LUMINARY Enlightening Business
ROTTEN APPLES
UNIVERSITIES FOCUSING ONLY ON MONEY MAKING A BIG QUESTION MARK?
ON THE QUALITY AND STRUCTURE OF
EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN
The government should take some drastic measures other wise this situation can lead to serious issues like increase in the unemployment rate as well to badly affecting industr y sur vival and Pakistan’s economic growth
WHO WILL?
BRIDGE THE GAP BET WEEN INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA
LUMINARY PARTIALLY BLAMES UNIVERSITIES AND PARTIALLY THE INDUSTRY
It's industr y that should take a step for ward to forecast quality and human capital requirement and work together with academia to find the right solution Volume: II / Issue: I 2017
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SYED BABAR ALI ADVISOR, PACKAGES LTD PRO-CHANCELLOR, LUMS
A LEGEND LARGER THAN LIFE AS AN EDUCATIONAL REFORMIST AND ACTIVIST SYED BABAR ALI CONTRIBUTION IN EDUCATION IS INCREDIBLE
CONTENTS
36 Meet Media Mogul
Exclusive Interview with Mr. Sarmad Ali
50 Dare to Dream
58 The man behind the success story of TERADATA Pakistan
Exclusive Interview with Mr. Shaikh Azhar Ali
50 Gadgets & Apps 18 Entrepreneurship The Science Behind The Samsung Galaxy Best indicators to understand whether Note 7’s Battery Fires you have entrepreneurship genes
55 How can startups run Financially Sound Businesses
20 Management Cultures
42 Rotten Apples 54 Look at the Business Financing the Way Money lenders otherwise, it will cost you‌
65 Eating a healthy diet may reduce brain shrinkage
56 Plane, Train and Automobile this Concept Car transforms into all three
LUMINARY | 06
30 BUSINESS
ECO SUMMIT ISLAMABAD
14 CPEC
CPEC leading Pakistan into a new era of economic globalization
18 Entrepreneurship
Best indicators to understand whether you have entrepreneurship genes
MANAGEMENT
TECHNOLOGY
EXCLUSIVE Q & A
20 Management Cultures
40 Data Management
24 A Legend larger than life
7 Examples of Companies with fantastic cultures
5 Data Management Challenges Facing Small Business Owners
COVER STORY 42 Rotten Apples
Universities focusing only on money making are a big question mark on the quality and structure of education in Pakistan
FINANCE 54 Finance Management How can startups run Financially Sound Businesses
As an educational reformist and activist his contribution in education is incredible
Syed Babar Ali Chairman, PACKAGES Ltd Pro-Chancellor, LUMS
44 Pakistan’s most admired Governor with a mission of enhancing Pakistan economic growth on new pace H.E Muhammad Zubair Umar Governor of Sindh
HEALTH 64 Life Style
Chemicals in personal products may stimulate cancer more than thought
INNOVATION
EVENTS
Plane, Train and Automobile this Concept Car transforms into all three
Glimps Of National and Corporate Events
56 Automobile
66 Exclusive Highlights From Mega Events
LUMINARY | 07
LUMINARY
Education serves as the backbone for the development of nations. The countries with the effective impressive need oriented, saleable and effective system of education come out to be the leaders of the world, both socially and economically. Pakistan is still lagging behind many countries in achieving the desired Education goals, problems of access, quality, infrastructure, and inequality of opportunity, remain endemic. The wide gap between industry-academia is another serious question mark in our economic progress. This is the time when we really need to rethink seriously where we are heading and leading our next generation youth as there are serious connectivity laps between industrial needs and academic production. Pakistan has huge talent in terms of intelligence and skills. Just by polishing and grooming these minds to the right direction, we can be the next big human capital export country. And this is the only way we can exploit the maximum benefits of CPEC by preparing our talent according to the required skills. In this edition, you will learn some valuable insights from honourable Syed Babar Ali on the current situation of education in Pakistan as industry-academia gap. It was a lifetime experience for me to interview him, in fact, it cannot be explained in words meeting a man who is not only a legend for us but truly a man larger than life with his selfless and tremendous contribution not only to education but many other areas. He is a true inspiration not only to me but to the whole Pakistani nation and youth. Even at the age of ninety, he is working seven days a week and ninety percent of his work is social work. The life before the partition of subcontinent and life after the birth of Pakistan; all is in one great life. He is such a humble and great person that on one side, he had been with a leader like Quaid e Azam and on the other side he is giving his precious time to a person like me. What a personality! Nation wishes him many more productive years of success as we need persons like him for the development of the country read more on page 24. Muhammad Zubair Umar, Governor Sindh a man who needs no introduction these days Pakistan’s most admired Governor with a mission of enhancing Pakistan economic growth on a new pace. How he conquered the tough road from business to politics with the art of relational creativity and genius acumen please read on page 44. Mohammad Younus Dagha, Federal Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Power. The men behind Pakistan’s power sector reforms, with his immaculate leadership style and vision. Mr Dagha is all set with his plans to bring back affordable electricity to Pakistan in coming years read more on page 30 Mr Sarmad Ali, Managing Director JANG media group he has been the unicorn of Pakistan’s media industry. His simplicity and humble personality is a true reflection of his great knowledge and enriched experience please read more on page 36 Shaikh Azhar Ali, CEO & Co-Founder ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. Leaving behind a rich career and luxuries of the job he dared to dream A company of The People, By The People, For The people” the men who believe in no competition rather he likes to compete on CSR. His success story is a great example and learning for our new generation startups and entrepreneurs read more on page 50. The man behind the success story of TERADATA Pakistan. How Khuram Rahat is changing the Data analytics and services future in Pakistan read more on page 58.
EDITOR'S NOTE
EDUCATION DETERMINES THE FUTURE OF A NATION
By Mahwish Khan mahwish@luminarypakistan.com
Editor in Cheif Mahwish Khan
Senior Designer Ghulam Murtaza
Head of Video & Photography Imran Shah
Feature Editor Nasir Hussain
Creative Head Mona Yousaf
Videographer M. Hamid Mughal
Head of Productions Fahad Billal Sheikh
Head of Communication Amna Perviez
Video Production Ali Mirza
Editorial: Raheela Yousaf Sadia Razaque Umar Draz Sara G.Miler Laura Geggel
Communication Assistant Rabia Aslam
Coordinator Editorial Graphic Mehreen Ismail
Web Development Javed Mir Rizwan Khan
Human Resources Zubair Chaudhry Amna Habib
Business Development Naveed Shaikh Javeria Kazmi Legal Advisor Rana M. Razaque Administrative Coordinator Ayesha Ali Contributors Brian D. Evans Sujan Patel Lisa Stevens Kacey Deamer Sara G Miller
Published By LUMINARY Pakistan 1536-D, Civil Defence, Faisal Ghuman Road, Lahore Cantt P.O. 54810, Pakistan. T: +92 42 35890574 / M: +92 320 468 2294 www.luminarypakistan.com The information contained in this publication has been obtain from sources the proprietors beleive to be correct. However, no legal liability can be accepted from any errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior consent of the publisher.
LUMINARY PAKISTAN GLIMPSE OF RECENT AND UPCOMING LUMINARIES INTERVIEWS
Syed Babar Ali
Mian Mansha
Advisor, Packages Ltd
Chairman, Nishat Group
H.E Muhammad Zubair Umer Governor of Sindh
H.E Piotr Opalinski Ambassador of Poland to Pakistan
Khurram Rahat
Ahsan Imran
CEO Millat Equipment Ltd
Younous Dagha
Usman Mobin
Chairman, NADRA
Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema
Liu Dianfeng
Chairman, China Mobile (zong)
Former CEO Mobilink Pakistan
MD Teradata Pakistan, Afghanistan & Bangladesh
Chairman, Dawood Hercules Corporation
Chief Minister Punjab
Federal Sectary Ministry of Water and Power
Jeffrey Hederg
Hussain Dawood
H.E Shahbaz Sharif
Salman Shah
Former Finance Minister & CEO Brain Tech
Abdul Wahid Qureshi CEO, 3S Pharmaceuticals CFO, Berger Paints
Chairman, Auriga Group
Shahid Kamil Butt
Khadija Mushtaq
CEO, Root School System
CEO Shahkam Industries
Niaz Malik
Deputy CEO ZONG
Sarmad Ali
Chairman, Spel Group
M. Ramzan Sheikh
MD, Jang Media Group
CEO, MHPL & Royal Palm Golf & Country Club
Tahir Malik
CEO, Porsche Pakistan
Vice President, Hashoo Group
Aamir Niazi
Sarim Sheikh
CEO Finca Micro Finance Bank Ltd Pakistan
Imran Ghani
Managing Director Afghanistan & Pakistan
Chairman, Rafi Group
President & CEO, GE Pakistan, Iran & Afghanistan
M. Mudassar Aqil
CEO Descon Chemicals
Imtiaz Rafi Butt
Chairman Trafco Group
Finance Minister
Haseeb Gardezi
Almas Hyder
Ceo & Founder Netsol Technologies
H.E Ishaq Dar
Federal Minister for Planning Development and Reforms
Founder & Chairman Bahria Town
Saleem Ghauri
Abuzar Bokhari
H.E Ahsan Iqbal
Malik Riaz Hussain
Abdul Razak
Chairman, Descon
Shaikh Azhar Ali CEO Zealcon Engineering Ltd
Sajjad Syed
CEO, Excellence Delivered
H.E Emil Wyss
Tara Uzra Dawood
Nadeem A. Malik
Former Consul General of Switzerland to Pakistan
CEO Dawood Global Foundation
Cloud Lead, IBM
Muhammad Saleem Ranjha
Ibrahim Shaikh CEO Cannon Foam Industries
Samir Dosal
Chairman Canadian Pakistan Business Council
Hakeem Usman
Bunafsha Gulakova
Fiza Farhan
Shahzad Ashraf
CEO & Founder Marhaba
Legal Advisor at World Bank
CEO Alno Kitchen’s
Ian Majweski
CEO Bukhsh Foundation
Fashion Designer CEO, Oppo Mobile
CEO Alno Kitchen’s
Besim Peroli
GM Turkish Airlines
To view the complete list please reach us on
Regional Director Abacus Consulting
Sowaba Shahzad
Founder & Director Akhuwat
Hassan Sheheryar Yasin
Fatima Asad Said
Global Head Oreint Mcaine
Mussarat Misbah
Founder & CEO, Depilex Smile Again Foundation
Muhammad Faisal Director Super Asia
/LuminaryPakistan
Farukh Saleem
CEO Firhaj Footwea (Hushpupies)
/LUMINARYPK
NADEEM A. MALIK
CLOUD LEAD, IBM PAKISTAN
INNOVATION AT GLANCE TOGETHER WE ARE CREATING A WORLD OF INNOVATION
IMRAN GHANI MANAGING DIRECTOR PAKISTAN & AFGHANISTAN MAN GROUP
AHSAN IMRAN SHEIKH CHEIF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MILLAT EQUIPMENT LIMITED
KHURAM RAHAT MANAGING DIRECTOR TERADATA PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN & BANGLADESH
POWER BUILDER LEADING THE ORGANIZATION WITH DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE THIS MAN IS READY TO FUEL POWER ENGINEERING AND AUTOMOBILE SECTOR IN PAKISTAN
DRIVEN BY INNOVATION LEADING THE MARKET AS PIONEER
THE MAN BEHIND THE SUCCESS STORY OF TERADATA PAKISTAN
MILLAT EQUIPMENT LIMITED IS AMONG THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED TRANSMISSION GEARS & SHAFTS MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN PAKISTAN.
HOW KHURAM RAHAT IS CHANGING THE DATA ANALYTICS AND SERVICES FUTURE IN PAKISTAN
LUMINARY is thankful to the warm welcoming response of Pakistan. Just in one year period LUMINARY Pakistan club proudly accept the privilege of having more than 600 members including Top Entrepreneurs, Diplomats, Business Tycoons, Chairmen, CEOs, Presidents, MDs, CFOs, COOs, CIOs, Chief Marketing Officers, Educationists & Philanthropists from all over Pakistan.
WITH A MISSION OF ENLIGHTENING
PAKISTAN’S BUSINESS INDUSTRY IN GLOBAL MARKETS
ENHANCING PAKISTAN’S POSITIVE IMAGE IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS www.luminarypakistan.com www.luminarymiddleeast.com www.luminaryeurope.com www.luminary-magazine.com
Making connectivity more effective in International Markets & Business Industry through providing one on one interactions and amazing platforms like Global Business Leadership Forum (GBLF).
CHINA PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR
CPEC LEADING PAKISTAN INTO A NEW ERA OF ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION
ECO SUMMIT ISLAMABAD
Pakistan government's seamless execution of the 13th ECO Summit is a success of its foreign policy. China-Pakistan relationship has been lifted to the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and is faced with the new important opportunity. The country has averted immense diplomatic pressure from some states that have been non-cooperative toward the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) but has diligently gathered enough interest from regional states to overrule it. It is suitably located at the junction of South Asia, West Asia, and Central Asia, situating Pakistan on an important route between the energy-rich countries of the West and Central Asia and those in South Asia with great appetence for energy. The three seaports at Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar provide the shortest routes to Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan for linking them to the rest of the world. All the countries in the region would greatly be benefited by reducing their trade and transportation costs by transiting through Pakistan. With
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their rich history of social and economic ties over generations, the ECO member states are marching towards mutual connectivity with CPEC providing contextual support. The member states, especially Iran and Tajikistan, are working towards developing linkages with CPEC, and have devised extensive plans for trade and energy connectivity with Pakistan. Regional trade has been an important factor in the economic success of many countries. Despite possessing a great strategic geographical location, Pakistan has yet to leverage fully to its trade advantage. In particular, transit through the new Gwadar Port could bring huge dividends. It is located at the top of the Arabian Sea, approximately 75 km east of Iran‘s border with Pakistan and 400 km from the Strait of Hormuz, which is the only sea passage to the Persian Gulf from the open sea. For China, trade and energy transport from the Persian Gulf and East-African states through Pakistan will reduce a distance of about 15,000 km to just 2,500 km. After the completion of the high-speed rail and road networks across Pakistan, oil tankers from
the Eastern China would reach Gwadar, within 48 hours. The Gwadar Port has the potential to become much more significant as compared to Dubai as it can handle larger cargo S-class ships and oil tankers. CPEC PROJECTS MAP The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a $54 billion portfolio of energy and infrastructure projects - promises to usher in a new era of economic development and growth for Pakistan. CPEC MAP includes almost sixteen projects in Balochistan, eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thirteen in Sindh and twelve in Punjab. There has been a wrong perception that Punjab is getting lion’s share in CPEC projects. But the Projects’ map washes all the dust of misconception and doubts. We as a nation need to change the mindset as the whole project is overall contributing to Pakistan economic development, no matter which province gets greater benefit, the ultimate benefits will return back to the whole country. BALOCHISTAN At least 16 projects under CPEC related to Balochistan.These include Khuzdar Basima Highway (N 30), D.I.Khan Quetta Highway (N 50), Hubco Coal Power Plant, Gwadar Power Plant, Gwadar Nawabshah LNG Terminal and Pipeline, Gwadar Eastbay Expressway, Gwadar New International Airport, Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, Expansion of Multipurpose Terminal including Breakwater & Dredging Wastewater, Treatment Plants for Gwadar City, Gwadar Primary School, Gwadar Hospital Upgradation, Gwadar Technical & Vocational College, Gwadar Eastbay Expressway II, Fresh Water Supply and Gwadar Free Zone. KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA Almost eight projects under CPEC relate to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Joint Feasibility Study for Upgradation of ML1, Establishment of Havelian Dry Port, KKH II (Havelian Thakot) Upgradation of ML 1, KKH III (Raikot Thakot), D.I.Khan Quetta Highway (N 50), Suki Kinari Hydropower Project and Optical Fiber Cable from Rawalpindi to Khunjrab. SINDH Thirteen CPEC projects relate to Sindh.Matiari Lahore Transmission Line, Matiari Faisalabad Transmission Line, Port Qasim Power Plant Engro Thar Power Plant & Surface Mine in Block II of Thar Coal Field Dawood Wind Farm, Jhimpir Wind Farm, Sachal Wind Farm, China Sunec Wind Farm, Upgradation of ML 1, Thar Coal Block I & Mine Mouth Power Plant, Gwadar Nawabshah LNG Terminal & Pipeline, Karachi-Lahore Motorway (Sukkur-Multan), Joint Feasibility Study for Upgradation of ML1. PUNJAB Only 12 projects under CPEC relate to Punjab. Optical Fiber Cable from Rawalpindi to Khunjrab, Haier & Ruba Economic Zone II, Karachi-Lahore Motorway (Sukkur-Multan), Joint Feasibility Study for Upgradation of ML1, Upgradation of ML 1, Sahiwal Coal Fired
Power Plant, Rahimyar Khan Coal Power Plant, Karot Hydro Power Plant, Lahore Orange Line Metro Train, Matiari Lahore Transmission Line, Matiari Faisalabad Transmission Line Quaid e Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur.
