Shaheen Majeed : Empowering Innovation And Sustainability In The Nutraceutical Sector
Shaheen Majeed
Global CEO & Managing Director
Shaheen’s journey began at the young age of 17, working in the warehouse of Sabinsa, the business founded by his father. Over the next two decades, he held various roles within the company, each with increasing responsibility, providing him with comprehensive insights into the operational and strategic facets of the business. Shaheen’s career took a new direction when he departed from Sabinsa and went on to serve as CEO of HB Natural Ingredients, BGG Americas, and Algae Health Sciences, subsidiaries of BGG World. These experiences not only broadened his understanding of the global nutraceutical market but also honed his executive leadership skills.
Shaheen’s return to Sami-Sabinsa Group as Global CEO and Managing Director was a significant milestone, fulfilling his father’s final request and marking a new chapter for the company. With an MBA in Business Management from Keller Management School and a BA in Economics from Rutgers University in New Jersey, Shaheen brings a blend of academic rigor and practical experience to his leadership role. Under his guidance, the Sami-Sabinsa Group is well positioned to continue its legacy of innovation and scientific exc- ellence, addressing the evolving needs of consumers worldwide while upholding the values upon which the company was founded.
Let’s dive into this one-on-one inter-action to know more.
With twenty-nine years of experience, how would you describe your journey to success?
My journey in the industry has been diverse and multifaceted. I have held various roles across different segments, including serving as a cosmetic marketing manager, a nutritional sales manager, and an executive assistant to the CEO. I also led the contract manufacturing unit in Utah, USA, and spent a significant period as marketing director before ultimately becoming President worldwide. Many of these responsibilities were undertaken simultaneously, which greatly enriched my professional growth.
Can you share the sustainable practices that Sami-Sabinsa Group has implemented in its operations and your vision for a sustainable future?
Sustainability has always been at the heart of Sabinsa’s values, and we have taken several steps to turn this commitment into action. As a responsible organization, we view biological resources as valuable assets and strive to use natural resources efficiently and sustainably. We place a strong emphasis on the ethical sourcing of raw materials and actively train and encourage our growers to follow best practices in agriculture and field collection.
One of our key efforts is a pioneering reforestation program
that involved the ex-situ conservation of an important but neglected tree species, Pterocarpus marsupium (Indian kino tree). Through the program, over 166,600 trees across 250 acres of forest land were initially planted, with plans for long-term maintenance over the next ten years. We have since expanded this effort, aiming to cover a larger area and grow more seedlings.
Additionally, last year Sabinsa made a significant investment in renewable energy to support India’s transition to sustain-able practices. We invested in captive solar power for all our manufacturing plants located in Karnataka, India. Our facilities are equipped with processes that ensure no emissions are released into the environment. Further more, all our plants are equipped with Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems, reducing the ecological impact of our production processes and promoting env- ironmental responsibility.
Tell us about your CSR initiatives. How do you encourage your employees to participate in them?
At Sabinsa, we prioritize sustainability both in our operations and by actively supporting our community. Our staff is instrumental in reducing our ecological footprint, while our initiatives have fostered growth and created meaningful livelihood opportunities for many individuals with limited access to resources.
We have established fair-trade contracts with hundreds of small farmers, ensuring they provide highquality raw materials. We support these farmers by offering planting materials and training them on sustainable agricultural practices. By promoting crop diversification and guaranteeing a minimum purchase price, we help these farmers earn better returns. Additionally, we contribute to improving local infrastructure and support children's education in rural communities.
Sabinsa is also committed to gender equality, with women making up over 60 percent of our workforce in Corporate R&D. They have taken leadership roles and played a pivotal part in launching more than 120 initiatives, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products. We actively encourage staff engagement in our CSR initiatives, cultivating a culture of participation, and a strong commitment to social responsibility.
Could you tell us about the quality control measures you have adopted in your organisation to ensure the utmost precision and quality?
