CEO Today Magazine Issue # 52 by Shafaq Khalid

EDITOR’S NOTE

CONTENTS

A Tribute to Unsung Heroes CEO Today Magazine by CEO Club Pakistan has launched a special edition featuring Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) stories by CEOs & Companies in the name of A Tribute to Unsung Heroes in the wake of the pandemic COVID-19.

Ijaz Nisar, Founder & President, CEO Club Pakistan

Nazeya Qhan, Head Corporate Communication, CEO Club Pakistan

IF PEOPLE CRITICIZE YOU, HURT YOU, OR SHOUT AT YOU, DON’T BE BOTHERED. JUST REMEMBER, IN EVERY GAME AUDIENCE MAKES THE NOISE,NOT THE PLAYERS!

This latest magazine issue is a tribute to individuals like front-line doctors, nurses, paramedic staff, surgeons, medical providers and industries who are providing facilities compassionately and with public spirit in pandemic COVID-19. The core objective of launching this edition is to highlight the tireless and self-sacrifice efforts of unsung heroes and the philanthropy work that CEOs & their companies are doing for the vulnerable segments of the society. This magazine also features the inspiring interviews of Syed Abdullah Bukhari (Founder & Group CEO, Enrichers Investment Group), M. Taher Punjwani (CEO, The Mechanica Pvt. Ltd.) & Muhammad Safder FCA (Partner Tariq Abdul Ghani Maqbool & CEO, Prismatic Technologies Limited). Along with that; this magazine features the exclusive speeches of keynote speakers of CEO SUMMIT ASIA & Launch of Best Selling Book 100 Best Performing CEOs & Companies of Pakistan held in Karachi on 20th February 2020. Keeping in view the tradition of CEO Today Magazine; this edition also includes the event coverage of the corporate gatherings like A CEOs Dialogue - Future of Business organized by CEO Club Pakistan in collaboration with Oracle Pakistan. CEO Club Pakistan also launched an inspiring series of Life Goes On ! ... in the light of pandemic COVID-19 to spread optimisim among people. The aim of these series was to give hope to Pakistanis’ that we cannot control the circumstances, but we can control our responses. We can be victim or victor of the circumstances; we can be mentally strong or strongly mental, we can have endless hope or hopeless end. Choice is ours.

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TEAM

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BELIEVE IN PAKISTAN MUHAMMAD SAFDER FCA PARTNER TARIQ ABDUL GHANI MAQBOOL & CEO, PRISMATIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES (CSR) STORIES

EVENT COVERAGE A CEOs’ DIALOGUE - FUTURE OF BUSINESS BY ORACLE PAKISTAN

EVENT COVERAGE LAUNCH OF ONLINE SERIES LIFE GOES ON !

EXCLUSIVE SPEECHES OF CEO SUMMIT ASIA KARACHI EVENT COVERAGE CEO SUMMIT ASIA (KARACHI CHAPTER)

LIFE GOES ON ! ... SPEECHES EXTRACTED FROM

CEO SUMMIT ASIA

Spread Hope & Positivity !

CS RS

Pakistan Zindabad !

Editor-in-Chief Creative Designer Ijaz Nisar Rafay Butt 0300 452 1298 0332 488 2424 Photographer M. Shahbaz 0323 440 5152

EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE

A MESSAGE - VOICE WORTH YOUR CONSIDERATION M. TAHER PUNJWANI

18 52 58

ORPORATE OCIAL ESPONSIBILITY TORIES

Founder & President, CEO Today Magazine | CEO Club Pakistan ijaz.nisar@ceoclub.pk + 92 300 452 1298

CEO TODAY

SYED ABDULLAH BUKHARI FOUNDER & GROUP CEO, ENRICHERS INVESTMENT GROUP

CEO, THE MECHANICA PVT. LTD.

IJAZ NISAR

PCPB # 303-M April - May 2020

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW A RESILIENT FUTURIST

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Assistant Editor Business Developement Shafaq Khalid Executive Saqib Shahzad 0300 400 3710 0300 844 5208 Legal Advisor Atif Razak

Head Office CEO Today 95-J1 Johar Town Lahore Tel: 0423-545 5704

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Email: ijaz.nisar@ceoclub.pk register@ceoclub.pk

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08 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Syed Abdullah Bukhari Founder & Group CEO, Enrichers Investment Group

Enrichers

Investment Group

Revolutionizing Investments

PROFILE Mr. Syed is a compassionate, resilient and result-driven professional having more than 15 years of experience in domestic & international financial derivatives, fund management, and real estate industry. He is currently heading as the Group CEO at Enrichers Investment Group. Having intuitive approach on international future markets, corporate laws, and prudential regulations he was able to bring Enrichers among top ten brokers of Pakistan within 3 years of inception. Today Enrichers is renowned as one of the most ethical businesses operating in the same domain. His contemplation on evidence based management for clients urged him reshape dynamics of this industry by using data scientists and predictive analytics. Accredited for being result driven, he is a believer that one should never settle for less and there is always best to come.

A Resilient

Futurist

CEO Today: Please share with us your inspiring professional journey in a nutshell. Syed Abdullah Bukhari: I traveled bottom to top. Initially, I operated as an individual; intrinsically the money, energy, and time invested had a direct bearing on me only. However, when I began to gain maturity, I realized that I must cater to the needs attached to my immediate family. Thus, with bigger responsibilities come bigger opportunities. I institutionalized my goals that further channeled my professional and personal achievements. Currently, I am heading as a Group CEO of Enrichers Investment Group. I founded this company back in 2011 and expanded it in to Group of companies - facilitating investments in real estate, financial markets, physical trade, and business brokerage. Purpose was to deploy a closeknit culture of collaborative atmosphere with shared vision and skills. I strongly believe that when you lead a team it becomes reflection of yourself, and when I see my shagird growing and developing, I feel part of me is evolving with them. This sense advocate a greater sense of responsibility to give my best shot whole stretch to empower people attached to me and ultimately serving the purpose of founding Enrichers Investment Group. What are the CSR contributions your company made for the individuals and for society in pandemic COVID-19? Alhamdulilah, I can say with all might and main that we did not lay off any of our resource during COVID-19. And it shows loyalty of Enrichers as a company which I believe is not only a personal virtue but an organizational strength. As a matter of fact, we recurrently searched and identified the impoverished masses in respective

demographics and supported through charity. For all intents and purposes, we created public enlightenment of COVID-19 specifically to uneducated class. With our maximum potential we tried to remove the cloud of fear, discouraged the bad vibe that was growing due to exponential spread of virus, and instead integrated care among people for each other in this unprecedented times. Moreover within our organization we established and gave monetary support to the immediate families and close society people of our employees who got affected due to pandemic. What is your HR strategy in such excruciating time when there is a huge brunt of COVID-19? Of course as an organization we are learning things due to emerging nature of COVID-19, resulting in establishing detailed steps to revamp our strategies. Team empowerment, deployment of upgraded techapproach, devising system to monitor implementation, and focusing on qualitative achievements is our scarcest and most pertinent need of time. The level of digital creativity we got to see now has never been witnessed before. In the late 19th and early 20th century, we can clearly see that machines have systematically displaced humans. Though to a greater extent it reduced the efforts of humans, but at the same time it strengthen capitalism. Let me dig this phenomenon a little more for better understanding of my stance. Technology created a clear disparity between resourceful and lessresourceful people. It made rich richer and poor poorer hence promoted capitalism which is against Allahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s code of conduct that commands Zakat. I am not against technology or

AI, certifiably, Enrichers is first ever company in Pakistan which introduced technologically advanced software in trading with electronic exchange. We as a tech savvy company at every level â&#x20AC;&#x201C;individual contributors and frontline supervisors should operate software as a religious norm. To blue pencil, I would say laying off is NOT the last resort, however at present, AI is becoming threat to humans as long as it is a tool in the hands of oppressor. Instead of making organizations less human-driven in future, AI Technology can be harnessed in a way that it could genuinely become means of augmenting rather than displacing human potential. With an undeniable prevalence of AI technology in businesses in coming years precisely Fin-tech business like ours, government needs to have a tough regulatory supervision so businesses can actually make the intended benefit out of it. What would you anticipate the businesses in post COVID-19 world? Struggling businesses and new businesses? Every economic downturn brings forth catastrophic aftermath, be it The Great Depression (1929) or Great Recession (2008). Post 2008 crisis there were plenty of hardships - people lost their homes, industries were closed, and joblessness rate had risen. Experts are forecasting extreme toxic repercussions post COVID-19 as there is no predictability to situation. Empathy word would seem unbusiness like. All small medium enterprises may fall victim to few giant companies, who will be at the receiving end. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purely a game of survival of the fittest and a constant reality check that doing subtraction in the hope of accomplishing addition will be of no use. Struggling businesses having sustainability will only be able to subsist. CEO TODAY / 9

What are the key challenges & opportunities in your industry / sector during COVID-19? Certainly, COVID-19 forged some degree of vulnerability for us in terms of challenges – managing social distancing and keeping up the pace of work is indeed fishing in the troubled waters. Nature of our work requires constant direction setting and critical breaththrough towards development which faced unexpected hindrance. Administering staff working from home turned out to be little wayward also. However, Enrichers primary business of financial brokerage also weighed as an anti-cyclic business. Even in these testing times Enrichers underscored its performance. The more volatile the financial markets are the more opportunities it creates. Amidst such crisis there was an aggressive growth in volume. Hence, our industry observed gateways of opportunities even in the thick of pandemic. Same goes for Enrichers Developers - our real estate subsidiary. Government has introduced policies to counteract the adverse effects of COVID-19 thus making real estate a beneficiary. How do you define leadership in crisis? Strong leadership in weak times is the ultimate act of leadership. No one can just ape another leader however most effective leaders have one thing in common and that is emotional balance. It puts the whole phenomenon of leadership into perspective. Nerves of steel, optimism, and loving/accepting your losses define you as merely good to truly great leader. At the helm, it is incredibly important to understand we must not become arrogant in success and we must never lament in hard times. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. 10 / CEO TODAY

What are three leadership competencies / characteristics of a CEO that you would like to see in our new generation? For me there are only two leadership competencies that matters the most inspired from Hazrat Yusuf (A.S.) - being knowledgeable and performing your work with utmost honesty. As Hazrat Yusuf (A.S.) pronounced that he possessed the part of the divine knowledge that Allah taught him of being Al-Hafeez (The Preserver) (12:55), thus he emphasized that he can took charge and lead effectively owing to the fact that he being knowledgeable and an honest custodian. Inductive question our young generation needs to ask to themselves is why should anyone want to be led by you? Great leaders look beyond the evident qualities of vision, robust spirit, control, and strategic direction. Our young generation needs to develop believability within them to draw courage and resolution to lead effectively. A CEO’s success largely depends upon a team, what are the three characteristics of a winning team? If an army wins, it’s because every single person performed brilliantly in each of their roles. I strongly believe that most effective teams are those with strategic culture. The characteristic that carries magnitude of importance for a winning team is building-up synergy, and with synergy I mean having a strong sense that fits in to grand and shared vision. Motivation is another hallmark that maximizes commitment of team to organization’s goal and strategy. In summation, possessing an all-weather savvy approach armed with plenty of technical know-how is required to remain forthright in the corporate world to be tagged as a winning team.

Is training, coaching and mentoring a priority to you? How much time do you allocate for your staff training? The most adaptive dimension of the challenge is coaching. We consider coaching as the basic biological drive of Enrichers. We promote a leader-centric and counseling-based climate in Enrichers and accentuate that our values should be integrated at every single level. From our words to our actions we should be performing our values i.e. Integrity, Ownership & Brotherhood and for same reason we frequently organize training and coaching sessions for effective utilization of personnel. What steps would you recommend empowering women at workplace? Our deen – Islam has defined, taught and exemplified the role of women to the core. The first person to embrace Islam was a women; Hazrat Khadija (R.A.), greatest scholar of Islam was a woman; Hazrat Aisha (R.A.), one of the person who loved Prophet Muhammad Rasool Allah ( )the most was a woman; Hazrat Fatima (A.S.). In my opinion Islam has projected and exalted women status in entire range of roles - be it business, entrepreneurship, house-wives etc. We must not perceive women empowerment from the lens of west, as our deen epitomizes it the best. At workplace women are most empowered and graceful within the commandments (hadood) defined by Allah instead as opposed to exposing Shur.

