Malik Majeed did not inherit a leadership role. He earned it. Through relentless work, he moved from his job as a security guard and student to an attorney, then to the top as CEO of one of the largest minority-owned firms in the Philadelphia region, PRWT Services, Inc.
“I just put my head down and worked my butt off,” Majeed said plainly. “And lo and behold, I was in a leadership position in a proud minority owned business institution.”
An “overnight success” that took several years. Majeed serves as CEO and general counsel of the Center-City-based PRWT, overseeing a portfolio that includes business process outsourcing and facilities management and infrastructure support through its wholly-owned subsidiary, U.S. Facilities. He is a strategic leader, confident and committed to the community.
A Career Shaped by Grit
“I used to go to school full time during the day, work full time at night, and in between, I worked in real estate,” he said.
Majeed’s path was not linear. He juggled evening and night work (shifts) as a security guard, operations support representative while attending daytime college classes. He went on to obtain an MBA which led him to working as a commercial banking officer, and later, he acquired a law degree while continuing to work full time. Before joining PRWT in 2007, he held senior roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb. It was at PRWT where his leadership trajectory accelerated.
He helped PRWT navigate the company’s acquisition of a Merck manufacturing facility, leading PRWT to become the first minority-owned manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the U.S. After PRWT sold the facility was sold back to Merck a few years later, Majeed helped PRWT refocus its efforts on getting back to basics, i.e., the services the company was known for providing to the marketplace, most notably call centers, mail-room operations, facilities management infrastructure support.
Leading While Black
Being the only Black man or even person in the room was not unfamiliar to Majeed. He recalled being overlooked quite often in the classroom and in professional business settings–even when he was the boss.
“Sometimes people don’t think you belong,” he recalled. “They look at you and treat you like you’re only there to help that organization meet some kind of quota.” It was during those times he said he “just put his head down and worked even harder, and they eventually found out what he brought to the table.”
Majeed is determined and direct. He has a leadership style built around performance that makes debate irrelevant. “I am not about arguing and trying to prove others wrong. I’m about results. If I have to twice as good to get in the same room as others, that’s what I am going to do” he said.
Strategy, Scale, and Staying Power
Under Majeed’s leadership, PRWT has diversified and grown across the board.
“We look at where the opportunities are and where our capabilities match,” he said. “Then we make sure we can compete and over-perform.”
This strategy includes a long-term focus on essential services that are mission-critical to the successful services necessary to support the operation and maintenance of the country’s state and local transit systems, government buildings, public facilities and educational institutions.
Building a Pipeline from the Community
Majeed’s commitment to social responsibility is clear. Majeed said that was something that did not start with him. It was started by company’s founder Willie F. Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a social worker by training and would later become a successful entrepreneur and businessman. PRWT actively partners with institutions like Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, a college preparatory Catholic school on West Allegheny Avenue, the Community College of Philadelphia on Spring Garden Street and others. Majeed believes in order to eradicate poverty we have to provide career pathways for students from underrepresented communities, and career engagement has to begin earlier in the academic process.
“Some of the work we do doesn’t even require a college degree,” he explained. “But it requires focus and a willingness to learn.” “Put the cell phones down and turn off social media,” he declared, “and let’s get some work done.”
Majeed is also exploring ways to employ the parents of students who might be in need. He believes offering steady employment and benefits is another way society can stabilize families and help support a student’s educations.
Collaboration Over Competition
PRWT’s growth is further tied to its partnerships with other local firms and smaller businesses, particularly minority-owned businesses. An example of one such relationship is the company’s relationship with TeamClean , a janitorial services company based on North 63rd Street in Philadelphia. Rather than compete, Majeed believes working together allows for greater long term success and contributes greatly to continuing to build a pipeline from the community.
“You don’t have to pull every dime off the table and put it in your pocket,” he said. “You can give opportunities to others. That’s how we uplift communities.”
A Broader View of Mentorship
Majeed’s leadership extends beyond business. He spent a decade on the board of the Urban League of Philadelphia in Center City, supporting education, housing, and civic advocacy, and he continues to serve on boards and committees dedicated to education and healthcare. In his spare time, Majeed likes to stay engaged with youth sports, offering informal coaching and mentorship.
“I still try to get out there and help kids where I can,” he said. “Even if it’s just advice from the sideline.”
On Legacy and the Next Generation
Majeed is raising his own sons to value discipline and education. One is a Naval Officer. Another is studying criminology. The youngest is still deciding between medicine and another professional track.
“There’s God, then there’s family,” he said. “That’s how I operate.”
He views his role as a CEO, as someone responsible for creating opportunity where none has existed before. And that underscores his tenet to leadership, push forward, bring others along, and make the work count.
CEO Majeed says “Shoot for the sun, and you might hit the stars or the moon. Just keep going.”
This article is made possible with the support from the following organizations:
Dr. Eric John Nzeribe is the Publisher of FunTimes Magazine and has a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry since 1992. His interests include using data to understand and solve social issues, narrative stories, digital marketing, community engagement, and online/print journalism features. Dr. Nzeribe is a social media and communication professional with certificates in Digital Media for Social Impact from the University of Pennsylvania, Digital Strategies for Business: Leading the Next-Generation Enterprise from Columbia University, and a Master of Science (MS) in Publication Management from Drexel University and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Temple University.
