How GE Aerospace's cross-cultural team cracks the biggest problems

Business no longer happens in a vacuum. In a globalised environment that's only becoming more interconnected, leaders need to have a cross-cultural perspective to take the right decisions. Aziz Koleilat knows that.

Born in Prague and raised in Lebanon, Koleilat went to university to study biomedical engineering in the US, then earned his MBA in Canada. Now at GE Aerospace, he serves as the vice president of sales and marketing and general manager for the Middle East, Turkey, Eastern Europe and Russia/CIS – and is tasked to draw on his global experience to build teams committed to expanding GE's footprint in this critically important region.

"Creating diversity of thought and experience in a team is critical," Koleilat tells the BBC. "Diverse teams must allow for the free exchange of ideas. All the deals that GE has made here in the Middle East come from a collaborative environment." The work he's done has made its mark: three out of every four commercial flights are powered by a GE Aerospace or GE partner engine on airlines including Emirates, Riyadh Air and Turkish Airlines.

Now, Koleilat is taking on an even more urgent challenge: tackling sustainability in aeronautics with the use of alternative fuels. Although the problem may be different, however, his strategy remains the same: creating an inclusive, innovative working environment that encourages big and small ideas alike – and shapes future voices of global business. "It's fascinating to watch how people grow. I like to help them grow and thrive and then I move on, and I open the space for them to become leaders, he says. "It's a simple formula for success."

Website: worldtopscientists.com

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