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Shijina Shafiyulla did not arrive in procurement through the most obvious route. Her background is in civil engineering, a discipline that might have led her toward design, site work or project management. But what drew her, quietly and consistently, was something different: a desire to be closer to the industry in its most commercial and relational sense. To understand how things actually come together. To be involved in the decisions that shape outcomes before the first material ever arrives on site.
Procurement, when she encountered it properly, offered exactly that. It brought together the things she enjoyed most: understanding materials, exploring the market, negotiating, finding the right balance between quality and cost. The challenge of finding the right product at the right value and making it work within the real constraints of a real project. It was, as she puts it simply, the right fit.
Over time, her understanding of the field deepened. Procurement, she discovered, was much more than purchasing. It was about understanding the project at a level that allowed you to anticipate requirements before they became problems. About building relationships that made difficult conversations possible. About making decisions that directly influenced the outcome of work worth millions of dirhams. That realisation is what made her want to build an entire career in this space. Today, as Head of Procurement and Planning, she has done exactly that.
The perfectionist’s pace
Ask Shijina how she approaches her work and the answer is both honest and precise. She describes herself as a perfectionist, and not in the casual way the word is often used. She tends to question things. To look at different possibilities. To make sure that consequences have been considered before a decision is made. That process sometimes means her pace is different from those around her. She is at peace with that.
The objective, as she sees it, should always be to arrive at the best possible solution rather than simply the quickest one. In procurement specifically, where small decisions can carry significant consequences for cost, quality and delivery, that level of diligence is not a luxury. It is the job.
Doing it well, for Shijina, means taking ownership, paying attention to the details and being able to stand behind a decision once it is made. The willingness to be accountable for the outcome is what separates good procurement from transactional purchasing.
Knowing which technology actually helps
The shift Shijina thinks about most right now is one that every professional in the built environment is navigating: the pace of change. She has witnessed considerable evolution across her career, but the integration of AI and technology into everyday professional processes is accelerating in a way that feels categorically different from what came before.
Her response is measured and clear. The challenge is not to adopt every new tool that appears but to understand what genuinely adds value to the work and how it can complement existing experience and judgement. Technology that enhances decision-making is worth understanding deeply. Technology that replaces the human intelligence behind those decisions is worth approaching with more caution.
For Shijina, continuous learning is non-negotiable. She stays informed about new technologies, materials, processes and market trends while maintaining the practical understanding that only comes from years of experience on real projects. Her belief, held with quiet conviction, is that the future will belong to professionals who can combine technology with sound judgement and genuine human understanding.
Never be afraid to fail
When asked what she wishes someone had told her at the beginning of her career, Shijina’s answer is immediate and entirely unhedged. Never be afraid to fail.
It took her time to understand that making a mistake does not mean you are incapable. Some of the most valuable lessons in her career have come directly from situations where things did not go as planned. What matters is the response: acknowledge the mistake, understand why it happened, learn from it and do better the next time.
She also believes that experience should give you confidence, not a heightened fear of making another mistake. You become better at something because you have experienced it, challenged yourself and learned along the way. That is not a comforting platitude. It is a description of how expertise actually develops. And she would encourage anyone starting out not to let the fear of getting something wrong prevent them from taking responsibility, or from trying something new.
Success measured in people
Shijina’s definition of success has shifted significantly since she began. Earlier in her career, she associated it with the things that are most visible: progression, position, expanding responsibility. The markers that tell the world you are moving forward.
Today her measure is different, and considerably harder to achieve. Success, as she now understands it, is less about where you reach and more about the impact you have on the people around you. If the people working alongside her become more confident, take greater ownership and feel that they can make decisions because of the support and guidance she provides, that is a more meaningful outcome than any title.
Leadership, for Shijina, is not about having all the answers. It is about creating an environment where people feel confident enough to find those answers themselves. If she can contribute to that growth while continuing to grow herself, she considers that success. It is a definition that asks more of a person than any promotion ever does.
A journey built entirely on her own terms
Shijina closes with something that is part acknowledgement and part statement of pride. She does not single out one individual, because her journey has been shaped by many experiences, challenges and professional relationships rather than any single mentor or moment.
As a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated industry, establishing credibility and having her voice heard has not always been straightforward. There have been moments when she has had to work harder to establish her position, demonstrate her capabilities and earn the visibility that she wanted. She is honest about that without dwelling on it.
She is also proud of it. Because the position she has reached today has been built through persistence, consistency and a willingness to keep learning. The visibility she has today is something she has worked hard to earn. And that, she says, is something she values deeply.
It is the right thing to value. Because it is entirely, unambiguously hers.
Shijina Shafiyulla is Head of Procurement and Planning at Westbrook Interiors. This piece is part of The Minds Behind the Build, PAGES‘ ongoing series celebrating the founders and leaders shaping the built environment.