CHINA
KPK 8 PROJECTS
BALOCHISTAN 16 PROJECTS PUNJAB 12 PROJECTS SINDH 13 PROJECTS
CPEC CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an opportunity for an economic upturn to Pakistan. The law and order, political instability, terrorism, lack of planning and lack of implementation of policies are the major challenges being faced by the economy of the country. The trade volume of CPEC expected to reach 2.5 trillion dollars in the next decade. But the government must provide security to foreign investors. The government must ensure the stability of Pakistan's economic indicators to attract FDI, and streamline the institutional structures to facilitate its implementation on the ground. Pakistan is a rich state in terms of the abundance of natural resources. The country has multiple resource reserves, perfect geographic location and significant workforce, all of this can lead it towards economic growth. To improve its economic development, the country has initiated the CPEC project. CPEC will boost the economy of the two countries. This project has already alerted a few developed countries. Some powerful nations tried to sabotage the CPEC project, but fortunately, they failed to harm it. This project is the largest foreign investment that has ever been made by any foreign country in Pakistan. No doubt, the EPEC projects are a gift for our country as these projects are going to end the energy and electricity crises for good. This process can lead the country to prosperity. We need to ensure maximisation of benefits from CPEC to the economy and we have to overcome all the weaknesses and deficiencies in the existing set-up for the successful completion of the eventful project……….CPEC.
LUMINARY | 15
CHINA PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR
WAY FORWARD OVERCOMING WEAKNESSES AND DEFICIENCIES Industrial Cooperation: There is a big question mark in many minds how the government will secure the benefits of Pakistani Businessmen so they might not be eaten by Chinese. Ironically, industrial cooperation is one area where Pakistan seems least prepared. While policymakers are overly optimistic on CPEC and its potential benefits, local manufacturers, chambers, and industry associations appear to be seriously concerned about their future. The textile industry, for instance, fears the glut of textile goods from Xinjiang to create serious competition in future. There is also a need to look at Pakistan’s own industrial clusters and assess how they can benefit by CPEC through potentially accessing Chinese markets and beyond. Some industrialists, especially in the textile industry, are skeptical towards the competition from Chinese goods. This concern is primarily due to technology-averse nature of some industrialists that do not plan to enhance their technique to stay competitive by improving their products, while others think that Chinese industry, by its sheer size, will empty the markets of raw materials, and always deliver products at a cheaper rate. To counter such a possibility, the government must formulate a well thought-out industrial policy and place a transit fee on every item crossing the borders, which shall help put a check on Chinese goods flooding Pakistani market, depriving it of raw material, or placing products at too low a cost for local industry to survive against. Going forward, the government should adopt a three-pronged strategy for industrial cooperation, focusing on expansion and upgrading of existing industries; deepening the industrial base aiming at creating better forward and backwards linkages; and industrial diversification, nurturing new industries leading towards sophistication of export base. Pakistan must reassess its current protectionist policies that are stifling its economy and undermining the ability to compete in the global market and allow domestic industries and infrastructure to operate in an environment maximising its potential. While some of these concerns may be well founded, these industries need to realise that openness and globalisation have its own perils and sooner or later they would have to be competitive to withstand any such global threats. But for the government, it is also equally important to think through its own priorities and further the national agenda through a well-articulated industrial policy. The interest of foreign entities: Moreover, issues are not just limited to Pakistani business community but as well the foreign entities doing business here are also concerned about the unhealthy competition in terms of unfair trade policies which will lead them to the uneven and less conducive business environment. With regard to global trade, Pakistan must restructure its taxation policies and find out ways to integrate available comparative advantages within global supply chains.
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Human Resource: The third aspects how we plan to ensure maximisation of benefits to the economy. Are we ready to exploit the full potential? There is still a huge gap in terms of identifying and forecasting the specific human resources need to cater the ongoing and future projects of CPEC. Government, Academia and vocational training institutes have to look into this more seriously. Environmental Safeguards: Furthermore, for any industries relocating to Pakistan, there should be an effective environmental safeguards regime in place. On the environmental front, experts fear that an open-gate policy towards China may bring in dirty industries to Pakistan, resulting in environmental degradation. For example, talking about the new coal power plants under CPEC and the technologies and machinery which will be used in it might not be environment-friendly. Reservation on National stability and Integrity: Many people resemble the Chinese penetration with the East India Company coming into subcontinent. Although Chinese are more sophisticated, but the concern is serious since many important public sector entities have been leased to Chinese recently. A couple of Chinese entrepreneurs have already snapped up two major deals the Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation and 40 per cent of Pakistan Stock Exchange. Quoting some executives of Pakistan’s biggest firms a foreign news agency has reported that Chinese companies were looking at the cement, steel, energy and textile sectors, the four which make up the backbone of Pakistan’s $270 billion economy. Meanwhile, China’s steel giant Baosteel Group in talks over a 30-year lease for the state-run Pakistan steel Mills. So the penetration level leads us to rethink on the future risks and reservation unless the government plans and designs to make this cooperation safe and controlled, keeping in mind China is our big strong neighbour. How is the government planning to make this joint venture safe in terms of our integrity and solidarity interests? Until now this question is still unanswered unless the policy makers show some openness and share information in this regard. By Mahwish Khan Editor-in-Chief LUMINARY PAKISTAN
BUSINESS
BEST INDICATORS TO UNDERSTAND
WHETHER YOU HAVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP GENES
Persistent people who seek creative freedom often crave entrepreneurship. It seems that in today’s society, being an entrepreneur makes you some sort of rockstar. The title itself has an appeal that makes anyone and everyone with an idea suddenly want to call themselves an entrepreneur. But being a true entrepreneur is not an easy road. Most entrepreneurs have made money -- and lost money. It's normal to have had struggles and successes. The question is whether you have the genes to see it through, or if you feel compelled to stick with a secure office job as soon as your first venture idea fails. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that -entrepreneurship isn't for everyone. Here are five indicators that will help you determine whether the tough road of entrepreneurship is right for you.
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You struggle to learn without hands-on experience A very common theme I have found among my entrepreneurial network is that the vast majority of entrepreneurs learn by doing. This is why you hear about successful entrepreneurs failing out of school. Not because they wanted to prove a point, but because the school environment did not serve them. They weren’t learning anything from someone else talking at them. The need to get your hands dirty is a crucial trait of an entrepreneur. You are patiently impatient Kids with entrepreneurial spirits often get labeled as being “impatient.” They can’t sit still. They have low attention spans. But as these kids get older, they develop what is better
described as the ability to be “patiently impatient.” They don’t want to slow down -- and they shouldn’t. But they also are very good at waiting for the right time to pull the trigger on decisions. If you can be both at the same time -- patiently impatient -then you are right where you need to be. You don’t take “no” for an answer There is a difference between being obnoxiously persistent and humbly persistent. The people who get told “no” and refuse to acknowledge helpful feedback are grandiose dreamers, not grounded in reality. But the people who get told “no” and then take the time to listen, learn, adjust and keep moving forward possess a true gift for persistence. You like to "own" your work One of the big reasons that people with entrepreneurial spirits struggle in corporate environments is because they feel as though they don’t “own” their work. It’s a combination of either not being given enough creative freedom, or having so many checks and balances in place that nothing actually gets done effectively. Being an entrepreneur is tough, but the ability to take charge of your work is the real reward. You aren't after money. You're after freedom Your intention sets your path. You have to know what your motivations and goals are, otherwise you’ll chase the wrong things and end up somewhere you aren’t thrilled about. True entrepreneurs seek freedom -- and the definition of freedom is subjective. It’s more about a lifestyle than a benefits package or an end-of-the-year bonus. Chase the lifestyle, not the paycheck. BRIAN D. EVANS CONTRIBUTOR Serial Entrepreneur, Advisor, CEO
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MANAGEMENT COVER STORY
7 EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES WITH FANTASTIC CULTURES HAVING GREAT COMPANY CULTURE IS NO LONGER JUST AN OPTION Today’s workers consider it as much as they consider salary and benefits. In fact, fantastic company culture is almost expected along with other traditional benefits. While the culture that works for one company might not work for another, you can learn a lot from companies who are doing it right, and get started on company culture hacks of your own. 1. Zappos Zappos has become almost as well known for its culture as it is for the shoes that it sells online. What does that culture look like? It starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. New employees are offered $2,000 to quit after the first week of training if they decide the job isn’t for them.Ten core values are instilled in every team member. Employee raises come from workers who pass skills tests and exhibit increased capability, not from office politics. Portions of the budget are dedicated to employee team building and culture promotion. Great benefits and a workplace that is fun and dedicated to making customers happy all fit in with the Zappos approach to company culture -- when you get the company culture right, great customer service and a great brand will happen on its own.
Takeaway: Zappos hires according to cultural fit first and foremost. It has established what the company culture is, and fitting into that culture is the most important thing managers look for when hiring. This promotes the culture and happy employees, which ultimately leads to happy customers. 2. Warby Parker Warby Parker has been making and selling prescription glasses online since 2010. It designs its own glasses, and sells directly to customers, cutting out the middleman and keeping prices low. The company culture at Warby Parker instigates “culture crushes,” and one reason for that level of success is a team dedicated to culture. That team means that a positive culture is on the forefront, setting up fun lunches, events and programs. The company makes sure that there is always an upcoming event so the entire team has something to look forward to, and it uses methods to make sure the entire team works well together by insisting everyone helps keep break areas clean or sending random employees out to lunch together. Takeaway: Warby Parker has made company culture deliberate by creating a
dedicated team tasked with coming up with events and programs to promote community. Great company culture doesn’t happen on its own. 3. Southwest Airlines The airline industry is often mocked for grumpy employees and poor customer service, but Southwest Airlines bucks those trends. Customers loyal to Southwest often point to happy and friendly employees who try hard to help. Southwest isn’t new to the game. It’s been in operation for 43 years. Yet somehow, during all that time, the company has managed to communicate its goals and vision to employees in a way that makes them a part of a unified team. Southwest also gives employees “permission” to go that extra mile to make customers happy, empowering them to do what they need to do to meet that vision. Takeaway: Employees who are convinced of a larger common goal are people who are excited to be part of a larger purpose. 4. Twitter Employees of Twitter can’t stop raving about the company’s culture. Rooftop meetings, friendly coworkers and a team-oriented environment in which each person is motivated by the company’s goals have inspired that praise. Employees of Twitter can also expect free meals at the San Francisco headquarters,
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along with yoga classes and unlimited vacations for some. These and many other perks are not unheard of in the startup world. But what sets Twitter apart? Employees can’t stop talking about how they love working with other smart people. Workers rave about being part of a company that is doing something that matters in the world, and there is a sense that no one leaves until the work gets done. Takeaway: You can’t beat having team members who are pleasant and friendly to each other, and are both good at and love what they are doing. No program, activity or set of rules tops having happy and fulfilled employees who feel that what they are doing matters. 5. Chevron While oil and gas companies are prime targets for a lot of negative PR and public ire, Chevron employees responded favorably towards the company’s culture. Employees compared Chevron with other similar companies and pointed out “the Chevron way” as being one dedicated to safety, supporting employees and team members looking out for each other. Chevron shows it cares about employees by providing health and fitness centres on site or through health-club memberships. It offers other health-oriented programs such as massages and personal training. Chevron insists employees take regular breaks. In other words, the company shows it cares about the well-being of employees, and employees know that they are valued. Takeaway: Your company culture doesn’t have to be ping-pong tables and free beer. Simply providing employee's with a sense of safety and well-being and creating a policy where everyone looks out for each other can easily suffice. 6. Google It would almost seem wrong not to mention Google on a list of companies with great
culture. Google has been synonymous with culture for years, and sets the tone for many of the perks and benefits startups are now known for. Free meals, employee trips and parties, financial bonuses, open presentations by high-level executives, gyms, a dog-friendly environment and so on. Googlers are known to be driven, talented and among the best of the best. As Google has grown and the organization has expanded and spread out, keeping a uniform culture has proven difficult between headquarters and satellite offices, as well as among the different departments within the company. The larger a company becomes, the more that culture has to reinvent itself to accommodate more employees and the need for management. While Google still gets stellar reviews for pay, perks and advancement, there are also some employees who note growing pains that you’d expect from such a huge company, including the stress associated with a competitive environment. Hiring and expecting the best from employees can easily become a stressor if your culture doesn’t allow for good work-life balance. Takeaway: Even the best culture needs to revisit itself to meet a growing company’s team. The most successful company culture leads to successful business, and that requires an evolving culture that can grow with it. 7. Facebook Just like Google, Facebook is a company that has exploded in growth as well as being synonymous with unique company culture. Facebook offers, as do many similar companies, lots of food, stock options, open office space, on-site laundry, a focus on teamwork and open communication, a competitive atmosphere that fosters personal growth and learning and great benefits. Yet, Facebook has the same struggles as similar companies: a highly competitive
industry leads to a sometimes stressful and competitive workplace. Additionally, a free and organic organizational structure that worked for the smaller organization is less successful for the larger one. To meet these challenges, Facebook has created conference rooms, has separate buildings, lots of outdoor roaming space for breaks and has management (even CEO Mark Zuckerberg) working in the open office space alongside other employees. It’s an attempt at a flat organizational culture using the buildings and space itself to promote a sense of equality among the competition. Takeaway: When your company depends on new hires who excel in a competitive field, your company culture and any associated perks will likely be the tipping point for applicants. You must stand out from other companies vying for attention. Conclusion Many of these companies offer similar perks and benefits, but those do not determine the culture completely. The approach taken with how employees are treated and what level of ownership and trust they are given is also a key part of company culture. One word of caution: focusing on company culture to the exclusion of other workforce considerations (safety, laws, and regulations) can lead to abuses or create situations where employees aren’t comfortable. Even the best examples of culture on this list have detractors. Remember that the best culture makes all employees feel safe and welcome, never excluded or uncomfortable. Focusing on “culture fit” alone makes it difficult to hire and welcome employees who are different than the prevailing culture, even if they’d be an asset and great counterbalance at your company. Your company culture needs adjustment if it causes you to end up with a homogenized team who think and act the same. Sujan Patel Contributor LUMINARY | 21
EXCLUSIVE Q&A
SYED BABAR ALI
ADVISOR, PACKAGES LIMITED PRO-CHANCELLOR, LAHORE UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