WITH BIGGER RESPONSIBILITIES COME BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES

A few conspiracy theorists are of the view that COVID-19 is not a public health crisis but a politically motivated agenda to transform the global economy. Do you think there is some spiritual dimension of this too? Kindly share your thoughts. Allahu A’alam! People consider that COVID-19 is a bio-weapon invented by lobby of people to gain control over entire globe. Additionally, their conviction is that it doesn’t glue only to geopolitical but fall in spiritual war too. Thus, the biggest agenda behind this conspiracy is spreading fear of ghair Allah, of which our Prophet Muhammad Rasool Allah ( ) warned that in end times there will be evil forces of deception – Dajjal. Allah Rub-ul-Aalameen mentioned in Qur’an; “And most surely we will make them taste Azab-eAdna before Azab-e-Akber, so that perhaps they may return to us in repentance.” (32:21). Such calamities indicate Allah’s wrath; there is evident Azmaish for believers and Azaab for nonbelievers in it. As in medicine, a course of treatment follows the diagnosis of an illness - the only remedy to emerge out of this situation is turning to Allah for Astaghfar and earn His mercy. Where do you see your organization five years down the road? Growth strategy, diversification and new initiatives in post COVID-19? Business adds a vertical and horizontal impact in people life. We are creating an ecosystem of business that aspires to become an Investment Bank with global presence adhering to truly Islamic principles. Enrichers Investment Group with its Research & Development team is working aggressively evaluating which branch yield longer term benefits among its existing subsidiaries which

are offering broad-spectrum of investment opportunities in real estate, financial markets, physical trade, and business brokerage. Which business practices you would recommend for our younger generation to follow? What are the three most important numbers in a firm’s financial statements for business survival/growth? I think I am just a third string to answer this question when we have great example of business principles taught by our Prophet Muhammad Rasool Allah ( ) Hazrat Abdul-Rehaman-bin Auf (R.A.), one of the richest Sahaba, and a business sensation in the world; under the guidelines of Prophet Muhammad Rasool Allah ( ) revealed his business practices as; 1. Never took a business loan 2. Never gave a business loan 3. Never wait for the higher profit or never stock things 4. Always proclaimed weakness of products (if any) Three most important numbers in firm’s financial statement for business survival for me are; 1. Human capital 2. Human capital 3. Human capital What’s the toughest decision you have ever made during pandemic COVID-19 and what did you learn from it? Alhamdulilah, our business increased in volume measurably and stayed under the success radar. Specifically, our primary financial business became a better fit between and soared through unstated expectations. On an ongoing basis, I really did not need to make any tough decision on account of the fact that our business created a lot of opportunities in these testing times. Who is your inspirational rolemodel? Unquestionably, Prophet Muhammad Rasool Allah ( )

is an inspiration for me and for entire world as Rehmatul-lilAlameen. He in the truest human capacity exalted the realm of consistency, consciousness, certainty, patience, persistence, spirituality, yaqeen, sabr, istaqlaal, tahamul, taleem, hikam, tazkiya and so on and so forth. His natural capacity of potential as a human being makes him a great role-model. You can never see any other example in the history before as he was made a sufficient example for all the humanity up to the end of this world. He is the biggest phenomenon in human life that can ever happen. Any message of optimism to the younger generation of CEOs, managers, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Younger generation is hijacked culturally, morally and religiously. Technology, science, AI are closely intact with each other but there is a large vacuum of religion in it that needs to be filled. Being wellinformed and knowledgeable is conceived mistakenly as a synonym of each other by our younger generation. You can be a person who is well-informed yet lack knowledge of your own conscience. It is important to gain and absorb knowledge by holding our roots tight only then can our young generation can lead effectively and do wonders.

I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT MOST EFFECTIVE TEAMS ARE THOSE WITH STRATEGIC CULTURE. CEO TODAY / 11

12 EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE

A Message - Voice Worth YOUR CONSIDERATION M. Taher Punjwani CEO, The Mechanica (Pvt) Ltd

PROFILE:

. Taher Punjwani is the Chief Executive Officer of The Mechanica (Pvt.) Ltd. It was incorporated in 1964 as a Company of Textile Engineers and Consultants. It represented major manufacturers of Polyester and Viscose fibres, machinery for spinning, weaving, textile processing / finishing, non-woven products etc. Most of these companies were of the USA and some also of Europe and South Korea. Punjwani on the strength of his all-round knowledge introduced in Pakistan in the decade of 70s new technologies of shuttle less looms, indigo dyeing for denim, non-woven products, polypropylene ropes, needle looms and glass fibre items like water tanks now seen on building roofs all over the Country. After his College education in Karachi, he qualified as a Textile Technologist from Manchester, the birth place of Textile Industrial Revolution. After working for 3 years in the Textile Industry in Pakistan he was selected for one year’s training Programme in Textile Engineering in the USA. He received his training in the Works of Machinery manufacturers and the World’s largest Textile Mills which were otherwise not even open to visitors. Further on the merits of his knowledge he was involved in the Research and Development departments both in Works and Textile Mills. This was a unique experience and his singular achievement. In 1981, he established a composite Knitwear Plant in Karachi with 1000 employees. The planning and the quality of knitwear manufactured received commen-

dations of all visitors from the overseas and a guidance for other entrepreneurs. He also setup a cutting & stitching operation in Doha, Qatar in 1995 with 350 employees. Until Mechanica’s entry in the knitwear, Pakistan exported mostly low quality T-shirts as promotional items. Putting Pakistan in the trajectory of Exporting the quality knitwear was not a small achievement. To manufacture better Knitwear he had to get proper hosiery yarn spun, better knitting machines manufactured in small Works in Faisalabad and Dyeing machines in Karachi. For producing and exporting the quality knitwear with local and inexpensive Pakistani machinery, Punjwani earned the respect of being called FATHER OF PAKISTAN KNITWEAR INDUSTRY. Once, in the USA Textile field he was known as MR. TEXTILES and in the Far East TEXTILE ICON in appreciation of his suggestions in making changes in machinery. At present The Mechanica has a Plant of recycling of cotton wastes in Korangi Karachi. Only in May 2019, he was awarded FELLOWSHIP (CText FTI), the highest level of professional qualification of the prestigious The Textile Institute of Manchester. Besides his Textile expertise he is well read and scholarly interests in history, religion, and literature and from time to time he contributes articles and Letters to the Editors. He was a founder Director of the Emirates Global Islamic Bank until its merger with another Bank which is now known as Al Baraka Bank.

CEO TODAY / 13

COVID-19 & CEO CLUB PAKISTAN

nstinctively and with intelligence we know that this onslaught and menace of Corona Virus will become a page in the mankind’s saga, but when? This uncertainty triggers stress on the nerves of those who have and on the needs of have nots. It is opportune to draw from the inspiring words of Winston Churchill at the end of his radio speech on the eve of the fall of France, the second most powerful Empire of the time within six weeks of Nazis German’s blitz:

GOOD NIGHT THEN, SLEEP TOGETHER STRENGTH FOR THE MORNING, FOR THE MORNING WILL COME, BRIGHTLY IT WILL SHINE ON THE BRAVE AND TRUE, KINDLY ON THOSE WHO SUFFER FOR THE CAUSE AND GLORIOUSLY UPON TOMBS OF THE HEROS; THUS WILL SHINE THE DAWN These words would have gone as a mere rhetoric had it been not sustained and executed with realistic perception, strategy, toil, sweat and blood. A CEO is neither a preacher nor a pir to wish evil away. To go forward a CEO must understand the new reality and restructure his/her Organisation, rededicate and reset a new goal. This is the best of time for CEOs of a Corporation to let employees feel a part of extended family with considerations and compassion and let CEOs of States ponder on the words of Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz:

DEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT TRANSFORMING THE ECONOMY.

CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)

M. TAHER PUNJWANI & HIS BOOKS

unjwani’s friend while referring to the ambiance of his small library said “… entering into his library is like walking back in the history and the atmosphere is serene and peaceful like of an astan or ashram. One immediately gets into the reflective mood and the subjects of his books are like a rainbow.” From Das Kapital of Karl Marx on the other spectrum are books of great Persian poets and Khalil Gibran. Mr. Punjwani does not read or write Urdu but on his shelves he has books in English on Allama Iqbal, Ghalib and Faiz. On the history side the books of great historian Arnold Toynbee, 6 volumes of Winston Churchill’s war memoirs and even Hitler’s Mein Kampf. And this is besides books of philosophers like Bertrand Russell and other great intellectuals. On Islam, English translation of Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Muntakhab Ahadith – a selection from Kutub Al Sittah and a book on the great Sufi soul Rabia Basri. Biographies of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Quaid-e-Azam, Albert Einstein, Napolean, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and others. Of course, his shelves are not without books of Charles Dickens, Dostoevsky and Leo Trotsky. One of his favourite subjects is the history of religions and therefore there are few books written even by atheists and agnostics. This speaks of his versatile personality. A brilliant man and a brilliant conversationalist, with his anecdotes and a keen sense of humour, his conversation becomes lively and a listener would not like to stop him talking. Let me share a few samples: • History is an agreed upon fable! Buddha after his years of meditation proclaimed in an unambiguous words that there is “nothing”, no God, no life after death, no reward or punishment still Buddhism is considered and respected as a major Religion and Buddha a Prophet. • Ghalib – his work is like MRI of man’s emotions, aspirations, delusions, loneliness and wilderness. • The Quaid-e-Azam’s jihad was for the justice of Indian Muslims and other down-trodden minorities and now it is almost unanimously agreed that India was divided because of the leadership of then the Congress was in the hands of political pigmies like Gandhi and Nehru. History repeated when the people who mattered in West Pakistan were not farsighted enough to grasp the situation and thus another tragedy of separation of East and West Pakistan. With these two historical facts in our front; has the cross section of the Establishment learnt the lesson? What is not fair does not last. Punjwani, a student of Textile Technology and Textile Engineering in which he excelled; made a mark in so many other fields. Still, in his words “like the most others I too had my disappointments and wishes unfulfilled still living a glorious and eventful life for which I could not pay back to the society as my contribution. I also remain indebted for all the kindness and affection I received from the four corners of the Globe. In this difficult time of Corona Virus and what we may call eco-virus (economic fall-out), we CEOs have the responsibility to be optimist but first we should comprehend new realities. In this trying time if we have not learnt to be more compassionate, than we have wasted our time regardless of what we read and write.”

CEO TODAY / 15

16 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Believe in Pakistan Muhammad Safder FCA Partner Tariq Abdul Ghani Maqbool and Co. & CEO, Prismatic Technologies Limited

CEO Today: Please share your professional journey in a nutshell. Muhammad Safder: It all began in 1999. After becoming a member of ICAP, I started my practice in 2005 and have expanded my firm across different cities. A year ago, I started my own software house because Information technology is the future and businesses with focus on technology will sustain. Being a chartered accountant and a technologist please share your views regarding the impact of lockdown on small businesses during COVID-19 and how can they survive through such depressing times? The main concern of the small business in COVID-19 is managing their cost of operation and bringing it back to operations. In this crisis, only the firms who have a strong technology base will survive and companies on the virtual horizon will flourish through after these testing times. Small businesses will have to think strategically and focus on their financial strategy. There is no panacea to fit all; they must rely on their own experiences to keep their business functional and draw their own model visualizing the challenges they have to face in future. Many new startup businesses face problems with their cash flow management. What are the strategies that they must consider in solving this problem? Whenever a young entrepreneur comes up with an idea; he/she usually thinks that he can manage everything on his own and they ignore the fact that a business needs a bouquet of skills to sustain in the market. In my view, he must have a 5-year strategy on how and

where they will take up the business and how they will survive the competition. They must draw their plan and strategy on a piece of paper, and make it feasible on paper first, testing it for multiple scenarios, before jumping into real world challenges. Since you’re a mentor as well, please suggest what we should do during and post COVID-19 where there is a lot of uncertainty and the landscape is unclear? The advice would be to curtail your expenses, especially which are fixed and recurring. Let things settle down a bit. But this is no time to sit idle, we should utilize this time for planning and preparing ourselves for future challenges and opportunities. Optimistic people are those who look for an opportunity in the problem. Therefore, we must first plan to survive as in such pandemic’s survival means half success and for the remaining part you would be the king of your story. Pakistan is facing a major crisis; joblessness. Companies pay very minimum to a competent person. Do you think of it as an exploitation of resources or an opportunity? A businessman will always look for a way to optimize his expenses. However, I will suggest they pay what your employee deserves and do not take advantage of their situation, if you do, they will not stay for longer. Retention is the key to a successful company; no business can survive with a high employee turnover because human assets are the most valuable asset in an organization. The longer the employees’ association with the company; the more valuable they are. “Old is gold” is perfectly true for your human assets.

What is your take on Leadership in Crisis? Leaders are always there but their competence emerges in time of crisis. A true leader will always look through the ways to sustain their business during a crisis. He plans for the future and builds strategies to make business and its people to flourish. How did you spend your time in the quarantine? Did you engage in any sort of activity? I usually spend my time in book reading; recently I have started a new book Catalyst by Johan Berger and I am trying to finish it. Other than that, I have spent my time in planning and developing strategies to triumph into the digital world. How do you define success? Well, I think before dreaming to be a successful person; you must believe that you will be successful. If you are not in the fear of failure, then believe me there is nothing in this world which you cannot achieve. Choose a field which you want to pursue and then think where you want to be in the next 5 years. Be determined where you want to be and try to achieve it wholeheartedly. What is your message of hope and optimism to the youth of Pakistan? This world has seen way bigger challenges than this pandemic COVID-19 e.g. world wars, cyclones and plagues etc. To emerge successfully out of this, we first must make sure we survive this pandemic and then plan for businesses survival. If you survive, you have won the war. Do not be impatient or lose hope; instead focus on planning for the future which will be brighter than earlier.

