Saudi Arabia’s leading lubricants producer & supplier Petrolube Oil Company has appointed Manahel Bugis as the Chief Human Resources Officer, effective from December 2024. 

Announcing the news on LinkedIn, Manahel posted, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Chief Human Resources Officer at Petrolube Oil Company KSA!”

In her new role, Manahel Bugis brings nearly two decades of HR leadership experience across healthcare and IT sectors. In her own words, she will be “providing services, support, advice, and solutions across all areas of human resources that are modern, workable, legal, cost-effective, and aligned with the objectives of every division within Petrolube.” Manahel will oversee the entire HR function for Petrolube including recruitment, talent management, workforce planning, learning and development, compensation and benefits, HR operations, diversity and inclusion, and HR analytics.

As the company has an ever-growing team of over 900 workers across three production plants, as well as multiple offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, Manahel aims to introduce sustainable HR and talent retention strategies that align with the company’s organisational goals and drive long-term success.

Prior to joining Petrolube, Manahel served a leading tech company - Thales for over six years. Her most recent role was as HR Director for Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan). She ensured that Thales's HR cycle, tools, and processes were effectively implemented and that employees were adequately trained and developed to meet evolving business and work requirements. She also played a pivotal role in the company’s restructuring, workforce planning, and succession planning while resolving employee relations issues, such as supporting expatriates to adapt and remain engaged at work.

Previously, Manahel worked with GE Healthcare as the Employee HR Manager, at GE Corporate as the Global Talent Recruitment Specialist for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in key roles. She also served Alfaisal University as a Member on the Board of Trustees for nearly six years. 

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On the academic front, Manahel completed a bachelor degree from Umm Al Qura University, and a certified Associate course in HR Management and Services from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Over the years, Manahel received several awards for her HR leadership practices, impactful contributions, and remarkable performance. 

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