A LEGEND LARGER THAN LIFE AS AN EDUCATIONAL REFORMIST AND ACTIVIST SYED BABAR ALI CONTRIBUTION IN EDUCATION IS INCREDIBLE HE IS NOT ONLY A TITAN OF THE PAKISTAN’S BUSINESS WORLD BUT HIS VISION AND ACUMEN ARE INEVITABLE FOR THE ENTREPRENEURS AND YOUTH... Syed Babar Ali started his education at the Sacred Heart Convent in Lahore and began attending Aitchison College in 1934. He obtained his High School Certificate from Aitchison and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from the Government College of Lahore in 1945. In December of 1946 he took off for the United States, where he received admission for a master’s program at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In December 1947 he returned to Lahore to carry on with the family business. After 11 years in the family business, he had an idea for which he received much support from his family. He traveled to Sweden and started a joint venture with Akerlund & Rausing, a leading family run packaging company that later began Tetra Pak. As an entrepreneur and industrialist, Syed Babar Ali envisioned and set up Packages Limited (Pakistan’s largest paper & board mill), Milkpak Limited–now Nestlé Pakistan Limited (the largest food processing company in Pakistan); Tetra Pak Pakistan Limited, IGI Insurance Company Limited, Tri-Pack Films Limited, and IGI Investment Bank. He is Chairman of Sanofi-Aventis Pakistan, Coca-Cola Pakistan and Advisor to Packages Group of Companies. He believes in the joint venture philosophy and most of his businesses are joint ventures with major multinationals. In addition to business developments, Syed Babar Ali has
made amazing social impacts in Pakistan via education and philanthropy. He had the opportunity later to attend Harvard Business School in 1973, where he really appreciated the education he received and was inspired to bring the same knowledge to students in Pakistan. This inspiration led to the establishment of Pakistan’s premier Lahore University of Management Sciences in 1985, where he serves as the first Pro-Chancellor. He later founded the Ali Institute of Education in 1992 for training of primary and secondary school teachers. He also founded an art school that focuses on preserving the ancient and lost practice of miniature painting, the NAQSH School of Art, appropriately located in the ancient walled city. He is a member of the Board of the following important educational institutions of Lahore: Aitchison College, Kinnaird College, and Lahore School of Economics. He is also a Founding Member of the South Asia Initiative of Harvard University and the Co-Chair of South Asia Centre for Policy Studies currently based in Nepal. He served as Pakistan’s Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs & Planning in 1993. He promoted the cause of the World Wide Fund for Nature (earlier World Wildlife Fund) where he served in various capacities, both in Pakistan and internationally, from 1972 to 1996. He was International President of WWF from 1996 to
CV
Other Joined Ventures
Born 1926 Lahore, Punjab
• Milkpak Limited–now Nestle Pakistan Limited • Tetra Pak Pakistan Limited • Coca-Cola Beverages Pakistan Limited • IGI Insurance Company Limited • Tri-Pack Films Limited • IGI Investment Bank • Sanofi-Aventis Pakistan Limited • Siemens Pakistan Engineering Company Limited
1945
1947
Bachelor of Science Joined University of Michigan from the Government for a master’s program and College of Lahore afterwards joined family business in December, 1947 (Pakistan) LUMINARY | 24
1956 Established Packages Limited as a joint venture with Akerlund and Rausing a well known family for establishing Packages Europe
Awards Received awards from the Government of Sweden, the Netherlands, an OBE from Britain (1997), and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Laws from McGill University, Montreal, Canada (1997)
EXCLUSIVE Q&A 1999 succeeding HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He is now Vice President Emeritus, WWF International, and President Emeritus WWF-Pakistan. He set up Babar Ali Foundation in 1985. The Foundation gives about a million dollars a year primarily for education and health in Pakistan. He is Chairman of Gurmani Foundation and Syed Maratib Ali Religious & Charitable Trust Society.He is also a member of Layton Rehmatullah Benevolent Trust Karachi and Shalamar Hospital Lahore. He received honours and awards from the Government of Sweden, the Netherlands, an OBE from Britain (1997), and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Laws from McGill University, Montreal, Canada (1997). LUMINARY: As an educational activist and reformist you led the establishment of LUMS which is now Pakistan’s premier management education institution. How do you look at the current situation of education in Pakistan? And how you see the industry-academia gap? Syed Babar Ali: Education is the most important aspect of any nation’s survival today. It determines the future of a nation. While studying business management at Harvard Business School in 1973, I realized the need of a well-established business university in Pakistan. LUMS was founded in 1985 and now accommodates 4,000 students. I find that the quality of education has been going down over the years since Pakistan came into existence. Though the number of enrollments has been increasing, the quality of education has deteriorated. Pakistan lags behind in our education goals, problems of access, quality, infrastructure, and inequality of opportunity, remain endemic. Sadly, education is not on the radar of the government. They talk about education but when it comes to funding and putting the right people in it, it’s not on their priority list. The Secretary Education and the Minister of Education are not the strongest members of the Cabinet. There is a whole multiplication of campuses of established universities all over Pakistan but it is kind of a proliferation
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rather than setting standards of quality education. The foundation of a good national education system starts at the primary level, builds into and tertiary and then culminates into higher education. The whole chain is suffering. The private sector has stepped in at all stages because there is a good enough gap for exploitation and money is being made. The common person is willing to sacrifice his comforts and quality of life by investing in the education of his children but sadly he is not getting what he is paying for. The budget for education has to be substantially increased from what is being allocated at the moment. Luminary: How do you see the role of businesses and industry in this regard? Syed Babar Ali: When Pakistan came into being, there was no medium to large scale industry. The area which is Pakistan today was producing food and soldiers for India, alongside some cottage industry. After Partition, the government took a proactive role in promoting industry primarily consumer goods industry to replace whatever was being imported. There was a transformation from imports substitution to producing goods which could be exported primarily based on Pakistani raw material, cotton, yarn and textile made-ups, and more recently garments. With the openness for imports and lower tariff, imported goods have come in and compete with what we produce. This is not a bad thing as we have to be more competitive and the consumer has to get a better value for money. Having said that there is no holistic kind of effort on the part of the government to enter into arrangements with other countries on non-tariffs, knowing fully well that these countries protect what is coming in their own countries. In this context, there are a large number of goods coming into Pakistan with no duties and tariffs, resultantly the profitability of the industry across the board in Pakistan has been marginalized. The tax regime here is also lopsided. Instead of enlarging the tax net, the Government is going after current tax-payers in the industry to pay more. Less than a fraction of the population is paying taxes and the industry is struggling for its survival. There is a shortage of gas, power, lack of law and order, and everyone has to have his own guard to protect his premises and above all the tax people hounding them. With this kind
of prevalent practices, one cannot expect the industry to play an active part in improving the quality of education in the country, nevertheless, they do contribute. Luminary: Whatever academia is producing is utilized by the industry. How is an industry to be better fed with quality human resources? Syed Babar Ali: LUMS came into being with the same thought and mindset. Many of our graduates have climbed the ladder of phenomenal success in the industry on the management side but a fair amount of people have gone into starting their own businesses and thus creating new jobs. There is so much of talent available in the country, for example, I was talking to one of the multinationals a few days back; they had advertised for twenty-five new entry positions for which they received twenty-five thousand applications! There is no dearth of people who need jobs, despite their quality being poor. I don’t know how they selected twenty-five out of twenty-five thousand but this shows that the unemployment rate is increasing in the country.
am not in a position to comment on this politically but I welcome Chinese investment in Pakistan. The government should also make sure that Chinese investment doesn’t wipe out the Pakistani businessman; the local manufacturers, Chambers and Industry Associations appear to be seriously concerned about their future. While negotiating with Chinese, there should be a fair amount of participatory mechanism for local businesses. LUMINARY: What initiatives can we take to improve this situation? Syed Babar Ali: I am ninety years old and still work most of my available time. Why can’t we set our priorities straight inculcate a commitment to quality; whatever you do you should do it well and that’s my message to everybody.
In any case, we need better quality education because you don’t need an army of less literate people. If you can read a newspaper, you are called literate in Pakistan. This is not enough, people should be able to think, analyze and take decisions on the basis of knowledge. We need universities with a focus on research, where new knowledge is being created. It ultimately reflects in the development of the country. You see so many accidents in Railways, air crashes, it all reflects on the lack of discipline and lack of proper education. Millions are dying due to lack of medicine and proper medical facilities. There is a whole lack of quality control across the board, contamination in water and milk are a major life threatening areas as well. LUMINARY: How do you look at China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)? As most people are resembling them as a new east India company in Pakistan. Syed Babar Ali: Chinese are much more sophisticated and wise as compared to the British. Chinese intentions are looking more sophisticated and they want Pakistan to be self-sustaining and standing on its feet. This is due to Pakistan geographical importance. I am not a politician so I
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A
THE MAN BEHIND PAKISTAN’S POWER SECTOR REFORMS
WITH IMMACULATE LEADERSHIP STYLE AND VISION, MR DAGHA IS ALL SET WITH HIS PLANS TO BRING BACK AFFORDABLE ELECTRICITY TO PAKISTAN IN COMING YEARS...
PROFILE: Mr Mohammad Younus Dagha, born on 23rd April 1962, is a career Civil Servant having joined in 1985 with a varied experience in the fields of Energy, Finance and Public Administration. His qualifications as Masters in Business Administration, Masters in Economics and Bachelor degrees in Laws and Commerce provided him with the required academic background to handle the multifarious assignments in his career. Having successfully completed many challenging field assignments in the Provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as Administrator at various levels, as Project Director in mega projects and on secretariat and staff positions, Mr Dagha was assigned the challenge of turning the key to the country’s unutilised energy treasure in Thar Coalfields. This immense natural resource has a potential of 175 billion tons of lignite coal, which till then had become a monumental failure and a grossly misunderstood phenomenon both at the policy level and amongst the industry players. Mr Dagha conceived and executed a plan to bring back the local and international investors’ interest in the development of Thar coalfield and also assisted the Federal and Provincial governments to provide an effective policy and institutional framework to support this challenging task. Starting from there in 2008 and providing his support all these years in his various capacities, Mr Dagha is now providing the policy support to the three projects in Thar. One of these projects has achieved its financial close under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
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and now getting into physical execution with two other projects completing their financial spadework. The JV between the GoSindh and Engro, known as Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company is now set to become the largest Public Private Partnership Company in Pakistan, was conceived by Mr Dagha as Secretary Coal and Energy in Government of Sindh. As Secretary Investment in Sindh, Mr Dagha also facilitated numerous Wind Energy projects in Jhampir-Gharo Wind Corridor which are now fast reaching their execution stage. Similarly, during his stay in Gilgit-Baltistan as Chief Secretary, he played a vital role in facilitating land acquisition and resettlement process which is in final stages now. Mr Younus Dagha joined as Federal Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Power on 17th Oct 2014, when the Power sector was facing multiple crises. Power outages, especially in the Industrial sector, were harming the economy and causing frequent riots. The intercorporate (circular) debt in power sector was rising with a pace of Rs. 14.5 billion every month. The generations at power plants were retarded due to interruptions in fuel supplies caused by drying cash flows. No new investments were forthcoming in the power sector due to serious doubts about the capacity of the sector to pay. The ensuing year 2015 became a game changer for the power sector, which benefitted from the better management and monitoring brought in by the new Secretary. The new management not only helped the
sector take full advantage of the falling oil prices but also multiplied it with better financial and operational controls. The investors in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and many others were provided with the required policy incentives and facilitation to ensure timely initiation of the new generation and transmission projects. The result was that 2015 became the best performance year for the power sector not only in the history of the country but in the entire region. The fall of AT&C losses by 5.8% in a single year is unheard of in the history of power sector reforms in any country. This benefit of Rs. 61 billion was further accentuated by merit order generation enforced by Mr Dagha which contributed another Rs. 57.6 billion. With the oil price reduction, benefits of Rs. 151 billion were passed on to the power sector consumers during 2015 in the form of monthly Fuel Price Adjustments. The improved cash flows allowed the Circular debt to be capped at the level of Oct 2014, i.e. Rs. 320 billion. The generation which in earlier years hovered at 15,000 MWs rose to around 17,000 MWs in 2015. Apart from these few indicators of the sector’s performance, a record number of projects with a cumulative capacity of 12113 MWs were facilitated which is more than all the IPPs capacity facilitated in the entire history, put together. Apart from this, Mr Dagha’s tenure in the Finance Ministry as Special Assistant to FM and Additional Secretary (External Finance) provided him with the insight into the working of the International Financial Institutions.
MOHAMMAD YOUNUS DAGHA
FEDERAL SECRETARY MINISTRY OF WATER AND POWER
EXCLUSIVE Q&A Luminary: How do you look at the current situation of energy in Pakistan? How long will it take to get out of our energy crises are we planning and heading in right direction? Mohammad Younus Dagha: We should be able to keep to the timelines and achieve them and we are expecting to end electricity shortages by the end of 2017. It is now accepted internationally that Pakistan’s power sector has come out of its worst financial crisis, from posting a loss to the national budget of Rs200bn to now a negligible Rs8 bn per annum. The power sector’s performance has brought savings of Rs400 bn in the past two years. On the operations side, the power sector has come a long way from a routine of 12-15 hours of industrial and domestic load-shedding, often unscheduled just a few years back, to now zero load-shedding for industries from last two years and a scheduled predictable load-shedding of three hours in urban and four hours in rural areas, as per the new schedule. We are on course to increase generation by 8,000MW this year and plug a 6,000MW deficit. Inshallah 2018 will be a load-shedding-free year and we are looking forward to the elimination of load shedding. We are happily reporting that recent development is comprehensively changed as compared to the past. We are on the track of economic growth.
With dedication and consistent effort, Guddu becomes the largest Thermal Power Complex in Pakistan, at 1650 MWs rising from the low performance at 500 MWs. This is an example of a turnaround for sick Public Sector entities. Talking about other projects which we are taking on fast track three LNG-based power plants with a cumulative capacity of approximately 3,600MW are being built in the public sector at Bhikki, Balloki and Haveli Bahadur Shah in Punjab. They will consume imported LNG as fuel for power generation and help ease the shortfall. These LNG-based plants have been tasked to achieve 2400 MW by Sept 2017 and full 3600 MW by Jan 2018. Three gas turbines have already reached the site and three more to reach by April 2017. Work on installation, testing and grid connection going on at full speed; day and night to match very tough timelines, which will be achieved InshaAllah. In addition to these, another 5,000MW non-CPEC projects will be ready by 2018. However, under the CPEC framework agreement, Pakistan and China had agreed that different projects of 8,810MW would start running in 2017 and 2018.
Luminary: What are your biggest achievements to date? Mohammad Younus Dagha: We have been working for the last many years on all these projects and now Alhamdulillah, we are reaping the fruits of our efforts we have a completed a lot of projects in renewable.
Two of these projects in Sahiwal and Port Qasim will be completing their installation phase soon and will start generating in June and December 2017. Alhumdolillah, Sahiwal Coal Power Plant of 1320 MWs connected to National Grid (500 KVA Transmission Line) and all set to generate millions of jobs as well for our nation. After testing and synchronisation, the plant is expected to generate full capacity (1320 MWs) by June/July 2017, InshaAllah.
