From Community Roots to Professional Ranks: Saud Juman’s Purpose-Driven Leadership
Now announced as the new President of the Brampton Honey Badgers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League and the first Muslim to head a professional sports team, Juman’s career is less about navigating industries and more about translating a singular, driving philosophy: "Own Your Exit."
In a world that often separates the boardroom from the mosque, and the corporate exit from the community mission, the journey of Saud Juman offers a unifying and powerful blueprint for leadership.
Now announced as the new President of the Brampton Honey Badgers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League and the first Muslim to head a professional sports team, Juman’s career is less about navigating industries and more about translating a singular, driving philosophy: "Own Your Exit."
Juman’s success in the healthcare tech world—founding and successfully exiting a software company that serviced over 3,000 hospitals—is a testament to his executive rigour.
But his mantra is the key. "Owning Your Exit" means viewing every professional chapter as a conscious, purposeful step, ensuring the pivot is strategic rather than forced.
It is an act of intentional stewardship over one's time, talent, and direction.
What makes Juman's leadership model particularly instructive for our community is the clarity of his grounding.
While his post-exit pivot included time on the bench as an assistant coach for the Niagara River Lions—where he translated his business acumen into creating “systems and cultures that deliver wins”—his roots in community leadership run deep.
Juman remains, proudly, a “kid from Scarborough,” and it was here that his commitment to service and leadership was first cultivated through basketball.
Crucially, that involvement was directly tied to faith and community: he led leagues at his local mosque, the Islamic Foundation of Toronto.
This is a profound detail. It illustrates that the skills required to organize, motivate, and manage a successful venture—whether it's a multi-million-dollar software firm, a national sports franchise, or a youth league at a local center—are fundamentally the same: they require discipline, integrity, and a commitment to nurturing talent.
The Islamic Foundation of Toronto provided the earliest training ground for the values he now applies on a national stage.
His new mandate with the Honey Badgers is a natural extension of this model.
He is not merely running a team; he is charged with forging deep connections in the Peel community, a region rich in diversity.
As he puts it, he is committed to “winning on and off the court.”
This aligns perfectly with the ethos of community building: leveraging visibility and resources (like the team and his family foundation’s funding for grassroots programs) to ensure a wider positive impact.
Juman's recognition, including receiving "The Inspire Award," confirms that his work is fundamentally driven by a mission to make his world "a more equal place."
For those of us focused on collaboration, advancing intercultural dialogue, and fostering the next generation of leaders, Saud Juman's journey serves as a powerful reminder: leadership is not just about what you conquer, but about the values you carry with you.
He shows us that when you lead with purpose, the transitions—the 'exits'—are simply doorways to greater service.
Elias Eldridge