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Riad Ardahji, MScE, MBB

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That early curiosity shaped his future and eventually led him toward industrial engineering, a field that combines mathematics, science, systems thinking, and creativity to optimize processes and improve performance. We, at EliteX, are honored to introduce Riad Ardahji, MScE, MBB as the Game-Changing OPEX Leader Pioneering Business Transformation, 2026.

His defining moment came during an engineering open house at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There, he discovered how industrial engineers design systems that integrate people, machines, materials, information, and energy. He realized that this discipline was not limited to factory floors. It was about solving real-world problems, reducing waste, improving efficiency, and creating measurable impact. From that point forward, he committed himself to mastering the science of operations and transformation.

Riad earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, graduating with strong academic performance. Early in his career, he invested in developing technical depth, including learning GD&T, which strengthened his ability to read and interpret engineering drawings with precision. He completed his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification in 2008 and later advanced to Master Black Belt. He also trained in the Toyota Production System in Japan, gaining firsthand exposure to the philosophy of Monozukuri and Jidoka.

Over more than 25 years, Riad built an impressive track record across major global organizations, including DuPont, Toyota Boshoku America, Leggett and Platt, Zimmer Biomet, Cooper Tire, Denso Manufacturing, BorgWarner, and Saturn Corporation. In each role, he was recognized not simply as an engineer, but as a transformational leader capable of delivering measurable, sustainable results.

At DuPont, within the Kevlar business unit, he led the rollout of a global Operations Excellence program. Under his leadership, Overall Equipment Effectiveness improved from 72 percent to 81 percent in one year, while yield increased from 78 percent to 91 percent. These were not incremental gains. They reflected structured methodology, disciplined execution, and cultural alignment across teams.

At Cooper Tire, he served as Global Industrial Engineering Lead and directed the Global Lean Assessment Team. He implemented a global electronic Layered Process Audit system with more than 500 users and over 1,000 audits conducted weekly. This initiative strengthened operational discipline and transparency across North America, EMEA, and APAC. He also championed complexity reduction efforts and standardized work pillars globally.

During his tenure at Zimmer Biomet, he served as Director of Global Industrial Engineering, Lean Six Sigma, and Asset Management. He implemented a new global KPI scoreboard and daily management system to drive Operations Excellence. He led asset redeployment efforts that identified and reallocated over 100 global capital assets, generating significant savings. One of his most notable achievements was completing the proof of concept for the first unmanned robotic flexible knee production line, reducing costs by over 28 percent.

Operational excellence is not a project – it is a daily habit built on clarity and accountability.

Earlier in his career at Leggett and Platt, he was selected by the CEO to transform one of the corporation’s largest divisions into a leaner, more competitive organization. Within two years, he turned the division around to achieve double-digit returns. He led TPM implementation, facilitated Kaizen events, and achieved over 2 percent annual reduction in cost of goods sold. He also developed an innovative Andon system known as Honky-Tonk, based on Jidoka principles, which improved OEE by an average of 10 percent.

His leadership extended into Toyota Boshoku America, where he managed 57 direct and indirect reports, including Japanese coordinators and multiple managers. With responsibility for a 58 million dollar budget, he supported key vehicle platforms such as Corolla, RAV4, Camry, Avalon, and Highlander. He was handpicked by the CEO to lead Toyota’s Monozukuri activities in North America, reflecting the trust placed in his understanding of TPS principles.

Through his consultancy, he partners with senior leaders to diagnose performance gaps in people, processes, equipment, culture, and technology. He designs transformation roadmaps that connect strategy to execution, ensuring measurable ROI.

Throughout his career, he has also served as a professor at Indiana Institute of Technology, teaching courses in Safety Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Statistics, Work Design, Quality Control, Simulation Modeling, Business Analytics, and Lean Manufacturing. His classroom approach bridges theory and real-world application. He emphasizes problem-solving, systems thinking, and data-driven decision making.

Like many change agents, Riad faced early career challenges. Communication barriers across cross-functional teams required him to refine his interpersonal and leadership skills. Budget constraints forced him to prioritize projects strategically and justify investments using data. Resistance to change from stakeholders required patience, credibility, and evidence-based persuasion. By developing strong collaboration skills and building trust, he learned how to influence without authority and drive sustainable change.

Sustainable growth begins where disciplined data meets human understanding.

A typical day in his professional life reflects the broad scope of industrial engineering. It may involve analyzing production data, conducting time studies, facilitating lean workshops, mentoring improvement teams, troubleshooting process issues, designing new systems, or reviewing KPIs with leadership. He operates at both strategic and tactical levels. He connects Voice of the Customer to operational metrics, aligns KPIs with business objectives, and ensures that execution supports financial performance.

He finds the most rewarding aspect of industrial engineering in seeing tangible improvements. Whether increasing efficiency, reducing waste, improving safety, or enhancing productivity, he values measurable impact. He enjoys solving complex problems, collaborating with diverse teams, and continuously learning emerging technologies. At the same time, he acknowledges the challenges of balancing technical rigor with business realities, managing complex data sets, and communicating technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Riad strongly believes in professional development and certification. Achieving Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt status and completing Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Examiner training strengthened his strategic perspective. Certifications such as Lean Six Sigma and PMP, in his view, demonstrate discipline, commitment, and credibility. They open doors to greater leadership opportunities and higher levels of responsibility.

Looking ahead, he sees industrial engineering evolving rapidly. Industry 4.0 technologies such as IoT, automation, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, robotics, digital twins, and additive manufacturing are transforming operations-intensive sectors. He emphasizes the importance of connectivity, data integration, and real-time decision making. Sustainability and eco-efficiency will become central to operations strategy. Engineers must upskill continuously to remain relevant in a world shaped by digital transformation and global supply chain complexity.