CEO TODAY / 17

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Stories of COVID-19 a family and as a Group are commit“tedWetoasplaying our part in helping solve the most

pressing issues of our time by helping our country overcome this pandemic. I pray that this aids the relief efforts and helps to reverse the tide of this pandemic

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HUSSAIN DAWOOD

Chairman, Dawood Hercules

HUSSAIN DAWOOD, HIS FAMILY AND ENGRO/DAWOOD HERCULES GROUP PLEDGE PKR 1 BILLION TO COMBAT COVID-19

riven by an undeniable responsibility and its fundamental values, the Dawood Hercules Group and Engro Corporation are committed to solving some of today’s most pressing issues faced by Pakistan. Mr. Hussain Dawood, Chairman Dawood Hercules Corporation and Engro Corporation, has pledged PKR 1 billion on behalf of his Family and Group companies to support COVID-19 relief efforts on the below mentioned multiple fronts, as identified by a comprehensive research conducted by its member company Inbox Technologies: • disease prevention, with a major focus on testing and diagnostics; • protecting and enabling healthcare practitioners and

18 / CEO TODAY

other key workers, who are at the frontline of the fight against this pandemic; • enabling patient care and facilities; and, • bolstering livelihoods and sustenance of those most in need. A high-level Steering Committee comprising top leadership and decision makers from across the Group, including Dawood Hercules Corporation, Reon Energy and Engro, has been formed to plan, execute and monitor the impact of various interventions under the Hussain Dawood Pledge. The Group firmly believes that we can only be successful if we stand together. The Group-wide approach and close collaboration has helped it to leverage the diverse nature of business-

es and combined expertise of The Dawood Foundation and Engro Foundation in philanthropic activities, to maximize the impact of Hussain Dawood Pledge initiatives. Over the last two months, several implementation partners have been taken onboard to carry out projects aimed at reducing the spread and impact of the virus Engro Energy Limited has made a PKR 50 million donation to the Government of Sindh Corona Emergency Fund to support the provincial government’s fight against the pandemic. In the area of disease prevention, Engro Fertilizers has provided PKR 95 million in financial assistance to The Indus Hospital for “Sindh Screening Program – Free of Cost” campaign. Under this initiative, the Company has

intubation boxes. For this initiative, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial governments were engaged to identify short medical supplies, most-impacted areas and health institutions that required urgent support in the battle against COVID-19. Reon Energy and Engro Fertilizers have also worked closely with Sehat Kahani, a leading e-health solution provider, to use its telemedicine platform to promote quality healthcare for all amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the initiative, Sehat Kahani will be supported with the addition of 100 more doctors to the telemedicine app for greater number of virtual consultations. This purpose-driven partnership with Sehat Kahani aims to benefit citizens by democratizing healthcare access through integration of technology and innovative solutions, while also reducing the spread of COVID-19 due to no physical contact. To promote the well-being of vulnerable and marginalized segments of the society in Pakistan on a sustainable basis, Engro Foundation has signed a three-year Memorandum of Cooperation with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Under the cooperation agreement, the organizations will also explore opportunities to support the Government of Pakistan’s poverty alleviation

program for deserving families, whose incomes have been adversely affected by the coronavirus lockdowns. Engro Foundation will be representing the philanthropic endeavors and mission of The Dawood Foundation and its affiliates as well. Both organizations will also evaluate other areas of mutual interest, such as nutrition, agriculture development, financial inclusion, women empowerment, and health of mothers and children. In addition to program specific cooperation, the organizations will benefit from shared experience and learnings related to grantmaking, including strategy development, grant implementation and operational support. Further, Engro Fertilizers, Engro Powergen Qadirpur and Thar Foundation have also supported the district authorities and local communities through ration distribution and converting their facilities to quarantine centers. In the coming days, the PKR 1 billion Hussain Dawood Pledge is expected to announce more initiatives and partnerships with reputable organizations to alleviate the COVID-19 crisis.

YOU GET BY “ WHAT ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU BECOME BY ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS - ZIG ZIGLAR

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sponsored The Indus Hospital Network to expand COVID-19 testing capacity across rural Sindh, including Ghotki, Larkana, Nawabshah, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Tharparkar and Badin. Further, Engro Foundation – the social investment arm of Engro Corporation – has also provided PKR 60 million in financial assistance to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre to expand COVID-19 testing capacity across Southern Punjab, including Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar. These testing interventions will help in early detection and control of local virus transmission, and strengthen the health sector to cope with the ongoing pandemic. To protect frontline healthcare practitioners, the Engro Vopak and Engro Elengy Terminal teams have worked tirelessly with Engro Foundation to donate 459,000 units of personal protective equipment (PPE) worth PKR 100 million. In the first phase, 104,000 units of protective gear worth PKR 20 million have already been delivered to 12 hospitals & medical centres in Karachi, Thar, Multan, Lahore, Gujrat, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Muzzafargarh, Quetta and Mardan. The donated protective equipment includes face masks, safety gowns, face shields, surgical gloves and

CEO TODAY / 19

We will continue to represent all that makes us “Telenor, connecting Pakistanis to what matters

most to them; and we will do so with compassion, with empathy and with unwavering courage as we remain committed to helping those around us. I truly believe that the future will be brighter and our people will come out stronger.

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IRFAN WAHAB KHAN

CEO, Telenor Pakistan and Chairman, Telenor Microfinance Bank

TELENOR CONTINUES TO STAND WITH FELLOW CITIZENS BY PLEDGING PKR 1.6 BILLION TOWARDS COVID RELIEF EFFORTS!

midst the COVID-19 pandemic, Telenor has stood by Pakistan, and is living up to its purpose of connecting people to what matters most, and now committing to more. As the current situation does not warrant business as usual, Telenor Pakistan and Telenor Microfinance Bank have gone over and beyond and pledged PKR 1.6 billion, in cash and kind, towards COVID-19 relief efforts. The in-kind contribution has commenced through provision of subsidized and free services and offers and add-ons for telecom and banking consumers. Telenor has donated PKR 50 million to the Prime Minister’s COVID 19 Relief Fund. During the meeting, Irfan Wahab Khan highlighted Telenor’s commitment to the country and reiterated its support to the government and the people of Pakistan in these trying times. Honorable Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked Telenor for lending its full support to the country and its people during this crisis; and appreciated this contribution towards the relief fund, and organization’s continued efforts towards connecting people and creating a profound socioeconomic impact in Pakistan. In collaboration with Pakistan Red Crescent,

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Telenor is providing Personal Protective Equipment to the real heroes – the doctors, health workers and law enforcement professionals. Telenor is making significant efforts towards e-learning by collaborating with Ministry of Information Technology and Virtual University of Pakistan under the DigiSkills Program to provide affordable access to youth; and providing free access to LinkedIn Learning platform on first come first serve basis to those looking to upskill themselves in order to find employment. Continuing with its tradition of over 5 years now, this Ramzan, Telenor Pakistan’s annual #ShareYourMeal campaign, which is always centered on bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots, will be focusing on donating food and ration to the people affected during the lockdown. Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan and Chairman Telenor Microfinance Bank said, “Many of our countrymen are feeling vulnerable, worried, and confused as the real effects of the current situation begin to show face. That’s exactly where we have a responsibility to stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow citizens and create hope. Today, more than ever before, I am extreme-

ly proud of the employees of Telenor who have donated their salaries towards this noble cause. It was heartening to know that all employees felt honored to have the opportunity to give back to the country that has given them so much.” Telenor Microfinance Bank and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal have expanded their partnership towards supporting widows and differently abled persons through Easypaisa. The Bank has also collaborated with Zakat and Ushr Department of the Government of Punjab to digitally disburse Zakat funds of PKR 1.5 billion to 170,000 most vulnerable beneficiaries in a convenient and safe manner. To facilitate Easypaisa users, Corona Health Services facility is being launched that provides comprehensive coverage in case of Coronavirus hospitalization and Corona updates have been launched in the Easypaisa App to spread awareness and provide regular updates on the pandemic.

. Mudassar Aqil, President & CEO, Telenor Microfinance Bank / Easypaisa said, “Pakistan currently faces a dynamic situation which is evolving day by day. It is now more important than ever for the entire country to stand together in the face of this emergency. The on-going crisis has highlighted the real importance of digital payments and mobile wallets. Through our digital payment’s platform, we are facilitating the Government in disbursing cash relief payments and helping charitable organizations in collection of donations. We are also helping community-based initiatives to raise funds for COVID-19 relief and supporting the efforts being undertaken by the Government in this regard. It has become the responsibility M. MUDASSAR AQIL of all organizations and individuals alike to become part of President & CEO, Telenor a greater effort and stand by our nation during these diffiMicrofinance Bank / Easypaisa cult times. We believe it to be our duty to contribute towards the relief efforts in whatever way we can and will continue to do so”. In addition to urging its 46 million customers to donate to the Prime Minister’s Corona Relief Fund through SMS short code, Telenor is coming together to raise funds for the nation by directly and voluntarily contributing through employee individual salaries which will be matched by the organizations; reallocating budgets from annual activities and earmarking substantial amount on top, to add to the donation pool. Always ready to step up as a socially responsible organization, Telenor has remained at the forefront of assisting Pakistanis in their time of need, responding to the call of natural, man-made and conflict emergencies by targeting specific and un-met needs of the affected.

CEO TODAY / 21

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This is the time for businesses to foster a close alliance with the government and civil society as we come together for the benefit of our nation. It will take an effort by each Pakistani to prioritize the wellbeing of society for us to defeat the Coronavirus. Unilever has been part of Pakistan’s journey since 1948 and in the face of this crisis, we are committed to help protect the lives of people in the country.

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AMIR PARACHA

Chairman & CEO, Unilever Pakistan

UNILEVER PAKISTAN PLEDGES RS 200 MILLION

TOWARDS CORONAVIRUS RELIEF EFFORTS

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The Company will invest Rs 15 million for a public awareness campaign to be organized across the country. Through tv, digital and print messaging, the company will share WHO advised protocols to educate people about the means of prevention of Coronavirus. Part of this money will be used for the setting up of handwash stations in public spaces across Pakistan. Amir Paracha, Chairman and CEO, Unilever Pakistan said, “This is the time for businesses to foster a close alliance with the government and civil society as we come together for the benefit of our nation. It will take an effort by each Pakistani to prioritize the wellbeing of society for us to defeat the Coronavirus. Unilever has been part of Pakistan’s journey since 1948 and in the face of this crisis, we are committed to help protect the lives of people in the country.”

DEFINES US IS HOW “ WHAT WELL WE RISE AFTER FALLING.

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nilever Pakistan has pledged Rs 200 Million towards coronavirus relief efforts in the country. The commitment includes wide-ranging measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic, which threatens the health of the citizens and economic wellbeing of the country. As part of this pledge, the company will contribute Rs 100 million worth of hygiene and sanitation products, which includes, 2 million bars of Lifebuoy soap as well as Domex’s range of sanitation products to hospitals, Government and civil society bodies working towards the prevention and control of the pandemic. Unilever Pakistan will provide Rs 45 million in monetary donations to government bodies and healthcare facilities. This money will be used to upgrade healthcare facilities required to manage the outbreak, as well as for the procurement of testing kits and protective personnel equipment which is a critical necessity during this time. Unilever Pakistan will give Rs 40 million in monetary donations for the distribution of rations and essential products to the people most in need.

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PTCL Group including Ufone, U Microfinance Bank and PTCL have undertaken numerous measures to provide support to the people in these unprecedented times. A major portion of this package will provide subsidized and free of cost services to customers, so that they are able to stay connected virtually.

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RASHID KHAN

President & CEO, PTCL

PTCL GROUP FIGHTS AGAINST CORONAVIRUS WITH PKR 1.9 BILLION RELIEF & SUPPORT PACKAGE

TCL Group, one of the country’s largest telecom groups and backbone of connectivity in Pakistan, has undertaken a comprehensive Coronavirus relief and support effort worth PKR 1.9 Billion. The package aims to help people across the country to stay connected and it will also provide access to facilities, mainly food and healthcare, to the most vulnerable communities. PTCL Group including Ufone, U Microfinance Bank and PTCL have undertaken numerous measures to provide support to the people in these unprecedented times. A major portion of this package will provide subsidized and free of cost services to customers, so that they are able to stay connected virtually. Foreseeing a surge in internet usage nationwide during the pandemic, PTCL immediately expanded its submarine internet capacity significantly to ensure seamless connectivity, for both retail and corporate customers. Moreover, the Group is proud of its 12,000+ front24 / CEO TODAY

line workers, who are ensuring country’s connectivity and business continuity round the clock, even in the remote and far flung areas of the country. Through their PTCL Razakaar Trust, the employees of PTCL and Ufone have voluntarily donated part of their salaries to help in the relief efforts. A nationwide drive is underway to provide monthly ration to over 7000 families across all provinces including Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In addition to that, in-kind support is being provided to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in the form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for front-line workers, to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for its quarantine facility in Rawalpindi and to the Shaukat Khanum Research Center for purpose of augmenting its testing facilities. Both PTCL and Ufone are providing free calls on Coronavirus Helplines including Ufone’s collaboration with Pakistan Red Crescent’s toll-free Helpline 1030, where over 38,000

calls have been answered and over 12,000 volunteers have registered from the country. PTCL also raised public awareness on Coronavirus in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and International Rescue Committee (IRC). Similarly, U Microfinance Bank is estimating to receive and honor requests for liquidity relief for nearly 100,000 loan customers through the deferment of their loans. To support the government, PTCL is also providing connectivity to hospitals, Rescue 1122, Federal & Provincial governments, along with Law Enforcement Agencies including Police, Sindh Rangers, Pakistan Coast Guards, amongst others. PTCL has also set up Call Center infrastructure related to Coronavirus for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan governments. PTCL Group stands steadfast with the nation during this crisis while the safety, security and well-being of customers and all stakeholders remains its top priority.

have been at the forefront of solving “ We every crisis in Pakistan for the past 25 years. The COVID-19 is no exception in stepping up our national responsibility.

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AAMIR IBRAHIM CEO, Jazz

JAZZ PLEDGES RS 1.2 BILLION SUPPORT TO COVID-19 RELIEF

he coronavirus pandemic continues to affect lives across Pakistan. Thousands have tested positive and millions are facing the impact of an economic slowdown. In these testing times, Pakistan’s largest digital communications company, Jazz, has pledged PKR Rs1.2 billion for relief efforts across Pakistan. As part of this immediate rollout, Jazz is supporting leading welfare organizations across Pakistan. This includes partnering up with the Edhi Foundation to provide food rations to over 15,000 families across Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. It also includes a partnership with the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC), through which Jazz provided PKR 8 million to fund for 1000 COVID-19 tests. Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim stated, “We have been at the fore-

front of solving every crisis in Pakistan for the past 25 years. The COVID-19 is no exception in stepping up our national responsibility. As a digital company, we have a huge role to play in keeping the economy advancing through online connectivity. This global crisis is unprecedented in its scale, and our prayers are with those who are suffering.” Furthermore, for its customers, JazzCash is providing free money transfer to any other mobile wallet or a bank account. Uninterrupted and subsidized high-speed data bundles have also been designed to address the need of customers working from home. In partnership with the government, Jazz is creating targeted assistance for the overwhelmed health sector and ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for its 61 million customers A significant part of the support is aimed towards provid-

ing zero-rated and subsidized services to access emergency care, medical helplines, mental wellbeing helpline, and critical health applications, which have been either marked-down or made free for customers under this coronavirus relief effort. Jazz also presented a cheque of PKR 50 million to the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund. The cheque was presented to PM Imran Khan by Aamir Ibrahim specifically for health relief and food rations. As part of the pledge, Jazz was the first company to announce a matching grants program whereby the company will match the amounts donated by its customers as well as employees who voluntarily donated up to 3 days of their salaries to the COVID Relief Fund. Jazz’s prayers are with the people of Pakistan. Together we will emerge triumphant. CEO TODAY / 25

EBM has made a commitment to support the “ government in its efforts to provide food and relief to millions of deserving households during lockdown.

