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Arif Shakeel has been a director of WD since September 2004 and currently serves the company as chief executive officer which he assumed in October 2005.
Beginning in 1999 as senior vice president Worldwide Operations Mr. Shakeel oversaw WD's successful effort to improve manufacturing efficiency by reducing operating expenses and increasing capacity. Under his watch certain manufacturing operations were consolidated leading to a nearly 50 percent reduction in overall operating expenses. As a result of the cost-control effort hard drive production increased while expenses were kept to a minimum.
WD doubled revenue from $2 billion annually in 2000 to over $4 billion in 2005 and has posted the most consistent profits and highest returns on invested capital in the hard drive industry in that time frame.
Mr. Shakeel joined WD in 1985 as product manager Integrated Drive Electronics. He served in various capacities including vice president Materials - Asia until October 1997; and senior vice president Worldwide Operations in July 1999. In February 2000 he became executive vice president and general manager of Hard Drive Solutions. He was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer in January 2002 and served in that position until October 2005 when he assumed his current role.
Mr. Shakeel currently sits on the board of Share Our Selves a local charity dedicated to serving Orange County Calif. families in need.
Mr. Shakeel has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Memphis State University and a master's degree in business administration from Pepperdine University. | 