Dr. Ibrahim Fathy Alrashdy – Egypt

The People Behind Control Union: Dr. Ibrahim Fathy Alrashdy, Senior Executive Certification Business Manager

With nearly three decades of experience working in the quality and certification field, Dr. Ibrahim Alrashdy’s duties and responsibilities at Control Union are wide-ranging.

Living and working in Egypt, Dr. Alrashdy, graduated from the Faculty of Science, Major Applied Chemistry Section in 1999, married in 2004 and has two daughters. From 2000 he embarked on his career by working for a well-known Certification Body as an International Auditor followed Certification Operation Business Manager. In 2013, he completed all courses related to a master’s degree in quality management. In 2016, and after 15 years working in the business certification field, he joined Control Union as Senior Executive Certification Business Manager also becoming a Textile Standards COC Certifier in 2022.

So, what does a day in the life look like for Dr. Alrashdy? We sat down with him to find out.

Could you walk us through your current role at Control Union?

“I joined Control Union in August 2016 as Senior Executive Certification Business Manager to manage the Certification business Sector in relation to Agriculture, Textile, Food safety, Social & other certification schemes, and Since 2022, I have been also become a Textile Standards COC Certifier, I’m involved in many projects in Egypt, the UK, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark & the Netherlands, and several other countries.

“I try to play a role in long-term planning for Control Union. My day-to-day tasks include developing and managing budgets as well as overseeing monthly and quarterly assessments and forecasts of financial performance to ensure they are meeting our financial and operational goals. This involves monitoring cash flow, managing functions, and increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of support services through improvements to each function (e.g., HR, IT, Finance).

“I coordinate between functions; drive initiatives within the management team and across the organization that support long-term operational excellence; play an active role in short-term and long-term organizational planning and strategy as a member of the management team; and improve operational systems, processes, and policies in support of our mission.”

Why did you join Control Union?

“I was drawn to this job because of the opportunity for growth and advancement. I am eager to learn new skills and take on new challenges, and I saw this role as a perfect fit for my career goals. I am excited about the company’s mission and values, and I believe in the work that I do.”

What has been the highlight of your time with Control Union so far?

“There are many highlights to mention. I re-organised a system to make it more efficient; achieved measurable outcomes that add value to the company; trained, inducted and/or coached new staff members; and saved time or money for the company while actively contributing to team projects.”

Could you tell us about your local Control Union office?

“My local office is Control Union Egypt. I find my ideal work environment is a dynamic and fast-paced setting, where challenges are viewed as opportunities for learning and growth. The Control Union Egypt office certainly has this atmosphere. It encourages creativity and collaboration but also allows me to take my own initiative.”

What is the most interesting aspect of your role?

“The most interesting part of my job is the variety of tasks I get to work on in a collaborative environment. I get the opportunity to learn new things every day, help people achieve their goals, and feel like my work on innovative projects makes a difference. In my job, I get to see the direct results of my efforts, which is incredibly rewarding.”

If you were to meet a group of 10-year-olds who are eager to learn about the work that you do, can you tell us what you would say to them?

“We work really hard to monitor products and factories so that people get things that are good quality, safe, and kind to the Earth.”

What is next for your team?

“Our target is to be more self-sufficient in all Certification programs, i.e., to have our own certifiers in all our working programs. I think this will allow us to penetrate more of the certification market while helping other Control Union offices in any of the certification services they need. It would also allow Control Union Egypt to be a major hub for other certification standards.”

And what do you personally hope to pursue in the next 12 months?

“By taking an honest look at my performance and growth progress as well as gaining feedback from my boss and the wider team, I will be looking to figure out what skills I want to improve on next year so that I can achieve my career goals. 

“I will let go of things that are no longer serving me. Sometimes it’s hard to admit what is hurting rather than helping us. It could be something we used to value or something we’ve struggled with for a while. Whether it’s a job, a relationship, a habit, or another issue, we must take steps to let go and not carry that into the new year. This can be tough to stick to, so I will make sure I take the time to set these up right. It’s much better to spend the time up front to avoid these traps than the time, negative emotion, and stress afterwards trying to make up for these.”

What is your best advice to someone who wants to join Control Union?

“Nothing beats tenacity and persistence. With hard work and drive, you can develop your talents along the way. And if you have a really clear goal of what you want to get out of the role, that is even better.”