Rising Stars 2024: Muhammad Ashan Pasha

Muhammad Ashan Pasha, 35
Managing director facilities
Canadian Pacific Kansas City

Nominator’s quote: “Muhammad takes great pride in developing people. As a CPKC leadership coach, he recognizes the importance of diversity of thought when executing project plans to improve morale and drive discretionary effort.” — Jeff Edwards, CPKC

Education: Bachelor of applied sciences, University of Windsor.

Job responsibilities: Leads a team of 61 employees and hundreds of contractors to design, construct and maintain operational assets across CPKC’s network. Makes strategic decisions in line with long-term organizational vision to maintain and operate key operational assets, such as heavy repair shops, data centers and yard offices.

Career path: I am a professional mechanical engineer with almost 15 years of experience in project engineering and construction management. In addition to railroading, I have also worked in telecommunications and the oil and gas industry. I started as a project manager and progressed to regional manager and director before moving into my current role when Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern merged in 2023.

Why did you enter the rail industry? My grandfather was a railroader, so I was close to the industry growing up. When an opportunity to become a project manager with CPKC came up, it aligned with my expertise and skill set.

What’s the best career advice that you’ve received? Failure is not a sin, but aiming low is a crime. It is a quote my father always shared, advising me to always aim higher and work toward my goals. You may hit bumps on the way but eventually you will see the rewards.

What advice would you share with someone just starting out in their railroad career? Be open to learning unique things on your railroading journey. There are stops on the way, just like a train station, and there is opportunity to gain experience at every stop. It is challenging and rewarding at the same time.

What was your first job? I worked as a process quality assistant at Blackberry.

Share a fun fact about yourself. My favorite hobby is camping and hiking. My family and I eagerly wait for the summer to hit the Rocky Mountains at every opportunity.

If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why? I’d choose Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code. She is an influential person who aims to increase the number of women in computer sciences, and I want to understand what challenges face women in the technology industry. As a father of two young girls, I want to be able to teach my girls how to overcome life’s challenges using the experiences of someone who is trying to close the gender gap.

Who has had the most influence on your career? A family friend who has mentored me through key stages of my professional career. His guidance has informed my decision-making and helped me achieve my desired results. I am grateful for his leadership and influence.

Describe a major obstacle in your career and how you surmounted it. The biggest challenge for me so far was when I moved into the field project manager role at CPKC. It provided me with a unique perspective on the challenges encountered by trades in the field. I had to quickly adapt to ensure project success, but it also provided me with an opportunity to guide the design team to consider factors that typically may not be considered during the design stage.

What is the biggest challenge facing the rail industry today? The speed of technological advancements in every aspect of the business is the biggest challenge facing the rail industry. While it is essential for growth, certain aspects of the rail industry take time to implement those technologies. The speed at which we are seeing growth brings the added risk of cybersecurity threats, which compounds the challenge the facing industry.