HR as a Catalyst for Business Growth: Insights from Telecom Veteran Mohamed Alsayed
Mohamed Alsayed , a seasoned telecommunications executive with over 25 years of experience across major telecom operators, brings a wealth of knowledge to the evolving landscape of Human Resources. As the founder of Accelera, a consulting firm specializing in Retail, CX, and Employee Experience Transformation, Mohamed offers unique insights into how HR can transition from a traditional business partner role to that of a true business accelerator.
In this exclusive pre-event interview, Mohamed shares his perspectives on the changing role of HR, the impact of technology, and strategies for HR to drive business success in organizations of all sizes.
Q: With 25 years in telecom and leadership roles across major telecom operators, how has your experience shaped your perspective on HR’s role in speeding up business?
Mohamed: Telecommunications is an industry that has undergone significant disruption numerous times, and from a variety of players including content providers, app ecosystems, OTT and IPCom players, and more recently hardware manufacturers. It is also an industry where the pace of technological change is rapid. So, for telecom operators to survive disruption and emerge anew, organizational agility is key, and in the seat driving agility there needs to be competent, empowered and agile HR.
The role of HR here involves not just hiring the right talent but fostering a culture where innovation thrives, leadership adapts, and employees feel empowered to contribute meaningfully. During major transformation projects, HR plays a pivotal role in change management, ensuring teams are aligned and skilled to execute strategies swiftly. This proactive, strategic involvement positions HR as a true accelerator of business objectives.
Q: As the founder of Accelera - a consulting firm specializing in Retail, CX Employee Experience Transformation - how do you see the intersection of HR and technologies like GenAI and RetailTech reshaping the way businesses approach customer-facing roles and employee development?
Mohamed: Forward-thinking HR leadership needs to embrace tech such as Generative AI and RetailTech as key enablers and sources of competitive advantage, as they are critical to transforming the way businesses manage and develop their workforce, particularly in customer-facing roles. GenAI, for instance, allows businesses to create dynamic, personalized training programs tailored to individual employee strengths and learning styles. It also provides real-time analytics on performance, enabling HR to intervene and support employees when and where it matters most. RetailTech further amplifies this by automating repetitive tasks, enabling employees to focus on customer engagement and problem-solving.
Together, these technologies allow HR to create a workplace where employees are continuously learning, adapting, and equipped with the tools to excel. They also help HR measure the direct impact of employee development on business outcomes, closing the loop between investment in talent and tangible business results. This intersection of technology and human resource management is pivotal in creating resilient and future-ready organizations.
Q: Your keynote is titled “Recreating the Role of HR: From Business Partner to Business Accelerator.” Without delving into specifics, could you give our attendees a glimpse of how this perspective might reshape their understanding of HR’s potential in driving business success?
Mohamed: The concept of HR as a business partner was intended to evolve HR beyond an administrative role. But a business partner’s responsibilities are often defined by collaboration, not accountability. It’s no surprise that without a tangible tie to the company’s financial and operational goals, HR’s initiatives can easily lose focus and impact and often end up being a distant second to more important “real business” initiatives.
Employees need more than the reassurance of partnership and the feeling of camaraderie. They need a system that empowers and enables them, a system that ensures they understand what is expected, have the right skills, and the best set of circumstances in which they operate. In short, they need to be set up to succeed.
By moving toward the model of a business accelerator, HR departments can and should play an active role in accelerating the achievement of corporate objectives by ensuring that the right people are doing the right things at the right time.
Q: Accelera aims to bring enterprise-quality consulting to businesses of all sizes. How can HR departments in smaller businesses act as accelerators despite having limited resources?
Mohamed: For smaller businesses with smaller budgets, it’s all about prioritization and focusing on items that deliver the most impact. HR departments can achieve significant impact by prioritizing initiatives that yield the highest returns on investment while remaining in total alignment with what the business owners want in terms of results. This may include creating a strong employer brand to attract top talent, fostering an inclusive and engaging culture that retains employees, and leveraging affordable technology to streamline HR processes.
