womanthismonth.com | SEPTEMBER 2025 INTERVIEW 4 Leadership in Logistics Ms. Waseem has steadily built a reputation as one of Bahrain’s rising leaders in logistics and e-commerce operations. From graduating with First Class Honours in Accounting and Finance to heading picker operations at Key Arabia Services, her career path demonstrates determination, adaptability and a passion for driving change. Building Leadership Through Experience Her professional life has been shaped by diverse experiences that developed both her technical expertise and leadership style. Early on, her work at the Al Hawas al Khams Rehabilitation Centre gave her a foundation in empathy and communication, qualities that continue to influence how she manages people today. Ms. Waseem later transitioned into human resources, taking on roles at Shahico Holding WLL in Bahrain and as a freelance HR manager in Belgium. These positions allowed her to refine her approach to workforce planning, employee engagement, and performance management. “My HR background helped me understand how to set clear expectations while ensuring my team feels supported,” she reflects. “I see people as partners in achieving our KPIs, not just resources.” Driving Change in Logistics At Key Arabia Services, Ms. Waseem leads end-to-end in-store order picking operations for major retail and food delivery platforms. Her strategic leadership has resulted in consistently meeting strict partner KPIs and reducing picker non-performance penalties by 25 percent in Q2 2025. She describes her role as “a balance of managing people and monitoring performance,” with a constant focus on process improvement and efficiency. Adaptability, discipline and teamwork whilst remaining calm under pressure are the man qualities required for the job, she believes. Motivation, she believes, is also central to maintaining high performance. “Motivation comes from a mix of recognition, fairness and opportunity,” she explains. “I make our performance data transparent and use incentives to reward high performers. Small but meaningful recognition, making people feel valued, makes them perform better.” Breaking Down Barriers While she has achieved significant success, she acknowledges the challenges of working in a male-dominated sector. “The main challenge is overcoming stereotypes,” she says. “I’ve had to Afreen Waseem is transforming Bahrain’s e-commerce and logistics sector through her role at Key Arabia Services, combining strategic leadership with a passion for empowering women to pursue roles in operations and management. work twice as hard to prove my credibility.” This has inspired her to advocate for more women to take leadership roles in logistics and e-commerce. “We need to reshape perceptions,” she emphasises. “When women see that their skills are valued in these roles, they’ll be more confident in stepping up.” When asked what advice she would give to young women in Bahrain aspiring to enter traditionally male-dominated fields, she states: “Don’t let stereotypes hold you back. Logistics teaches you resilience and leadership. Build your knowledge, stay confident and find mentors. Don’t be afraid to bring your unique perspective to the table.”
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