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DR. ZEELAF MUNIR MD & CEO, EBM

EBM MAKES A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION TO PAKISTAN’S FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

s the nation struggles to overcome this global pandemic, EBM is playing its part in helping to minimize its impact and ensure socio-economic sustainability. As the leading manufacturer of high-quality food products in Pakistan, EBM has undertaken the great responsibility to ensure the safety & health of the nation through its generous developmental initiatives. EBM’s products continue to promise quality nutrition to consumers all over the country, especially during current corona-virus crisis. The company has also adopted extensive preventive measures and social-distancing practices to be implemented in all its production and supply chain facilities. It is conscientiously conducting advanced screenings and thermal scanning of employees that are in compliance with WHO & NDMA advisories, besides regular briefing sessions with experts. Even though it is currently operating with only the most essen26 / CEO TODAY

tial staff, the company remains committed towards ensuring job-security for its work-force during this crisis. The Managing Director & CEO of EBM - Dr Zeelaf Munir stated that: “The humanitarian spirit of our brand is reflected in its broadbased philanthropic gestures. In order to ease the suffering of our communities, whose health or livelihood has been greatly affected by the pandemic, EBM has created a 350 million Rupees fund for the sole purpose of providing relief against Covid-19. This donation is expected to aid the government, healthcare organizations and NGOs in ‘flattening-the-curve’. As part of this initiative, an additional PKR 100 million was presented as a donation to the PM’s Ehsas Emergency Cash program, while another 20 million Rupees were granted to the Sindh government’s COVID Relief Fund.” EBM has also collaborated with other reputable organizations and benevolent individuals to donate advanced medical equipment to hospitals as well as dis-

tribute groceries and food to the most vulnerable segments of the society. In-kind donations worth more than 200 Million Rupees have also been made to help provide rations & relief to over 2.5 million households in partnership with 50 credible NGOs. EBM has also launched informative campaigns & Public-Service Messaging to help spread awareness, mitigate fear and inspire the masses with its ‘Sooper Hai Pakistan’ narrative, thereby guiding the nation to adopt a safer, hygienic lifestyle with social-distancing. Through this campaign, the organization hopes to facilitate frontline forces in the war against COVID-19 by appreciating their efforts and applaud them for putting their lives on the line to protect the nation. It is heartwarming to see some of the country’s most powerful brands contributing valuable resources to help the needy and induce positive change in the lives of common people, all for a brighter future.

is by far Pakistan’s largest digital and “ WEBDOC online doctor’s consultancy platform Via Voice

Video and chat. All the WEBDOC doctors are employees of the company and PMC certified , experienced and trained to provide services over the phone, Video and chats.

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ASIM ZIA ALAM

FOUNDER & CEO, WEBDOC

COVID 19 & ROLE OF WEBDOC

EBDOC is proud to have over 7 Million subscribers in 3 years of their business life. The company believe in collaborations and partnerships hence they have collaborated with major telecom , micro finance institutions, Banks and other corporate organizations to provide them as well as their customer Quality Doctors services in lowest prices to make it affordable all year along. WEBDOC is not only providing healthcare services to urban communities but also getting into people’s lives. Working in the rural areas of Pakistan which needs most of the healthcare services and at the moment either have no or very limited access to qualified Doctors and affordability is another issue, WEBDOC has taken step

to cater their needs. Services as low as Rs. 1 per day per family to connect to Doctors has ease the community’s worries for healthcare. Understanding the challenges in rural communities and lack of access to Veterinary Doctors WEBDOC introduced Vet Doctor Services Via Voice, Video and chat. The service became so popular that in less than a year WEBDOC on boarded over 2 Million subscribers paying as low as Rs. 1 per day for the healthcare access of their Livestock which is as important as their own healthcare in rural communities. Similarly lack of information and low literacy rate in Pakistan never allowed the small framers to get best out of their agriculture land and they are far beyond the latest techniques and education agri-

culture has been through in last decade in the modern world. COVID 19 & Role of WEBDOC During the pandemic COVID 19 , WEBDOC has been on front line serving over 30 thousand people every day. WEBDOC has contributed massively to provide precautionary measure, informative services and doctors expert advice on COVID 19. WEBDOC has proudly served over a MILLION people FREE OF COST during the pandemic and continue to do so to bring awareness and safety among fellow citizens. WEBDOC is proud that COVID information and services are FREE of COST on our Voice channel. We have also contributed by bringing underwriters on lowest cost for secure the health financial risks of people during the pandemic. CEO TODAY / 27

“We are facing a health emergency that is changing the world, however; being a responsible corporate citizen, PSO is engaging all its resources to assist the authorities in wiping out COVID-19.

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SYED MUHAMMAD TAHA

MD & CEO, Pakistan State Oil (PSO)

PSO CONTRIBUTES RS 71 MILLION FOR CORONA RELIEF ACTIVITIES.

28 / CEO TODAY

responsible corporate citizen, PSO is engaging all its resources to assist the authorities in wiping out COVID-19. Our Board of Management, management team and employees are taking all imperative measures to aid the government and people constructively in curbing the effects of this global disaster”. The Chairman, Board PSO, Zafar I. Usmani, praised PSO’s contribution to the relief fund.

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TO BE YOURSELF IN A WORLD THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE YOU SOMETHING ELSE IS THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT - RALPH WALDO EMERSO

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akistan State Oil (PSO) stands with the nation amid Corona pandemic, contributes Rs 71 Million for relief activities. PSO, Pakistan’s largest Oil Marketing Company, stands by its commitment to serve the nation. PSO has donated Rs. 71 million to provide support and relief to the underprivileged segments of society affected by Corona across the country. Out of the Rs 71 million package, Rs. 50 million has been contributed to the Prime Minister’s Corona Relief Fund. MD & CEO PSO Syed Muhammad Taha and Chairman, BOM, PSO, Zafar I Usmani, called on the Prime Minister Imran Khan and presented the cheque. The remaining Rs. 21 million is donated to hospitals for procurement of protective and medical equipment, distribution of ration bags across the country and free fuel supplies to ambulances. MD & CEO PSO, Syed Muhammad Taha has ensured the company’s and its employees’ continuing commitment to stand firm to support the nation in the face of this calamity. Expressing his views, he said: “I want to thank all the employees for the contribution they have made. We are facing a health emergency that is changing the world, however; being a

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In this global crisis of Novel Coronavirus outbreak which has badly affected almost every individual on this earth. I pray and hope that all our AAAFM family, our clients and the whole nation remains safe and healthy and doing well in this hour of Global Pandemic.We stand as One Nation against the fight of Coronavirus.

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SYED SALMAN ALI

CEO, AAA Facility Management Pvt. Ltd

PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY AAAFM IN COVID-19!

he Management of tion. I salute all these emtion – (WHO) and use the AAAFM has been careployees. medicine for disinfection as fully keeping an eye on • Work From Home: All our approved by US Environthe rapidly changing conditions employees are assigned mental Protection Agency. and taking all necessary meatheir duties with work from We feel great honor to prosures to cope with the situation home to comply with the vide these Services to a large in such a way to; Social Distancing advised Corporate Local and Multi• Keep Our Employees Safe by Health Experts. Our Finational Organizations. And Healthy: Awareness nance and HR Teams tire- • Corporate Social Responsiand Training sessions conlessly worked for the prepability: Further as we took an ducted to all of our employration and disbursement initiative to offer “Compliees deputed on our Clients of salaries to our staff Namentary Disinfection Spray facilities and also to Staff tionwide through E-BankServices against COVID-19” of our Head Office for the ing Systems. Supply Chain to large number of Masajid, usage of respective PPEs, Team is also doing a very Churches, Imambargahs, Sanitizer, frequent proper difficult job of fulfilling the Temples, Orphanages and handwashing with soap and necessary material, parts Social Welfare Organization disinfecting of Touchable demand of our client’s facilinvolved in distributing of Surfaces. ities. Food to poor people. This • Continue Our Services • Disinfection Spray Services gives us satisfaction to conTo Essential Organization Against COVID-19: In tribute our part in this critiDuring Lockdown time: this difficult time AAAFM cal time of Pandemic As most of our clients are standout to fulfill its Pro- • Last but not least a large Banks, Pharmaceuticals & fessional and Social renumber of staff successfulPetroleum Companies so sponsibility. As Fumigation ly accomplished the Trainit was a great challenge for Service is one of the Part ing on “COVID-19: Operaus to continue our services of our Integrated Facility tional Planning Guidelines to these clients. I have all Management Services so and COVID-19 Partners appreciation for our REAL we immediately started the Platform to support country HEROES who are doing a Disinfection Spray Services preparedness and response” great job maintaining their against COVID-19 followconducted by WHO - World routine attendance with ading the guidelines of the Health Organization. ditional work of disinfecWorld Health OrganizaCEO TODAY / 29

“As a responsible national company, JS Bank is “

committed to supporting the leaders in the fight against COVID-19.

BASIR SHAMSIE

President & CEO, JS Bank

JS BANK AND CLIENTS DEPLOY 110 MILLION FUND FOR IMMEDIATE COVID-19 RESPONSE Responding to the unprecedented challenges faced by the nation by the Corona Virus (COVID-19), JS Bank has established a 110 Million Rs fund in association with key partners to help address the impact of the pandemic during the month of April. Based on a pledge matching initiative wherein JS Bank equally matched all support pledges made by its partners, this fund is rooted in JS Bank’s philanthropic philosophy of collaborative efforts and will focus on addressing some of the immediate and long-term issues related to the pandemic. The three-tiered strategy will revolve primarily on providing immediate relief, pandemic control and future response capacity building. The first phase will focus on provision of rations and necessities worth 30 Million Rs to food insecure families while the second phase will see distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and donations worth 50 Million Rs to medical and other frontline institutions including non-governmental organizations. Understanding the necessity of a long-term solution, the third phase of the program will 30 / CEO TODAY

focus on mitigating the long-term health impact of the virus through medical and technological Research and Development. The focus area will include studies on the transmission, evolution and impact of the virus on the Pakistani population including pregnant women with the overarching aim of developing a vaccine, improving the specificity and sensitivity of diagnostic kits and development of rapid testing kits. ‘This is a global pandemic and as a responsible corporate entity, it is our duty to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Pakistan in this hour of need.’ said Basir Shamsie, President & CEO, JS Bank. He added, ‘We are thankful to the Government of Pakistan, the medical fraternity and all other parties who are playing a critical role in combating this disease. We would also call upon other organizations to come forward and play their role in combating this disease.’ Committed towards its role as a catalyst towards the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, the Bank hopes to continue this journey of impact and will support Pakistan’s journey during these trying times.

We studied various successful models such as “those of China, South Korea and Singapore, and came to the conclusion that the most effective way to protect our employees is to test every single one of them.

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KHALID MAHMOOD MD & CEO, Getz Pharma

GETZ PHARMA TAKES THE LEAD IN COVID-19 RELIEF

e care for your health has been Getz Pharma’s mission since its inception in 1995. Honoring its mission in this time of need, Getz Pharma has decided to lead the way in protecting our heroes who are fighting on the frontline to save lives of the people of Pakistan. These heroes are the Health Care Providers (HCPs) who have largely remained unrecognized, unfunded and unprotected since the outbreak. Since the outbreak of COVID -19, the private sector’s commitment to the safety of its employees and the wider community is being put to test. Getz Pharma has emerged as the first and only organization in Pakistan to carry out COVID screening of its entire workforce. The only WHO accredited company in Pakistan will forgo 3% of the company’s net income by closing down its entire operations for 7 days. Speaking about this initiative, MD and CEO Getz Pharma, Khalid Mahmood said “We studied various successful models such as those of China, South Korea and Singapore, and came to the conclusion that the most effective way to protect our employees is to test every single one of them. We are shutting down our production facility completely to turn it into a large testing facility, testing over 400 employees every day for 5 days. Only after the entire facility is sanitized will the employees who tested negative be allowed

to come back.” As for those employees who tested positive, they have been sent home on paid leave, while their family members are also being tested at the company’s expense. These employees will be retested after 30 days, and will come back to work only after they recovered and have tested negative for Covid-19. The company regards this costly exercise as a necessary investment to safeguard the priceless lives of its employees who are tirelessly working to ensure the provision of medicines to patients even during these difficult times. So far, over 15,000 USFDA and CE approved testing kits and 3.4 million tablets of Hydroxychloroquine have been donated to various provincial governments of the country. The company has also been training government doctors to successfully implement COVID-19 testing protocols across the province. As a testament to the support for the frontline heroes, the company has already distributed over 33,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to hospitals and medical institutions across the country. Staying true to its values of care for its business associates and the wider community, the company is now extending its support to safeguard the entire health care fraternity for they are on the frontlines fighting this pandemic. Under its ‘Care for He-

roes’ initiative, the company is conducting Pakistan’s largest disinfection drive, covering over 8,000 clinics and 650 wards across the country. The magnitude of this outbreak is such that the government alone is not equipped to handle it, which is why the private sector needs to assist it in this time of crises. The outbreak of this virus has redefined the way companies are carrying out CSR; Getz Pharma is the first and only organization who has taken this initiative for the safety of its employees and if this practice is adopted by others in the private sector, we shall see containment of the virus very soon.

