AH
AFTAB HUSSAIN
Quality, Safety & Operational Excellence Professional | Helping Oil & Gas & Industrial sectors in the Middle East achieve Zero-Harm & peak performance | Turning High-Risk Operations into High-Reliability Success Stories
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Executive HSEQ Leader Radiation Protection & NORM Authority Operational Excellence

Bridging Frontline Operations with Boardroom Strategy

25+ years transforming high-risk operations into high-reliability success stories — across Baker Hughes, Flowserve, NOV and Olayan Group — with deep expertise in HSEQ, Radiation Protection, NORM Management and Operational Excellence for Saudi Arabia & the GCC.

25+ Years Gulf Leadership NRRC · IAEA · IATA/ADR/IMDG Lead Auditor ISO & API Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Book a Consultation View Experience
Zero
Fatalities · 20K+ Staff
25+
External Audits Zero Findings
SAR 133M
Total Value Creation/Year
$500M
Suspended Projects Regained
Aftab Hussain, HSEQ and Operational Excellence Consultant in Saudi Arabia
About Aftab Hussain

From Frontline Operations to Boardroom Strategy

I am a result-driven Quality, Safety & Environmental Business Improvement and Organizational Excellence professional with 25+ years of diversified experience. My career has been dedicated to evaluating continual HSEQ and business improvement opportunities, identifying initiatives, and facilitating action-driven plans that support organizational growth and objectives.

I am an expert in the identification and implementation of HSEQ management strategies across the Oil & Gas and Petrochemical service and manufacturing sectors. This involves the development, implementation, and management of ASME, NQA, ASTM, ANSI, ISO, and API based Quality and HSE Management Systems, leading operations toward financial targets and flawless execution performance.

My philosophy is built on making every day a "Perfect HSE Day." I have delivered quality controls and enhancements to proactively address problems and improve workplace safety, product quality, manufacturing flow, customer satisfaction, and bottom-line results.

Throughout my career at Baker Hughes, Flowserve, NOV, and Olayan Group, I have led initiatives that regained over $500 million in suspended Aramco projects, reversed multi-million dollar losses into sustainable profitability, and delivered SAR 133 million in total annual value creation through Lean Six Sigma and digital HSEQ.

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At a Glance

📍
Based in Al-Khobar, Saudi ArabiaAvailable across GCC
⏳
25+ Years ExperienceBaker Hughes · Flowserve · NOV · Olayan
🛡️
Radiation Protection & NORM AuthorityNRRC · IAEA · IATA/ADR/IMDG
🏆
Zero Fatalities · 20,000+ Staff75% LTI reduction · 60% MVCA reduction
✅
99% ISO/API Audit ComplianceZero major non-conformances across 25+ audits
🌍
MultilingualEnglish, Urdu, Hindi, Pashtu, Sindhi, Arabic, Punjabi, Swedish
📜
CertifiedCSP · NEBOSH · CQM · LSSBB · PMP · Lead Auditor · NDT II · ATEX
🏅
Award-WinningChairman's HS&E Excellence Award (2013) · President's HS&E Excellence Award (2012)
Core Expertise

Deep Technical & Leadership Capability

Two decades of specialized capability across five interconnected domains.

📋

HSEQ Management Systems

ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, API Q1/Q2, IATF 16949 — development, implementation, auditing and certification readiness across multi-site operations.

⚠️

Risk Management

FMEA, HAZOP, Bowtie, LOPA, HAZID, JSA — proactive risk identification and mitigation. Incident Command System (ICS) trained.

🔍

Audit & Assurance

Lead Auditor certified across ISO and API standards. AI-enhanced paperless audit systems; 99% compliance across 25+ audits with zero major NCRs.

📑

Regulatory Compliance

Saudi Aramco, NEBOSH, OSHA, NRRC, IAEA, Saudi National OSH Policy 2020, Labor Law Art. 123–124, SASO PPE Regulations.

🤝

Contractor Management

Prequalification, HSE plan review, dynamic risk assessment, onboarding, and governance for 5,000+ onsite personnel.

🚨

Incident Investigation

TapRooT, Apollo, 5-Whys, Fishbone, Cause Mapping — root cause analysis with CAPA and knowledge-sharing loops.

☢️

NORM Management Systems

End-to-end NORM framework, manual, compliance matrix, permit register, monitoring plan, competency matrix and audit assurance plan.

📜

NRRC Regulatory Compliance

NRRC-R-01, NRRC-R-01-SR11, NRRC-R-16 — licensing, permits, approvals, evidence packages and regulatory hold points.

🌍

International Standards

IAEA, IATA/ICAO, ADR, IMDG, NFPA — dangerous goods compliance for air, road and sea transport.

📊

Radiation Protection Strategy

Dose assessment, workplace monitoring, environmental monitoring, radon, area zoning, shielding philosophy, PPE selection and dosimetry.