In addition, HR can focus on upskilling employees through tailored, low-cost training programs that address critical skill gaps. By partnering with local organizations, educational institutions, or online learning platforms, smaller businesses can provide growth opportunities without stretching their budgets.
Another key strategy is empowering line managers to take on some HR responsibilities, creating a more decentralized and agile approach to people management. With the right focus and strategic mindset, HR in smaller businesses can drive innovation and growth, proving that size does not limit the impact.
Q: You’ve mentored young entrepreneurs and conducted workshops for micro-business owners. How do these experiences inform your perspective on HR’s role in nurturing talent and driving business success?
Mohamed: Mentoring young entrepreneurs has been a key objective of Accelera since its inception. And doing so has reinforced in my mind time and time again the fact that talent is the cornerstone of business success, regardless of size or industry. And this further reinforces how crucial HR is in shaping the mindset and building the resilience of individuals. I’ve seen first-hand in my workshops how providing clarity on organizational values, roles, and growth opportunities can inspire employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the company’s vision and to their own success.
Micro-businesses often operate in resource-constrained environments, which highlights the importance of creating multi-skilled, agile and highly adaptable teams. HR’s role here – whether a separate department or via the business owner himself or herself – extends to building a culture of trust, encouraging open communication, and ensuring that employees feel invested in the business’s success. These lessons have solidified my belief that HR is not just about managing talent but also about unlocking its full potential to drive long-term growth and sustainability.
Q: Looking ahead, what key skills or mindsets do you believe HR professionals need to cultivate to truly become business accelerators?
Mohamed: HR needs to tango in complete lockstep with the executive management team, anticipating and reacting to its every need. As a bare minimum, HR professionals need to be masters in change management to lead organizational transformation and fully understand the business’ financial drivers to align HR strategies with measurable outcomes.
Additionally, HR professionals must cultivate adaptability and a commitment to lifelong learning to keep pace with emerging technologies and shifting workforce dynamics. Emotional intelligence and communication skills are also essential, as they enable HR leaders to build trust, foster collaboration, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics.
Finally, a focus on sustainability and inclusivity will help HR drive meaningful impact while building resilient organizations ready for both current and future challenges. And judging from the fact that no industry has fully recovered post-Covid, and total recovery isn’t expected anytime soon, the role of HR in accelerating business success has never been more important.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, Mohamed, given your extensive experience in telecom, consulting, and your focus on business empowerment, what are you most looking forward to at the upcoming event? Are there particular discussions, networking opportunities, or potential collaborations that excite you as a speaker and industry leader?
Mohamed: Having such a large, diverse range of experienced leaders under one roof, open to exchanging knowledge with the objective of accelerating their businesses success and leading their businesses into the future is an opportunity that should not be missed. And with that in mind, what excites me most about the upcoming event is the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about the evolving role of HR and its impact on business transformation. I’m personally very interested in discussions on leveraging technology and innovation to enhance the employee experience and drive organizational agility.
Networking with industry leaders and professionals from diverse sectors is another highlight for me. These interactions often spark fresh ideas and open doors to collaborations that drive real change. I also look forward to sharing insights from my journey and learning from others who are pushing boundaries in HR and business strategy.
I’m certain that this event will be amazing and highly successful, and I’m looking forward to it.
Mohamed Alsayed’s insights offer invaluable guidance for HR professionals and leaders navigating the complexities of the modern workplace. His emphasis on HR as a business accelerator, leveraging technology, and driving organizational agility provides a roadmap for creating more effective, innovative, and resilient organizations in an increasingly digital world.
Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with Mohamed Alsayed and other thought leaders at the upcoming 3rd Middle East Digital Talent Ecosystem Dialogue in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 5-6 Feb. This event promises to be a hub of innovative ideas and transformative conversations around the evolving talent ecosystem, future of HR and its role in driving business success. For more details, visit, visit here.
