Featured Interviews - Mr. Tahir Malik
1. Tell us about
yourself (Academic Qualifications & Achievements).
I did my O levels from St Paul's School back in 1988. If
I remember well, I came second in school in O levels,
thanks to the pressure from my father to achieve good
grades and my hard work. But then decided to experience
college life and went on to Commerce College (more fun
than studies) and then on to IBA. I graduated in 1995
from the Morning campus.
2. Previous Important positions held:
I am currently the CEO for Reckitt Benckiser Turkey. I
took over this wonderful business last summer and prior
to that, I was the CEO RB for West Asia (Pakistan and
Afghanistan).
3. How did you start your career and how has your
professional journey been so far?
Right after the MBA final exams (and before the
comprehensive paper - "compre" as it was called then), I
was picked by Procter and Gamble as an ABM (June 1995).
My first 8 years were spent in Pakistan moving up the
ranks and becoming the first Pakistani Marketing
Director and the last eight in Europe in Regional
assignments in Brussels and Geneva.
4. Do you think IBA produces global graduates that
can compete internationally?
Certainly YES!. In Reckitt Benckiser, we have IBA
graduates that are placed all over the world and are
doing very well. I myself am an IBA graduate and am
heading one of our biggest businesses. All my
predecessors were educated in top US or European
business schools.
5. What qualities are International employers looking
for in prospective employees?
Having worked in 4-5 countries in different assignments,
I have seen some common traits that set apart "water
walkers" from the rest, winners from losers. In my view
these are applicable everywhere, irrespective of the
country or the organization. These are my Big 5 that I
look for in managers.
Hungry People : There is no better use of the saying
"you can take a horse to the water but can't make him
drink" than in careers. You need to absolutely have that
fire in the belly, desire to win, to beat your personal
best and keep driving your career as a result. You have
to be hungry for Success. It has got to come from within
. In my career, I have seen "hungry people" with a huge
passion to win, actually winning big. My advice - Always
play to win and not just to have fun!
Straight Thinkers : At least in the field that I am in,
we don't make space rockets but manufacture and sell
simple every day consumer goods to a simple
straightforward housewives. Strategies, Plans and
Executions have to be simple YET Breakthrough. And hence
straight thinkers do much better than complicated souls.
Big Game Hunters : Life is a gamble and corporate life
is no different. People who make it big in corporate
world have the guts to take risks, experiment, try new
things, even fail and learn. One absolutely should be a
big game hunter. One should always always dream BIG!
Resilience : In life we all fall down. Every one falls
down, buts what's important is how fast we get up and
start running again. Resilience is absolutely key to be
successful in corporate world. I have seen too many
people without fighting spirit go down and not bounce
back during a bad patch in their careers.
Humility : My opening thought was hunger for success and
closing point is humility. The day you get arrogant,
your learning curve comes to an end. Plus no one wants
to work with a smart Alec and there are quite a few out
there. Make sure you are not one of them.
6. Having worked abroad do you think Pakistani
professionals have the right skills to perform in a
global arena?
Absolutely. Pakistanis as a nation are hugely hungry for
success and take their careers very seriously. Our basic
orthodox yet comprehensive schooling system allows us to
handle pressure from class 1 and makes us straight
thinkers with all the Maths and Add maths we are made to
do. Also Pakistanis are proud yet humble people with
feet on the ground.
Pakistanis are a treat to work with and Pakistani
community has a wonderful image within the Reckitt
Benckiser world.
7. What improvements (If any), do you think, are
required at IBA to make it into a world-class
institution?
IBA has to go more global . There are so many
opportunities available in terms of students exchange
with top universities of the world, working with MNC for
international placement of their students etc. Even
attracting a much more international student body.
8. Graduates these days complain of lack of
opportunities in the International market. Do you think
this is the case?
This is universal concern that has been there for
100 years and would always be there for another century.
Its more a myth than a fact. Back in 1995, when we were
graduating, we felt the same way, yet the entire class
got jobs in Pakistan and abroad within a few months.
Globally, companies are doing well and expanding their
footprints in new geographies, new ventures. I see lots
of opportunities all around the world.
9. What message would you like to give to the present
IBA students and alumni who wish to explore global
markets?
I truly believe that the best way to go international is
to start with a Multinational within Pakistan and then
move out with that company to different broadening
assignments. At RB, typical assignments are 2-3 years
and then people move out. We believe we are a truly
global company and hence don't hire for a particular
country but hire for the globe.
10. How was the IBA experience for you as a student?
Please share a memorable anecdote from your days at IBA.
IBA was one of the best times of my life. Fun, friends,
grinding, learning , taking pressure, falling down ,
running again, surviving! - All that I learnt prepared
me for this corporate world. I owe a lot to IBA!
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Featured Interviews
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