Getz Pharma

Getz Pharma is Pakistan’s leading pharmaceutical company with operations in over 25 countries. It is the only company whose manufacturing facility is Pre-qualified and approved by the World Health Organization, Geneva as well as member countries of PIC/S. Getz Pharma is the largest investor and the highest taxpayer in the pharmaceutical sector of Pakistan, and the 33rd highest taxpayer of Pakistan. It is also the highest exporter of pharmaceutical products and has received the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Export Trophy from the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan for 14 consecutive years. CEO TODAY / 31

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In the wake of this unprecedented global crisis, PepsiCo is at the forefront of providing assistance to the most vulnerable communities across the world. With-in Pakistan, Our ‘Millions of Meals’ program has now reached out to communities in all provinces of Pakistan and supporting them with the day to day nutrition needs.

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MR. FURQAN AHMED SYED CEO, PEPSICO PAKISTAN & AFGHANISTAN

MILLIONS OF MEALS

t the end of March 2020, just as the COVID pandemic was beginning to spread, PepsiCo Pakistan announced the launch of the ‘Millions of Meals’ programme. Through this programme, PepsiCo has partnered with reputed charitable organisations to make millions of meals available to communities nationwide that have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound economic impact on the lives of communities across the country. As economic activity is decelerated to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, an increasing number of people are faced with loss of income and earning opportunities. In these circumstances the need for nutrition becomes the foremost requirement. This emergency disaster relief program is a nationwide program that is being run with the help of charitable organizations that are active on the ground at the grassroots level. Two months into the response efforts, over 5.2 million meals have been distributed with the help of a formidable line up of some of the most respected charities in the

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country including; RIZQ and Association for Gender Awareness & Human Empowerment (AGAHE) in Punjab, Peoples Primary Health Initiative (PPHI) in Balochistan, The Orange Tree Foundation, Network of Organisations Working for People with Disabilities Pakistan (NOWPDP) and Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust (LRBT) in Sindh and Al-Khidmat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For the ‘Millions of Meals’ campaign PepsiCo has also partnered with The Ehsaas Ration Program run by the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division of the Government of Pakistan under the Prime Minister’s Ehsaas program to uplift marginalized people. The partnership is helping achieve the goals set for ‘Millions of Meals’ in the most efficient manner. The ‘Millions of Meals’ program is rooted in PepsiCo’s global vision of ‘Winning with Purpose’, the company’s commitment to do good for the planet and the communities it operates in. The ‘Millions of Meals’ program is partly funded by The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo. Beyond PepsiCo’s disaster relief efforts via the ‘Millions of Meals’

campaign, the company has a robust sustainability agenda. Earlier this year, PepsiCo announced its intention to invest Rs 775 million (US $5 million) for social impact programs in Pakistan over the next 3 years. The funds are being invested in programs that will help build a thriving future for Pakistan. One set of investments support the Government’s Clean Green Pakistan movement towards environmental sustainability by providing access to safe water for underserved communities, and replenishing ground water resources, ear the communities where the company operates with the help of implementing partner Water Aid. On the human development side, the company is expanding its existing support for youth employment and skills development with the help of an education start up – Amal Academy, this is in line with the Government’s Kamyab Jawan initiative. So far, 2,500 students have gone through the professional technical and soft skills training. 70 percent of job seeking students have received an employment offer within three months of graduating from the Program.

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This is the time for the business community to respond with a higher sense of duty and collaborate with welfare organizations and the government. Since our inception in 1955, we have witnessed varied crises in the nation’s history. Today we stand ever committed to ensure that we promote prevention and safety for everyone.

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FAHAD K CHINOY

CEO, PAKISTAN CABLES

PAKISTAN CABLES PARTNERS WITH KARACHI RELIEF TRUST (KRT) AND PLEDGES RS 2M TOWARDS CORONAVIRUS RELIEF EFFORTS frontline heroes, combating the corona virus head on. Fahd K. Chinoy, Chief Executive Officer, Pakistan Cables Limited said, “This is the time for the business community to respond with a higher sense of duty and collaborate with welfare organizations and the government. Since our inception in 1955, we have witnessed varied crises in the nation’s history. Today we stand ever committed to ensure that we promote prevention and safety for everyone.” About Pakistan Cables Ltd. Founded in 1953, Pakistan Cables is the oldest and most reputable cable manufacturer in Pakistan. It is the only wire and cable manufacturer listed on the PSX since 1955. The company has the largest geographical footprint in Pa-

kistan with presence in over 180 cities. It is ISO9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 AND OHSAS 18001:2007 certified and various cables type tested by KEMA, Netherlands.

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SUCCESS IN BUSINESS REQUIRES TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE AND HARD WORK. BUT IF YOU’RE NOT FRIGHTENED BY THESE THINGS, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE JUST AS GREAT TODAY AS THEY EVER WERE - DAVID ROCKEFELLER

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akistan Cables has pledged to support corona virus relief efforts to help flatten the curve. The commitment includes a donation of Rs. 2 million towards coronavirus relief efforts led by Karachi Relief Trust (KRT). KRT is distributing food ration to families, in Karachi and parts of Sindh, whose livelihoods are being impacted by the pandemic. The Company is investing in a digital public awareness campaign. Through digital messaging, the company logo has been expressing solidarity with the nation by supporting the message that social distancing, to whatever extent possible, is a critical precaution. The Company in its message has also paid tribute to the

CEO TODAY / 33

access to facilities providing better healthcare, means for education and provisions of livelihood

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Through Waseela’s community development “ project, families in low-income localities gain

MIKAIL KHAN

CEO, Raaziq Group of Companies

WASEELA: COMMUNITY BUILDING IN TIMES OF CRISES

f we talk about hard facts, Pakistan’s national poverty ratio is expected to surpass 40% this month, from 31.3% in June 2018, due to the economic readjustments in this time and the resulting challenges that have surfaced. The country has seen an increase in tariffs and taxes, drastic devaluation of currency, food inflation and rising costs of living in a time when employment opportunities have become fewer in a growing population. The icing on this largely unappetizing cake being the COVID-19 pandemic, with infections across the country growing daily in the thousands. Being faced with a situation like this is not only alarming, but quite intimidating as well if one considers it in its entirety, however, these kind of circumstances also provide an environment that hope and positivity thrive in if one is even slightly inclined towards them. Mikail Khan - CEO of Raaziq Group of Companies, is one such individual who underwent a lengthy and thorough intellection spaced over a couple of years, in which he tried to devise a progressive and sus34 / CEO TODAY

tainable solution that would go beyond providing momentary financial relief, and enable entire families to work towards a better way of living and a brighter future. He realized that the best way to bring ordinary people and people in positions of power together to participate in initiatives geared towards growth and prosperity was through community development. With this concept laying the groundwork for Waseela, a non-profit organization, Mikail hopes to start empowering residents of slum communities of Lahore through implementation of a replicable community-center based model and has pledged Rs 200 million for the pilot project. Bringing all members of a low-income community into its fold, Waseela aims to employ a 360-degree approach to uplift and provide them with sustainable, foresighted solutions tailored to their requirements. Waseela operates on the ideals of equal opportunity and rights for all and does not discriminate against the marginalized. It makes education a priority and provides access to better health-

care, among other things. Presently, Waseela is engaged in various COVID-relief activities, including ration drives and providing protective gear and equipment to frontliners in liaison with its partners. Going into areas such as Mian Mir Basti, Baja Lines and Dharampura, where daily-wage and low-income workers make up the majority of the population, these daily ration drives which started in March 2020 are providing relief to households facing financial strain and food insecurity. Food and ration have been distributed to over 5000 families in a highly systematic door-to-door manner, maintaining the principles of social distancing and hygiene. “There is a lot of work to be done, and we look forward to facing all sorts of challenges in the coming days. Pakistan has been going through some tumultuous times and it does not look like we’re coming out of them anytime soon, so it is up to us, its privileged citizens, to utilize our resources and abilities and come up with innovative solutions for problems unique to our populace,” says Mikail.

“ Lucky Cement has been continuously supporting initiatives pertinent to “

community development, health, environment and education.

LUCKY CEMENT DISTRIBUTED RATION BAGS IN THE RURAL AREAS UNDER ITS COVID-19 RELIEF PROGRAM

ucky Cement distributed 8,000 ration bags amongst the corona affected families in the rural areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Lucky Cement took the initiative of distribution of ration bags for the affected families. The ration bags were delivered to the people identified by local volunteers and through the elected members of the area.

ited amongst the top 10 most supportive brands of Pakistan which have contributed the most in supporting the country during this pandemic. The Covid-19 Relief Program specifically targets the rural and under-developed localities of Pakistan to support the marginalized communities. Similar to Lucky Cement Limited its group companies have also been actively participating in the relief work, a contribution of PKR. 20 Million The ration bags were distributed in several vil- into the Government of Sindh Corona Emergenlages including Qalandri, Chota Takwara, Bara cy Fund by Y.B. Pakistan Limited is one of the Takwara, Kheru Khel, Wanda Ahmed Khan, prime examples. Quresh Wanda Gulmir and Wanda Sharbat in the Districts of D.I Khan and Lakki Marwat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. And also in the villages of Sindh including Bakkar, Bushko, Jogi, Yamin, Abdul Hameed Goth, Raees Walidad and Khair Mohammad.

IT IS OUR ATTITUDE AT THE BEGINNING OF A DIFFICULT TASK WHICH, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, WILL AFFECTS ITS SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.

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Lucky Cement has been continuously supporting initiatives pertinent to community development, health, environment and education. In the current pandemic which has affected millions of people globally, the Company is determined to play its part as an industry leader for the people of Pakistan in these tough times. In this regard, IPSOS an independent France based Market Research Company has also declared Lucky Cement Lim-

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CEO TODAY / 35

Ahsan Fareed Paracha

Adviser to the Management Lucky Textile Mills Limited

â&#x20AC;&#x153; In these crucial moment, we consider that it is a high time to maintain and design strategies for business continuity. To overcome the impacts of these crises, we need to focus on our strengths and resources to utilize more productively.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

A TRIBUTE TO HEROES

n the era of Coronavirus, where the situation is getting intense steadily. The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created a global health crisis that has a profound impact on the way we perceive our world and has significantly influenced our everyday lives. I have never seen a crisis of this magnitude in my life. Our sense of agency has been hindered not only because of the drastic increase in the number of infected people but also the economic downfall that is becoming a big cause Worldwide. The current situation is an immense challenge for maintaining the stability of our business planning and execution, our configuration of working is not the same as we had for several years. In these crucial moment, we considered that it is a high time to maintain and design strategies for business continuity. Every Leader understands the importance of first hundred days of the year, when businesses are in a phase of formulating strategies and planning their targets that are to be achieved throughout. But this time we have to take actions with complete ownership instead

of investing much time on planning. To overcome the impacts of these crises, we need to focus on our strengths and resources to utilize them more productively. We are following all the guidelines of World Health Organization (W.H.O) and all the SOPs of government to design our set of protocols against the coronavirus. We are highly focusing on social distancing, usage of sanitizers, disinfection spray on vehicles and company premises so that we can save the spreading of Coronavirus. Employees are our most valuable assets. Considering their safety as our first and foremost priority we have designed all the protocols and its implementation plans covering every aspect of safety and providing a secure environment for all staff. Also keeping in mind the SOP of social distancing we have arranged shifts for workers or availability of workers on alternate days if needed. Globally the policy of work from home is common our organization is also implementing this policy where possible. I believe this is not the time to work on profit making rather

than emphasis on business stability. We have to reformulate our strategies according to demand of the situation and learning from past economic crises. Quarantine period has given us a chance to be creative by considering more options to carry out business. By hefty use of technology we stayed virtually connected and maintained social inclusion through different platforms that is online trainings, meetings and dialogues discussions. The COVID-19 is not only creating the health crises, but also the economic crises. The post COVID-19 World will be different with new face. Technology dependent businesses will spur. Other businesses will slow down in short term, but will gradually increase. The doors of new opportunities will open and multi-dimensional businesses will be more profitable. These crises will not remain for long time if good strategies will implemented.

CEO TODAY / 37

Rice Mills Pvt. Ltd has vowed to play its “Reem part in improving the lives of its stakeholders and

society at large. It has embarked on a program “Every Grain Matters” where it is providing support wherever it can.

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QASHIF EFFENDI CEO, Reem Rice

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - REEM RICE MILLS

t Reem, we are playing an essential role as the world is faced with the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Our people are fully committed and are working tirelessly to ensure that food supply is maintained. In recent weeks, we have implemented enhanced safety measures with focus on our frontline workers especially at Reem Factory and Sales. Employee health and safety has been imperative for Reem always pre-Covid 19 we had done a series of Medical Camps with Transparent Hands ensuring that our factory workers and families got necessary medical treatment free. With Covid 19, we have stringent SOP’s for the welfare of our workers in place at the Factory and Head Office. We have also decided not to fire any employee during this crisis to ensure their families are well taken off. To support consumers during this pandemic and the economic woes it has created, we have launched two affordable quality Rice Brands namely Reem Awami Kifayat and Reem Awami Budget. Global supply chain has been badly disrupted due to the crisis. To counter this disruption, Reem has

38 / CEO TODAY

launched locally produced premium quality rice based products such as Rice Resserts, Soups, and Rice Flour to provide consumers with quality choices whilst they are observing stay at home during the lockdown. COVID 19 has exposed our vulnerabilities and is a game changer globally. It has and will continue to disrupt businesses and industries. It has however provided opportunities to organizations to go beyond CSR and integrate with communities in ways that matter. Reem Rice Mills Pvt. Ltd has vowed to play its part in improving the lives of its stakeholders and society at large. It has embarked on a program “Every Grain Matters” where it is providing support wherever it can. May ALLAH (SWT) have Mercy on us all. Reem Rice Mills (Pvt) Ltd. The Company continues to make contributions in this crisis by providing support to charities and several communities including monetary and in-kind donations. Reem has also made ration bag donations to individuals and some standalone NGO’s nationwide including Crescent Welfare, Taryaq Welfare, Rozgar Trust, Al

Fatima Trust, Abbas Trust, Mezan and Shaheen charities, Care International, Pakistan Alliance Trust, Ameer Hamza Foundation, Darul Sakoon and contributed to organized efforts initiated by PAGE and celebrities like Hira Mani and Jamal Shah. Eid is an occasion where happiness should be shared, especially with a nation dealing with Covid 19 and the ill fated plane crash. This Eid we collaborated with SOS Village and donated generous quantities of our Premium most brand Reem Ka Steam 3x to the orphanage. Businesses are going through a tough time worldwide – some had to completely shut down and some had to re-strategize to stay afloat by adapting to an all new environment which is rapidly changing. Despite these challenges, Reem is committed to keep the efforts going until we overcome the crisis. Our commitment to support our stakeholders and society are ongoing and we will In shaa ALLAH ensure that we play our small part in this big crisis. After all, when the stakes are high as this, Every Grain Matters.

