Q) Thank you for giving us he time for this interview. Sir, can you please let us know about your professional background and how did it all began, in short?
A) I started my career with BCCI, a bank that did not have a presence in Pakistan at that time. I remained with the Bank for over fourteen years during which I served in seven countries before returning to Pakistan. I then joined Union Bank in Pakistan and remained with them for nine years in various senior management positions. After this, I joined Bank Alfalah before going on to join Habib Metropolitan Bank where I remained stayed as the CEO for over six years. I have now moved into the Habib Bank AG Zurich, the parent organization of Habib Metro Bank, as the CEO of Group Financial Institutions. Here my responsibilities include creation of trade corridors and integration of global trade flows.
Q) Tell us something about your Bank Alfalah experience?
A) It was a remarkable experience. When I started out at Bank Alfalah, the Bank was ranked 28 out of the 34 banks operating then. Powered by a great management team, the Bank went on to grow and branch out into new areas of banking. By the time I left in 2012, the Bank had over 400 branches and was ranked as the 6th largest bank in the country.
Q) Tell us about Habib Metro’s portfolio?
A) HabibMetro Bank is one of the leading finance banks of Pakistan. Financing trade for exporters and importers has been its mainstay since 1992.
Q) What, in your opinion are our national economic challenges?
A) In my opinion the most imminent challenge is to offer an enabling environment for investors and businesses. Another area that requires great focus is enhancement of revenue generation through efficient deployment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). If we look at China, South Korea, India and Bangladesh, they have utilized their SEZs to pro- mote their exports significantly. Here, in Pakistan. SEZs are Just picking up, they need to developed and utilized with incentives. in order to attain maximum benefit from them.
Q) What are the errors in business practices that cause financial problems in any Organisation?
A) Whenever you an out-stripping of expenditure over revenue you are in a problem due to the financial indiscipline. This to the situation in the country today where we have greater import and lesser exports. for our country, remittances Plug in the gap for foreign exchange.
Q) Then nobody is going to invest here?
A) Investment comes the country when you boost investor confidence. Investor confidence is boosted through better political. economic, infrastructure and law and order conditions in the country.
We can learn from China in this regard. China was a communist country. In 1978 they opened up and attracted overseas Chinese to come and invest in their country. They targeted Indonesia, Thailand Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and branched out to South Korea and Japan.
In my opinion the most imminent challenge is to offer an enabling environment for investors and businesses. Another area that requires great focus is enhancement of revenue generation through efficient deployment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). If we look at China, south Korea, India and Bangladesh, they have utilized their SEZ8 to promote their exports significantly. Here, in Pakistan SEZs are Just picking up, they need to be developed and utilized with incentives, in order to attain maximum benefit from them.
Q) Risk management policy and practices of any institution?
A) From a financial standpoint the first and foremost principle for any money to be lent is to know how it is going to be paid back. Source of repayment must be investigated and be very clear in the minds of those approving loans. If that is not clear, don’t lend. My principle of extending credit is that when in doubt, leave it out.
Q) What are your objectives in shaping your vision and mission?
A) I do not have a vision or a mission, as such. I have led my life as it came by. To say that I programmed myself about what to do when will not be correct. Yes, I have, as any individual would have, my own set of ambitions of these, I have achieved some and not achieved some.
Q) Would you please share those ambitions with us?
A) I have always wanted to be a ‘peoples’ person’ because I enjoy interacting with people. Although people meeting me for the first time may find my ‘personal space’ to be a little disarming and I may appear as some- one who likes to keep other people at a distance. However, it takes me some time to draw closer and open up with people. The study of human behavior, and generally observing people, fascinates me. One of my greatest ambitions is to be a positive influence on the people around me.
Q) Three most important numbers in a firm’s financial statement you would look at?
A) First thing when I look at in any balance sheet is equity. In doing so I look for the owners’ views about the company, how much money they have put into it. how much trust and faith they have in the company. Then I look at the liabilities (the source of funding) followed by the assets (the application of resources).
I have always wanted to be a ‘peoples’ person’ because I enjoy interacting with people. Although people meeting me for the first time may find my ‘personal space’ to be a little disarming and I may appear as someone who likes to keep other people at a distance. However, it takes me some time to draw closer and open up with people. The study of human behavior, and generally observing people, fascinates me. One of my greatest ambitions is to be a positive influence on the people around me.
Q) What’s the toughest professional decision you ever have made in life? What have you learnt from that?
A) There was a run on a bank which I was the CEO of at the time. There was a rush of depositors/ customers withdrawing their money. I responded with projecting stability and calmness through mass media; I appeared on 17 channels live over the course of 3 days and categorically stated that there was nothing wrong with the bank and depositors’ claims to their money would be respectfully honored. This restored the confidence of customers and they stared Putting their money back into the Bank. In about 3 Weeks, we had gotten back twice the amount of deposits that we had lost earlier.
Q) Do you have a winning team?
A) I believe in instilling the winning attitude in my team. People must be inspired to believe in your vision and then rally behind it, wholeheartedly.
Q) How you motivate your team?
A) I believe in instilling faith and confidence in the team to make the right decision, always.
Q) What is your core competency?
A) I publically acknowledge that I do not know anything, that I know that I don’t know anything. This helps me know a few things.
Q) What is leadership to you?
A) To me leadership is defined by its followers. If they believe in the leader strongly, then his/her leader- ship is powerful and effective.
Q) Your greatest inspiration?
A) In religion, my greatest inspiration is the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). In other chapters of history, I am fascinated with Napoleon and Alexander. I am a passionate reader of history and literature. Through these disciplines, I try to learn more about the evolution of human behavior over time, and use this knowledge to guide my actions.
Q) What is your quick winning strategy?
A) I will answer this in the capacity of a banker. One, invest with long term in view. Second, no matter what action you take it must be result in profit, otherwise do not do it.
Q) How can you tell in long term it will be profitable?
A) You operate with a medium to long term strategy and then create forecasts and projections for such long-term decisions.
Q) How does communication happen between senior management and on other level?
A) I think the best form of communication is verbal and direct, especially at big moments and crucial junctures.
Q) How do you manage your anger and stress?
A) I wish you would ask my colleagues about this because you might think how is it possible that this person does not get angry. But I do not get display negative emotions. Even if I am angry or stressed, I make sure that I do not publicly display my anger or stress.
Q) What is your business philosophy?
A) An entrepreneur or businessowner will be better suited to answer this question. I am really an employee; I follow policy and directives of the Board. But for any business the philosophy should be to contribute positively to the society.
There was a run on a bank which I was the CEO of at the time. There was a rush of depositors/ customers withdrawing their money. I responded with projecting stability and calmness through mass media: I appeared on 17 channels live over the course of 3 days and categorically stated that there was nothing wrong with the bank and depositors’ claims to their money would be respectfully honored. This restored the confidence of customers and they started putting their money back into the Bank.
Q) What competencies should an entrepreneur have?
A) The entrepreneur should able to foresee what others cannot and be able to strategically tap into markets.
Q) How do you unwind?
A) I am very fond of music. Music is my passion and I find it therapeutic. Listening to a diverse range of music is how I unwind.
Q) What sports do you like?
A) Of all the sports that I have played, cricket is the one that I am most passionate about. I have played league cricket as well.
