Matthew Dixon has spent over 15 years working in the oil, gas, and mining industries, taking on roles like Drilling Superintendent, Drilling and Completions Manager to Head of Drilling in countries all over the world. Along the way, he’s developed more than 10 patents, from rig designs to systems that make operations run more smoothly. During his time managing large projects, he often found himself frustrated with the software available—it just didn’t do what was needed on the ground. It was then that he realized, "There has to be a more effective solution." This idea eventually led him to start ZAHARA Companies, where he now serves as CEO. The concept for ZAHARA came to Matthew during his time as a Drilling Superintendent in Africa, when he realized how much simpler things could be. Today, ZAHARA’s ERP system goes beyond just improving operations—it’s designed to run entire businesses. From finance to HR, maintenance, and operations, everything is seamlessly connected. For instance, with ZAHARA’s integration with Xero, tasks like processing 2,000 purchase orders a month, which used to take days, now take just 1-2 hours for review and approval—saving companies up to 99% of the time. This is just one example of how ZAHARA’s smart automation is helping businesses save both time and money. Under Matthew’s leadership, ZAHARA has reshaped how businesses in the energy sector operate, making them more efficient and data-driven through innovative technology. His visionary leadership was recognized in 2024 when he received the Global CEO Excellence Award for CEO of the year – Analytics. Matthew’s commitment to delivering exceptional results ensures that ZAHARA’s solutions not only meet but exceed client expectations.