Leadership series: Adeel Anjum

Meet the industry’s most inspiring leaders in our Leadership Series of in-depth conversations.

In this interview, we speak to Adeel Anjum, Chief Executive Officer at BSN GCC.

Business School Netherlands is a multi-accredited Dutch business school offering blended learning and online executive programmes.

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

I am a multisector Global CEO with over 25 years of leadership experience across industries including Food Retail, Fashion Retail, Sports Retail, Technology Retail, Fitness & Wellness, Hospitality, Real Estate, Executive Education, Digital Finance, HealthTech, AI, Oil & Gas, and strategic consultancy across the UK, USA, and MENA regions.

Currently, I serve as CEO of Business School Netherlands GCC, one of the world’s leading action learning business schools, where we are shaping future leaders across the region. 

Alongside this, I sit on multiple boards across technology firms and Kuwait Active, contributing to sector-wide transformation initiatives. 

I am also an author of several books on leadership and personal development, focused on bridging the gap between strategy and execution.

What initially inspired you or sparked your interest in pursuing this career?

My journey was driven by a deep curiosity about how businesses across various sectors and geographies scale, transform, and sustain competitive advantage across markets. 

Early in my career, I witnessed first-hand how great ideas often fail due to poor execution. 

That sparked a lifelong focus on what I call “strategy-to-execution excellence.” 

The opportunity to build, turn around, and scale businesses across diverse sectors and geographies became both my passion and my purpose.

What motivates you in your work and what do you find most fulfilling about being a business leader?

What motivates me is transformation of businesses, people, and systems. 

The most fulfilling aspect of leadership is creating environments and opportunities where individuals and organisations can operate at their full potential. 

Seeing teams evolve, markets being reshaped, and ideas turning into scalable, impactful businesses is incredibly rewarding.

Thinking about the current macro-economic and social environment, what shifts do you believe will redefine “success” for our sector?

Success is being redefined across several dimensions:

• Efficiency over scale – profitable growth will matter more than expansion at any cost 
• Experience over price – customer loyalty will increasingly be driven by differentiated experiences
• Digital-first ecosystems – integration of AI, data, and automation will become non-negotiable
• Sustainability & ethics – businesses will be measured not just by profit, but by impact
• Agility in operating models – the ability to pivot quickly will define resilience
• Organisations that can balance cost discipline with innovation will outperform.

How do you stay updated on industry trends, customer expectations, and regulatory changes?

I operate within a global ecosystem across multiple sectors, which naturally provides continuous exposure to evolving trends. 

In addition, I engage closely with industry leaders, boards, and advisory networks, and leverage data-driven insights, research publications, and real-time market intelligence. Continuous learning is a discipline, not an option, at this level.

Beyond traditional sources, I prioritise direct market engagement, speaking with customers, partners, and frontline teams across regions. 

I also actively participate in global forums, executive education platforms, and advisory roles, which provide early visibility into regulatory and technological shifts. 

The combination of macro insight and ground-level reality is critical.

What do you believe will distinguish the leading service providers over the next decade?

The winners will be those who master:

• Hybrid models – blending physical and digital seamlessly
• Personalisation at scale – powered by AI and data
• Experience-led value propositions – beyond transactional relationships
• Trust and transparency – particularly in digital and financial ecosystems
• Speed of execution – the ability to move from idea to market faster than competitors

Niche positioning will matter, but execution excellence will matter more.

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned?

Strategy alone does not deliver results, execution does. The gap between the two is where most businesses fail. Aligning people, culture, and systems around execution is the single most critical leadership responsibility. I call it ‘strategy to execution excellence’.

What values or behaviours do you consider essential for leadership teams today?

• Clarity of vision and decisiveness to execute right
• Accountability and ownership mindset
• Adaptability in uncertain environments 
• Data-driven decision making
• Empathy and people-centric leadership

Leadership today is as much about emotional intelligence as it is about strategic capability.

What advice would you give emerging leaders who want to shape the future of the service industry?

Focus on building depth and versatility. Understand not just your function, but the entire business ecosystem. Embrace technology, stay customer-obsessed, and develop the discipline of execution. 

Most importantly, invest in continuous learning and self-development because leadership is not a position, it is a lifelong journey.