Qasim Ashraf is a seasoned operations executive whose distinguished career spans over two decades of transformational leadership across hyper-growth startups, Fortune 500 enterprises, and leading consulting firms. Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Proper AI, Qasim brings a powerful blend of operational discipline, cross-functional strategy, and human-centric leadership to fast-scaling organizations seeking efficiency, agility, and innovation.
Before his role at Proper AI, Qasim held the title of Head of Operations at Deel, where he reported directly to the COO and led a sprawling global organization of over 1,000 employees. His stewardship encompassed core operational pillars including payroll, fintech, engineering support, HR operations, and shared services. Notably, he helped shepherd Deel through explosive growth, overseeing the operations backbone that supported the company’s revenue surge from $200M to $700M in annual recurring revenue. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Qasim played a critical role in aligning back-end execution with front-end ambition.
Qasim’s operational acumen is rooted in a proven ability to design and scale business systems, a skill he honed as VP of Operations at Zendesk and Head of Operational Excellence at ServiceNow. At Zendesk, he crafted and led the company’s goal-setting processes, program execution governance, and portfolio management functions. At ServiceNow, he built and led a central operations team reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, where he developed a Center of Excellence to propagate best practices in program management, business process architecture, and organizational change.
Earlier in his career, Qasim held a succession of leadership roles at Juniper Networks, culminating in Senior Director of Global Services Operations. His remit spanned Chief of Staff duties, business enablement, service logistics, and engineering team leadership — often orchestrating cross-functional initiatives valued at tens of millions in strategic business impact. His leadership was marked by operational turnarounds, customer-centric improvements, and metric-driven accountability. Whether delivering NPS scores of 90, cutting operational costs by millions, or rescuing business units from SLA slumps, Qasim earned a reputation as a results-focused leader who builds durable capabilities.
Qasim’s foundation was built through consulting leadership roles at Deloitte, Trianz, and Arthur Andersen, where he designed and implemented ERP, CRM, and large-scale data migration systems for global clients across sectors. His early tenure at Procter & Gamble in manufacturing and operations also informed his end-to-end understanding of the business value chain.
A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Qasim brings analytical rigor to every challenge he faces. His leadership style blends technical fluency with collaborative, people-first execution, enabling him to thrive in complex, matrixed environments.
Throughout his career, Qasim has worked closely with C-suite leaders, led organizations through inflection points, and served as a trusted architect of operational excellence. His experience as a board-level advisor and steering committee representative further underscores his strategic influence and trusted judgment. As businesses look to scale smartly in a fast-moving world, Qasim Ashraf stands out as a dynamic leader who transforms operations into a competitive advantage.
Character
Qasim Ashraf demonstrates unwavering integrity and accountability, consistently leading with purpose and humility across global teams. His dedication to operational excellence and people-first leadership has earned him trust at every level of the organizations he’s served.
Knowledge
With deep expertise in program management, business operations, and enterprise transformation, Qasim has built a rich knowledge base spanning hyper-growth startups, Fortune 500 companies, and Big 4 consulting. His mastery of operational systems, change management, and process optimization positions him as a thought leader in business execution.
Strategic
Qasim’s strategic mindset is evident in his ability to align cross-functional initiatives with long-term business goals, driving sustainable growth and scalable impact. He excels at building frameworks and governance models that enable organizations to execute vision with clarity and focus.
Communication
A compelling communicator and collaborative leader, Qasim engages diverse stakeholders with transparency, empathy, and precision. His ability to unify executive teams, navigate complex organizational dynamics, and foster alignment has been central to his success in leading high-impact transformation efforts.
