John Crane promotes Bedour Bubshait as Regional Procurement Manager in Saudi Arabia

Promotion marks the company’s first female management appointment in the Kingdom as Saudi industrial sector expands leadership opportunities

Saudi Arabia’s industrial transformation is creating new leadership opportunities across manufacturing, engineering and supply chain functions. Against this backdrop, John Crane, a business of Smiths Group plc, has promoted Bedour Bubshait to Regional Procurement Manager, making her the first woman to hold a management position within the company’s Saudi Arabian operations.

The appointment reflects the Kingdom’s wider push to strengthen industrial capabilities, localise supply chains and develop Saudi talent under Vision 2030. It also highlights the growing role of women in leadership positions across the country’s industrial sector.

Eight-year journey from customer service to regional leadership

Bedour joined John Crane in 2018 as part of the customer service team. Although her long-term ambition was procurement, she chose to build a strong understanding of customers and business operations before moving into the function.

Four years later, she transitioned into procurement and progressed through increasingly senior roles. During this period, she supported organisational transformation, strengthened procurement capabilities and gained experience across supplier management, commercial operations and business resilience.

Her promotion follows eight years of continuous career development within the company.

Leadership built through resilience and continuous learning

Bedour said her early experience in customer service continues to shape her leadership approach.

“Starting in customer service gave me an understanding of our customers and our business that I still rely on today. It taught me that every decision we make ultimately affects the customer.”

She also reflected on the challenges she faced while managing operational responsibilities during a period of organisational change.

“There were times when I questioned myself. But every challenge taught me something. I learned to stay patient, keep developing and believe that if I continued to work hard, opportunities would come.”

According to Bedour, strong mentorship also played a significant role in her career progression.

Saudi industrial sector expands opportunities for women leaders

Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in industrial growth through its National Industrial Strategy, which focuses on expanding manufacturing, strengthening supply chains and increasing exports of advanced products.

At the same time, workforce participation among Saudi women continues to rise. According to the General Authority for Statistics, female labour force participation reached 36.2% during the third quarter of 2024.

John Crane said Bedour’s appointment reflects both the company’s commitment to developing internal talent and the broader transformation taking place across Saudi Arabia’s industrial workforce.

John Crane highlights importance of internal talent development

Ruben Alvarez, President of John Crane, said procurement has become increasingly strategic as industrial businesses face more complex supply chains and greater customer expectations.

“Bedour has earned this opportunity through eight years of continuous learning, resilience and commitment to our customers. Her journey demonstrates what can happen when organisations invest in people, recognise potential and create opportunities based on capability.”

He added that the company looks forward to the impact she will make in her new regional leadership role.

Today, Bedour oversees regional procurement, focusing on supplier collaboration, supply chain resilience, localisation and long-term value creation. She also believes leadership depends as much on supporting people as improving processes.