Name: Maha Bouzeid

Title: Vice President and head of Region Sweden and Middle East & Africa

Organisation: Business Sweden

Executive Leader with a proven track record in Sales, Business Development, and Procurement across high-tech industries. Transitioning from the Airport to Telecom, Maha excelled in the Energy sector before venturing into business consultancy and international trade at Business Sweden. As a board member at Energy Save, a Nasdaq-listed entity, she guides global growth strategies.

Maha's entrepreneurial spirit extends to angel investing in startups, leveraging her diverse cultural and business background from living and working across multiple continents. Her achievements include recognition among Sweden's top businesswomen and prestigious awards in procurement leadership.

Maha is dedicated to driving innovation and business growth, with a strong commitment to making a positive impact. Her contributions have garnered widespread recognition, including her inclusion among Sweden's 125 most influential women in business by Dagens Industri in 2022 and her prestigious accolade as Leader of the Year by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain in the MENA region in 2021. Early in her career, Maha was distinguished as one of Sweden's future women leaders in both 2010 and 2013, along with the distinction of being selected as the Alumni of the Year by Linköping University in 2013.

Maha's impact in the investment community is noteworthy. She's recognized as one of the 151 female investors in Breakit's "151 Female Investors in Swedish Startups" list (2024). She's also featured in Breakit's 2024 mapping of women in boardrooms and listed among Sweden's top tech investors in 2024. Additionally, she's recognized in Breakit's 2023 list of Sweden's important angel investors and 4Potentials' 2024 and 2023 compilation of Sweden's Top 500 Change Leaders.

A sought-after keynote speaker, moderator, and panelist, she generously shares her insights and expertise while also prioritizing mentorship, particularly in empowering women and fostering meaningful connections within the professional community. Maha has been a featured speaker and moderator at numerous prestigious events, including CoP, Women in Tech, and GigaEurope.

In addition to her speaking engagements, Maha has been prominently featured in Dagens Industri, Sweden's leading business news site, offering her expert commentary on topics ranging from the startup ecosystem to international trade. She has also shared her insights through interviews with Sveriges Radio and has been featured on SVT, Sweden's largest TV channel.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Maha's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

I believe trust starts with being a good listener. I approach every interaction with empathy, taking the time to understand different perspectives, whether it's an employee sharing their ideas, a customer expressing their needs, or a stakeholder voicing concerns. This allows me to not only connect on a deeper level but also build credibility by showing that I genuinely value what they have to say.

I also strive to create an environment where people feel supported and empowered. I take joy in celebrating the successes of others—acknowledging their achievements, big or small—and I’m equally invested in helping them navigate challenges. Whether it’s brainstorming solutions or providing encouragement, my focus is on lifting others up.

Finally, trust is about integrity and reliability. I’m someone who walks the talk—when I commit to something, I follow through, no matter how big or small the promise may be. This consistency reinforces my relationships and ensures people know they can count on me.

Ultimately, I believe trust is earned every day, and I work to demonstrate through my actions that I am not just a leader but also a partner in achieving shared goals.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

To me, a vision is the inspiring dream that propels us forward—a picture of the impact we want to achieve in the world. It's the 'why' behind our work, the north star that helps us focus our energy and efforts. A strong vision creates alignment and excitement, giving us a reason to get up every morning and pour ourselves into something bigger than ourselves. It’s not just about what we do; it’s about the meaningful change we want to bring to life.

A mission, on the other hand, is the anchor that grounds us in our purpose. It defines why we exist as an organization and provides clarity when it comes to decision-making. It’s a powerful touchstone we can return to whenever we need to prioritize where to invest our time and energy. The mission keeps us focused and ensures that our day-to-day actions align with our ultimate goals.

In real-world business, a clear vision and mission provide direction for strategy and execution. For example, in one of my leadership roles, we were navigating a period of rapid growth. By consistently tying our initiatives back to our mission, we could make tough calls about which opportunities to pursue and which to set aside. At the same time, our vision inspired the team to stay motivated and innovate, even in challenging times.

In essence, vision and mission are not just abstract ideas—they’re the heartbeat of an organization. They guide how we operate, inspire our teams, and ensure that we’re creating lasting impact for our customers and the world.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Empowering people starts with trust. As a leader, I believe that when you entrust someone with significant responsibility, it’s equally important to provide them with the mandate to act. Empowerment is not about micromanaging; it’s about creating a decentralized structure where decisions can be made close to the customer and the point of delivery. This approach ensures agility and keeps the organization customer-centric, enabling teams to respond quickly and effectively to needs and opportunities.

Equally, I believe in the power of encouragement and positive feedback. Empowerment flourishes when people feel valued, recognized, and supported. When individuals know their leader has their back, they feel a sense of psychological safety—a confidence that they can take risks, make decisions, and even fail without fear of blame. As a leader, I strive to create this environment by standing up for my team and demonstrating that I am fully invested in their success.

Empowerment is also about growth. It means providing the tools, resources, and development opportunities people need to thrive, while challenging them to stretch beyond their comfort zones. A leader’s role is to be a guide, offering direction and clarity when needed but stepping back to let people own their results.