At Sabinsa, we uphold strict quality standards to meet the regulatory requirements of the global markets we serve. Our commitment to quality starts at the agricultural level, where we train growers in sustainable practices, conduct regular field audits, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and fair trade practices across the supply chain. Our R&D facility in Bengaluru is equipped with advanced instruments to detect contaminants, adulterants, and residual chemicals at trace levels, thus ensuring quality and safety in our ingredients.
We offer over 120 standardized botanical extracts and employ more than 1,800 people across 27 global facilities. Many of our products are Kosher and Halal certified, patented, and supported by clinical studies. Our ingredients maintain a high standard of excellence and consistency, ensuring that every batch meets our rigorous quality expectations year after year.
Our ingredients find application in diverse industries such as dietary supplements, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and veterinary care, presented in various formats. We prioritize ethically sourcing raw materials and take measures to preserve bioresources. We standardize our ingredients to ensure consistent efficacy,
Our objective goes beyond selling supplements, it’s about transforming lives by encouraging individuals to adopt a more nutritious lifestyle
Additionally, last year Sabinsa made a significant investment in renewable energy to support India’s transition to sustain-able practices. We invested in captive solar power for all our manufacturing plants located in Karnataka, India. Our facilities are equipped with processes that ensure no emissions are released into the environment. Further more, all our plants are equipped with Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems, reducing the ecological impact of our production processes and promoting env- ironmental responsibility.
Tell us about your CSR initiatives. How do you encourage your employees to participate in them?
At Sabinsa, we prioritize sustainability both in our operations and by actively supporting our community. Our staff is instrumental in reducing our ecological footprint, while our initiatives have fostered growth and created meaningful livelihood opportunities for many individuals with limited access to resources.
We have established fair-trade contracts with hundreds of small farmers, ensuring they provide highquality raw materials. We support these farmers by offering planting materials and training them on sustainable agricultural practices. By promoting crop diversification and guaranteeing a minimum purchase price, we help these farmers earn better returns. Additionally, we contribute to improving local infrastructure and support children's education in rural communities.
Sabinsa is also committed to gender equality, with women making up over 60 percent of our workforce in Corporate R&D. They have taken leadership roles and played a pivotal part in launching more than 120 initiatives, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products. We actively encourage staff engagement in our CSR initiatives, cultivating a culture of participation, and a strong commitment to social responsibility.
Could you tell us about the quality control measures you have adopted in your organisation to ensure the utmost precision and quality?
At Sabinsa, we uphold strict quality standards to meet the regulatory requirements of the global markets we serve. Our commitment to quality starts at the agricultural level, where we train growers in sustainable practices, conduct regular field audits, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and fair trade practices across the supply chain. Our R&D facility in Bengaluru is equipped with advanced instruments to detect contaminants, adulterants, and residual chemicals at trace levels, thus ensuring quality and safety in our ingredients.
We offer over 120 standardized botanical extracts and employ more than 1,800 people across 27 global facilities. Many of our products are Kosher and Halal certified, patented, and supported by clinical studies. Our ingredients maintain a high standard of excellence and consistency, ensuring that every batch meets our rigorous quality expectations year after year.
Our ingredients find application in diverse industries such as dietary supplements, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and veterinary care, presented in various formats. We prioritize ethically sourcing raw materials and take measures to preserve bioresources. We standardize our ingredients to ensure consistent efficacy,
maintaining quality throughout their shelf life and across all batches. We conduct comprehensive safety evaluations on all ingredients before offering them to our clients, ensuring their quality and reliability. Sabinsa follows industry best practices, which has reinforced customer trust and strengthened our brand integrity.
Can you share your leadership approach? What guidelines or methodologies do you follow to lead your team?
I focus on fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment that boosts team morale, enhances productivity, and encourages everyone to contribute to the organization’s growth. I believe that embracing failures and learning from them is essential to our innovation process, and I strongly support taking calculated risks at work. This mindset helps us to consistently improve and maintain a competitive edge.