The projects like Jhimpir-Gharo wind corridor of Sindh. Renewables are fast increasing their share in the power mix from 100 MWs in 2013 to now more than 1100 MWs (600 Wind, 400 Solar and 135 Biomass) and set to reach 3000 MWs by 2018. Tariff, on the other hand, has been brought down from Rs. 15 to 17/KwH in 2013 to now around Rs. 6-7/unit.
Thar Coalfield, vital to achieving energy security for the country, has three mining and power projects in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Each of the three projects has 7.6 metric tons per annum mining capacity and 1320 MWs power generation. So around 3960 MWs will come into the system between 2018 and 2020, to be followed by more, InshaAllah. Except for
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the earlier 1320 MWs which is on sub-critical technology, rest of the capacity will be on super-critical technology which has minimum impact on the environment. Ministry convinced two sponsors with projects of 990 MWs at Port Qasim to convert their projects from Imported Coal to Thar Coal. They will also add to the generating capacity on indigenous resources reducing reliance on imported fuels. Now we are having an equal focus on clean hydel energy. While base load throughout the year comes from thermals, hydels are ideally suited for our summer peak demands. Some 12,000 MWs of hydel projects are under execution, expected to complete between 2017 and 2023. This large chunk of cheap energy will reduce our basket price. We have done a lot of work in past 2-3 years it’s a big achievement for the country in such a short time we will be increasing our generation we have achieved 17000 MW last year and will reach 25000 MW in 2018. Luminary: What are your long-term goals for power generation? Don’t you believe that production through furnace oil and coal is not the right solution focusing on hydro generation suits us best? Mohammad Younus Dagha: You are right. The first phase of our policy is to achieve the availability of electricity and to remove the deficit. The first target is availability which we will achieve in beginning of 2018. The second target is affordability and security. So we can avoid costlier generation and lead towards indigenous generation. After 2018, we will be moving more towards Thar coal and hydel generation our natural sources and as well from the wind, solar and Baggase power. So we will be moving towards the indigenous sources of and away from the imported fuels but currently, we are working with a mix of both. So after 2018 once we complete the availability then we will be working on affordability security bringing the electricity on affordability cost and reducing reliance on imported oil. Luminary: We have recently heard about some logistic issues you are having in terms of managing logistics for coal power
plants? Mohammad Younus Dagha: There is only one project on imported coal which is up to the country and where the logistic of the railway would be involved. Otherwise, all the projects will not involve many inland logistics. Because one project is coming on Port Qasim and the other once is coming HUB which is HUBCO and another project is coming which will be the future of coal energy and that is Thar which will be based on local coal where there will be no logistics involved on a longer distance. Luminary: Where do you Pakistan in terms of managing its energy crises in next five years? Would the government be able to manage and produce cheaper electricity for our consumers both commercial and non-commercial? Mohammad Younus Dagha: In next five years we will be increasing the capacity by 50,000MW inshallah in 2022 and 2023 we are targeting to achieve 50,000 MW and we will be good surplus with us and generate from cheaper sources inshallah. Luminary: The higher cost of electricity has affected badly to the cost industrial production and cost and how you are managing that since our industry is having competition from Bangladesh and India china? Mohammad Younus Dagha: We need to do two things one we need to get rid of furnace oil based electricity and a constraint in moving towards reducing electricity cost which was wrong policy in the 1990s and early 2000 when we contracted a lot of electricity on imported oil and it was a bad policy we are suffering because of that bad policy and stuck with high cost of production. But as we move forward and we bring in hydro and local coal production we will be able to reduce the cost of production. Luminary: How do you see the role of CPEC in Pakistan with reference to its impact on energy situation good or bad? How do you manage conflicts in the workplace and to model solutions for complex multidimensional problems? Mohammad Younus Dagha: CPEC is the
game changer for Pakistan, and especially for the energy sector. Because the Chinese investment in coal projects provide the kind of investment which we were looking towards all over the world and we were not able to master that much of investment interest. Now once the Chinese have started taking interest in our projects the entire world is looking towards Pakistan. We should be grateful to our Chinese friends who have been able to take us ahead for achieving our targets in generation from our local resources like THAR coal and will lead to cheaper electricity. Luminary: Every year Pakistan faces flood situations hence leading to a huge loss, how you look at this? Do we have sufficient capacity in terms of dams and reservoirs to store and utilise this water properly for agriculture and power generation rather than leading to floods? Mohammad Younus Dagha: You would be happy to know Pakistan which had been lacking behind so many years we were not able to work on our natural reservoirs. But now the federal government in a meeting of cabinet committee on energy where Prime minister took the decision that we will start the DIAMER BHASHA dam the dam part of the project will be funded from our own resources from PSDP funding and we are planning to do the groundbreaking completed by the end of 2017. So this is a big target for us. As soon as we are getting out of electricity crises, we will address the future challenges of water. Luminary: Pakistan has a quite a challenging regional location along with ongoing issues with our neighbouring country India. Are we ready for the unforeseen future challenges of water? Mohammad Younus Dagha: Diamer Bhasha Dam is a good project. It will be a big target for us. It will save us more than 8 million acre-feet of water and that will help Pakistan mitigating its challenges regarding water in coming years.
happy about it though the national task means to us they don’t get enough time with me but they do realise the importance of this National task and they do support me altogether. Luminary: What's the toughest decision you ever made? What did you learn from that one? Mohammad Younus Dagha: I have always been facing very challenging task throughout my life and career but alhamdulillah when you have good intentions and you are ready to put in hard work God Almighty always help you in achieving your targets. Luminary: What are Pakistan’s biggest challenges? Mohammad Younus Dagha: I think the biggest challenge for Pakistan in coming years to improve the quality of human resource so it can become a competitive human resource and lead us to become a more competitive nation able to achieve our potential through the quality human resource. Luminary: What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? to the younger generation of CEOs, managers, startups, entrepreneurs and business leaders? Mohammad Younus Dagha: my message to young leaders of future is that they should never aim low. They should accept the challenges and go for the impossible tasks. This will help them to know what real ability they possess. The sky is the limit. Luminary: what are your future plans? Mohammad Younus Dagha: I am not a very ambitious person I am ready for any task given to me.
Luminary: What do you do to live a balanced life? Mohammad Younus Dagha: Nobody is
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A
SARMAD ALI
MD, JANG MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT, APNS
LUMINARY | 36
Meet Media Mogul THE UNICORN OF
PAKISTAN’S MEDIA INDUSTRY
with the ambition of constant innovation and growth
Luminary: Please share something regarding your professional journey so far how you started your professional career? Sarmad Ali: My journey so far has been a bit long but very interesting. I have been associated with some of the biggest advertising agencies of Pakistan. I worked for IAL/Saatchi from 1987 to 1993 and joined Jang Media Group that year as Executive Director of The News, group’s English daily. In 1997, I took over as the Group’s Executive Director Marketing & Advertising Sales and was promoted to Group Managing Director in 2006. I am responsible for the group’s revenue function across its print and digital platforms. Along with this, I am also the President of All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) and this is the third time I have been elected to this honorary position. Currently, I am also the Treasurer of Management Association of Pakistan. Also serving as the President of IAA’s Pakistan Chapter. I am also actively involved in pursuing my responsibilities as the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of AdAsia 2019 as Pakistan has won the bid last year at Taipei to host AdAsia 2019 in Lahore. Luminary: What differentiates your company from others in the industry? Sarmad Ali: Our motivation, willingness to innovate and our engagement with our audiences/readers differentiate us from the rest. As print media, we do not restrain ourselves to providing news and information; we form a connection with the people and constantly work
hard to add more value to their newspaper readership experience. For instance, we have started QR codes in Classifieds and Augmented Reality in our newspaper’s content. This is the first time any newspaper has reinvented itself on such a scale and now other newspapers are following suit. Furthermore, we have also taken our brand beyond newspaper to events, conferences, and exhibitions. Annually, we have six education expos in major cities of Pakistan like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Peshawar and Gujranwala. Moreover, we also organize real estate expos in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, and have taken it a step further to UAE and London for Pakistanis living in these countries. Luminary: How important is sustainability in the company’s strategy? Sarmad Ali: It’s very important. The concept of sustainability combines the environmental, social, financial, ethical, legal and political issues that can be both internal and external to the company. It pushes companies to set goals and milestones to address specific issues. Besides, thinking about sustainability encourages creativity in the employees too who strive to think out of the box to come up with cost-effective solutions to problems. In some cases, it also improves productivity. For instance, you may devise a plan a delivery route for your newspapers to reduce the cost of fuel but in the long run, realize that this streamlined route also reduces labor and
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A maintenance costs.
Ahmed Faraz, Kishwar Naheed etc.
Luminary: How do you manage conflicts in the workplace and to model solutions for complex multidimensional problems? Sarmad Ali: I believe every conflict teaches you something; the key is to communicate clearly and make the other person realize you understand where he stands. Being empathetic resolves much of your problem and often makes one or the other party step down and see the bigger picture.
Luminary:How do you ensure your organization and its activities are aligned with your “core values”? Sarmad Ali: I hire people whose values and vision are aligned with my values and vision. I appoint them for their hard work, values, and integrity.
Conflicts are inevitable at work so address them as soon as they appear rather than dwelling upon them. Besides talking it out, your observation can help you make your decisions too. Just don't play the blame game and let all your employees know they are important. It’s just that one has to accept the right solution for the greater good of the company without making anyone feel insignificant. Luminary: How far do you succeed in managing a good work-life balance? Sarmad Ali: Oh! That’s a difficult question. I get very less time to relax but when I am overworked, I try to switch off my phone for a few hours so that I can unwind. This time off helps me rejuvenate to start work again in full swing.
Luminary: As an organization gets larger there can be a tendency for the institution to dampen the inspiration. How do you keep this from happening? Sarmad Ali: Motivation. No matter how big or small your organization is, you need to keep your people motivated. As the organization grows, invest in your people to grow with it. Make them feel needed and appreciate them for their achievements. This way they will feel they have contributed to the progress of the organization and will stick to their roles. Your organization will benefit as much as you invest in your people.
As for TV shows, some of my favorite seasons from the past are Perry Mason. Colombo, The Saint, Jeeves and Wooster etc while from the current times I like to watch Downtown Abbey, House of Cards, Madam Secretary, Roots, Newsroom, Westwing, Mr. Selfridge.
Luminary: What are three key challenges for business leaders in Pakistan? Sarmad Ali: There are quite a few challenges for business leaders in Pakistan. First is the human resource. It is very difficult to find and retain responsible and self-motivated individuals for any organization. Then it is the politico-economic instability of the country that does not allow you to set long-term goals. In such situations, it becomes really difficult to keep your people inspired. Third, there is a communication gap between the employees and the top management, as everyone cannot access the higher-ups easily because of the hierarchical system. This just stretches the process of problem identification and its approval. These are just a few problems from the long list that can go on and on in our environment.
I also read books and my favorite authors are Agatha Christie, P.G. Woodhouse, Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham, etc. I love reading Urdu poetry too and my favorites are Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Mirza Ghalib,
Luminary: What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others? Sarmad Ali: Well, there are no hard and fast rules but I have some observations that
Luminary: What do you do for fun? Sarmad Ali: My idea of fun is good music, interesting TV shows, and books. In music, I listen to classical and semi-classical. I don’t like contemporary music.
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might come useful. Most leaders don’t take out enough time for their staff. I understand, being on important positions mean more workload and responsibility and often one is too wrapped up in their own tasks that they don’t make time for their teams. That’s a big mistake. Your people come first and without you being available to them, they won't have the guidance to make decisions and meet goals. Another mistake leaders make is not providing feedback on time. If you notice some weaknesses in your team, you should immediately point that out and help them work on it. The more time you will take, the more business will be lost. Providing the right motivation to the right team member is also the key and for this, you should have a good understanding of your people. It’s not always the money that keeps a team motivated but they might need appreciation, extra responsibility, and sense of achievement to keep them motivated for their tasks.
Luminary: Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life? Sarmad Ali: It will be difficult for me to name just one person who has helped shape my career as there has been a number of them. Throughout my career, I have had great mentors who helped mold my career and made me the professional I am today. My father has been a great inspiration as he instilled in me the values of honesty, hard work, and integrity. Apart from him, there have been a number of people who influenced my career like Javed Jabbar, Late Iqbal Mir, Naseer Haider of IAL and Late S. H. Hashmi but if I would have to name one person who has played the most important role in my professional career, it would be Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman. He taught me to stand firm for truth and integrity. It is because of his vision and leadership that I have been
associated with this group for more than 23 years and is constantly growing as an individual as well as a professional. Luminary: What are the most important strategic decisions you've made to contribute to the success of the company? Why so successful? Sarmad Ali: I believe the introduction of cross-media platforms. A country with 60 percent of the population under the age of 24 years, 34 million Internet users making the Internet penetration 17.8 percent, highest amongst the South Asian nations, and more than 139 million mobile phone users, cross-media is our chance to keep print alive. We launched innovations that integrated print, digital and broadcast properties to deliver maximum reach to our clients as well as engage our readers in a more meaningful way. Innovations like these have helped our group in general and have worked wonders for our clients too, making it a win-win situation for everyone. Our projects like QR codes in Classifieds have bundled print with digital and video thus providing an exceptional experience to our customers. While Jang Real has connected print with our TV channel as well as our websites, making news live from on your newspapers. Let me explain a little about how it works. For Classifieds, now you can make videos of the house or car you are selling and we will convert them into QR codes for our print Classifieds. The clients scan the QR code from the newspaper and can watch the related videos. The other is our augmented reality app – Jang Real. It allows readers to scan headlines of the newspaper with their smartphones and instantly be taken to the Geo News’ bulletin of the same news story. Furthermore, it includes a picture gallery, latest columns and updated information about the same news. This means, it essentially brings the newspaper ‘to life’. We have also become the first media
organization in Pakistan to initiate “Facebook at work”. FAW is a special program by Facebook that is designed for workplaces as it keeps all the employees of an organization looped in a Facebook page and people can have discussions, delegate tasks, share execution statuses and celebrate results with teams no matter how far they are. Moreover, we have extended our brand beyond print to exhibitions, conferences, and events. Yearly, we organize 6 education expos in different parts of Pakistan, 3 real estate expos in the three metros of the country and two international real estate exhibitions in the Middle East and the UK. Along with this, we have started a series of conferences under the banner of ‘Jang Conferences’ and a series of an informal discussion titled, “Breakfast with Jang’. Both these events focus on the socio-economic issues of our country and provide feasible solutions to these issues in a different format amongst a different audience. These are small initiatives that we have taken but we have embarked on a journey of reinvention that would keep our company grow and become more successful with time. Luminary: How can you become a better leader? Sarmad Ali: Mentorship. This is the best way you can pass on your learning to the next in line leaders. Developing leaders internally takes time and effort, but these homegrown candidates are more likely to be successful than external candidates. I strongly believe in David Oglivy’s saying, “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”
for the first time? To the younger generation of CEOs, managers, startups, entrepreneurs and business leaders? Sarmad Ali: I just want to say that there is a difference between a leader and a manager/CEO. Leadership is to persuade your colleagues to take ownership of their work and perform at their best. Leadership makes others do more, learn more and achieve more. All leaders can be managers but all managers can’t be leaders. There is a thin line between the two. The managers have employees who they can dictate to but leaders win over their followers and make them strong enough to take decisions on their own. Managers think big while leaders implement the vision too. Managers take the credit for the job while leaders take responsibility and deliver it well. Managers believe in exercising their power over the people while leaders develop power with the people. So I would suggest them to think about being leaders and not managers. It is only through good leadership that you can gain and retain valuable human resource. Luminary: What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader? Sarmad Ali: I read a lot of professional development and marketing management books. Besides, I organize and participate in leadership conferences, workshops, and seminars for continuous growth. I also interact with a lot of different people and trust me you get to learn a lot from that as well. What are your company ambitions for the future? Sarmad Ali: Presently the Jang Group, through its various assets – TV, print, and broadcast – reaches bout 35 million urban consumers and accounts for nearly 30 percent of total ad spend in Pakistan. I would at best like to increase this and in worst case scenario, to retain these levels. Our company’s ambition is constant innovation and growth.
