.
It was Haris' extraordinary abilities as a leader and strategist, as well as his contribution to the global economy and supply chain that have propelled his career and earned him respect in various industries and prestigious institutions around the world, like World Bank and Harvard University. Since June 2022, Mr. Raza has been the Vice President of Strategy, Operations and Business Development at dnata USA, based in New York City. In this role, Mr. Raza is responsible for optimizing the operations in the New York Region and also developing dnata's Cargo and logistics network across the United States.
As Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Mr. Raza is responsible for the design and development of a United States wide Cargo Strategy, next-generation technology solutions, market expansion in targeted cities either through organic or inorganic growth opportunities, looking at potential acquisitions across the US. He is also responsible to execute Company's Cargo strategy in the U.S. and serves as the strategic and operational lead in the USA. Mr. Raza was also involved in the planning and execution of some high-profile projects at the JFK airport. One of the most notable projects was the British Airways (BA) move to a new Terminal 8 at JFK airport. This was a significant project and milestone, allowing them to co-locate with their transatlantic joint venture partner, American Airlines Making transfers on the partner airlines smoother, quicker, and less stressful for travelers.
During his time at the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world, Haris managed the resource deployment for large, strategic projects worth $250 million or more. Leading transformation initiatives, managing relationships with governing officials, and optimizing regional operations were all part of Haris' daily responsibilities.
Exploring his early career evolutionary years, being a qualified as a Chemical/Industrial Engineer, Haris' early career has been instrumental in helping him understand how large manufacturing Ecosystems functioned. Through various experiences in projects, Haris learned how complex intertwined manufacturing operations are highly sensitive to variations in a specific process stream and how managing that effectively, could unlock system efficiencies, save precious process-time, imparts safety and eventually result in better consumer products, and alleviate industry standards. Perfecting his ability to manage changes at a granular level while managing the complex strategies, Haris consistently delivered best in class operations and profit margins and unlocking rapid growth.
Being a life-long learner, Haris returned to academia to earn his MBA Degree from LUMS which is a Harvard Business School-affiliated university. His love of academia has taken him to various prestigious Institutions around the world, like Harvard, Cranfield, INSEAD which helped him in pairing well researched concepts and ideas with the complex work he had been doing in his professional life, further cementing his ability to be a dynamic, well-grounded leader. This unique learning process has given Haris a unique thought process that enables him to understand and manage complex Eco-systems. He has developed Systemic Leadership and Design thinking due to his capability to effectively design, run and manage multiple nodes in a self-sustaining Ecosystems in multiple industries he has created an impact over last two decades.
Haris' tenacity, natural leadership style, and willingness to learn have kept him on the cutting edge of his industry. He is the type of leader every organization needs in today's disruptively uncertain world; no goal is out of reach and no challenge is impossible. Haris illustrates how to remain successful while being fearless in the everchanging and constantly evolving world of business and disruptive technology. Like Haris, executives must be well-versed in technological advancements to remain proactive before their companies become obsolete or keeping ahead of the curve, understanding what must be done.