THE COVID-19 SITUATION HAS EVOLVED FURTHER AND WE ARE DEALING WITH A SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL CHALLENGE.

he World Health Organization has declared this outbreak a pandemic. Many governments around the world have taken stricter and more impactful measures to ensure the safety of their citizens. Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our employees and their families, our clients and our customers. My thought and prayers are with you and your loved ones during these times. This is an unprecedented situation that we are currently facing, that would leave its imprint in times to come. In moments like these our purpose and values matter a lot to the people and communities we serve. It is in times of crisis that heroes are born. In all modesty, we want Arif Habib Commoditie’s values to shine at this difficult hour. We earnestly and humbly request all of you to contribute to this. This

is the moment for extra effort, for going the extra mile. I fully recognize we are asking a lot because all of us are also busy managing challenging personal and family situations at this moment. Your effort will make a huge difference to our company and to our society. We salute to our Frontline Heroes’ individuals i.e. front-line doctors, nurses, paramedic staff, surgeons, medical providers and industries who are providing facilities compassionately and with public spirit in the wake of pandemic COVID-19. Ahsan Mehanti is a Chartered Accountant serving the PMEX market maker that has Pakistan’s largest client base served by Pakistan’s largest trading team. The Arif Habib Group ranks amongst the largest and oldest conglomerate in Pakistan. Managing assets in excess of PKR. 240 billion.

AHSAN MEHANTI

MD & CEO, Arif Habib Commodities CEO TODAY / 39

“ For the community we raised funds for the Corona Relief Fund and initiated Feed Pakistan Movement with the mission to support 3000 deserving families who are affected the most by Corona Virus Pandemic.

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USMAN SHEIKH

CEO, OZI Technology Group & AUJ Group

CORONA RELIEF FUND AND INITIATED FEED PAKISTAN MOVEMENT BY AUJ & OZI GROUP

t’s been a decade that we started our journey in the field of Information Technology with the mission to mobilize the youth of Pakistan through progressive & innovative opportunities under the banner of AUJ & OZI Group. We since our inception have been a digitally dominant organization and were closely monitoring the Global Pandemic situation since its beginning. Being a developing nation, we are affected greatly due to poverty and lack of education in our masses. While our medical and health professionals had taken the crisis head on in hospitals and medical centers and our civil & armed forces kept the peace and lockdown in place; we also stepped up and played our mandatory role in fighting this crisis and protecting the weak & less privileged in our society. We initiated our efforts from our employees; we employ 40 / CEO TODAY

around 450 team members under our umbrella and based on the situation of our business we shifted to work from home early keeping all our employees safe and didn’t let the economic pressure get to our dedicated team members. On the business front we increased our efforts to hire more and more people who have lost their jobs in this pandemic and be a part of the solution. Now all our organizations are deploying a blend of Work from Office and home with strict SOPs and focus on the safety and wellbeing of our employees. For the community we raised funds for the Corona Relief Fund and initiated Feed Pakistan Movement with the mission to support 3000 deserving families who are affected the most by Corona Virus Pandemic. Alhamdulillah, we have delivered groceries, milk and medicines to the needy families since the beginning of

lockdown. Our operational team from Hawai & UB Milk worked tirelessly to distribute ration bags & milk among most vulnerable in Pakistan due to COVID19. Our efforts are still going on and the families that we have taken under our care are being served with milk and ration as an ongoing process. In this effort all our employees also contributed a part of their salaries to support the less privileged in Pakistan. In these times more and more is required and we need to come together if we want to come out of this Pandemic as winners. We are steadfast in our resolve to uplift the youth and economy of Pakistan and we will keep on with our mission with dedication and honesty and preach the same to all our brothers and sisters.

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When the pandemic struck our nation, we were clueless. Panic rose far more significantly than cases and we kept on hearing “the worst is yet to come.

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M. RAZA PIRBHAI

CEO, KFC & Cupola Pakistan

#SERVINGWITHHEART INITITATIVE BY KFC PAKISTAN IN COVID-19 !

hese days, wondering about the future is heavily tinged with doubt and uncertainty, as opposed to hope. No one could predict the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left us all wondering whether this is the ‘new normal’. While our backs may be against the wall, we have no other choice but to get back up and embrace the altered reality, while looking within and doing all we can for humanity. When the pandemic struck our nation, we were clueless. Panic rose far more significantly than cases and we kept on hearing “the worst is yet to come.” Hence, we listened to the authorities and preferred to stay at home to keep ourselves safe against the COVID-19. While we chose to stay home, our heroes refused to step down and worked selflessly day and night, to help those in need. These heroes include our doctors, nurses, healthcare and support staff

working in hospitals 24/7 to make sure those infected by the virus return home to their families in complete health. Also hard at work were our law enforcement agencies, including our Police, Rangers and Army personnel guarding the streets for our safety. At KFC Pakistan, these heroes were a symbol of hope during dark times. As a way to give back and contribute to those selflessly serving the nation, KFC Pakistan started the #ServingWithHeart initiative. The goal was simple; to encourage the medical and security heroes on the frontline and let them know KFC Pakistan was with them. This initiative was nestled under the Mithao Bhook platform, which is improving countless lives while being centred around Inclusion, Diversity and Education. KFC Pakistan served 1000 #MealsOfHonor a day to those on the frontlines in hospitals

and on the streets in Karachi and Lahore. KFC Pakistan then went above and beyond to do its part for the community and rebranded its legendary bucket to support the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund, helping have a direct impact on the lives of those who need it most. For every 9-piece bucket, KFC Pakistan donates Rs. 50 to the fund to ensure those affected by the pandemic are not alone. The bucket has transcended its considerable fame and become a symbol of hope. From fulfilling cravings for crispy, crunchy fried chicken, to facilitating education, inclusion and diversity, KFC Pakistan’s goals include progressing forward together. While times may be tough, KFC Pakistan will continue its role as an active member of the community, and support those on the frontlines serving the nation. CEO TODAY / 41

Although the magnitude of this crisis is huge, “Interloop (ILP) has a sound financial base, a committed workforce, and a diversified customer portfo¬lio. Interloop works with brands and retailers who are financially healthy and remain com¬mitted to keeping their supply chain afloat’, the company specified in a notification.

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MUSADAQ ZULQARNAIN Chairman, Interloop Limited

TEXTILE EXPORTER INTERLOOP LTD ANNOUNCED A DONATION OF RS20M

42 / CEO TODAY

ty during this epidemic and has initially earmarked an amount of PKR 20.0 million for combating COVID-19. The company has also already provided around 2,800 protective suits to medics in Faisalabad, Chiniot, and Gujrat and is now working to import necessary PPE from China for hospitals.

“ FAILTURE IS AWESOME. FAILURE MEANS YOU TRIED SOMETHING, YOU TESTED IT, AND YOU LEARNED SOME THINGS. FAILURE GIVES YOU THE TOOLD TO MOVE FORWARD. - LEAH BUSQUE

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he Leadership Team of Interloop Limited (ILP) has announced a voluntary reduction in pay with effect from 1st April 2020. CEO Interloop has announced that he will not be drawing any salary until this challenging time passes away owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, Executive Director, Presidents & Vice Presidents have taken a voluntary cut of 30% in their salaries and other senior management personnel have taken a voluntary reduction in their salary of 20%, announced via notification by ILP to Exchange. ‘Sales and profitability of the entire Apparel supply chain is getting impacted due to Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Although the magnitude of this crisis is huge, Interloop (ILP) has a sound financial base, a committed workforce, and a diversified customer portfolio. Interloop works with brands and retailers who are financially healthy and remain committed to keeping their supply chain afloat’, the company specified in a notification. It is pertinent to mention that the company is also trying to play its part in the communi-

“C Shine served with Free Mask and COVID-19

Protective Kits for Paramedical staff and doctors and continuing it with our own budgets with the support of GsPak Pakistan. We disinfect universities and many sensitive places those are directly linked to our new generations.

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IRFAN FALAK

CEO, C Shine Group

AWARENESS SESSIONS ON COVID-19 BY C SHINE GROUP !

44 / CEO TODAY

GsPak Pakistan. We disinfect universities and many sensitive places those are directly linked to our new generations. We are involved with Government Health Sector to support them maximum. We served all COVID defenders on special discounts and FOC disinfection services for their personal spaces Our thoughts are with the people affected and everyone working around the clock to help those most in need. Everyone at C-SHINE Group wishes you and your loved ones good health and strength in the days and weeks ahead. I hope that you, your loved ones, and your colleagues are safe and well. I can honestly say that I’ve never experienced an event with such a drastic impact on how we live and work as the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, we must do the

right things and be prepared to take steps beyond what we’re typically required to do. In the current situation, it is vital to stay digitally connected – connected to your customers, your employees, and your communities. What are they experiencing, and how can they best be supported? Their feedback is essential to chart the right course to ensure they receive everything they need.

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WHEN NOBODY ELSE CELEBRATES YOU, LEARN TO CELEBRATE YOURSELF. WHEN NOBODY ELSE COMPLIMENTS YOU, THEN COMPLIMENT YOURSELF. IT’S NOT UP TO OTHER PEOPLE TO KEEP YOUR ENCOURAGED. IT’S UP TO YOU. ENCOURAGEMENT SHOULD COME FROM THE INSIDE.

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ince December 2019, on the outbreak of COVID-19, C-SHINE Group started COVID-19 awareness sessions to make our valued clients ready to face this Global challenge. We conducted more than 50 sessions all over Pakistan as well as on SPMA Pakistan forum as well. When this outbreak occurred in Pakistan in March, we started preventive Disinfection activities nationwide at our client’s facility as well as free services for all religious places, Police stations and many public places as well. Until now we disinfected more than 1000 places free of cost with the help of civil district Governments and Public and Private sectors. We served with Free Mask and COVID-19 Protective Kits for Paramedical staff and doctors and continuing it with our own budgets with the support of

at Master Group strongly believe in contin“ We uously supporting our community; especially in

difficult times like these. We stand together with all the affected people and wish to give them hope. I urge all coroprations and citizens to give back in any way that they can.

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SAMIR MALIK

Director, Master Group

MASTER GROUP TO PROVIDE 30,000 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WITH RATIONS THROUGH SAYLANI WELFARE TRUST DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC ! Trust will provide food to the most affected communities. During the first phase, #COROimdaad, rations were distributed to underprivileged communities and centres in Karachi (Port Qasim, Kashif Iqbal Thalassaemia Care Center, Islamia Public Secondary School) , Lahore (Badami Bagh, Hanif Park, Begum Kot, Furkhabad Shahdara, the Walled City, Kahna, Walton, Mazang, Gajumata), and Balochistan (Omara City, Tususk, Syedabad II, Mul Goth, Basol Goth, Hudd Goth, GorHud Goth). In a separate effort, Master Group has contributed to the battle against COVID-19 with the donation of a state-of-theart Karvaan Euro-IV ambulance from Changan Master Motors to the city of Karachi. Master Group has also donated masks, ventilators, and mattresses as part of relief efforts. Samir Malik, Director Master Group, said, “We at Master Group strongly believe in contin-

uously supporting our community; especially in difficult times like these. We stand together with all the affected people and wish to give them hope. I urge all coroprations and citizens to give back in any way that they can.” This is just one of the many initiatives Master Group has taken to support less fortunate communities in Pakistan. Master Group has diversified experience in foam, textiles, chemicals, automotive, engineering, power, retail, and furniture sectors over the last 57 years. The Group has 16 manufacturing facilities all over Pakistan and a robust distribution and supply chain network throughout the country.

OF FREAKING “ INSTEAD OUT ABOUT THESE CONSTRAINTS, EMBRACE THEM.

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aster Group of Industries (1963), one of Pakistan’s leading corporate and consumer-focused industrial groups, is proud to announce the launch of its #DontLetThemSleepHungry initiative. The campaign will aim to raise funds to provide rations for 30,000 people severely affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Group has partnered with Saylani Welfare Trust, which will perform the ration distribution; Master Group has pledged to match each rupee donated. Previously, the Group donated rations for 20,000 COVID-19 affectees during the first phase of the campaign, dubbed #COROimdaad. During the second phase, #DoNotLetThemSleepHungry, the aim is to help 30,000 more affectees. In order to provide relief and support to families affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, Master Group and Saylani Welfare

CEO TODAY / 45

“ TTI Testing Laboratories has been the first

business leader to voice his concern on the actual performance quality of the Local/Imported COVID-19 PPE’s.

“

HAMED K. LATEEF

Founder & CEO, TTI Testing Laboratories

TTI TESTING LABORATORIES BECOMES THE FIRST LAB TO COME ON THE FRONTLINE TO PROTECT LIVES OF DOCTORS AND PARAMEDICAL STAFF THROUGH ITS COVID-19 HAND SANITIZERS/ PPE TESTING AND COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND R&D SERVICES FOR PPE MANUFACTURES

46 / CEO TODAY

to a potential threat. In fact, these Low Quality PPE’s products could have caused more damage than benefit to the general public without Tti Testing Laboratories SOS COVID-19 Services. So far Tti Testing Laboratories have extended support to hundreds of PPE Suppliers and Stake holders of the Government to make Pakistan Self –sufficient in Good Quality PPE Supplies. In fact, these services will go a long way in making Pakistan a leader in Exports of PPE’s supporting the economy of the country in these tough times.