Luminary:What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position
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TECHNOLOGY
5 Data Management Challenges
Facing Small Business Owners Small business owners must now wear an additional hat - the data scientist hat
As small business owners, we generally wear all the hats. And if we’ve grown to where we aren’t wearing all the hats at the same time, we at least rotate through them a few times a month. One hat that is becoming increasingly important - and scary -- to wear is the data scientist hat. Although data scientists come in many forms, with varied skills, a small business data scientist is mostly responsible for parsing through and analyzing data to present key findings of a business. The goal is to use data and the findings to address challenges, find opportunities, and ultimately, help a business save time and money. While most of us don’t have the luxury of hiring a bona fide data scientist to handle these figures, there are a few things you should know and consider as you run your business and aim to become as efficient as possible in your business functions. Here are a few data management challenges and tips for handling each. 1. Data Strategy: Do you have one?
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The overarching and driving structure of managing data is a data strategy. A data strategy is essentially a roadmap that identifies how a company will collect, handle, manage and store content. While a data strategy can vary in its breadth and depth, a simple strategy explaining each component is vital. As an example, I run a small fitness studio. We collect data through a third-party site and all of the collected data is stored within their platform. However, we have the capability to download reports and export content, such as email addresses and member lists. We do not, however, have the ability to access individuals’ financial information, e.g. credit card numbers, from the platform, which provides a level of security for our members and keeps us removed from that sensitive data. We have implemented a barebones data strategy, which outlines who has access to member data, which computers can be used for downloading reports and how we use our mobile devices to access data. We also have
restrictions on permissions for anyone who can log into our third-party site from the backend. While this may seem like overkill for a five-person operation, we want to be careful with our data and know exactly who is interacting with it and how. 2. Data collection: What and how? For the most part, there are two immediate questions that plague a data strategy and drive the roadmap. (A) What data do you want to collect? (B) How will you collect that data? Since data collection can happen in various formats - print, digital and in-person -- the means in which data is shared and collected is a serious concern. When dealing with sensitive and personal identification information, the outlet for collecting this should be secure. Another example - credit card information is incredibly sensitive these days -- especially with the recent onslaught of data breaches that has put credit information and identities
in jeopardy. The rule of thumb is that if you don’t have to touch this information, don’t. Use online portals or a chip reading device that can be used directly in front of customers. Or use a merchant service that will process and encrypt data to ensure top-level security for these transactions.
After you solved the puzzle of data collection and storage, the kicker in putting data to work is data sharing, which can also be referred to as data integration.
3. Data storage: Where? Once you have data, you have to store it. While data storage can be relatively cheap these days, you don’t want to use a service that doesn’t have bank-level encryption, has a bad reputation or no reputation at all. Data should be stored through a trusted platform that can be expandable and scalable based on your company’s current and future needs.
Because so many of the best data storing programs are cloud-based - leaving data off your hardware devices, which can be a good thing -- these systems are becoming smart enough to talk to each other and foster integration between programs. For instance, with a program such as Neat, which is used to store receipts and expense data, the challenge used to lie in extracting that data and importing it into another platform, such as QuickBooks Online or other accounting platforms.
For instance, data storage spaces, such as Dropbox and Google Drive, will allow you a certain amount of free space, then it will begin charging when you hit a certain threshold. This can be convenient since you may not want to invest in a huge amount of storage if it isn’t necessary, but you also don’t want to have to completely switch platforms when you grow.
Since technology continues to improve, and these platforms keep getting smarter, data in the form of expense reports can easily be exported from Neat’s premium service to QuickBooks Online within a few clicks. From an operational and accounting standpoint, this could be a game-changer, and it’s absolutely a time saver, as it creates streamlined and automated workflows.
The key thing to consider here is security. Make sure that wherever and however you store your data, it’s safe.
Another example is contact imports. If you use Neat or another scanning software to collect contact information, you want to be able to easily export these contacts into a CRM or email service provider (ESP) to
4. Data Sharing: Who?
manage your database. For our fitness studio, we use a couple-click process to import our opt-ins from the third-party site into Constant Contact for our monthly mailer. 5. Data use: When? The last item in your data strategy is understanding when and how you will use your data. Understand the implications of using your data and ensure you have permissions for that use. No one is particularly excited when they receive an email they never signed up for, or a charge they didn’t agree to. Be very careful about how you use the data you collect, and do not violate any of your data use policies, which should be publicly posted and available for anyone who is willingly offering up data. Here are a few additional considerations. As you get deeper into your data strategy, consider the following: • Data policy posting and enforcement • Data hacks and responsibilities • Data protection Smarter and more informed data management can go from being the elephant in the room to one of the best business enablers you can unleash for your small business, so long as you do it right. Hundreds of Business Ideas
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COVER STORY
ROTTEN APPLES
UNIVERSITIES FOCUSING ONLY ON MONEY MAKING A BIG QUESTION MARK?
ON THE QUALITY AND STRUCTURE OF
EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN
WHO WILL?
BRIDGE THE GAP BET WEEN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY
LUMINARY PARTIALLY BLAMES UNIVERSITIES AND PARTIALLY THE INDUSTRY It's industry that should take a step forward to forecast quality and human capital requirement and work together with academia to find the right solution
Education serves as the backbone for the development of nations. Education is the most important aspect of any nation’s survival today. The countries with the effective impressive need oriented, saleable and effective system of education come out to be the leaders of the world, both socially and economically. Pakistan is spending around 2.3 percent of its GDP, which is the lowest in South Asia. Pakistan is still lagging behind many countries in achieving the desired Education goals, problems of access, quality, infrastructure, and inequality of opportunity, remain LUMINARY | 42
endemic. Whereas the government is still not taking serious measures and lacking behind in educational policies the increase in population is another challenge. The monitoring role is still a question mark there is no proper attention of the authorities and uniform educational system. Unfortunately, education these days pursued by most of the private sector universities as only a money making business. With due respect, we all see every other day a new private system coming up with promotions of how many foreign
scholarships their previous students have received etc. And they are least concerned about the quality of education as well as the future of the students. They are not much bothered about updating and designing their curriculum with the latest industry requirements. Rather they are just enrolling students in bulk without realizing what are the industry needs and how they will be employed to earn and make survival if they don’t meet industry requirements. Though the number of enrollments has been increasing, the quality of education has deteriorated.
There is no proper forecasting mechanism to understand Pakistan’s next five years requirement that in which area we need what numbers of skill set, for example in engineering or IT sector what numbers of skill set is required is still just a question what to talk about their competence and matching skill level with industry needs. This is a serious issue because the new sort of multiplications of universities and schools most of the graduates are left frustrated because they don’t find suitable opportunities hence increase in unemployment rate. And this is the reason because our education system is leading altogether in an unstructured way. We are still not ready to understand our own country and industry future needs, not just in terms of skill set numbers needed in each sector but as well quality. Sadly the way academia are producing graduates without any planning and connectivity with Pakistan’s future needs will rather leave us to worst case scenario. Although the dilemma does not limit to numbers quality is another big serious issue. The government should take some drastic measures otherwise, this situation can lead to a serious increase of unemployment rate badly affecting Pakistan’s economic growth. Bridge the Gap between Academia and Industry Who will bridge the Gap between Academia and Industry? This is another question mark in our minds these days. But everything cannot be blamed on government although they should play their monitoring role for a structured growth and quality education in Pakistan. But it's also industry obligation to share the forecast for their human capital requirement. When our businessmen’s are so well planned for the raw materials being utilized in production and they plan and forecast it to their suppliers and also give the quality feedback, then why can’t they take a step forward and give serious feedback and forecast to academia since whatever academia is producing is utilized by industry.
And definitely just sitting back and cribbing on the situation would not make difference, industry should come and play an active role in terms of sharing their next 5-10 years human capital requirement, and the quality of skill set they need. Unless the industry doesn’t come up with their exact requirements in terms of numbers and quality of skill set, it cannot be better fed with quality human resources. I believe both the industry and academia should take the long-sighted approach as the both are blamed partially for this wide gap. The dilemma with most of the universities is they are more interested in taking grant rather than getting the required research and manpower requirement input from the industry which leads a more frustrating situation for some businessmen’s who are willing to give the input. The industry needs to understand they can save the heavy cost of training and grooming their new entrances in bulk by rather preparing them early in universities by providing mentoring and sharing skill set requirements. The ninety percent of universities from the government sector who don’t have sufficient resources to make such efforts is another alarming sign. There has been no serious effort in planning, designing and developing the curriculum with future industry needs. Unfortunately, what to crib on the government for upgrading and bringing quality education, the industry is not playing a due role. We see some of the business community visiting only LUMS and IBA the top notch universities in Pakistan. Whereas the real social cause industry should work on to understand the issues and deficiency of resources and mentoring in rest ninety percent universities, who are either from government sector or led by just moneymakers. The students studying in these ninety percent universities are mostly from rich and mediocre class desperate in need for the same mentoring and guidance, deserve their attention more than any other lucrative institutes where mostly the rich
class is studying. Why can't we have more educational reformist and activist like Honorable Syed Babar Ali who established one LUMS whereas Pakistan needs another 100 LUMS. Why can’t our government build a uniform education system maintaining the same quality like LUMS or IBA? Pakistan with a maximum population below than age of 30 our youth and talent are no less than any other student worldwide in terms of intelligence or potential. All they need is a little mentoring and guidance towards the right direction as well as access to the quality of education. Pakistan can be another big name in the world in terms of his human resource potential, export and economic stability. There is a small and humble request I would like to make here to the government and our very own favorite Dr Umar Saif (Punjab information technology board), since you are working on some very good software and seeking the solutions for good governance, why can't we have the same refined education system for all to bridge the industry-academia gap and identifying the numbers of skill set required in each sector for next 5-10 years and also how can academia improve its curriculum with latest research and practical needs of industry. Facilitating the academia in generating right manpower for the industry will not only decrease unemployment rate and a better industry survival but will also lead Pakistan to a faster economic growth. By Mahwish Khan Editor-in-Chief LUMINARY PAKISTAN
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A H.E MUHAMMAD ZUBAIR UMAR GOVERNOR OF SINDH
PAKISTAN’S MOST ADMIRED GOVERNOR
WITH A MISSION OF ENHANCING PAKISTAN ECONOMIC GROWTH ON NEW PACE AND HOW HE CONQUERED THE TOUGH ROAD FROM BUSINESS TO POLITICS WITH THE ART OF RELATIONAL CREATIVITY AND GENIUS ACUMEN….
PROFILE Born
21 March, 1956 Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Education
Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA).
