Arslan Khalid

About you

My name is Arslan Khalid, and I currently work as a Quality Assurance Manager at Al Hatab Foods in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I have over eight years of professional experience across the food manufacturing, hospitality, catering, and regulatory sectors, specialising in Quality Assurance, Food Safety Management Systems, and continuous improvement.

I hold an M.Phil. in Food Sciences and Technology and have had the opportunity to work with leading organisations in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, implementing internationally recognised standards such as BRCGS, ISO 22000, HACCP, ISO 9001, GMP, TACCP, and VACCP.

Outside of work, I am deeply passionate about food safety and quality. Regardless of the brand or organisation I work for, my personal mission is to contribute to delivering safe, legal, authentic, and high-quality food to consumers.

I firmly believe that every food professional has a responsibility to protect public health, and that commitment extends beyond my workplace through continuous learning and professional development.

Why did you join the BRCGS Professional Programme?

I joined the BRCGS Professional Programme because I wanted to strengthen my technical knowledge while becoming part of a globally recognised professional community.

BRCGS has always represented excellence in food safety, and I wanted to deepen my understanding of risk-based food safety management while gaining internationally recognised credentials.

The programme also aligned perfectly with my career goal of implementing world-class food safety systems and fostering a stronger food safety culture within organisations.

What value do you personally feel the BRCGS Professional certification brings to you?

The BRCGS Professional certification has significantly enhanced my professional confidence and technical competence. It has strengthened my understanding of the practical application of BRCGS requirements and improved my ability to make risk-based decisions.

Beyond technical knowledge, the certification provides international recognition, connects me with a global network of food safety professionals, and demonstrates my commitment to continuous professional development. It has also enhanced my credibility with employers, auditors, customers, and colleagues.

How has the training helped improve operations at your site/company?

The knowledge gained through the BRCGS Professional Programme has enabled me to implement more effective food safety controls and improve operational performance within our manufacturing site.

It has supported improvements in areas including:

• Risk assessment and preventive controls

• Food safety culture initiatives

• TACCP and VACCP implementation

• Internal auditing effectiveness

• Employee awareness and competency

• Foreign body management

• Change management

• Continuous improvement

Most importantly, it has helped strengthen our food safety culture by ensuring that employees understand not only what they need to do, but also why these controls are essential.

What did you most enjoy about the training?

What impressed me most was the practical approach of the training. Rather than simply explaining the requirements, the programme focused on real-life industry scenarios, risk-based thinking, and practical implementation.

The interactive learning environment, experienced trainers, and opportunity to exchange knowledge with other professionals made the training engaging and highly valuable. Every module provided insights that could be immediately applied within the workplace.

What are you most looking forward to within the Professional community?

I am excited to become part of a global network of food safety professionals who share the same commitment to protecting consumers and driving excellence within the food industry.

I look forward to networking with professionals from different countries, sharing best practices, learning from industry experts, participating in future BRCGS events, and continuing my professional development through the resources offered by the Professional Programme.

How do you plan to keep your skills up to date?

I strongly believe that learning should never stop.

I intend to continue developing my knowledge by participating in BRCGS Professional Programme activities, attending industry conferences, webinars, advanced training courses, and professional workshops. I also regularly review updates to international food safety standards, regulatory requirements, scientific publications, and emerging food safety risks.

Continuous learning enables me to stay ahead of industry developments and ensures that I can continue adding value to the organisations I work with.

What are your career ambitions/aims?

My ambition is to become a recognised leader in food safety and quality management within the global food industry.

I aspire to lead high-performing technical teams, develop strong food safety cultures, mentor future food safety professionals, and support organisations in achieving international standards of excellence.

Ultimately, my goal is to make a meaningful contribution to protecting consumers by ensuring that every organisation I work with consistently delivers safe, legal, authentic, and high-quality food products. I also hope to contribute to the advancement of the food industry through knowledge sharing, continuous improvement, and professional leadership.