What is your mantra for success?
I wouldn’t say that this is my mantra for success, I mean success is a relative term so this is not my personal mantra but I believe that this is a mantra for a bank like standard chartered today given the kind of environment. I think that’s how we have taken the business in the past years. In short, we focus on these four pillars that balance our organization. The economy is changing very rapidly so who knows what we may have to include in the future.
What are your keys to success at SCB?
I have a very different view which I follow. It is a HABIT strategy, where;
H is for hard work, I think anything anybody does no matter what it is, there is no compromise for hard work it is something for which there are no shortcuts in life.
A is for attitude, you should possess the right attitude so that people can build trust. You should look at the positives of the situation and rather than panicking in a problem finding ways to get out of it.
B is for giving back to the society, we as individuals have been very blessed and it is important to give back in all shapes and forms giving back financially, giving back expertise, doing things for the less privileged people, it’s giving your time, it’s coaching the staff, it’s training them, it’ sharing your experience, its giving your time and love to the family and loved ones.
I is for Integrity, I think you have integrity or you don’t have it. The best test in my opinion for checking your integrity is when nobody is around and you do the right thing. Integrity is all about being fair. You can’t have integrity at home and not have at work. You are the best boss but you are a lousy father lousy mother or lousy husband this is not integrity. We should have a very clear view on integrity and I think we should not compromise on it.
T is for the teamwork. I don’t think anyone can actually be successful without a proper team. Where ever I am today is because I have been blessed with the right team. Here at standard Chartered I have been working with the best team.
What is the future of banking in Pakistan?
Pakistan has a very bright and promising future in Banking and it is evolving very fast. I think that technology is playing a major role in these rapid changes, the days of having the branches at every corner would become obsolete very soon. Internet banking is increasing rapidly and we, fortunately, have the largest internet banking services today in Pakistan with approximately 100,000 users. Internet banking along with mobile banking has made the lives of people pretty much easier and hence most of people are adopting this, you can pay bills, transfer money and do so much money while sitting at your home. This implementation of technological advances would not only rank the banks high but also reduce the costs.
What message do you like to give to the youngsters (future bankers)?
My message to all the youngsters would be that there are huge opportunities in this country; you just need to believe and explore yourself. Don’t necessarily run on the first flight; you get to stay in your own country and make it a better place for yourself and the society there is a lot to learn and a lot to give back. Another thing that I would like to convey is, don’t be afraid of failures, it will help you learn and build a better version of you.