🛢️

NORM Waste & Clearance

Waste classification, predisposal management, discharge controls, clearance levels (10 Bq/g K-40; 1 Bq/g U/Th chains), decommissioning.

🧪

Instrument & Measurement

Radiation survey meter calibration, sealed source leak testing, capsule integrity testing, dosimetry services, VR training simulations.

📈

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

DMAIC, Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, TPM — delivering 25%+ reductions in non-conformances and defects.

⚙️

Statistical Process Control

SPC, CpK monitoring, MSA, Gage R&R, FAI — 15% FPY improvement for critical assemblies at Flowserve and NOV.

🔧

Asset & Reliability

Predictive maintenance, asset lifecycle management, integrated asset integrity programs extending tool life by 20%.

🏭

Turnaround & Shutdown

Zero-harm shutdown campaigns across Flowserve and Olayan — 100% operational integrity under challenging rig-site conditions.

🚀

Performance Transformation

Quality Maturity, Safety Maturity and Zero Defect programs — advancing organizations from Level 2 (Reactive) to Level 4 (Proactive).

💡

Change Management & COVID-19 Strategy

Developed 15-point change management strategy ensuring business continuity, uninterrupted operations, and increased AOP during the COVID-19 pandemic.

🖥️

Industry 4.0 & IIoT

Digital twins, ERP integration, predictive maintenance platforms — 30% acceleration of Industry 4.0 adoption.

📊

Real-Time KPI Dashboards

Power BI, Tableau, Python (Pandas, Scikit-Learn) — 30+ KPI monitoring systems boosting decision speed by 25%.

🤖

AI Audit & Inspection

AI-enhanced paperless audit systems — 40% reduction in manual time with 99.5% hazard detection accuracy.

🌱

ESG & Sustainability

GRI, SASB, TCFD reporting, carbon footprint (ISO 14064), decarbonization strategy, flare management — 18% carbon footprint reduction.

♻️

Three-Prong Sustainability

Circular economy adaptation, product replacement, energy & resource reduction — applied across industrial operations.

📉

Digital Compliance

Cloud-based compliance software, ERP-integrated environmental reporting, automated corrective action tracking.

👥

Team Leadership

Multidisciplinary leadership across engineering, operations, maintenance, lab, EHSS, security and contractors — 1,200+ leaders trained.

🏛️

Regulator Interface

Primary liaison with NRRC, Customs, Civil Defense, Atomic Energy — 100% compliance across 25+ external audits.

💼

Stakeholder Management

Primary HSEQ interface for Saudi Aramco, EPCs and international regulators — 100% compliance record.

🎯

Culture Transformation

VR safety training, Safety Ambassador program, Learning Teams — 4x hazard reporting, 70% near-miss increase.

🧭

Executive Search

As Regional Partner at Jenova Partners — placing CEOs, COOs, VPs Operations, HSEQ Directors and Digital Officers across six continents.

📣

Thought Leadership

McKinsey Forward Leadership Program 2025; speaker on HSEQ, NORM and OpEx transformation across the GCC.

Career Journey

25+ Years of Gulf Leadership

A track record of delivering safety, quality, radiation protection and operational excellence across the region's most demanding energy and industrial projects.

2026 — Present

Senior Director — Quality, Safety, Sustainability & Operational Excellence

Trilink Solutions · Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Leading the Safety, Quality & Operational Excellence function across Oil & Gas, Energy, Utilities and Industrial sectors — bridging international standards with Saudi compliance (National OSH Policy 2020, Labor Law Art. 123–124, SASO PPE Regulations).

  • HSEQ Management Systems aligned with ISO, API and Saudi regulatory frameworks
  • Radiation Protection & NORM Management — end-to-end framework, manual, compliance matrix and audit plan
  • Client advisory on HSE governance, risk assessment, contractor HSE management and Aramco compliance
  • Delivered SAR 133M in value creation (SAR 38M cost avoidance + SAR 95M revenue unlocked)
2026 — Present

Regional Partner — Middle East

Jenova Partners · Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Leading the strategic advisory and executive search practice for the Energy, Oil & Gas, and Industrial sectors across the Middle East.

  • Market entry, regulatory readiness and HSE/Quality Management System localization
  • C-suite executive search — CEOs, COOs, VPs Operations, HSEQ Directors, Digital Officers
  • Digital transformation advisory — AI-driven Quality, HSE and Predictive Maintenance
2022 — 2026

Head of Quality, Safety & Operational Excellence

Olayan Saudi Holding Company · Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Led centralized QHSE and OpEx frameworks across 25+ business entities, including Oil & Gas, Petrochemical and specialty chemical portfolio companies.

