Mohamed Shaheen, CEO of Schneider Electric in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, and Bahrain: My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is the CEO of Schneider Electric in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, and Bahrain, Mohamed Shaheen (LinkedIn). Below are edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Mohamed Shaheen, and I’m the CEO of Schneider Electric in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, and Bahrain. My entire career has been with Schneider Electric, a company I consider to be a great school. I had spent 15 years in our Egypt office before moving to the Kingdom, where I’ve been for the last five years. I held seven to eight different positions across various departments, which gave me “one-mile knowledge, one-inch depth” of the entire business. This broad understanding is crucial in a company with a portfolio as vast and complicated as ours. I believe in having a wide range of knowledge, even if it’s only an inch deep in most areas, with a “one-mile depth” in your specific area of expertise.

Schneider Electric’s core philosophy is built on sustainability, aiming at carbon-neutrality by 2060, which is being achieved through two key pillars — electrification and digitization. We’re moving beyond being a simple supplier of electrical components to providing comprehensive, integrated solutions. This includes a heavy focus on software, with our “One Software Division” integrating various platforms to create a complete smart ecosystem. This focus on digitization naturally leads to a strong emphasis on AI, which is now a common element in all our solutions.

I don’t believe AI will replace the human workforce. Instead, those who can’t adapt to using AI will be the ones left behind. The Industrial Revolution didn’t eliminate the need for workers; it just required a more skilled and trained workforce. AI is a tool to make us more efficient, freeing up time for more strategic thinking.

For those looking to succeed in business, my advice is simple — read a lot and reflect on how what you’re reading applies to your daily work. You don’t need to be a CEO to do this. I enjoy reading about the successes and failures of other companies, as there are always lessons to be learned.

In Saudi Arabia, our strategy is aligned with Vision 2030, with a focus on localization and increasing local manufacturing. We currently have 12 production lines for 10 different products in the Kingdom, with a plan to almost triple the number of production lines to 32 by 2030. We are also heavily invested in our people, particularly fresh graduates, who we consider to be the future leaders of our company. Our goal is to be the “most global local company,” combining our international expertise with a deep understanding of the local market.

I try to begin my day with half an hour of sports, as I believe that if I don’t get my exercise in first thing, it simply won’t happen. No matter how demanding the schedule, I have learned that pushing myself endlessly isn’t the answer — maintaining positive energy and balance outside of work actually makes everything smoother and more productive. The first portion of my day is dedicated to work, which, for me, is more than just a job — it’s a lifelong journey of learning and growth.

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