Wajih Effendi

Wajih Tariq Effendi has deep roots in Houston, Texas — a city that has shaped his identity as much as any boardroom or business school. A Cornell University graduate with degrees in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Engineering Management, Wajih began his career in Houston before taking his talents across four continents.

Today, as VP Strategy at Caterpillar Inc., Wajih leads enterprise-wide strategic planning for the world's largest industrial manufacturer. His career has spanned Kearney, Accenture Strategy, BG Group, BP, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Schlumberger — with stops in London, Mexico City, Tokyo, New Orleans, and Paris along the way.

But Houston is home. And in Houston, Wajih is known not just as an executive, but as a community builder. He founded the PlatyPirates — an all-girls FIRST Robotics team that has won State Championships and Imagery Awards. He chairs Cornell's Houston alumni admissions network. And he walked 60 miles for the Susan G. Komen foundation.