Ultimately, empowerment creates a ripple effect. When people feel trusted and supported, they’re more confident, innovative, and motivated. This not only drives better outcomes for the organization but also fosters a culture where individuals feel fulfilled and energized by their work. As a leader, I find immense satisfaction in seeing people unlock their potential and achieve more than they thought possible.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

One of the most impactful mentors in my life has been my mother. She’s been a constant source of inspiration and has profoundly shaped the way I approach leadership. Her story is one of resilience, hard work, and unwavering dedication. Despite the challenges she faced, she always prioritized growth and development, continually seeking out more advanced opportunities to provide a better life for our family. She also ensured that we had access to the best possible education, emphasizing the importance of learning and perseverance.

From her, I learned to always keep an eye on the goal. She showed me that while there are no shortcuts to success, a clear sense of purpose and consistent effort can overcome even the toughest obstacles. But what’s even more remarkable is how she balanced this drive with deep empathy and care for others. She taught me that it’s possible to be both confident and compassionate—a lesson that has been invaluable in my leadership journey.

One moment that stands out was early in my career when I was faced with a particularly challenging decision. I was offered the chance to step up to a much larger role, but it came at a time when I was expecting my second child and had planned to take more time on maternity leave than I had with my first. I struggled with the idea of balancing such a significant professional step forward with my responsibilities as a mother. I remember turning to her for advice, and she told me something that has stayed with me ever since:

‘You can have a successful career and be a good mother. Don’t let guilt hold you back.’ Not only did she offer me those wise words, but she also stepped up for me in practical ways, supporting me throughout the years so I could navigate my career without feeling the weight of bad guilt. Her belief in me gave me the confidence to take on the role and find a balance that worked for both my family and my ambitions.

Her example reminds me daily that leadership is not just about achieving results but about lifting others along the way. Her influence has instilled in me a deep commitment to working hard, staying focused, and leading with empathy—a legacy I strive to honor in everything I do.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Leadership is as much about knowing what not to do as it is about what to do. For me, maintaining focus starts with intentional reflection. I regularly evaluate the potential impact of my actions and consider how much time and energy they truly warrant. This helps me prioritize effectively and avoid distractions that could pull me away from what matters.

A key aspect of staying focused is my confidence in my team. I believe in their capabilities and spend a significant amount of my time ensuring they have the right prerequisites to succeed. This includes delivering clarity on our direction, defining roles and mandates, and empowering them to determine the 'how.' By doing so, I create space for their expertise and creativity to shine, which not only strengthens our collective output but also fosters trust and ownership within the team.

At the same time, I make it a priority to remain accessible. While I give my team the autonomy to make decisions and take action, I am always available to provide guidance, support, or a sounding board when they need me. This balance of trust and support allows me to focus on strategic priorities while ensuring the team is aligned and thriving.

Ultimately, maintaining focus is about understanding where I can add the most value, not by trying to do everything myself but by enabling my team to excel and keeping the bigger picture in clear view.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

Planning is essential for two main reasons: efficiency and effectiveness. On one hand, it allows me to maximize output and ensure high-quality delivery by organizing my time and resources. On the other hand, it helps me focus on what really matters—prioritizing the right things to align with our goals and make a meaningful impact.

For the year ahead, I will work closely with my team to establish a clear roadmap. This involves setting the budget, defining our KPIs and targets, and prioritizing the larger deliverables that will drive our success. By aligning on these key elements, we create a shared understanding of what we want to achieve and the steps needed to get there. This annual plan is then broken down into actionable components, and we regularly review our progress through monthly business reviews. These sessions help us stay on track, make adjustments as needed, and celebrate milestones along the way.

On a weekly level, I focus on prioritizing meetings and actions that directly align with our goals and KPIs. I take time to ensure my calendar reflects the most important priorities for the week and make space for both strategic thinking and supporting my team. This weekly planning helps me maintain focus while remaining agile to address unexpected opportunities or challenges.

Ultimately, my approach to planning is about striking a balance—having a clear long-term vision while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changes. This ensures we stay aligned with our objectives, deliver results with quality, and focus our efforts where they matter most.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Delegation is a skill every leader must master, and my advice to a young leader struggling with it is simple: you can never scale and grow in your leadership if you don’t delegate effectively, so it’s important to start practicing now.

Begin by delegating less business-critical tasks. Choose actions or projects that, while important, won’t have a huge impact if they don’t go perfectly the first time. This gives you a safe space to experiment and build trust with your team. As you start to see the quality of their output and realize how much time it frees up for you to focus on more strategic work, you’ll gain confidence in the process.

Delegation isn’t just about offloading work—it’s about empowering your team, leveraging their strengths, and creating opportunities for their growth. Trusting your team to take ownership allows them to step up, and it enables you to focus on the bigger picture. Over time, you’ll see that delegation is not a burden; it’s a gift to yourself and your team.

The key is to start small, be clear in your expectations, and provide the support they need to succeed. Before long, you’ll find yourself delegating more and truly enjoying the benefits of a collaborative, high-performing team.