Meet Shahzad Jabbar
With a passion for people, growth, and smart structures, Shahzad Jabbar stepped into the role of CEO at Bon Dep in 2025. As KKNEKKI and the company’s other brands expanded globally, the time had come to bring in someone with solid leadership experience and a proven track record of scaling businesses.
Shahzad is known for his energy, curiosity, and people - first mindset. From his early days at Tommy Hilfiger and Levi’s to driving double - digit growth at Estée Lauder Norway, he’s built his career by combining sharp commercial thinking with genuine team development. Now, he brings that same energy to Bon Dep - helping shape the future of a Norwegian company with a truly global footprint.
A New Chapter of leadership
Meet Shahzad Jabbar - a 43-year-old Oslo-based CEO leading Bon Dep with curiosity, creativity, and a good dose of humor. With a personality he describes as curious, explorative, and fun, Shahzad brings a fresh and human approach to leadership. Whether he’s diving into strategy, team development, or international growth, he does it with an open mind and a clear sense of direction - always looking for new ways to learn, improve, and enjoy the process along the way.
Shahzad Jabbar at his office in the KKNEKKI HQ in Oslo.
Let´s talk passion
For Shahzad, passion is rooted in building both people and businesses. He finds energy in seeing others succeed and thrives on creating structures that help teams perform at their best.
He says. His approach is both strategic and human-focused on long-term growth through smart leadership. Since taking over as CEO of Bon Dep, the company has experienced a 47% increase in growth. Let’s rewind a bit. Shahzad’s journey started with economics studies at the University of Bergen, though he never finished his master’s degree. Instead, he was drawn to the practical side of business—numbers with real-world impact. After being contacted by Tommy Hilfiger to help open their first sales office in Norway, he spent five key years there before moving to Levi’s. Over the next nine years, he led their Nordic operations, overseeing both strategy and personnel.
He later joined Estée Lauder Norway, where he took an already successful business and helped it grow by 30% in three years. When the opportunity at Bon Dep appeared, it felt like a natural next step. “What intrigued me was how far the company had come - especially with 90% of its revenue from international markets. That kind of international presence is rare for a Norwegian fashion brand, and I immediately saw the potential to build on that and take it even further.” Looking back, what matters most to him is the growth he sees in others. “Watching my team develop - seeing people find their place and thrive - that’s what gives me the most joy,” he says. “Helping others succeed is where I find my own success.”
Someone who truly inspires you
The people who inspire me most are my parents. They moved to Norway in the 1970s, not knowing the language or what to expect - but they built a life here, piece by piece. They pursued their education, raised a large family, and created a home filled with values I carry with me every day. Growing up, I didn’t fully realize the depth of what they’d done, but looking back now, I see the strength and determination it took. One phrase they often repeated has stayed with me over the years - translated from Urdu:
To me, that’s always meant there’s enough, as long as your intentions are good. I still see them regularly, but there’s one question I haven’t quite gotten an answer to: Was life what you expected it to be?
Just for fun
When asked to name something he’s terrible at, Shahzad answered without hesitation, laughing with a hint of self-awareness: If there’s one thing I’m truly terrible at, it’s knitting. I actually gave it an honest try back in school during an arts and crafts class, but it didn’t take long to realise it just wasn’t for me. Whatever I was trying to make back then - let’s just say the final result didn’t resemble the plan.
There’s something about the tiny, repetitive movements, the endless counting, and the slow pace that doesn’t quite suit me. I prefer things that move forward, where you can see progress as you go. Maybe there’s a creative hobby out there that fits me better - but knitting? Not it.
