Process & Quality Leader

Driving Engineering Excellence Through Process, Quality, and Compliance

Process & Quality Leader with 8+ years of experience helping global organizations build, harmonize, and improve ASPICE, Functional Safety, Cybersecurity, and IATF 16949 compliant development processes — with expertise relevant to any safety-critical industry.

8+
Years
10+
OEM programs
70+
Assessments & audits
100+
Team members coached
Ibtsam Ahmed — Process & Quality Leader
About

A senior leader at the intersection of quality, engineering, and compliance

I help global organizations translate complex safety, security, and quality standards into pragmatic, scalable engineering processes — and prepare teams to pass assessments with confidence.

8+ years in software quality and process engineering with expertise relevant to any safety-critical industry

Deep expertise in ASPICE, ISO 26262, ISO 21434, IATF 16949, Agile, SAFe, Scrum, and DevOps

Hands-on experience supporting OEM and Tier-1 supplier programs

Strong background in process definition, governance, assessments, audits, and continuous improvement

Proven ability to bridge quality, engineering, management, and compliance functions

Passion for building scalable quality management systems and driving engineering excellence

Core expertise

Expertise for safety-critical industries

Six interlocking capabilities that move safety-critical engineering organizations from ad-hoc delivery to disciplined, audit-ready excellence.

Process Excellence

  • Process Definition
  • Process Harmonization
  • Governance Frameworks
  • Continuous Improvement

Safety, Security & Quality Standards

  • Automotive SPICE (ASPICE)
  • ISO 26262 Functional Safety
  • ISO 21434 Cybersecurity
  • IATF 16949 / AS9100

Quality Management

  • Scalable QMS Design
  • Quality Assurance Planning
  • Internal Audits
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • Quality Metrics & KPIs

Agile & Engineering

  • SAFe
  • Scrum
  • DevOps
  • V-Model Engineering

Assessment Readiness

  • ASPICE Assessments
  • Functional Safety Audits
  • Gap Analysis
  • Compliance Reviews

Engineering Enablement

  • Toolchain Strategy
  • Training & Coaching
  • Maturity Roadmaps
  • Cross-functional Leadership
Professional experience

A track record across global OEMs and Tier-1s

2023 – 2026

DENSO International America

Consultant, Electronics

Leading development and continuous improvement of ASPICE, Functional Safety, and Cybersecurity processes across software programs. Partnering with quality, engineering, and DevOps teams to harmonize development practices, strengthen compliance, and prepare organizations for successful internal and external assessments.

ASPICEISO 26262ISO 21434CybersecurityFunctional SafetyDevOpsProcess HarmonizationGovernanceAssessment ReadinessMaturity RoadmapsScalable QMS
2021 – 2023

Ford Motor Company

Process & Quality, Infotainment & Connectivity

Defined and enhanced ASPICE and Functional Safety compliant processes while integrating V-Model engineering practices within a SAFe Agile environment. Guided engineering teams through audits, assessments, and quality governance initiatives to improve engineering maturity and compliance.

ASPICESAFeV-ModelFunctional SafetyAgileScrumISO 26262AuditsQuality GovernanceContinuous ImprovementGap AnalysisCompliance ReviewsScalable QMS
2018 – 2021

Marelli Holdings

Quality, Electronics

Owned quality assurance planning and compliance activities across ASPICE, Functional Safety, and IATF 16949-driven programs. Led audits, quality gate reviews, and customer issue resolution efforts while supporting engineering excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.

IATF 16949ASPICEAuditsQA PlanningFunctional SafetyRoot Cause AnalysisQuality MetricsCompliance ReviewsCustomer Issue ResolutionContinuous ImprovementTraining & CoachingToolchain StrategyScalable QMS
Major accomplishments

Measurable impact across global programs

8+

Years in software quality & process engineering

10+

Global OEM programs supported

70+

Assessments and audits

10+

Certification achievements across quality, security & safety

100+

Team members advised & coached on processes

Led ASPICE assessment preparation activities across multiple programs

Developed and harmonized enterprise engineering processes

Improved compliance across safety, security, and quality domains

Supported Ford, GM, Stellantis, Volvo, and Tier-1 programs

Certifications & customers

Credentials and programs

Formally certified, broadly experienced — contributing to quality and process excellence initiatives across global software development programs.

Certifications

  • Certified ASPICE Provisional Assessor
    intacs (International Assessor Certification Scheme)
  • BASc Electrical Engineering
    University of Windsor

Industries & customers

Ford
GM
Stellantis
Volvo
DENSO
Marelli

Contributed to quality and process excellence initiatives across global software development programs.

Leadership philosophy

Engineering excellence through process

“I believe great products are built through disciplined engineering processes, measurable quality objectives, and a culture of continuous improvement. My focus is on enabling teams to deliver safe, secure, and high-quality products while maintaining compliance with industry standards.”
— Ibtsam Ahmed
Get in touch

Let's connect

Interested in exchanging ideas on process excellence, safety and quality standards, or engineering leadership? I'd love to hear from you.

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Based in
USA and Canada