Experience
1981 Worked for Leading American IT Company IBM for around 26 years from 1981 to 2007 including key International Assignments in Paris, Rome, Milan, and Dubai. Left as a CFO Middle EAST & Africa in 2007. 2012 Part of PML- N Economic, Tax Reforms Media Committees, 2012-2013. 2013 Appointed as Chairman, Board of Investment on 12th July 2013 to 17th December 2013. 2013 Appointed as Minister of State / Chairman Privatization Commission on 18th December 2013 to January 31, 2017. 2017 Appointed as Governer Sindh and joined office on February 2nd, 2017 Luminary: Please share something about your professional journey so far; how you started your professional career? How was your experience while leaving a global IT Giant like IBM and ultimately
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joining politics? Muhammad Zubair: I have spent almost 26 years with IBM; you can say an entire career, as it was my first and the last job in the corporate sector. After leaving IBM as CFO Middle East & Africa in 2007 there was a four-year period where I was doing my own business of marketing & Media Company in Karachi. So I have an ample experience and exposure in business as well. Politics look very challenging at that time, once you have worked with IBM, one of the best companies in the world. While working with a company like IBM one gets the best resources and learning environment as IBM has a rich history of almost 105 years with such a diversified range of business services i.e. hardware, software, maintenance, business computing and complete solutions. Furthermore, you get paid so well that travelling is no problem to get the best training and infrastructure whereas here in government sector this is almost reverse. I have been mostly working in finance for IBM but for a short number of years, I was also in marketing and sales. Whereas in my last job as Minister Privation Commission, I required a lot of global marketing reaching out to equity bond markets around the financial markets. If you ask me to compare the experience, I would say selling IBM almost the best product and services and selling Pakistan almost the worst case scenario. The best part of working in Privatization Commission is that unlike other jobs where the more you work the more you get
appreciated here the more one works the tough it becomes. As soon as you are coming to a situation where things are heating up towards the solution of restructuring or privatisation that’s where the reactions start coming. Luminary: Congratulations on your new role. Please share your future plans to ensure peace and development in Sindh? Muhammad Zubair: Thank you so much for your kind words. Coming to your question let me tell you some factual things about the Sindh province and city of Karachi in specific. This City has been the center of attention since the inception of Pakistan. Karachi contributes a major share of Pakistan’s GDP through the provision of jobs. Enhancement in economic activity and being the cultural hub of the region, it has been pivotal in housing communities and presence of culture in itself. We will create harmony by working on sensitivities of ethnic divide system.This composition has seen growth rates more than major cities of the world. Neighboring Dubai development was the destiny of this city but unfortunately, many groups were fleecing this city and the
EXCLUSIVE Q&A lawlessness became prevalent. Pushing business community in other directions.Law and order have been improved we need to launch a strong economic initiative because Karachi is a financial hub and its economic growth contributes a major share to Pakistan’s economic growth. As a representative of central government there is a limited expectation from the Governor but nonetheless, the role is powerful, influential and challenging.There is no constitutional limitation for improving economic growth. So my major objective is to fasten Sindh economic growth. We will focus on improving domestic and foreign investments as well as encouraging business community and industrial zones and by improving infrastructure. For development, I have a keen interest in paving way for the conducive atmosphere of business in Sindh and Karachi, making peace in the city and providing clean facilities of infrastructure. We are working on green bus project to provide better transportation to residents of Karachi Inshallah this project will be completed very soon by December 2017. Karachi circular railway is another project which we are interested in bringing in as part of CPEC. There are many major projects of CPEC which are based in Karachi which will not only stimulate economic growth of the city and province but as well as Pakistan. I would also like to engage more frequently with the youth of Sindh and playing my supportive role for their educational activities. Luminary: Working with Privatization Commission would have been a very challenging and frustrating task? How do you use to manage it? Muhammad Zubair: Yes indeed it was at times very challenging and frustrating but to be honest it’s one of the best things that I have done in my life. And I have no regrets for joining politics because in order for me to become what I am today that always requires learning business dynamics. So working with IBM was a big learning experience in terms of gaining values like discipline etc. and that gives you an edge
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over your other colleagues as well. Some of the very simple things we take as normal in the corporate world are unique in politics. Luminary: How was your experience working as Minister of State/Chairman Privatization Commission? Muhammad Zubair: It was a fascinating experience, very challenging and demanding as well. Since you are also part of the government so there is a political work you have to perform as well that is also very interesting and totally different. A lot of people use to see me in the evening at the talk shows saying “yes, you are working hard” although that was the only one hour they look at but I worked very hard in remaining fifteen hours as well. The name is privatisation of course but the major challenge and goal were to fix the public sector entities through a process of restructuring or privatisations. And because of many cases, you may not reach the privatisation goal facing political sensitivities. Therefore you cannot leave the organisation as it has to be turned around and fixed to cut down the losses which are really huge. Pakistan is experiencing almost 600 Billion rupees losses on annual basis from its state entities and that’s almost one 1/5th of the total federal tax revenues. So one can imagine 1/5th of the revenues are going just to keep them afloat. So basically I had two objectives first to cut down the losses and second to improve the quality of services of these state institutions. Because mostly the people of Pakistan may don’t have an understanding or either they are not interested whether the company is going in losses or profitability, and how does the balance sheet works, they only access through the service experience they are having while visiting a bank, travelling PIA or going to a post office. One of the critical and primary phases is to decide whether we want to reach the final phase of privatisation or to stop at restructuring. And the 80% of the work involve in making all these decisions is the same when
you start with the hiring of financial advisors which is basically led by the investment bank and also includes HR and Law firms. And we have been working with top-notch world-class companies. So after this consortium, we start the due diligence process which covers all aspects of financial, HR, marketing of the public sector companies. In some cases, companies are so rotten that they haven’t even done closing from two or three years which makes the process lengthier. Usually, it takes around eighteen months to two years it’s a very cumbersome process. So after concluding from all aspects once we have the institutional memory then we decide either to go for privatisation or restructuring. LUMINARY: What’s your opinion about taking a public entity directly going to privatisation? What is the best solution in interests of our country is it restructuring or directly going to privatisation? Muhammad Zubair: Since each case is different and the solution has to be designed accordingly for example when a public sector entity comes to a stage where if we don’t do restructuring we would not get the value and no one will buy. So in many of cases, we have to fix the basic issues and go for restructuring. I mean one can also go directly to privatisation and its all about the matter of opinion. Like someone else in my position would have sold off PIA right away but I thought it needs to be restructured dramatically only then you will create a value. And restructuring is all about improving efficiencies cutting down the losses in case of distribution companies improving collection etc. Moreover, once you have the institution memory for all those public sector entities you know exactly where they are what need to be done. We also use to prepare the investment plan while restructuring because what kind of investment is required is also a question that does we really have the equity because the government of Pakistan does not have any money. I mean it’s was a very professional work and my experience in corporate sector really benefited me a lot in
doing it. That is why Privatisation Commissions the only ministry where 80% of the employees are from the private sector and the bureaucracy is only for the administrative work. The employees who work with these financial advisors need to have that professional background. So they get a special salary package, not the standard government salary as we have to design it like that in order to attract the best talent from around the globe. So we have the best people, charted accountants & employees etc. It’s our stakeholders that define the job. We have stakeholders like chambers, stock exchanges, top executives of the public sector companies, charted accountancy firms, from around the world investment banks and Equity markets and bond markets, law firms so that kind of stakeholders we need to have educated people to deal with them. Luminary: How do you look at the current situation and role of media in Pakistan? As this is also a dilemma that most of the evening talk shows are portraying the negativity focusing unproductive issues instead of enhancing the positive image of Pakistan in International markets? How important is this agenda for addressing the reluctance issues which Pakistan business fraternity usually faces in the western world? How can this contribute to the economic growth of Pakistan? Muhammad Zubair: Yes you are right our media is lacking in quality. The people who are managing these show most of them are not competent. We should be more focused on bringing out the positivity. The role of media is very is very crucial now as there are also big players and a quality, independent media has a positive impact on society and should be viewed as a critical development outcome in itself. Yes, it has a great role and Impact on economic growth. Economic actors need accurate and timely information to allocate resources efficiently. Investors and other groups increasing value and demand a governance-monitoring role
from the media. A free and independent press can provide information and monitoring to the economic policy development process leading to more effective economic policies. It can also reduce political risk and increase good governance—conditions that are important for robust economic development. Media in Pakistan emerged as a big player. Since the era of 1947 to 1987 Pakistan’s narrative was defined by the military and the executives being the only two players, now new players have emerged and as big players as the military or the executives. In some cases, these big players like media and judiciary institutions have more power and this is a good sign for becoming a mature country. I mean talking about media role and impact on Governance. Numerous studies show a robust link between a free, strong, and independent press and reduced corruption. A free press exposes private and public sector corruption. One of the chronic problems that Pakistan had like corruption the way anyone could get away with big money is not possible now because there is a sword hanging on you from media and that’s good I think this is a result of maturity. Because it means more institutions are stakeholders and there for there are a check and balance system. Even the way the government works now the kind of checks and balances that there
are and the more educated people you bring in government the more controls will be exercised. Even in privatization commission which was known for tons of corruption a long time back we introduced layers for transparency we established evaluation committee, transaction committee and the boards of directors (expect two rest are executives from corporate world) then there is a cabinet committee on privatization which is led by the finance minister includes all the economy related federal ministers also include the governor state bank the chairman security and exchange commission of Pakistan and the chairman board of investment and then all of this is done like I said earlier through world-class companies financial advisors so after all these three there is a zero chance of corruption. Luminary: What are you doing to ensure your continuous growth and development as a leader? Muhammad Zubair: I never stop learning. I had several mentors or influences throughout my life, each being involved at a different stage, and having a different impact. First and foremost personality was my dad, he showed me that we are not tied to a destiny based on our history, but that we can take control of our own futures and shape it the way we want. I think we all should recognise that there is so much room for improvement and there is so much of learning from other countries.
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A Because my previous job involved a lot International travelling for certain management events etc. so I always used to keenly observe different economies and then one keep reading as well. For example in one of my visit to India, I spend extra two days to understand how they improved their power sector and central bank. And definitely it's not necessary what India do would be good in Pakistan but it’s good in increasing the knowledge and learning. What china or Malaysia did in certain sectors so learning in terms of understanding is good. Remember Pakistan is a very difficult country probably one of the difficult countries in the world and there are very good reasons for that. When we talk about governing Pakistan no country in the world has religion as such a sensitive issue like the dispute is even seventy years old. Whether this country was created to have an Islamic system or for the Muslims of the subcontinent and there is a very thin line in between your constitutions says one thing and the pattern is very different. Pakistan is the only country in the world which has a permanent sort of enemy on its border. And most of the countries around the globe have grown economically by doing trade with their neighbours. Even talking about China which does not recognise Taiwan but does billions dollars business with them. Although economic growth in the region is based on trade but this is the only region which has the lowest amount of trade within the region which makes it difficult in terms of economic prosperity. I mean we have four neighbours and with two (Afghanistan and India) mostly under stress and the third (Iran) we recently having issues so the only country left is china. Luminary: How do you see the benefits and risks of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan? Pakistan is facing terrorism, affecting its security and stability. Secondly, Pakistan’s domestic politics is also important for the CPEC’s success. Moreover, what security measures are we taking in terms of making China’s safe penetration in
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Pakistan’s market? Muhammad Zubair: CPEC is a great story that has come to Pakistan in terms of economic prosperity. As I mentioned earlier economic agenda is always based on regional trade. And it's not only an economic
CPEC is a great story that has come to Pakistan in terms of economic prosperity.
initiative it's also a security initiative. So when china invests 55 billion dollars in Pakistan they have to ensure the security in Pakistan. They have to ensure that Balochistan remains safe and peace zone not that we are not obligatory for our responsibilities but it's a joint responsibility. Another great example of regional business is TAPI gas pipeline project. Leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India joint venture for around $10 billion gas pipeline expected to help ease energy deficits in South Asia and stem tensions in the divided region. So what it means in order to pass benefit we have to ensure the peace in Afghanistan because if there is disruption we won't get that gas and this is the benefit of regional trade. Luminary: What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? What message would you give to the younger generation of CEOs, managers, startups, entrepreneurs and business leaders? Muhammad Zubair: One should remain optimistic no matter whatever position or capacity they are working for. As we discussed earlier that media is spreading a lot of pessimistic approach through these evening talk shows. And that is very wrong, Pakistan is a great land of opportunity. Pakistan has been undone by two major events Soviet Union and 9/11 which devastated Pakistan and now we are coming out of that situation the security condition was just
messed up. But now the security situation has improved dramatically over the last two-three years. Pakistan is 200 million population country with the below 30 age youth bulge of 60% and expanding English-speaking Middle class. I mean with this statics there is no European American or Japanese Company can ignore such a market. We have the fastest urbanisation. As soon as the benefit of difficult actions and decisions like Zarb-e-Azab and Karachi situation achieved the international business communities will start looking at Pakistan more frequently. We are also showcasing Pakistan around the business world along with the private sector and government sector. We are going to all the major financial hubs and showcasing Pakistan potential that it’s a great opportunity country; look at its stock exchange how well it has done it’s a fastest growing market this year and has been the best in the last years. And also new business opportunities are just opening up CPEC is not just about 55 billion dollars of Chines investment it opens up opportunities for several other businesses going into billions of dollar. For example, whatever projects and industrial zones coming would need IT. So IT companies from around the globe are coming to Pakistan like this several other sectors will benefit and so on so forth. So Pakistan youth should look toward its future and all these opportunities we are inshallah going to be far better than what we have been in the past and it's entirely up to us how well we manage.
EXCLUSIVE Q&A
DARE TO DREAM
LEAVING BEHIND A RICH CAREER AND LUXURIES OF THE JOB HE DARED TO DREAM “A COMPANY OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE”. HIS SUCCESS STORY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE AND LEARNING FOR OUR NEW GENERATION OF STARTUPS AND ENTREPRENEURS ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd: ZEALCON Engineering began it's modest yet a professionally rigorous start on January 1, 2010, with a vibrant group of highly qualified professionals having diversified backgrounds, joined hands under the banner of ZEALCON to offer Engineering Services from conceptualization to construction to commissioning to the valuable customers. Adhering to good engineering practices & strong business acumen ZEALCON has embraced success after success. It all started from a 'porta cabin office' by the roadside with three-four distinguished professionals, who never knew how success would treat them & their endeavours from the very beginning. "The Passion for performing" has catapulted ZEALCON above other competitors. The first breakthrough for ZEALCON Engineering Ltd was a stack of 78 meters & the end client was Byco Refinery. Now, ZEALCON is handling about a dozen projects across Pakistan e.g. Nashpa Gas Field, DG Khan Cement, UCH II Gas Development Project, That Coal Project, Construction of a Multiplex Cinema in Lahore, Gherabwal Cement, Rohri Cement, Chillas Basha Dam Colony & Danish Schools. And then ZEALCON has grown its assets by adding cranes, dump trucks, excavators, DG sets, E &I test equipment/lab etc. the induction of quality HR has also been ZEALCON'S hallmark. ZEALCON has exuberant market standing with high repute among the customers. A timely completion of all commitments with customers has become a trademark of ZEALCON. It has expanded operations to the diversified mega industrial & commercial projects of national significance. ZEALCON has a state of the art manufacturing, assembling, and maintenance facility, fully equipped with qualified Engineering and Technical staff. ZEALCON provides Services relating to mechanical fabrication, erection & commission-
ing of industrial plants besides civil construction including commercial buildings, housing schemes, hospitals, roads, airports, dams and infrastructure development and electrical & instrumentation services. Luminary: Please share about your professional journey so far how you started your professional career? Shaikh Azhar Ali: The hard work definitely paid off and hard work always does all that you need is stay optimistic and never lose faith and trust on Allah the almighty. I am thankful to Allah Alhamdullilah, as I always believed in him and never loose hope and ultimately being rewarded for my passionate hard work, but it was a hard career for me with no prominent family name in the beginning. After finishing my education from Aitchison College, I went abroad for a short while, HARVARD and Rice University. I got opportunities from many international companies but only wanted to work in Pakistan delivering back to my country. Just in a few years’ time, in 2007 I was heading nine companies serving on their board of Directors. I became the youngest managing director of a company with revenues of up to 1 billion dollars. In 2010 started a new company ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. “A company of The People, By The People, For The people”. As I believe the way forward, is building company cultures which fundamentally put everyone on the hook for developing themselves and everyone else around them. I wanted to build a company focusing on values like professional honesty and loyalty. I faced a difficult time from the big players in the beginning. But ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd eventually became one of the largest engineering companies in Pakistan, with more than 5,000 people on board and the highest revenue in the engineering sector. ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd has a great future for the company in the industrial sector and blessed to have the best human capital, that is our asset. I have always believed, it’s not the company which carries the experience but the human capital & people who carry the experience in the engineering sector. Luminary: What differentiates your company from others in the industry?