  • Zero fatalities across 3 years (20,000 staff), 75% drop in LTI, 60% fewer vehicle accidents
  • 300% increase in safety reporting; 100% compliance across 25+ companies
  • Radiation Protection and NORM management framework across design, construction, commissioning and startup
  • 99% ISO compliance via AI-enhanced paperless audit systems with zero major NCRs
2016 — 2022

Quality, Safety & Operational Excellence Manager

Flowserve Corporation · Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Managed HSEQ and OpEx for pump, seal and valve manufacturing and service operations for the global petrochemical and specialty chemicals industry.

  • Zero recordable incidents for 5 years; 4 million work hours without a Lost Time Injury
  • 15% FPY improvement for critical assemblies; $500K annual COPQ reduction via redesigned RCA
  • 100% compliance during ISO 9001:2015 recertification; zero major NCRs in ISO 14001 & ISO 45001
  • Delivered 400+ pumps for Aramco Jafurah unconventional gas field with 100% on-time and zero defects
  • Decontaminated 600+ NORM-contaminated valves for a petrochemical olefins plant
  • Developed COVID-19 pandemic business continuity process ensuring uninterrupted operations and increased AOP
2015 — 2016

Quality & Safety Manager

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) · Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Led Quality, Safety and Environmental management for the manufacturing of high-specification downhole tools for the oil & gas industry.

  • ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and API Q1/Q2 Integrated Management System across manufacturing
  • 20% reduction in unplanned downtime and 15% improvement in on-time delivery within 6 months
  • FPY improved 25%; scrap rate reduced 18%; rework rate improved 22%; OEE up 15%
  • NORM clearance compliance improved 25%; radiological waste rate reduced 18%
2005 — 2015

Regional Service Quality & Operational Excellence Lead

Baker Hughes · Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Drove quality and operational excellence for oil tools, ESP manufacturing, and multiple repair and overhaul hubs across the Middle East — including radiation protection, explosives and dangerous goods.

  • Regional Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) and Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA)
  • Led regional HSEQ and OpEx for greenfield plants and RAMO hubs across Dubai, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia
  • 100% compliance across 25+ external audits with zero regulatory findings
  • Regained $500M+ suspended Aramco projects through QMS and process improvement
  • Perfect Radiation Safety Day program — 25% reduction in repeat radiological NCRs
  • Perfect Quality Day — 25% reduction in repeat non-conformances
  • Recipient of Chairman's HS&E Excellence Award (2013) and President's HS&E Excellence Award (2012)
2009 — 2014

Middle East Regional Leader — Radiation Protection, Nuclear Security & NORM

Baker Hughes · Dubai, UAE

Delivered Radiation Protection and NORM Safety service with excellent safety records across the Middle East — including the ISO & API E2 (NORM Management) based QHS&E Management System.

  • NORM surveys, risk assessments, contaminated equipment surveys, confirmatory receipt surveys
  • Established procedures for exempt and non-exempt NORM, NORM emergency response, and transport of NORM-contaminated material
  • Led regional license compliance, records management, and radiation protection policy implementation
2006 — 2009

Service Engineer / HS&E Lead Facilitator

Baker Hughes · Dubai, UAE & Islamabad, Pakistan

Hands-on repair and maintenance of Logging While Drilling (LWD) Nuclear Tools and Measurement While Drilling (MWD) tools, alongside HS&E facilitation.

2004 — 2005

Automotive Plastic Workshop Manager

Muharik Al-Borony · Sharjah, UAE

Early career operations leadership — managing workshop productivity, quality and delivery.

Key Achievements

Transformational Impact

Going beyond targets to deliver exceptional value creation and resilient business continuity.

Client Asked for 5M, We Delivered 133M

Recently, we were approached by a valuable client to optimize their costs. Their target was 5 million SAR in savings. What we found instead was an operation with 56,100 available hours per month, only 24,684 being used, yet 50,000 overtime hours paid. They weren't short on capacity—they were short on visibility.

Utilization
44% → 95%
OT Hours/Month
50,000 → 0
Productive Hours
24,684 → 53,295

We dug into the root causes: scheduling misaligned to demand, skill mismatches, process bottlenecks, unplanned workflows, overtime culture, and weak approvals. None of them required hiring. We pulled five levers: demand-driven scheduling, skills matrix + cross-training, bottleneck removal, workflow redesign, and a zero-overtime culture.

12 weeks later, we achieved 38M SAR in annual cost avoided with the same headcount and same shift. But the cost savings weren't the real story—the freed capacity became the engine for growth:

On-time delivery
↑ 10–20 points
Customer Satisfaction
↑ 10–25 points
Churn
↓ 3–5%
Revenue Unlocked
95M SAR
Total Value Creation
SAR 133M
26x the original target. Same 300 employees. Same shift. Same budget.

The lesson: Overtime is rarely a demand problem. It's almost always a planning problem. When you fix the match between capacity and demand, you don't just cut costs—you build the engine for growth.

