A Write-Up by Muhammad Hassan Dajana
I will write a few raw thoughts after meeting with Mr. Ikram Sehgal who leads the Pathfinder Group and CITADEL and who has for decades hosted the Pakistani Breakfast at Davos, Switzerland.
Our delegation comprising of Global Shapers from across Pakistan, students from Lawrence College and other University students from the twin cities met him through a Meet the Leader session facilitated by the Global Shapers Islamabad Hub.
Mr Ikram Sehgal has built in Pakistan and for Pakistan and for more than 40+ years has ensured people and communities are strengthened through sound business and caring about his people.
My question to him was “we are cognizant of the barriers we face, in an environment where asking too many wrong questions can lead to unfortunate circumstances, how does one thrive when survival is at stake?”
He shared his journey of trials and tribulations, his principles and his motivations. He shared ‘be pragmatic, hold strong values and beliefs, stand by what you believe but be pragmatic. Pragmatism comes both with understanding, consideration, reflective thought, looking at the bigger picture and thinking outside of yourself. You move from your individual self to the collective well being’.
‘Always seek opportunity in a challenge, such cases are more evident in developing economies like Pakistan. You can either complain when something’s wrong, or get up and do something about it.’ He firmly advocated for the latter.
‘Do things fail, but fail well, fail with better understanding and manage your failure to lead toward success. Build systems, institutions and processes that outlive too’.
One last thought from myself, my late teens and early teens was framed around anti-capitalist tendencies, where business wasn’t viewed most favourably. After meeting businessmen and understanding thought process looking at unit economics, the flow of capital, the allocation of money and just how the world works, my current tendency is pro value. If you create value, you deserve to be credited for it. Mr. Sehgal’s directly contributes to 12,000+ families earning a livelihood and millions more indirectly and those who create immense value are more generous to pass it along which he did today.
Lastly just act, find a problem, think through the probabilities and commutations and just act, a moving body finds it destination. All of us (at least I tend to hope so) want a Pakistan that’s better, we may have different approaches but that’s the end, it would recover all of us to show up with passion, enthusiasm and a vision larger than oneself and it was a privilege to see the embodiment of this vision in Mr Ikram Sehgal today. Thank you Islamabad Hub Global Shapers for creating this space for us. Muhammad Hassan Dajana
Courtesy and Thanks to
Muhammad Hassan Dajana