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SHAIKH AZHAR ALI CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd
EXCLUSIVE Q&A Shaikh Azhar Ali: We are dealing with clients like Engro, UEP, OGDCL, etc. in Pakistan. What makes us different from others is because we keep on improving our processes and systems. And we keep on adding value by bringing in experienced people, who are honest, as well loyal to their profession. Let me be clear it's not the loyalty and honesty to the company, but to the profession because when it comes, it comes to the company. Luminary: Please share your experience and journey of ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt) Ltd? Shaikh Azhar Ali: ZEALCON Engineering started with a small capital. We started off with three people, and our first office was near the footpath on a roadside container, with a small contract of building a road in Lahore near the airport. We went along with and the company now has grown to a point that this year ZEALCON had revenue of over 17 million dollars. We wanted to get into the overseas market. Last year, the merger of Bilal and ZEALCON would go along with the development of Heavy Construction industry of the Middle East, South Asia, and the world over. We did this merger, to bring breadth within our organization by increasing areas of business. ZEALCON Engineering (Pvt) Ltd has precisely targeted the burgeoning markets of South Asia, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. I see ZEALCON Engineering not only in Pakistan but in MENA region, and in Europe. We are successful in getting our first projects in Madagascar (African region) and exploring new projects for mining in Ghana. Luminary: What are the areas and markets ZEALCON Engineering is focusing on and how you manage the competition in the market? Shaikh Azhar Ali: We have our office in Dubai, and while looking at the current situation in the Middle East, we are very cautious about getting a project there without falling into competitions. We try to get difficult projects. By difficult Projects I mean where ‘others’ do not want to quote. That’s how we reduce our competition. Luminary: How do you get business without competing? Shaikh Azhar Ali: We keep on improving our process & our system. We keep on doing certain things which will make us first in the industry. If you look at our history, for the past six years we have done the largest projects. ZEALCON started the largest gas processing plant in Pakistan, UCH-II Gas Development Project. We are the first company to do ENGRO LNG Terminal Project as well the THAR coal mining project. We take pride in being the first one to do all these projects. I don’t have any competitor in Pakistan. Because I don’t believe in completions I don’t believe in winning. Luminary: What you really believe in then? Shaikh Azhar Ali: I believe in a competition within your own self. One should focus on increasing your vision and breadth, and this will bring success to you. For me, success and winning have two different meanings. Winning, to me personally, is when I have to do something with humanity. I want to compete with my competitors in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). I want to be successful without looking at others. I want to be successful looking at my own strengths and weaknesses, as well looking at the opportunities and
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threats which I have. If I start looking at others, it's not success rather its leg pulling. So why should I look at others? I need to look at myself by making myself so high and by making my friends my success, as well as by overcoming my weakness. And that’s how I would like to succeed, and I believe this is a good success. So, there is a lot of difference between success and winning. Luminary: What are the secrets behind this incredible success journey of ZEALCON Engineering? Shaikh Azhar Ali: We trust our workforce and management so they perform. The ENGRO LNG terminal was the first of its kind in Pakistan, and we were the first company to do the onshore works. We have evolved such a culture in our company that trust is the primary factor and we know the capabilities of our employee. We delegate and trust them in every manner and they never disappoint us. This is one aspect of our success in the work field. Luminary: What are the impediments of the engineering and construction industry in Pakistan? Shaikh Azhar Ali: The engineering and construction industry is not growing with the anticipated speed that it should be institutionalized. It is not being managed by very much professional people, and the government has not made them stay within certain rules and regulations. The Pakistan Engineering Council and the Pakistan engineering congress have not played their role. Another factor is the institutionalized approach in this industry. The technology transfer from the West, China, and Japan has never come to Pakistan. They always treat us as low-cost Labor providers it is like in the 13th century, where they used to be slaves, except now we are the slaves and provide cheap labor. Luminary: You have mentioned that your employees and management are your best assets, Please share the secret behind retaining these experienced and loyal employees? Shaikh Azhar Ali: We work in a family. They do not work in a company it's their own family business. It's your family interactions your personal interactions that hold the people not the money. Make them a part of your family and you will retain everybody. The people say you need to have a difference between CEO and the management and the employees. Yes, I agree it's true but you need to be so close to them that Mr. Bani once said that shaking hands with your employees at least once in a year brings that human touch required to push. Luminary: How do you balance the long term versus the short term when thinking about innovation? Shaikh Azhar Ali: When concluding your short term tactical goals with the long-term business goals you achieve synergy if inputs like work achievements and MBO are employed rightly in your company. We strive to bring in that feeling to the normal routine of management in ZEALCON feelings of ownership in the company context. Short term goals are required to run your day to day business. A business can't survive a day if it does not have short-term goals because it's a commercial world. Long term goals are there for a long-term business. One should carry the long term vision in place; because there is a family we must care for, and secure their future in
coming years. We do vision program every three years, to draw where we are today, and where we will be after three years, and what we are the milestones for becoming a world class company. Luminary: What do you do to live a balanced life? Shaikh Azhar Ali: I spend my evenings with my family. I have two sons and one daughter. My wife is an Ophthalmologist but she left her profession and joined ZEALCON Engineering. While discussing the company and different areas of business at home she felt that she had to do a lot with human capital. So she joined and heading the Human Capital department of the company. She is the biggest lawyer for all the employees and believes in the quality of living standards for people. We both believe that all our employees deserve to drive their own cars, their children deserve to receive the same education that our children receive, and they deserve to enjoy the same health benefits which we enjoy so that's the area where we came along to protect the human capital from any politics. There was a time when I was too busy for my family. I missed my children's childhoods, and years when they needed me, but now we have an excellent team here in ZEALCON and I take off every four months to try to manage the balance. Luminary: How do you manage your anger and stress? Shaikh Azhar Ali: I am quite good at managing stress and anger. The control has come after decades of practicing yoga and anger management techniques but the rule of thumb is to keep away from the stressful atmosphere when making decisions or either postpones them for the time being. One should not take decisions in anger or haste it’s better to stay calm, give other people a room to think about it and give room to yourself to come out of it. If you look at things while you are angry, you will make the wrong decision. Trying empathy in decision making is very important to come up with rational. I do exercise and yoga to achieve inner peace for myself and suggest the same to my colleagues. Luminary: What advice would you give to people going into a position of leadership for the first time to the younger generation of CEOs, managers, startups, entrepreneurs and business leaders? Shaikh Azhar Ali: Just pick up one field and stick to it. Believe in Allah and be honest, straight forward and focused. You cannot become an entrepreneur without going through failures. All entrepreneurs have failures; some of them learn some of them don’t. The one who don’t learn failed miserably. Pakistan is very fertile in genius minds and brilliant people. For example, people like Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Mr. Abdul Qadeer khan, Mr. Imran Khan and businessmen like Mr.
Mian Mohammad Mansha. Luminary: What are you doing to make sure you continue to grow and develop as a leader? Shaikh Azhar Ali: I will be going for a course in HARVARD in 2017. I feel the need for continuously enhancing my skills because, from last five years especially, I have been staying with my own ideas. I have been staying with my thinking ways and understandings. But now that we have management in place, I would be taking off for the next year, to improve upon on my thought process, philosophy, and ideas. Luminary: What are a few resources you would recommend to someone looking to gain insight into becoming a better leader? Shaikh Azhar Ali: I keep on reading the biographies of different people. I have a huge library at home where I have more than 200 biographies. So, I keep on reading those success stories and keep on learning from what they have done. The market leaders who have succeeded and also who failed. Although, people don’t like to write much about their failures and reasons behind failures, so mostly we get to read the success stories only. But, one should learn from failures, and try to understand the reason behind it. I learn from the failures, not from success. Luminary: What are your personal future plans? Shaikh Azhar Ali: Planning to retire in the next five years, and will contribute towards the society. I have already contributed towards my family and company, but now I want to give my hundred percent to society, which has given me a lot. Luminary: What are your company’s ambitions for the future? Shaikh Azhar Ali: With a total managerial staff of around 261 and impressive construction equipment ZEALCON is geared to take its National and International share of business. I think that in the coming years ZEALCON Engineering would be fragmented into six different companies Insha’Allah. We will be developing and owning certain technologies. We are working on the process industry and we are trying to bring in technologies which will be exclusively held by us.
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FINANCE LOOK AT THE BUSINESS FINANCING THE WAY MONEY LENDERS OTHERWISE, IT WILL COST YOU‌ Many entrepreneurs are worried about cash flow since they don't see how banks evaluate whether they're a decent wagered. Running a business is no easy task. Even if you are expert in the products and services your business offer, but running a company requires a wide range of duties. This can include topics well beyond their expertise, such as making key decisions about securing business financing. In order to better understand how entrepreneurs feel about pursuing and using business credit a national study was conducted on business owners. It uncovered some closely held truths and also offer insight into how the financial-services industry can help entrepreneurs use credit responsibly. New business owners have more financial stress. Almost 33% of entrepreneurs running new companies said they're very worried in regards to having enough cash to meet their business objectives. Another one-third specified their financial situation is a serious wellspring of stress. Managing finances can be one of the most challenging responsibilities for entrepreneurs. When used properly, business credit can provide the necessary capital to manage fluctuations in cash flow. That increases a business owner's ability to pursue opportunities to improve and grow the business. Entrepreneurs must understand their credit options so they can take advantage of financing structures that meet their needs and goals. It's the banker's responsibility to make it as easy and clear as possible for business owners to decide which option is best -- and why. In general, credit cards are most appropriate for everyday business purchases such as supplies, office equipment or monthly vendor payments. In contrast, a business line of credit typically is used for several large purchases, spread out over time. A business loan is a good option if the company needs to access all the funds at once. LUMINARY | 54
Small-business owners have a limited understanding of what it takes to secure approval. Only half of small-business owners strongly agree it takes the time to build a strong credit application. Two-thirds believe their personal finances should have equal weight in business credit decisions. Deciding if and when business financing is right for your business can be a tough call. Before approaching a moneylender, business owners need to understand some of the key factors that will be used to evaluate their credit application: Credit History: How has the business owner managed previous credit? Ability to Repay: Is the business profitable, and does it have positive cash flow? Capital: Does the business owner have enough investment of personal capital in the business? Collateral: Does the business owner have assets that can be used as collateral to secure a lender’s investment? Business Experience: Does the business owner have extensive experience in the industry? Business owners who better understand the factors used to determine creditworthiness can assure they're working to develop a strong credit profile. Small-business owners want to receive support throughout the process. A strong majority of business owners desire
clear and easy-to-access information before they apply for credit. During the application process, they want payment terms to be clearly defined. Predictably, they're also eager for information on how to get approved and tips to maximize funding. Financing a business without the right support and tools is a complex task. While some business owners are credit-ready, others need guidance on how to build a successful credit profile. The financial-services industry needs to educate business owners on what it takes to be approved for this funding. Only then will entrepreneurs be empowered to make the most of their credit options and realize the potential to grow their companies. These should be priorities behind managing Business Credit Center and they should include free educational resources to help business owners understand and navigate the three phases of building credit: pre-application, the application process and after the financing decision. The online tools can help provide greater clarity and improve business owners’ ability to decide which credit options are right for them. Small-business owners can benefit from consulting with bankers to determine the best solutions for their company. With the right tools and guidance, more entrepreneurs can become credit-ready and secure financing to help their businesses succeed. LISA STEVENS CONTRIBUTOR
HOW CAN STARTUPS RUN FINANCIALLY SOUND BUSINESSES example, if you have the chance to scale down a marketing strategy while maintaining growth or can cut costs by decreasing manufacturing inefficiencies, this helps stretch an investment further.
Securing funding is a major feat for any brand and requires a great deal of planning and expertise. However, the real value comes from turning that initial support into long-term growth -- transforming a spark into a sustainable fire. Without financial stability, eCommerce brands lack the foundation to tackle key business endeavors like evolving product lines, expanding geographic storefronts or making new investments into shipping and packaging that enhance the customer experience. This is particularly true for emerging businesses transitioning from angel or first-round funding sources into companies with verified equity. These brands are no longer simply selling an idea but must be able to back their entire business model with a concrete financial plan. As both the CEO of Dotcom Distribution and a CPA, keeping track of our financial standing is a critical component of managing a business -- at any stage, but especially in the early days. With a lineup of clients funded heavily by private equity, I’ve seen my fair share of financial successes, as well as blunders. With 50 percent of U.S. businesses failing within their first five years, it’s important that any emerging company makes smart financial decisions. Here are three tips I find valuable when helping entrepreneurs keep their brands out of finance troubles. 1. Develop a clear vision/path to profitability It’s important to develop strict financial principles that govern all incoming and outgoing spending. If you are seeking capital through funding, you must demonstrate your expected return-on-investment (ROI) for those investors and detail where expendi-
tures will go. You should also be able to explain how you intend to manage cash and receivables, and have a clear vision toward becoming, and remaining, cash flow positive. When involved in any type of private equity or venture capital funding, ‘building the business’ is no longer a detailed enough financial plan. For example, if you intend to allocate $10,000 to marketing, why are you doing so? What outreach efforts are you going to push, and is your anticipated ROI based on real-world research? You should plan to speak to how you will stand out from competitors and compel consumers toward conversion. If you cannot demonstrate how future funding will build upon your existing business, investors will likely take their money elsewhere. Part of following through on your finances is developing clear communication strategies with your investors, as this creates accountability for you and your team. Transparency with your funding sources will ensure they see you as a worthwhile investment and can enhance your own strengths. Also, when working with investors, it’s important to showcase business maturity. For instance, it’s imperative you implement segregation of duties, work processes and controls that support your key performance indicators and success drivers. 2. Use investors to increase financial viability Your own finances are paramount, but it’s equally important to think critically about the success of your investors and partners. These players are backing your growth, and it’s a sign of good faith when you can make business decisions with them in mind. For
Helping your investors or partners often allows you to ask for help in return down the line. We have helped clients remove pain points on the manufacturing side and in turn have been able to help them save money. Those companies were later able to negotiate discounted supply chain costs, which ultimately helped to positively affect their cash flow. 3. Make sound hiring decisions I once had a client say to me “I don’t know if I’ll always be the CEO.” Shortcomings are tough to admit, but self-awareness is the mark of a smart entrepreneur who is focusing on the financial future of his/her company. Others’ experiences and expertise are often the best way to avoid squandering important financial opportunities. We’ve been impressed by clients who knew when to bring in smart executives from other already successful eCommerce players. The people often better understand how to leverage finances (including private equity and venture capital funds). Running and owning a business should never be all about money, but properly managing your finances is a key part of long-term success, especially in eCommerce sales. By using the tips above, you can help your company make the most of the investments it has earned. It’s also a good idea to add new technologies -- or seek out a partner that can add these technologies for you -that will help you make smarter financial decisions when it comes to areas like advertising spend, strategies for liquidation, customer acquisition costs, etc.As you continue to grow it’s not enough to just know how to spend or save money. Successful brands also need to know how to manage money on behalf of investors.
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INOVATION
PLANE, TRAIN AND AUTOMOBILE THIS CONCEPT CAR
TRANSFORMS INTO ALL THREE
George Jetson can eat his heart out. A new flying-car concept can do more than just take to the skies. In fact, the futuristic vehicle takes more cues from "Transformers" than "The Jetsons" in imagining how humans might get around in the future. Meet the Pop.Up. This "multimodal transportation concept" is a passenger capsule that can transform into different modes of transit, by attaching to wheels for driving, connecting to propellers for flying or joining a train-like transit system such as the high-speed transit concept known as the Hyperloop. The futuristic capsule was envisioned by aerospace company Airbus and design and engineering firm Italdesign. The companies say the Pop.Up could unite aerospace and LUMINARY | 56
automotive technologies for a new kind of urban mobility. Airbus and Italdesign revealed their transforming-car concept recently at the Geneva International Motor Show, and described it as entering the "third dimension" of transportation systems. "Today, automobiles are part of a much wider ecosystem: If you want to design the urban vehicle of the future, the traditional car cannot alone be the solution for megacities; you also have to think about sustainable and intelligent infrastructure, apps, integration, power systems, urban planning, social aspects, and so on," Italdesign CEO JÜrg Astalosch said in a statement. "In the next years, ground transportation will move to the next level — and from being shared, connected and autonomous, it will also go multi-
modal and moving into the third dimension." There are three layers to the Pop.Up concept system, according to Airbus. The passenger capsule is one layer, with its ability to be coupled with electrically propelled ground and air transport (such as a car base or a drone top). The capsule can also be linked to a public transit system (such as trains or a Hyperloop). The Pop.Up is designed to run on an artificial-intelligence platform, the second layer, that can choose the best route — by ground or air — to the passenger's destination. The capsule will then autonomously travel the selected route, according to Airbus. A video of the Pop.Up in action shows the system's user interface, or the third layer, which offers passengers an interactive virtual environment. For instance, in one clip, a display in the capsule offers information regarding a museum the passenger is flying over. The companies did not announce a time frame for developing the project, but they did note that traffic congestion is expected to become increasingly worse. The companies say Pop.Up offers a solution to growing transportation challenges for urban commuters. Courtesy By Kacey Deamer, Staff Writer (LIVE SCEINCE)
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A
KHURAM RAHAT MANAGING DIRECTOR TERADATA PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN & BANGLADESH
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THE MAN BEHIND THE SUCCESS STORY OF TERADATA PAKISTAN HOW KHURAM RAHAT IS CHANGING THE DATA ANALYTICS AND SERVICES FUTURE IN PAKISTAN
PROFILE: Mr Khuram Rahat, a well-known personality recognised among pioneers of IT industry for his great contribution in Pakistan’s IT industry as well in International markets. He is the man behind the success story of TERADATA Pakistan working along with a vibrant group of highly qualified professional originated from Pakistan. He has proven the metal of Pakistan’s talent and potential globally through TERADATA Pakistan. And now he continues to build that success, with double-digit growth of TERADATA Pakistan. Mr Rahat currently is responsible for the strategic direction and management as Managing Director Teradata Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Teradata Corporation (previously NCR), is one of the leading analytic data platforms, applications and services company globally. Mr Rahat, an experienced industry executive with over 24 years of proven leadership and in-depth knowledge of leading edge Business Intelligence and Management Solutions, is well positioned to lead TERADATA Pakistan to new horizons. During his career, Mr Rahat has held leadership positions within NCR and Teradata. He holds a master's degree in business adminis-tration from Karachi's Institute of Business Administration, where he has also been associated as a teacher. Under his direction, the team at TERADATA Pakistan introduced several innovative products and services engaged strategic alliances and developed new markets. He has been providing consultancy to organisations around their management strategies especially, how they can develop an ‘Information Based’ decision making culture. His vision and contribution to developing human capital especially in IT industry is a great asset for the country. Luminary: Please tell us about your professional journey and how you started your career? Khuram Rahat: I finished my master's degree in business administration
from Karachi's Institute of Business Administration in 1988 and was teaching there as well for a year. My father was in government services so I had the chance of living in different cities, my birth place is Lahore. But most of my schooling is from Karachi. I spent almost seventeen years of my life
in Karachi then moved to Islamabad in 1992. In 1989, I joined NCR Corporation (A leading American computer hardware, software and electronics company) in sales and since then have been involved in the field of IT which has become my passion. NCR Corporation was acquired by AT&T Inc. (An American multinational telecommunications conglomerate) and then again AT&T Inc. split up into three different companies and we became NCR Corporation again. In 1997, I was given the task to introduce the concept of Data Warehousing and thus TERADATA in Pakistan. Those days using information for analytics or strategic decision making was nascent in Pakistan and most of the computing was done to produce batch reports and mostly executives used to depend on their gut feelings and experience to take decisions rather than looking at data and hard facts.