Effective Change Management Strategies During COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented situation with significant business uncertainties. Like many organizations, Flowserve Al-Rushaid struggled initially with how to handle the arising issues. As the pandemic emergency response and crises team leader, I led the team and took practical steps to successfully manage the risk of exposure to COVID-19 at the workplace while meeting legal obligations.

As a result of our successful pandemic response, we were able to continue our business without any disruptions and, in fact, created more business opportunities. We were the only Flowserve facility that increased operating income by 32%.

Our 15-Point Action Plan
  • Effective Change Management Strategies
  • Unambiguous Change Management Plan
  • Goal Setting
  • Constant Communication of Response Plan
  • Setting New Performance Parameters
  • Two-Way Communication
  • Leveraging Technology
  • Training
  • Risk Assessments
  • Physical Distancing
  • Hygiene
  • Cleaning
  • PPE
  • Mental Health Support
  • Consultation
Proven Impact

Measurable Results Across 25+ Years

A track record built on safety, compliance, savings and culture transformation.

🛡️
Zero
Fatalities
Across 20,000+ staff over 3 years
📉
75%
LTI Reduction
Olayan portfolio · 2022–2026
🚗
60%
Vehicle Accident Drop
Olayan portfolio · 2022–2026
✅
99%
ISO/API Audit Compliance
Zero major NCRs · 25+ audits
📊
98%
NORM Compliance Delivery
NOV · manufacturing
💰
SAR 133M
Total Value Creation
Jenova Partners · Utilization case
📈
$500M+
Projects Regained
Baker Hughes · Aramco
🏭
4M
Work Hours Without LTI
Flowserve · 2016–2021
🌍
25+
Audits With Zero Findings
Baker Hughes · Flowserve · Olayan
👥
1,200+
Leaders Trained
VR safety & HOP · Olayan
📣
4x
Hazard Reporting Increase
Safety Ambassador program
🌱
18%
Carbon Footprint Reduction
Flare & turbine optimization
Credentials

Certifications, Education & Languages

Professional Certifications

Certified Safety Professional (CSP) — BCSP NEBOSH Level 6 International Diploma Certified Quality Manager (CQM) — ASQ Lean Six Sigma Black Belt — IASSC Project Management Professional (PMP) — PMI Certified Radiation Protection Manager — Baker Hughes Certified NORM Radiation Safety Manager Certified Radiation Safety & NORM Trainer ATEX Certified Safety Technician Lead Auditor — ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, IATF 16949, API Q1 & Q2 NDT Level II — ASNT IATA Dangerous Goods Acceptance Cause Mapping I & II (RCA) McKinsey Forward Leadership Program 2025

Education & Languages

MS, Occupational Safety & Health — Columbia Southern University MS, Organizational Excellence — Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University (Enrolled) B.S., Computer Science (2003) Diploma Associate Engineer, Electronics (1999)

Languages

English (Professional) Urdu / Hindi (Native) Pashtu / Sindhi (Native) Arabic (Basic) Punjabi / Swedish (Elementary)

Awards

Chairman's HS&E Excellence Award — 2013 President's HS&E Excellence Award — 2012
How I Help

Advisory, Governance & Executive Search

Three integrated engagement models through Trilink Solutions and Jenova Partners.

🛡️

HSEQ & Radiation Advisory

Executive HSEQ leadership, Radiation Protection and NORM Management for high-hazard operations.

  • HSEQ Management Systems (ISO & API)
  • Radiation Protection & NORM Programmes
  • NRRC licensing & regulatory interface
  • Incident investigation & CAPA
  • Audit readiness & certification
Discuss an Engagement →
📊

Operational Excellence

Lean Six Sigma, digital HSEQ, and performance transformation across multi-site operations.

  • Lean Six Sigma & Kaizen deployment
  • Quality Maturity & Zero Defect programs
  • AI-enhanced paperless audit systems
  • Real-time KPI dashboards (Power BI)
  • Sustainability & ESG frameworks
Explore OpEx →
🧭

Executive Search

As Regional Partner at Jenova Partners — placing transformative HSEQ and Operations leaders across the Middle East.

  • CEO, COO, VP Operations mandates
  • HSEQ Director & Digital Officer roles
  • Market entry & regulatory readiness
  • Digital transformation advisory
  • Six-continent global reach
Start a Search →

Let's Build a Future Where Zero Harm Is the Only Acceptable Metric

Whether you're navigating a complex HSEQ challenge, preparing for NRRC licensing, or seeking a transformative executive — I'm available for a direct conversation.

WhatsApp Me Email Me Connect on LinkedIn
Get in Touch

Let's Connect

Based in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Available across the GCC and for global advisory engagements.

Location

P.O. Box 31197, Al-Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia

Phone / WhatsApp

+966 53 492 4039

Email

husaft@icloud.com

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/aftab-hussain-6570a05