Amir Paracha, Chairman and CEO, Unilever Pakistan Limited was invited as the guest speaker at SSGC’s Synergy-Talks Speakers’ Session held at the latter’s Head Office. The session entitled ‘Hitting the Bulls’ Eye’ and organized by SSGC’s Corporate Communication Department (CCD), was attended by a large number of SSGC’s employees, including its senior management.
During the candid conversation hosted by Syed Imran Ahmed, A/DGM-CCD, Mr. Paracha who is one of Pakistan’s youngest CEOs, took the audience to a professional journey spanning over 27 years, starting from the position of Retail Analyst at Shell Pakistan Ltd. just after completing his MBA from IBA Karachi. Mr. Paracha revealed that after a 4-year stint at Shell, he applied in Unilever Pakistan and even though job-wise the position was inferior than the one he was holding at Shell, he prevailed at Unilever since he was able to pursue his dream of becoming a consummate marketer in an environment that offered him tremendous diversity to work and grow.
The Unilever CEO attributed his swift rise to persistence, rebellious streak and discipline and value system that he learned from his school days and later from IBA, Karachi. Chairman Unilever recalled that when he took over the helm of affairs at one of the world’s biggest FMCG companies, COVID-19 pandemic sneaked into our lives. Yet he and his team stood up against the disease by implementing a major campaign for ensuring nation-wide hygiene through its products. Mr. Paracha said that since he took over as the Unilever CEO, his primary focus has been on creating healthy financial bottom-line, enduring equitable socio-economic opportunities and enforcing fair living wages concept for his employees.
The event was an interactive one, punctuated by questions and remarks from the audience during the talk and in conclusion. Earlier, in his welcome address Salman A. Siddiqui, Head of Corporate Communications expressed rightly predicted that Chairman Unilever’s candid talk would be highly insightful and stimulating one. In his concluding remarks, Saeed Rizvi, ADMD ( Operations and UFG) SSGC stressed that the value system that accompanied Mr. Paracha’s rise to the pinnacle of success must be emulated by the younger executives seeking career progression. ADMD (Operations and UFG) presented a memento and company giveaways to the distinguished speaker on conclusion.