Luminary: So how you got you first project and what was your experience? Khuram Rahat: I was entrusted the task of introducing the concept of data warehousing in Pakistan. The initial response from most of the organisation was of non-interest as many people thought that such sophistication was not needed in the country and that organisations in Pakistan do not have enough data to warrant the need for a data warehouse. Our first customer experience in Pakistan was interesting; the government was planning to
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A computerise census data in National Data Base organisation. The initial thought process was to digitally capture the census forms for record purposes, however, we were able to put across the concept of using the data for planning and citizen facilitation purpose. The idea was appreciated and we worked with NADRA’s team to develop the concept further. Today, we see that as a result of the initiative and subsequent formation of National Database And Registration Authority, the citizens of the country have been facilitated in terms of a computerized National Identity Card which is single source of identification and verification for the citizens and saves the citizens from the hassle to long and cumbersome processes of verification that were prevalent in the past. Besides, NADRA is also supporting law enforcement authorities in fighting crime.
develop understanding of the market and customers. The analysis can be utilised for customization of their products or services offers hence improving sales and businesses.
I, as an individual as well as being part of Teradata, I feel privileged and proud to have been associated with this project of National importance.
Luminary: How do you look at the current wide gap in industry and academia and the quality of human resource? Since whatever academia is producing is utilised by industry why can't they play the active and more supportive role? Khuram Rahat: Yes, you are right the gap is still wide in terms of industry requirement and what academia producing.
Whenever I look back and recall those interesting comments we use to get initially from people like “this concept is not for Pakistan” and “there is no need for a large amount of data”, I feel amazing the way IT industry has grown over last 15-20years. Luminary: How do you see the market gearing up for analytics in Pakistan? Khurram Rahat: The market is really warming up to the concept of using analytics for achieving strategic and operational goals. The margins are dropping down in the banking sector because of the drop in interest rate and State Banks regulations to protect depositor’s interest and ensure minimum returns on deposits. The banks are also realising the importance of data for being competitive. Every other organization wants to take digital journey, but to really have an effective digital strategy they need to understand demographics of the customer segments and analyze the data they can get from these digital channels (websites, mobile banking, online transactions, and social media) to help better
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Luminary: How you look at IT industry are you happy with its pace? Khurram Rahat: We are moving in the right direction. I am not happy with the pace, primarily because it's not the industry which has to move but it’s the end user their readiness, understanding and acceptance towards the value of data as well the willingness to invest in it. We need to change the mindset as real value is in people and process, not the hardware or software. And we also need to invest more in human capital by cooperating with universities to bring out the right skill set meeting our requirements.
We are producing the numbers but the quality needs to improve. The industry needs to invest in universities and colleges to ensure the students are abreast of the latest technologies. This can be achieved by providing mentoring to students. Industry and academia need to work together to upgrade curriculum according to future needs and skill set requirements. Luminary: Who will fill up this gap? Who do you think should we blame since we all just crib and blame on the government for everything? Khuram Rahat: It is wrong to blame the government for everything. This is the role of industry and academia. The government cannot be alone expected to forecast the quality and human capital requirement of industry, its industry that should take a step
forward and work together with academia to find the right solution. It has to be TERADATA, NETSOL, UBL, TELENOR etc who should give feedback for their requirement in next five or ten years. And this scenario just doesn't apply to IT only rather, it applies to all the sectors whether it's engineering, medical, energy or science or any other area. I partially blame universities and partially blame the industry. When our businessmen’s are so well planned for the raw materials being utilised in production and they plan and forecast it to their suppliers and also give the quality feedback, then why can’t we give the same kind of feedback and forecast to academia since whatever academia is producing is also a human capital supply chain for industry.Sadly most of our universities are more concerned about getting grants rather focusing on working with industry on improving the quality of education. We have Teradata university network. Almost 1500 universities are part of TERADATA university global network for knowledge sharing. The network provides an equal opportunity for information dissemination to students across the globe. Anybody sitting in Tando Allahyar District (Sindh) or any village and town of Pakistan will have access to the same repository, white papers and research, that a student in MIT would have and it's completely free.
Luminary: What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader? And what is the one behaviour or trait that you have seen derails more leaders’ careers? Khuram Rahat: I think the mindset of making yourself indispensable and irreplaceable for the organisation is a wrong approach. One essential element of a leader is that he takes the lead when the going gets tough but at other times he nurtures and encourages others to take responsibility and grow. Luminary: What are your company
ambitions for the future? Khuram Rahat: We as an organisation are transforming and see a huge potential in terms of analytics in Pakistan. More and more organisations are embracing enterprise data warehouse and business intelligence solutions. Like I discussed earlier the digital channels and how can they improve profitability and effectiveness in business. In our portfolio, we have clients, who are market leaders or are challenging the market leaders. This fact alone speaks for itself about the value we help create for our customers. Other than Telecom sector, leading companies in Finance, Retail, and Airline and Government sectors are using our solutions for Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) and Business Intelligence (BI). Luminary: How you look at the role of Pasha (Pakistan Software Houses Association)? Khurram Rahat: Everyone talks of
Pakistan as software exports country. Some people believe Pakistan should focus more on manufacturing. But if you look at global markets trends the real value is in services. While the Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA) has focused on developing software and have done a lot to support software development houses, I believe they need to focus also on developing services side of IT for targeting export market. Luminary: Please tell us about your family and what do you do to live a balanced life? Khuram Rahat: I am married and blessed with three daughters. The eldest is studying in NUST, the middle one is doing A-levels and youngest is in class five. My wife was associated with teaching profession for a very short time but mostly she has focused on home and giving complete attention to the upbringing of kids. I am blessed to have a better half like her as she is very dedicated and focused on the upbringing of our
daughters. Mrs Khuram Rahat joined us in this part of the interview and we had the liberty of asking her some questions as well. Luminary: How long you two are married? Mrs Khuram Rahat: It's been twenty-three years almost and I am blessed to have a husband like him. He is not only an amazing life partner but a very caring and dedicated father. Luminary: So how often he takes out time for you and family? Mrs Khuram Rahat: He tries to take out decent time for me and kids. Since our daughters are studying so we prefer to stay more at home. Luminary: Mashalha you two are such a beautiful couple and I am really impressed by your dedication and parenting values. Sadly we don’t appre-
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EXCLUSIVE Q&A ciate homemakers as we appreciate any working women whereas homemaking and children upbringing is a way more difficult task. Khuram Rahat: Yes you are right the role of mother is remarkable and in fact, she is the first teacher for any child. The nurturing a mother provides is unparalleled and a vital part of a child’s care. That’s why when we praise any leader we give credit to his mother upbringing. Luminary: How he is in managing anger and stress? Mrs Khuram Rahat: He is very good at it, I have never seen him bringing office stress at home. Yes, also gets little angry at times like any other normal person but usually, he manages to control his anger. Luminary: How you feel when people praise your husband and his remarkable contribution to Pakistan’s IT industry? Mrs Khuram Rahat: Yes it feels really good and I feel proud for him as well for being his life partner. Luminary: What advice would you give to the younger generation of CEOs, managers, startups, entrepreneurs and business leaders? Khuram Rahat: Pakistan is a big country with more than 70% population of less than 30 age. Our youth is very capable Masha Allah and have creative ideas but they don’t know how to position and market it. This talent, if harnessed properly, can be the real assets for the country’s growth. Hard work and staying positive is the key to success. I will advise new entrants to be appropriately qualified, competent and be ready for the challenges.
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HEALTH
CHEMICALS IN PERSONAL PRODUCTS MAY STIMULATE CANCER MORE THAN THOUGHT
A group of chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and other personal-care products may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells at doses much lower than previously thought, a new study finds. The study was done on human breast cancer cells growing in lab dishes, and it's unclear whether these chemicals, called parabens, act the same in the human body. But the chemicals have been shown in previous lab and animal studies to mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen, meaning they can bind to receptors in the body to which estrogen normally binds.This is a concern because when estrogen binds to estrogen receptors, it causes cells to multiply, and in women this increases breast cancer risk, said Dr. Dale Leitman, an adjunct professor of nutritional sciences and toxicology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the senior author on the study. Parabens are a type of chemical preservative, and are found in a wide array of consumer products, including shampoos, body lotions and sunscreens. It's also known that parabens can activate the same pathway as estrogen, but previous studies have found that they do so very weakly, Leitman told LUMINARY. "Because they're weak, they're assumed to be safe compounds," especially based on the levels of parabens that have been
found in humans, he said. But previous studies looked at just the parabens by themselves, Leitman said. "The real problem when you do studies in the laboratory is that you study one compound at a time, but in the body, that's not the case. What you're seeing in the body is really a combination" of the effects of many compounds, Leitman said. In the new study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, the researchers focused on the effects of parabens when mixed with one additional compound: a type of growth factor called heregulin that has also been linked to breast cancer cell growth. In experiments, the researchers looked at how well the cells grew when they were exposed to both parabens and heregulin, compared with how the cells grew when exposed only to parabens. The scientists found that when they added heregulin, they could drop the level of parabens by 100 times and the cancer cells would still multiply faster than those without heregulin. In other words, when the heregulin was added, the parabens were 100 times more potent at stimulating cancer cell growth compared with breast cancer cells exposed to only parabens.
have an effect at a level that could be seen in humans, Leitman said. Still, Leitman stressed that more studies are needed to determine the safety of the chemicals. Lab studies and animal studies are indirect ways of estimating the potential hazards of parabens, Leitman noted. "All we can say from our study is that in order to determine how safe the parabens are ‌ [we need] to test them not by themselves but with other chemicals that stimulate cell proliferation," he said. Dr. Jiangang Chen, an assistant professor of public health at the University of Tennessee Knoxville who was not involved in the study, agreed. "The study, like others published, only demonstrated the effects in the cells, which may not reflect the same scenario as in an intact biological system," Chen told LUMINARY. But additional studies have also indicated that other compounds may also contribute to how parabens affect breast cancer risk, Chen said. Indeed, the study raises concerns that the "safe levels" of parabens used in cosmetic products should be re-evaluated, he said. However, more research is ultimately required before a conclusion can be reached regarding the safety of parabens, Chen said.
With this increased potency, parabens may BY SARA G. MILLER
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EATING A HEALTHY DIET MAY REDUCE BRAIN SHRINKAGE BY AGATA BLASZCZAK-BOXE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER People who eat a diet rich in fish, fruits and vegetables but low in meat may lose fewer brain cells as they age, according to a new study. In the study of 674 older adults, the researchers looked at whether the participants' diets during the past year included the following nine components of the so-called Mediterranean diet: eating lots of vegetables, legumes, cereals, fish, fruits and nuts; consuming healthy monosaturated fats like olive oil but avoiding saturated fats; drinking moderate amounts of alcohol; and eating low amounts of meat and dairy products. The average age of the people in the study was 80.
five years of aging, the researchers said. "These results are exciting, as they raise the possibility that people may potentially prevent brain shrinking and the effects of aging on the brainsimply by following a healthy diet," study author Yian Gu, of Columbia University in New York, said in a statement.
provide considerable protection against loss of brain cells equal to about three to four years of aging," Gu said. None of the people in the new study had dementia. The researchers noted, however, that greater amounts of brain shrinkage have beenlinkedto a greater risk of cognitive decline. The new study was observational, and more research is needed to examine the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and brain structure, Gu told Live Science. The new study does not prove that following the Mediterranean diet prevents brain shrinkage; rather, it shows there is a link between the two, she said.
The researchers scanned the participants' brains, and found that those whose diets included at least five of these nine components had brain volumes that measured 13.11 milliliters larger on the scans, on average, compared with the brain volumes of the people whose diets included fewer than five components.
When the researchers took a closer look at the relationship between brain shrinkage and the Mediterranean diet, they found that the diet's protective effect was driven to the greatest extent by two components: eating more fish and eating less meat.
This difference in brain volume between the two groups is equivalent to the amount of shrinkage that happens over
This finding suggests that "eating at least 3 to 5 ounces of fish weekly or eating no more than 3.5 ounces of meat daily may
The mechanism between the Mediterranean diet and a greater brain volume is not clear, but it may have something to do with the beneficial effects of nutrients present in the foods, the researchers said. For example, the omega-3 fats as well as vitamins B and D in fish have been shown to promote the growth of neurons and slow brain shrinkage.
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EVENTS
13th ECO SUMMIT PAKISTAN The 13th Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) summit, in Islamabad with the theme of ‘Connectivity for Regional Prosperity’ hosted and chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. And is being attended by representatives from all the member countries including five presidents, three prime ministers, and a deputy prime minister on 1-2 March 2017
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on ECO during the Press Stakeout here at Islamabad on 1st March 2017.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif while giving opening remarks at the 13th ECO Summit held in Islamabad on 1st March 2017.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in a Group Photo with Heads of States/Governments and representatives of ECO member states at the 13th ECO summit held in Islamabad on 1st March 2017.
President Mamnoon Hussain in a Group Photo with delegates of ECO chamber of commerce & industry at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad on March 03, 2017.
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First Lady Begum Mahmooda Mamnoon Hussain and Begum Kalsoom Nawaz in a photo with First lady of Republic of Turkey Mrs. Emine Erdogan and First Lady of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mrs. Meral Akinci at the Awan-e-Sadr, Islamabad on March 01, 2017.
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS BARCELONA 2017
Minister of State for IT & Telecom, Mrs. Anusha Rahman While Receiving GSMA Government Leadership Award 2017 for best Telecom Policy at mobile world congress Barcelona on March 01, 2017.
JazzCash Wins GSMA Glomo Award at Mobile World Congress 2017
EMPORIUM MALL PUNJAB POLO CUP 2017
Final match of the Emporium Mall Punjab Polo Cup 2017 was attended by Governor Punjab Muhammad Rafique Rajwana as Chief Guest and Chairman Nishat Group Mian Muhammad Mansha as Guest of Honour at the Lahore Polo Club on Saturday, 4th March.
Irfan Ali Hyder and Kim Culley with Polo Club team and tournament umpires
PAKISTAN INVESTMENT ROAD SHOW IN DUBAI
Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair Umar attending a Pakistan investment road show in Dubai organized by AKD Securities in cooperation with Pakistan business council Dubai.
Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair Umar while addressing a Pakistan investment road show in Dubai organized by AKD Securities in cooperation with Pakistan business council Dubai.
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