It always seems impossible until it is done. Azureen Saiful Bahri, an MRSM, INTEC and Michigan State alumna got to send rockets to space and be a part of scientific breakthroughs.
This MARA scholar accomplished what was deemed prodigious by society when she landed managerial jobs at SpaceX and later on, at Amazon.
We took this opportunity to speak with Azureen about her time in school and experience working with some of the most cutting edge companies in the world.
Early days
Azureen is originally from Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya. Her high school journey began in MRSM Terendak and afterward, at MRSM Tun Ghafar Baba. Back then, she was actively involved in the student affairs group.
“Studying in MRSM made me feel more independent and brave in terms of getting what I want.”
After graduation, Azureen went to Cummins, a major engines manufacturer for her first job and spent seven years working there.
She later continued her pre-university education at INTEC Education College, a UiTM affiliate institution. For her degree, Azureen pursued a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on supply chain management at Michigan State University in the United States.
Working in SpaceX
“They are looking for passionate people. Passionate about SpaceX, passionate about space, and somebody who is not afraid of failure.”
In an interview with GetThere, she described her journey in SpaceX, a space transportation and aerospace company, as a once-in-a-lifetime experience due to the fast-paced, hyper-creative, and innovative environment which focused on transparent communication as well as high teamwork spirit.
“Whenever there’s a launch, we would watch the launch together as company. Once they pass the second stage, everyone will cheer and then return to their work.”
She added that SpaceX also has another division called Starlink, a high-speed, low-latency broadband internet provider which uses satellite constellations to connect to the ground and user terminals.
Azureen mentioned that her role as the supply chain planning manager was to work cross-functionally with engineers, procurement managers, production and logistics team to ensure the company has enough supply to manufacture products and satisfy global customer demand.
When asked what it was like working for Elon Musk, Azureen explained that his management style leans towards a transparent and open communication.
Citing an example, she said that certain confidential information like product cost would not be normally shared with most employees in any other company. However, SpaceX has the culture of sharing such information to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the problems and goals of the company.
To know more about her experience with the world’s leading commercial launch provider, watch the video of Azureen’s interview with GetThere today.
She also stated that Elon encourages his employees to leave meetings if they do not add value.
As the countdown continues for SpaceX rocket launches, Azureen takes her next ambitious step and embarks on a journey with Amazon.
In part two of her story, she shares what it’s like working with the trillion-dollar company and the secret to its success.
Stay tuned.