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ENTREPRENEURS ARE RISK TAKERS, WILLING TO ROLL THE DICE WITH THEIR MONEY OR REPUTATION ON THE LINE IN SUPPORT OF AN IDEA OR ENTERPRISE - VICTOR KIAM

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ith no vaccine available so far, COVID-19 Face Masks, Tyvek Suits/ Gowns and Hand Sanitizers have been the only source of Protection for our brave Doctors and Paramedical staff fighting COVID-19 on the front line. Hamed K.Lateef (Founder & CEO of TTI Testing Laboratories) has been the first business leader to voice his concern on the actual performance quality of the Local/Imported COVID-19 PPE’s. Despite the Lockdown and supply chain challenges,Hamed K.Lateef made a Special COVID-19 PPE Team to develop the Testing and Product Development infrastructure to support suppliers in making reliable and world class PPE’s and Hand Sanitizers for our beloved country. The testing of COVID-19 PPE Masks, Suits and Gloves was extremely vital to gauge the efficiency of these products against COVID-19 Virus. It was feared that if these products would not be quantified for Performance and Quality, the people wearing them would be at risk and more prone to get affected by the virus since the person wearing them would assume he/she is protected (which was not the case with most of the available products at the time) while getting exposed

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Through proactive leadership across our enterprise, we navigated a constant surge of unique and complex challenges, spanning dynamic global issues, shifting political climates, industry and competitive headwinds and an ongoing litigious environment.

“

AAMIR IQBAL

CEO, ZAM ZAM PHARMACEUTICAL

ZAM ZAM PHARMACEUTICAL COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING LIVES DURING COVID-19

48 / CEO TODAY

tients. We also engage different influencer celebrity to record message in a creative way to encourage people to maintain social distancing & adopt all significant precautions under the theme “We Care”. Through this crisis, we at Zam Zam pharmaceutical will remain focused on our Vision – To provide research based therapies for the core benefit of patient and for sheer trust of our valued stakeholder.

Efficacy. Zam Zam has always set a benchmark in providing research based molecules by collaborating with renowned foreign companies which has made ZAM ZAM worthwhile in the pharmaceutical industry. We promote our innovative products portfolio with our own Sales Force across the country along with ethical marketing practices. We value the high moral of our employees and constantly sharing knowledge and ideas to bring, develAbout Company: Zam Zam Pharmaceutical is op and adapt newest & unique an import based organization therapies in the shape of Reof Pharmaceutical and surgical search Based molecules. products. Started its operation with a very small setup and HAPPINESS WILL NEVER COME IF IT’S A GOAL grew rapidly by collaborating IN ITSELF; HAPPINESS with foreign principal and also IS A BY-PRODUCT OF initiated contract manufacA COMMITMENT TO turing for Local brands by not WORTHY CAUSES. compromising on Quality and

“

he growing outbreak of COVID-19 has affected each one of us in multiple ways, our families, friends, businesses and way of life. This fast-changing situation has forced us to re-evaluate how we operate. You learn the most about yourself during the most challenging times. As we all navigate this unique and very challenging environment, I’m immensely proud of Zam Zam Pharmaceutical employees and their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are working on using this challenge as an opportunity to make our company more dedicated, more efficient, and more focused on serving the needs of our clients, a better company to partner with in our common mission of bringing healthcare treatments to market faster and of improving outcomes for pa-

“

To curb the spread of COVID-19, Sana Safinaz has donated 75,000 cloth masks under the #Masks4All iniative and an additional 45,000 masks, both surgical and non-surgical, to their patrons and employees.

“

SANA HASHWANI & SAFINAZ MUNIR CEO & Director, Sana Safinaz

#SSCARES employed daily wage earners in various economically suppressed areas of Karachi including: Shirin Jinnah Colony, Kimari, Old Clifton, Surjani Town, North and New Karachi. Our largest contribution to preventing the spread of COVID-19 has been to the #masks4all initiative organized by the “Chainstore Association of Pakistan”. This local chapter of the global initiative has successfully procured and distributed 5 million masks to members of the public. International research indicates that wearing a face mask can significantly reduce the spread of infection amongst a populace. We have contributed 75,000 cloth masks to the CAP mask drive which have been produced in-house. In addition to this, we have distributed cloth masks to all our customers at our retail spaces as a public service to reduce the incidence of infection and encourage the adoption of government suggested SOPs. All our employees have been provided with disposable masks and gloves and we are following stringent measures to ensure a safe shopping experience for all.

Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, we have contributed a tube well through the Hisaar Foundation to a remote village in Mithi, Tharparkar. This arid area of rural Sindh has an acute water shortage and as a result upto 500 children die annually from a population of 1.4 million. The well has been providing clean drinking water since December 2019 to 450 families with 500 livestock and has significantly impacted the daily lives of the dwellers of Dhenani Ji Dhani in UC Sobhiar, Diplo which is located 20 km from Mithi. We are strong advocates of Corporate Social Responsibility and we hope to increase our contribution to society at large and underserved communities in particular via our #SSCares initiatives. Sana Safinaz is a tightly knit family and helping others has been a touchstone of our company that we hope to leave behind as an enduring legacy.

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THE SECRET OF GETTING AHEAD IS GETTING STARTED. - MARK TWAIN

“

s a woman owned and run company, we at Sana Safinaz have been involved with CSR projects focused on female empowerment since the company’s inception in 1989. We have ensured that a large percentage of our employees are widows, single mothers and sole female bread winners and have provided women with vocational training and financial support that has lead to their economic empowerment. Sana Safinaz is an equal opportunity employer and currently employs 1480 men and women from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds with women also occupying high-level positions. With the onset of the pandemic, the focus of our CSR activities #SSCares has been two-fold: providing rations to daily wage workers and the distribution of cloth masks to members of the public. In collaboration with the Oosman and Rahima Bai Foundation and the Robinhood Army Pakistan, we have made a significant contribution towards the purchase and distribution of ration bags which sustain an average family for 16 to 18 days. We have also provided Iftar every day in Ramzan to un-

CEO TODAY / 49

“The fight against the COVID-19 is go-

ing to be a marathon and our commitment of supporting our communities is unwavering.

“

AFTAB AHMAD

CEO, Century Paper & Board Mills Limited

CENTURY PAPER & BOARD MILLS LIMITED / LAKSON GROUP PLEDGE PKR 50 (M) TO COMBAT COVID-19

50 / CEO TODAY

in identification and delivery of this relief at the door steps. We also distributed N95 mask & personal protective equipment (PPE), imported as well procured locally, to dispensaries near our factory. We have an immediate budget of PKR 10 (M) to combat COVID-19, but as it is going to be a sustained continuous effort for a long time, the total allocation from Century Paper and the Lakson group will be over PKR 50 Million. Inshallah. In these turbulent times, we want you to know that you can count on us to be here when you need us most. We’ve made it through tough times before and we will get through this together. Please take care and let our teams know if there’s anything we can do to help.

“

I AM NOT A PRODUCT OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES. I AM A PRODUCT OF MY DECISIONS. - STEPHEN COVEY

“

e are living in an unprecedented time where the world continues to grapple with COVID-19.To focus and respond on developments related to this Virus, we have to stay abreast and prioritize our commitment to all segments of society; our customers, employees, partners and community members, thereby ensuring their health and safety. As uncertainty prevails and need of social distancing is pronounced, we have, therefore, managed our work by exploring Virtual Engagement. A large number of our employees are also activated to remote work facilities. We are fully equipped and committed to continue to operate business and serve your needs in the changing environment, to the best of our abilities. The fight against the COVID-19 is going to be a marathon and our commitment of supporting our communities is unwavering. During this hour of need we launched a comprehensive effort using a dedicated team to reach out the needy segment as well as the Health Workers. Subsequently with full support of Local Administration we have already managed to distribute Food Hampers and Complete Medical Kits in 12 Rural Health Centers within 25KM of the surrounding area of our Mills. Most of our employees coming from the vicinity have been a great helping hand

“

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

SHAHBAZ ALI MALIK

MD, Popular Group of Companies

PROMISING LEADERSHIP CEO Today: Please share your professional journey in a nutshell. Shahbaz Ali Malik: Popular Group of Industries is a family business, which was established by my grandfather in the form of a small popular business in 40’s from Rajhistan. There are total 20 miscellaneous subsidiaries of businesses let me cite few of them: Cement,Sugar,Textile, Juices and Safety matches. We have also onset a charitable hospital as a tribute to my father in Tando Adam. I joined this business at an early age by working as an employee and getting promoted as technical director to CEO. What major opportunities you anticipate in the sector of business in the upcoming five years? I believe Pakistan has the infinite ratio of opportunities in every field of industry, food, and commerce. Pakistan is blessed by Almighty with fertile land in Punjab, mineral ventures in Baluchistan, and mesmerizing scenic beauty in North. We export varieties of stuff ranging from rice to needles. Almighty has provided us with long lasting set of opportunities and now it’s

our responsibility to utilize it to the maximum. Nothing is impossible to achieve if you are an expert of consistent endeavors. In order to succeed we should invest in infrastructure and communications. How do you cultivate the idea of working ethics in a family businesses? I think we are entangled in the dilemma of ethics. Every action requires certain ethics. Regardless of being part of this family business, I have worked in my firms as an employee and technical worker. “The success story of family business is always strengthened with the respect of Elders to love with Youngers.” This honesty and passion with my work has been a live exemplum of determination for my team. Hopefully, government will also enforce people to strictly abide business ethics. What is the toughest decision of your professional life? I have been the part of this company for a long time and I can proudly announce that we never try to terminate any of our employees. We facilitate them with family environment, multiple facilities &

market competitive salaries. Who is your lifetime inspiration? Prophet P.B.U.H is my eternal source of guidance and advices. His personality and lifestyle is an open Quran. The second origin of enlightenment is my father who has been there with me in my thick and thins. His supportive words and charming personality enforced me to accomplish my worldly goals. What is your mantra of success and happiness? Good or pure intention and willingness of hard work are my recipes of success and happiness. Happiness is a feeling of satisfaction of what you are blessed with. Success doesn’t always count with the finances. Both runs parallel in life. What is your most indelible book you want to recommend? Can something be more beautiful and rare than Al-Quran? Quran is my favorite book among all because it contains all the teachings of worldly and hereafter life. This book contains all the secrets of success and achievements. The teachings of Quran is unmatchable and useful in all eras of life for practical solutions of worldly problems. CEO TODAY / 51

Dr. Reza Baqir Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan

EXTRACT FROM HIS SPEECH DELIVERED AT CEO SUMMIT ASIA & BOOK LAUNCH “100 BEST PERFORMING CEOS & COMPANIES OF PAKISTAN” INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2019 ORGANIZED BY CEO CLUB PAKISTAN.

r. Reza Baqir addressed the audience on Growth in Testing Times: Inclusive growth when & where? People have some concerns about stabilization in respect to food price inflation which is a large component of the household budgets of people in lower quantile of the economic distribution. In the spring of 2019, the exchange rate was depreciation in steps and interest rates were being raised. Our reserves that are the buffer preventing us from going to agencies and predators and ask them to lend us some money when we have economic shocks were also falling. Another barometer of market sentiment is stock market which has been steadily falling and people were saying that unless you create a government subsidized fund for the stock market, it will not rise. The stock market has been rising if you look at last several month and Bloomberg described it as the best stock market performance in the world in 2019. The progress towards the stabilization front has been a long-term perspective as the State Bank outlook for the baseline for the economy is one that is cautiously optimistic because we are very confident that the two main causes of Pakistan macroeconomic challenges; the current account deficit and the fiscal deficit are being addressed in a very decided and firm manner. The way for sustainable growth in Pakistan in respect to exports must be through a commitment, for us to change our orientation from an inward economy to an outward economy. One way to measure the inward and outward orientation of economy is to look at its’ exports in percent of its GDP and compare to other countries. For us, that number is less than 10% of GDP and the countries that have exports of less than 10% of their GDP are Afghanistan, Ye-

men, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethopia. State Bank of Pakistan has introduced new reforms to make the exchange rate more competitive, one is EFS & LTFF. EFS is a scheme for giving working capital to exporters at 3% that are refinanced by the State Bank. LLTF is long-term finance for exporters that provides credit to the exporters at 5% or 6% and that is for capacity expansion or for setting up new ventures. Pakistan is the country where there is a concentration of wealth and its good public policy to think how the gains of prosperity can be shared more broadly. It’s an agenda that public sectors must play their part for SME’s – Small & Medium Enterprises where State Bank provides refinance to the banks for lending to SME’s at much lower rates than in the market. I said I would talk about three things in supporting growth, first was export the second was inclusion and the third area is digitization; the ability to do financial transactions in an electronic manner is one of the four front points that we at State Bank look forward towards this four front agenda. We are also introducing micro payments gateway (MPG) that will put Pakistan on the map with some of the countries that are leading the charge and that will allow people to make payments whether it’s business to business or person to person within seconds. We are working collaboratively with other public agencies such as NADRA, PTA and others. Lastly, I would like to highlight here that it’s been a tough journey from stabilization to growth, but we are making progress towards it and we are optimistic about the growth of Pakistan economy and increase in the exchange rate.