For students and aspiring professionals, Riad offers structured advice. Industrial engineering may be the right path for individuals who enjoy solving complex problems, integrating technology with business strategy, analyzing data, and improving systems. He encourages students to develop strong analytical skills in data analytics, AI, automation, and supply chain management, while also strengthening communication and teamwork capabilities.

Sustainable transformation begins when people take ownership of improvement.

He often reminds students that technical knowledge alone is not enough. Time management, practical experience, and resilience are essential. Breaking down complex systems into manageable components is a powerful habit. Seeking internships, participating in research projects, and engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration build competence and confidence.

Riad also stresses ethical responsibility and societal impact. Industrial engineers influence productivity, sustainability, and resource efficiency. Their decisions affect cost structures, environmental footprint, and employee safety. He encourages young professionals to prioritize sustainability, consider long-term implications, and maintain integrity in decision making.

Industries with high demand for industrial engineers, in his perspective, include healthcare, consulting, and logistics. Healthcare operations require process optimization and reliability engineering to improve patient outcomes and cost efficiency. Consulting demands analytical rigor and transformation expertise. Logistics and supply chain management rely heavily on system optimization, inventory management, and transportation efficiency.

To stay current, he recommends finding mentors, joining professional organizations, attending conferences, engaging with peers on LinkedIn, reading industry publications, and continuously learning. He has chaired sessions and spoken at global Operations Excellence conferences such as PEX and BTOES, sharing case studies and transformation frameworks. His published technical papers reflect his commitment to knowledge sharing.

At the core of Riad Ardahji’s career is transformational leadership. He believes in empowering teams with accountability and freedom to grow. He describes himself as a collaborative leader who identifies inefficiencies, motivates people, and streamlines processes while focusing on measurable outcomes. Colleagues recognize him as reliable, honest, passionate, and results-oriented.

His core strengths include strategy deployment, tactical execution, ISO systems, PMO governance, Lean Six Sigma, TPM, asset management, data analytics, complexity reduction, digital transformation, and global multi-site leadership. He bridges engineering precision with business performance. He aligns operational KPIs with financial results and continuously links Voice of the Customer to operational metrics.

From his early curiosity about mechanical systems to leading global transformation programs across Fortune 500 companies, Riad Ardahji has built a career defined by discipline, innovation, and impact. His journey demonstrates that industrial engineering is not simply about processes or machines. It is about designing better systems for organizations, empowering people to perform at higher levels, and creating sustainable value for businesses and society.

Excellence is never an accident – it is engineered with discipline, data, and determination.

Major Transformation & Operational Excellence Achievements

• Led the rollout of the global OPEX program at DuPont – Aramids (Kevlar) business unit, improving OEE from 72 percent to 81 percent and yield from 78 percent to 91 percent within one year.
• Successfully transformed RTI Surgical Metals Unit into four End-to-End product-focused operating business units.
• Directed the Global Lean Assessment Team (Cooper Production System) across North America, EMEA, and APAC for Cooper Tire.
• Implemented a global electronic Layered Process Audit (e-LPA) system at Cooper Tire with more than 500 global users and over 1,000 audits per week.
• Championed the Global Complexity Reduction initiative at Cooper Tire within a matrix organization structure.
• Served as Global PMO lead at Zimmer Biomet for Supply Chain, Strategic Sourcing, Facilities, and OPEX initiatives totaling 260 million dollars out of a 400 million dollar portfolio, achieving 295 million dollars year-to-date performance.
• Completed proof of concept for the first unmanned robotic flexible knee production line at Zimmer Biomet, reducing cost by over 28 percent.
• Reduced backorders from 5.5 million dollars to less than 1 million dollars in under six months through phased Lean PMO transformation for a medical device organization.
• Identified and redeployed over 100 global capital assets at Zimmer Biomet, generating 1.2 million dollars in savings.
• Developed and implemented a global Daily Management System and KPI Scoreboard to drive Operations Excellence at Zimmer Biomet.
• Handpicked by Toyota Boshoku America CEO to lead Toyota’s Monozukuri activities in North America.
• Managed a 58 million dollar operational budget and led 57 direct and indirect reports at Toyota Boshoku America.
• Chosen by the CEO of Leggett and Platt to transform Syndicate Systems division into a leaner organization, achieving double-digit returns within two years.
• Achieved more than 2 percent annual reduction in Cost of Goods Sold at Leggett and Platt through Kaizen events, TPM, 6S, and Standard Work implementation.
• Developed the Honky-Tonk Andon system based on Jidoka principles, improving OEE by an average of 10 percent.
• Led Robotic Center of Excellence initiatives at Leggett and Platt, delivering over 1.3 million dollars in annual savings through automation projects including U-shape assembly lines, robotic weld cells, container optimization, and vision systems.
• Improved Sigma level from 4 to 5 within six months in turnaround assignments.

Awards and Recognition

• Awarded CEO Continuous Improvement Excellence Award at Leggett and Platt – Syndicate Systems (2010).
• Received Sourcing Functional Team of the Year Award at Zimmer Biomet (2014).
• Selected as Elkhart County’s Best and Brightest (2007).

Professional Certifications and Distinctions

• Earned Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2008).
• Achieved Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt status.
• Completed Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Examiner training through NIST (2014).
• Trained in Toyota Production System in Japan.
• Co-founder of a Lean Six Sigma professional group in Southwest Michigan in collaboration with industry leaders including Stryker, Parker Hannifin, Pfizer, and Perrigo.

These achievements collectively reflect Riad Ardahji’s 25-plus-year track record of driving measurable operational improvements, leading global transformation programs, and building sustainable Operations Excellence cultures.