What is the future direction you are moving towards?
Sabinsa has been a pioneer in researching and standardizing ingredients derived from medicinal plants, demonstrating their safety and efficacy through extensive studies. Our founder, the late Dr. Muhammed Majeed, mentored many long standing employees, who were directly involved in key decision-making processes. Today, Sabinsa operates in 19 countries with a workforce of over 1,800 individuals. As we continue to grow, we are establishing a clearer chain of command, empowering managers with greater decision making authority. We are implementing a management structure that clearly defines roles and responsi-bilities, creating an environment where employees can effectively leverage their skills and advance in their careers.
What advice would you offer to emerging industry leaders?
Focusing on making ethically responsible decisions brings long-term benefits. Since we, along with our families, use the products we create, it’s crucial to ensure they are made with the same integrity we expect in such products.
Shaheen Majeed, Global CEO and Managing Director, Sami Sabinsa Group
Shaheen Majeed is the Global CEO and Managing Director of Sami-Sabinsa Group, with 29 years of experience in transforming the company into a global leader in the nutraceutical industry. He has held various roles across sales, supply chain, manufacturing, regulatory and global marketing. Majeed is a recognized innovator with 62 patents, 31 publications, an industry thought leader. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights. Recently, the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) recognised Shaheen Majeed with an Excellence in Leadership award for his many years of service to the dietary supplement and natural products industry, and for his business leadership and ongoing support of important industry initiatives.
Company Snapshot:
•Established 1988
•8+ Manufacturing Facilities (India & US)
•State-of-the-Art Corporate R&D, Bangalore
•1800+ Global Workforce
•120+ Products
•120+ Scientists
•500+ Patents
•700 Scientific Publications
•100+ International & National Recognitions
Can you share your leadership approach? What guidelines or methodologies do you follow to lead your team?
I focus on fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment that boosts team morale, enhances productivity, and encourages everyone to contribute to the organization’s growth. I believe that embracing failures and learning from them is essential to our innovation process, and I strongly support taking calculated risks at work. This mindset helps us to consistently improve and maintain a competitive edge.
What is the future direction you are moving towards?
Sabinsa has been a pioneer in researching and standardizing ingredients derived from medicinal plants, demonstrating their safety and efficacy through extensive studies. Our founder, the late Dr. Muhammed Majeed, mentored many long standing employees, who were directly involved in key decision-making processes. Today, Sabinsa operates in 19 countries with a workforce of over 1,800 individuals. As we continue to grow, we are establishing a clearer chain of command, empowering managers with greater decision making authority. We are implementing a management structure that clearly defines roles and responsi-bilities, creating an environment where employees can effectively leverage their skills and advance in their careers.
What advice would you offer to emerging industry leaders?
Focusing on making ethically responsible decisions brings long-term benefits. Since we, along with our families, use the products we create, it’s crucial to ensure they are made with the same integrity we expect in such products.
Shaheen Majeed, Global CEO and Managing Director, Sami Sabinsa Group
Shaheen Majeed is the Global CEO and Managing Director of Sami-Sabinsa Group, with 29 years of experience in transforming the company into a global leader in the nutraceutical industry. He has held various roles across sales, supply chain, manufacturing, regulatory and global marketing. Majeed is a recognized innovator with 62 patents, 31 publications, an industry thought leader. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights. Recently, the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) recognised Shaheen Majeed with an Excellence in Leadership award for his many years of service to the dietary supplement and natural products industry, and for his business leadership and ongoing support of important industry initiatives.
Company Snapshot:
•Established 1988
•8+ Manufacturing Facilities (India & US)
•State-of-the-Art Corporate R&D, Bangalore
•1800+ Global Workforce
•120+ Products
•120+ Scientists
•500+ Patents
•700 Scientific Publications
•100+ International & National Recognitions