Naveed Siraj, Country Head Intel Pakistan, started his career in 1993 and has in total more than seventeen years IT industry experience in various roles including Account Sales Manager, National Sales Manager and Country Lead. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science & Engineering, from University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the State University of New York.
Please tell us about yourself and your organization?
Naveed Siraj: I began his career in 1993 and has in total more than seventeen years IT industry experience in roles including Account Sales Manager, National Sales Manager and Country Lead. He holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science & Engineering, from University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from the State University of New York.
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices.
Intel is a manufacturer for microprocessors and we are an ingredient brand. Intel processors are inside the PC’s hence people do not see us. Dell, HP etc. and such these companies work closely with Intel on a global and local level since they use Intel processors and benefit from Intel architecture when they manufacture their brand of PC’s, Servers. Similarly on storage side, our Intel Xeon line of processors features on EMC, Hitachi, IBM storage. So our footprint is visible on different nature of IT products.
Intel has been operating in Pakistan for over thirteen years, and several of our former Pakistan country managers have gone on to key regional roles with the company.
What are the businesses of Intel in local markets?
For Intel, it is a really exciting times. Traditionally, this has been limited to the PC and notebook space, but as we expand our technology and move into new types of devices and markets, we are finding that Intel can bring amazing things to life in smart phones, TVs and cards.
You can imagine the positive impact of connectivity in the underprivileged communities in countries like Pakistan which benefit from greater access to information when they simply connect. We would want such access to increase so that there a new businesses that are able to provide data to farmers, traders, small businesses in our rural areas. I would like your help to promote the positive use of such access in your paper. Therefore we can have another meeting at our office.
What is the role of Intel in the promotion of technology in the country?
For me what is important for our perspective in Pakistan is that the people find how much Intel is committed to the industry, the reseller channel and more so to the communities to which we contribute positively. It can be in the form of promoting IT adoption in schools and colleges, as part of our Intel Teach whereby nearly 280,000 teachers have been trained since the launch of the pilot program in 2002.
We also hold Science and Engineering Fairs at district, provincial, federal levels. These science fairs foster creativity, promotes learning and teaching in the areas of Science and Maths by holding science fairs across the country.
I am pleased to share that at the international level the children from Pakistan have performed well. In 2006, Hamza Sheikh from Islamabad won for his project titled “Is pea flour an effective insecticide against the stored pests”. We are extremely happy that our Science Fair program provided Hamza with an opportunity to showcase his project in the US.
In 2007, Kulsum Bilal from Lahore won for her project titled “Feasibility and Recycling of Chicken Feathers into Paper”. This was a brilliant idea presented with such ease, that she brought home this award to Pakistan. We are very proud of Kulsum.
What is the role of Intel in the promotion of education in the country?
As I explained today, Intel’s commitment to education is longstanding and deep. Since the company was founded in 1968, Intel has been actively engaged in improving education and promoting math and science programs in the local communities where we operate. Intel Education Initiative has diverse nature of programs. From professional development of teachers and administrators to community education programs that go beyond the traditional classrooms, and programs that foster creativity and learning in science subjects so that we ensure better lives for our children, stronger economies in the communities where we operate and more opportunities for all.
Intel invests more than $100 million each year in our education programs in 50 countries. I hope that you can see how passionate we are about the Intel Education Initiatives.
How do you see the Pakistani market for IT industry?
With the introduction of new technology, there are bright prospects that foreign investment in information technology (IT) sector will see a “surprise increase”.
The innovative technology is being adopted across the globe and its use is becoming more and more essential for socio-economic uplift. There is no way but to apply these technologies and put the country on path of development. New technologies and trends in 2011 would create new experiences for pervasive computing. As users, we would have a choice among various devices and technologies that provide the best experience for our intended use. The technologies that are expected in 2011 would be smarter, more powerful, and more useful.
I hope that with the introduction of these new technologies, Pakistan would be able to attract more foreign investment. At present, he claimed that 1.5 billion people are using Internet facility, and every year about one billion new users are becoming “regular Internet user”.
About Intel contribution in the economic development of Pakistan he said it started contributing in education sector of the country since 2002 and up till now 16000 teachers have been trained. The company specifically focuses on education sector of the country. During the teacher training programme, he said the teachers were provided top-level training of Internet and computer usage particularly in the under privileged communities. Faster adoption of information technology would add to economic development of the country.
How do you see the current status of the IT industry?
There are some gaps in the use of information technology in the country and there is an urgent need to fulfill it. In order to cover these gaps, he said through public-private-partnership, government can foster business friendly environment. He stressed reaching the missing gap in IT sector of the country. The Intel Corporation of Pakistan has donated 4000 personal computers under a scheme and established 292 computer laboratories and claimed that it would be completed in 2011. The Intel has also offered Students excellence awards at districts, provincials and national level and finally few students were sent to the US. The private sector should sponsor education and IT literacy program for better future generation of the country.
I hope that with the introduction of these new technologies, Pakistan would be able to attract more foreign investment. At present, he claimed that 1.5 billion people are using Internet facility, and every year about one billion new users are becoming “regular Internet users”.
http://www.technologytimes.pk/mag/2011/jan11/issue03/connection_pakistan_with.php
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