Sirajuddin Aziz

Group Financial Institutions CEO, Habib Bank AG Zurich Group

irajuddin Aziz addressed the audience on Growth in Testing Times: Thought Leadership. He shared his insight on the theme of the conference as he mentioned that unfortunately he has issues with the words used here i.e. reshaping and challenging. In his view, reshaping means; acquiring reconstruction. When something is already in shape and you want to chisel it and make it look better that’s not reshaping right? Challenging. Why are we afraid of this word challenge? We are in our 71st year of our existence as an independent nation; tell me one year in which we did not have a challenge? We all have lived a challenging life individually and collectively as a nation. So why should any challenge of the present day take it upon us to indicate that we are scared to face it? How are we prepared to encounter it? Surmount it? What does challenge therefore require? It requires Leadership. What quality must a leader possess? One singular quality, the ability to be able to look upon talent, gather it together, harness them into a team and give them a mission, that’s the job of the leader. Leadership for me is about values and we’re lucky that our country is positioned geopolitically and on the crossroad of minimum of five civilizations that have been in history passed through the area or have left their traces. What civilization means to us? They give us values and values are critically

important for leadership. Another aspect, I would like mention here in context of leadership is that a leader is a person who must be able to tap talent, collect them together, unify them in a team and give them a vision. He need not be a subject matter expert. To build a successful nation like China or Malaysia the nation and its leaders need to plan way ahead, nations are not made overnight. So, let give us enough time for this to flourish. Pakistan is so idly placed no one can rob us of our stature we have in terms of our geographic location. We are the key to the Persian Gulf; we are the key to Horn of Africa and thus we have access to a lot of countries. Other than that; to be a successful nation we need to befriend two concepts and bring them closer together which are honesty and competence. We must respect law that begins with observing basic rules. It’s the people that will make the nation. Everything will take time, but it will find its way around we just have to have patience.

ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO “ THE LOOK UPON TALENT, GATHER

IT TOGETHER, HARNESS THEM INTO A TEAM AND GIVE THEM A MISSION, THAT’S THE JOB OF THE LEADER.

“

EXTRACT FROM HIS SPEECH DELIVERED AT CEO SUMMIT ASIA & BOOK LAUNCH “100 BEST PERFORMING CEOS & COMPANIES OF PAKISTAN” INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2019 ORGANIZED BY CEO CLUB PAKISTAN.

Arif Habib

Chairman & CEO, Arif Habib Corporation EXTRACT FROM HIS SPEECH DELIVERED AT CEO SUMMIT ASIA & BOOK LAUNCH “100 BEST PERFORMING CEOS & COMPANIES OF PAKISTAN” INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2019 ORGANIZED BY CEO CLUB PAKISTAN.

rif Habib addressed the audience on Growth in Testing Times: Challenges of Pakistan’s Economy. Presently the businesses in Pakistan are facing several challenges. The recent developments in Pakistan and with the change of government we saw that our economic conditions were not so good and because of that we had to go to the IMF program in order to correct many macro-economic instabilities. Pakistan had to take some very revolutionary steps. The first step was the devaluation of Pakistan’s rupee. It was depreciated 50% in about 06 to 08 months and because of that we are seeing inflation which is responsible for the high interest rates. The other challenge which businesses are facing is mainly the dishonoring of the commitment by the government. The government is responsible for effecting the confidence of the investors and general public in various businesses. Pakistan has been facing several problems which includes security issues. This issue has been improved quite a bit and I have heard about the positive results of the improvement in this sector. Pakistan was also facing shortage of energy both electricity and gas. The supply of electricity and gas has improved but the high cost of it is the problem now a days and because of this, cheap Regasified Liquified Natural Gas (RLNG) is also imported so our average cost comes down.

Another than that Pakistan is suffering from a budget deficit, it has been very serious unfortunately we are not been able to overcome this issue. Finally, the most damaging issue for Pakistan is the rampant corruption. There is no relief in that area and the things have in fact got worse. But to look on the positive side Pakistan has been very efficient in giving back returns to the investors. Pakistan has given a return of 12% compared to the 6% of other regions. I believe with the start of decline in interest rate in Pakistan will make the equity investors also jump in. Another opportunity for more investments lies in the Pakistani diasporas, the nonresident Pakistani. About 28 to 29 billion dollars are being sent by them and into Pakistan every year which is about 50% of their income and they are not looking at Pakistan for investment. If they are attracted to make investments in Pakistan it will give a lot of relief to Pakistan and will give good foreign currency reserves to Pakistan. I believe that the countries that are not able to pay back their debts they improve their situation by increasing their GDP. If we are able to increase our GDP at a faster pace then our percentage of debt to GDP would come down and would be beneficial not only for Pakistan but will also attract investors from outside.

SUMMIT ASIA 58 CEO KARACHI CHAPTER

CEO Summit Asia - Karachi Book Launch 100 Performing CEOs, Companies & Leaders of Pakistan CEO Club Pakistan and CEO Today Magazine organized “CEO Summit Asia”, Karachi. The most anticipated event of the Pakistan’s history proved to leave a dent on people’s mind with its compelling and pertinent theme “Growth in Testing Times: Reshaping the Future of Pakistan” and the launch of the eighth international edition of the bestselling book 100 Best Performing CEOs & Companies of Pakistan. It was attended by numerous galaxies of influential people. Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Dr. Reza Baqir graced the event with his presence as Chief Guest. He launched and distributed the book among the top 100 CEOs of Pakistan. The event was wrapped with perspicacious and intellectual business mentors and leaders who enlightened the spectacular

audience with their year’s experience and savior fare. Ijaz Nisar – Founder & President, CEO Club Pakistan | Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat NI(M) – Former Chairman, CJCSC | Andleeb Abbas – Parliamentary Secretary on Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan | Sirajuddin Aziz – Group Financial Institutions CEO, Habib Bank AG Zurich | Yousaf Hussain – President & CEO, Faysal Bank Limited| Dr. Omar Chughtai – Director Operations, Chughtai Lab | Arif Habib – Chairman & CEO, Arif Habib Corporation | Sulaiman S. Mehdi – Chairman & Independent Director, Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited - PSX | Imran Samad– President, Sindh Bank Limited| Sayeeda Leghari – Managing Director, Sukkur Beverages Pvt. Limited

Ijaz Nisar (Founder & President, CEO

Dr. Reza Baqir (Governor, State Bank of

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M)

Club Pakistan & Management House)

Pakistan)

Yousaf Hussain (President &

Shabeeh Ikram (CEO, New Nest Distributors &

Dawar Rashid (Chairman, Wing Chair Luxury

CEO, Faysal Bank Limited)

58 / CEO TODAY

CEO of CEO Club Pakistan - Karachi Chapter)

(Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee - CJCSC)

Group)

_ SBL, | Sultana Siddiqui – Chairperson, HUM Network | Muhammad Zubair Umar – Former Governor of Sindh | Shabeeh Ikram – CEO, New Nest Distributors Pvt. Ltd | M. Farid Alam – AKD Securities Pvt. Ltd. | Dr. Imran Y. Muhammad – Managing Director, Jofa Group were few of the esteem guests that joined us on CEO Summit. The magnum event of the business world streamed online to more than hundred countries and reached to the world by social media. It had highest trending rate on twitter on 20th February 2020. CEO Club Pakistan and CEO Today Magazine are continuously striving to bring stature and prestige to Pakistan Business bigwigs on the global landscape. It is contributing its share for nurturing the book culture in the country.

Andleeb Abbas (Parliamentary Secretary on Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan)

Arif Habib (Chairman & CEO, Arif Habib Corporation)

Sirajuddin Aziz (Group Financial Institutions CEO, Habib Bank AG Zurich)

Dr. Omar Chughtai (Director Operations, Chughtai Lab)

Syed Salman Ali (CEO, AAA Facility

Iqbal Sheikhani (Chairman & CEO, Culligan

Management Pvt. Ltd.)

Pakistan)

Saquib Ahmad (Country Manag-

Dr. Imran Y. Muhammad Sitara-e-Imtiaz

ing Director, SAP Pakistan)

Syed Azam Abidi (Country Head

Applications - Pakistan & Afghanistan, Oracle Corporation)

Imran Samad (President, Sindh Bank Limited)

(Founder & Chairman, Transformation International Society & Managing Director, Jofa Group)

Noman Said (CEO, SI Global)

M. Taher Punjwani (CEO, The Mechanica Pvt. Ltd.)

Hassan Farooq Nizami (Managing Di-

rector & Co-Founder, ARY AAA Associates)

Irfan Falak (CEO, C-Shine Group)

Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig (Chairman, Baig Group)

Ahsan Mehanti (MD & CEO, Arif Habib

M. Saleem Khan Tanoli (CEO, FAKT

Ehsan Saya (Managing Director, Daraz

Exhibitions Pvt Ltd)

Pakistan)

Junaid Ahmed (CEO, Dubai Islamic Bank)

Eng. Ch. M. Usman Haider (CEO,

Sulaiman S. Mehdi (Chairman &

Electrobuild Engineering Pvt Ltd)

Independent Director, Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited - PSX)

Umair Azam (Founder & Managing Partner,

Mohammad Asif Peer (CEO,

Commodities)

Salman Aslam (Executive Director, Century Packages Private Limited)

Integration Xperts)

Systems Pvt. Ltd)

CEO TODAY / 59

Ijaz Nisar at Media Wall

Dr. Omar Chughtai at Media Wall

Sultana Siddiqui at Media Wall

Engr. Ch. M. Usman Haider at Media Wall

Ehsan Saya at Media Wall

Sulaiman S. Mehdi at Media Wall

Arif Habib at Media Wall

Ahsan Mashkoor at Media Wall 60 / CEO TODAY

Launch of Best Selling Book of “100 Best Performing CEOs’ & Companies of Pakistan 2019”

Group Photo of Distinguished Panellists

Ijaz Nisar delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA Karachi 2020

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA - Karachi 2020

Dr. Reza Baqir delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA - Karachi 2020

M. Farid Alam delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA - Karachi 2020

Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA Karachi 2020

Zaigham Rizvi delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA - Karachi 2020

Ahsan Mashkoor delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA - Karachi 2020

Umair Azam delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA Karachi 2020

Syed Azam Abidi delivering speech at CEO SUMMIT ASIA - Karachi 2020 CEO TODAY / 61

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Syed Mustafa Kamal presenting speaker souvenir to Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Book 2019 souvenir to Dr. Imran Y. Muhammad Baig

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Engr. Ch. M. Usman Haider

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Saquib Ahmed

M. Fariq Alam presenting speaker souvenir to Sulaiman S. Mehdi 62 / CEO TODAY

Muhammad Zubair Umar presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Iqtidar Ahmad

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book to Shehzad Feerasta 2019 souvenir to Asif Peer

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Jalal Meghani

Mohammad Zubair Umar presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Hassan Farooq Nizami

Imran Samad presenting speaker souvenir to Sayeeda Leghari

Imran Samad presenting guest souvenir to Noman Said

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Irfan Falak

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Junaid Ahmed

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Asif Ismail

General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M) presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Tauqeer Ul Haq

Sultana Siddiqui & Muhammad Zubair Umar presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Zeeshan Altaf Lohya

Syed Mustafa Kamal presenting Book 2019 souvenir to Shabeeh Ikram

64 ORACLE EVENT A CEOs Dialogue - Future of Business CEO Club Pakistan & Management House (A State of the Art Leadership Development Institute) in collaboration with Oracle Pakistan organized â&#x20AC;&#x153;A CEOs Dialogue - Future of Businessâ&#x20AC;? on Thursday February 27th, 2020 at Pearl Continental Hotel Lahore. The esteemed gathering comprised on CEOs, Entrepreneurs, Directors, Chairmen from different sectors such as FMCG, IT, E-Commerce, Real Estate, Software, Marketing & HR Heads & C Level Management of different companies.

Gaurav Bhardwaj (Supply chain business, Asean

Oracle Corporation)

Ijaz Nisar (Founder & President, CEO Club Pakistan & Management House)

Syed Azam Abidi (Country Head Applications - Dr. Omar Chughtai (Director Operations, Chughtai Lab) Pakistan & Afghanistan, Oracle Corporation)

Ghazi Akhtar (President, Lottee Akhtar Beverages)

Saqib Ali (Partner, A.F.Ferguson & Co.)

Ghazi Akhtar presenting Book souvenir to Syed Azam Abidi

Ghazi Akhtar presenting Book souvenir to Salman Latif Rawn

Ghazi Akhtar presenting Book souvenir to Mian Abdul Rehman Talat

Ghazi Akhtar presenting Book souvenir to Nina Akbar

Ghazi Akhtar presenting Book souvenir to Jahanzeb Burana

Ghazi Akhtar presenting Book souvenir to Gaurav Bhardwaj

66 ONLINE SERIES

LIFE GOES ON... A leader’s response to a crisis is much more than speeches; yet the messaging may play a key role in obtaining the public’s trust and co-operation ! CEO Club Pakistan & Management House launched Life Goes On online series in the wake of pandemic COVID-19. We conducted virtual panel discussion of CEOs, Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs to talk on the topics that are needed by the people to keep them motivated and optimistic in these testing times. The session was launched on Monday 13th April 2020 with the topic of “Post Pandemic Paradigm”. The Guest Speakers shared their insight on the prevalent and expected future scenario of COVID-19, its core impact and issues, the bright side of quarantined and the holistic way forward from this crisis.

Ijaz Nisar (Founder & President, CEO Club Pakistan & Management House)

Saquib Ahmed (Country Head, SAP Pakistan)

Noman Said (CEO, SI Global)

Sajjad Syed (CEO, Excellence Delivered) Irfan Ahmed Khan (CEO, Nova Care (Pvt.) Ehsan Saya (MD, Daraz Pakistan) Limited - DVAGO Pharmacy & Wellness Experts)

M. Asif Peer (CEO, Systems Limited) Usman Sheikh (CEO, OZI Technology Group & AUJ Group)

66 / CEO TODAY

Shagufta Hassan (Interim CEO, Agha Khan University Hospital, Karachi)

Nazeya Qhan (Head Corporate

Communication, CEO Club Pakistan)

Umair Azam (Founder & CEO, Integration Saad Kiani (COO, KEENU) Xperts)