Anju and Shaheen Majeed to lead Sami-Sabinsa Group

01-Apr-2024 - Last updated on 02-Apr-2024 at 09:51 GMT

Sami-Sabinsa Group outside of Unit I of its new nutraceutical manufacturing facility inaugurated in Hassan, India in 2023 © Sami-Sabinsa

Multi-national health sciences company Sami-Sabinsa announced that Dr. Muhammed Majeed’s children will carry on their father’s legacy at the helm of the business he founded 36 years ago. Dr. Majeed died March 13 at age 75 following complications from surgery.

His daughter, Anju Majeed, will take his place as group executive chairperson. Effective April 1, his son Shaheen Majeed joins the Board of Directors and will head Sami-Sabinsa Group as global managing director and CEO.

“The entire Sami-Sabinsa Group family is delighted to welcome Dr. Anju Majeed and Mr. Shaheen Majeed to their new roles, which will provide the Group with the opportunity for further growth and to advance Dr. Muhammed Majeed’s legacy,” the company shared in a statement.

Through her work as Sami-Sabinsa Group director and senior scientist based at headquarters in Bengaluru, India, Anju Majeed, PhD, has worked closely with analytical and formulation scientists and across global manufacturing, research and development, pre-formulation and plant operations teams.

Shaheen Majeed brings 25 years of experience at Sabinsa in sales, supply chain, manufacturing and global marketing, and as President Worldwide, a position he held for four years. Most recently, he served as CEO of three subsidiaries of ingredient supplier BGG World: HB Natural Ingredients, BGG Americas and Algae Health Sciences.

"Now this is a mature company in its 36th year, and it has had a significant impact on the entire industry, worldwide," he told NutraIngredients-USA. "Seeing what more can it do and working to achieve even more in improving health is my privilege and honor."

He added that the primary focus moving forward will be to continue to take care of all the people that his father cared for, explore ideas from the microbiome sector to the pharmaceutical arena, and prioritize the commitment to the Sami-Sabinsa global family and customers.

A legacy of science, sustainability and growth

Founded on a vision of the potential of India’s Ayurvedic system of medicine backed by modern science, Sami-Sabinsa has grown into a global leader, manufacturer and supplier of standardized herbal extracts, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients, probiotics, minerals, enzymes and specialty and fine chemicals.

"We can’t help but look back right now at where Sabinsa started and the path it has taken," Anju Majeed said. "As one of a very few companies that supported its ingredients with published clinical studies decades ago, Sabinsa played a significant role in legitimizing nutraceutical ingredients. We will continue that leadership."

The company markets over 120 standardized botanical extracts and employs more than 1,400 people worldwide in 27 manufacturing, R&D, sales and distribution facilities across 17 countries. Over the years, its botanical cultivation program has grown to include as many as 40,000 acres to ensure the sustainable sourcing of fair trade ingredient materials. This environmental commitment is also reflected in Sami-Sabinsa’s manufacturing facilities and Kino tree reforestation program.

Other notable initiatives include the Science on Wheels global science road show and the Dr. Majeed Foundation, which has contributed to education, women’s shelters and relief efforts in India. Within the last year, the company inaugurated an 88-ton capacity, zero-liquid discharge manufacturing facility, made a significant investment in solar energy to power all of its manufacturing plants in Karnataka, India, and opened its sixth office in the European Union in France.

Father of Indian Nutraceuticals

Born and raised in Kerala, India, Dr. Muhammed Majeed emigrated to the United States in 1975 after graduating from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College with a degree in pharmacy. He continued his studies in industrial pharmacy, earning a master’s from Long Island University’s College of Pharmacy in 1980 and a PhD from St. John’s University in 1986.

Before launching on a path to develop a global market for standardized extracts from India’s Ayurvedic plants, Dr. Majeed held research and development positions for leading pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Carter-Wallace and Paco Research. In 1988, he founded Sabinsa in New Jersey, followed by parent company Sami-Sabinsa Group and R&D company Sami Labs.

His resume of achievements includes over 400 U.S. and international patents, authoring and contributing to more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and 15 books, and numerous awards recognizing his dedication to research, service, quality and innovation—including being named the “Father of Indian Nutraceuticals Industry” by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) in 2021.

“I’m honored to receive this recognition from this esteemed organization,” he said at the time. “Since 1988 my life has been dedicated to building upon the knowledge of Ayurveda, to share its gifts with humans across the globe. It’s gratifying to have made a difference in the world.”