A source of inspiration for youth

 
Volume 2, Issue 2
Sohail Wajahat Siddiqui heads Siemens Pakistan Engineering Company Limited as its CEO and MD. He has been awarded with gold medals and scholarships thoroughout his life and his crowning achievement is the Sitara-e-Imtiaz. He has also won the prestigious Nishan-e-Haider Scholar, the Quaid-e-Azam Scholar and National Talent Scholar

Tell us about your education, career and organization you are leading presently?

Sohail Wajahat Hussain Siddique: I have always stood first; never second. I have the honor of being a Nishan-e-Haider scholar, Quaid-e-Azam scholar and National Talent Scholar. I went abroad for my studies and read at Imperial College, Kings College and took various business courses at Harvard and Babson.

Siemens was established in 1847 by Werner Von Siemens. Initially the company was producing mechanical bell systems for railways, water meters, gutta-percha insulation of wires and electrical telegraphs and went on to become the largest electrical equipment firm in the world currently operating in some 190 countries. Siemens has been active in Pakistan since 1947 and has been one of the largest employers of engineering graduates in the country.

How did you join this field and what motivated you to work with Siemens?

I was personally interested in civil services, but my father who was a civil servant himself recommended that I work in the private sector. I was offered a job by many top notch companies like IBM and Philips; I however saw that the portfolio of Siemens had everything that IBM and Philips had, and more. Siemens interacts with an individual from the start of his life to the end, till when he dies. In between, whatever he does is linked some way or the other to Siemens. Siemens provides the first visuals of the individual as a baby with Siemens ultrasound technology, Siemens provides clean water the individual drinks, the electricity he consumes through Siemens’ turbines and when he is old Siemens detects and provides solutions to a disease he may have been diagnosed with.

I found the company’s broad portfolio very impressive. I have held various positions in the company working in more or less every field related to the engineering sector instead of changing jobs and working in ten different companies. I’ve been involved with power generation, medical department, industry processing, automation and drives among other fields.

How is the experience to head one of the biggest Foreign Corporation in Pakistan?

I have been part of Siemens for the past 30 years, a good portion of my life you could say. I became CEO when I was 38 in 1994 at which time I was the youngest and only non- German CEO throughout Siemens. I joined the company as a trainee engineer in 1980 and rose to the highest level which is a great source of pride for me. One could say I was a successful prototype or experiment for Siemens. When I joined the company we had 1500 employees working for us. We created 6000 more jobs in Pakistan by expanding Siemens, came on the top of the Stock Exchange and received innumerous national and international awards making our products and services globally recognized. Siemens’ founder Werner Von Siemens said: “From my young days it has always been my ambition to build an enterprise of world standing” and as the Managing Director and CEO of the company I uphold this belief system. My aim is to maintain the standards that have made Siemens such a highly reputed enterprise globally.

What are the different types of services Siemens offers in Pakistan or globally?

Siemens has been active in Pakistan for the last 85 years, where it holds leading positions in three areas: Energy, Industry and Healthcare. The Siemens IT solutions and services function across all the three fields. Siemens is number one supplier of high voltage grid stations, switchgear products & systems, power distribution & power transformers, and network consultancy. The company has recently built a new 220 KV Power Transformer factory and is poised to meet the demand in this sector, nationally and regionally. Siemens enjoys leading positions in Pakistan in the areas of Power Transmission and Distribution, Automation and Control Industrial & Infrastructure Solutions, Medical Solutions, Transportation & Information Technology Solutions. These are part of Siemens global operations, employing nearly half a million people around the world working to develop and manufacture products, design and install complex systems and projects, and tailor a wide range of services for individual requirements.

What are your major achievements and who are your major clients and what services are you providing to them?

I believe that there are no short cuts in success. It is a path littered with challenges and one can only hope to achieve permanent success when he decides to face these challenges. I have lived my life keeping this in mind and have gained tremendous respect in my field. I was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2007 by the Government of Pakistan. I was also awarded the Highest Profit Growth award, Global Competitiveness Award and Award for Meritorious Services to Pakistan. For major clients I can proudly say that we treat everyone as our valued customer and provide a complete portfolio including services for the Energy, Industry and Healthcare sectors.

What milestones has Siemens achieved under you supervision?

Siemens has been winner of Export Trophy Awards for a number of years and we are also between the top two slots of the top 25 companies in the Karachi Stock Exchange. Siemens has the distinction of exporting engineering goods for the first time from Pakistan, which provides a solid base for exports. The quality, reliability and timely delivery of our goods in competitive markets like Kuwait, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka has opened doors for exports for other sectors based on goodwill created by Siemens. We introduced SAP in Pakistan in 2000 which was a major leap in terms of providing business software solutions making business more efficient and transparent. We are the only company that has won all top 4 awards in the country. The top 25 awards by Karachi Stock Exchange, The Annual Report Award by Institute of Chartered Accountants and Institute of Cost and Management Accountants, The MAP Corporate Excellence award and the award by South Asian Federation of Accountants.

What are the future plans of Siemens in Pakistan?

We have very ambitious plans but right now it is time to consolidate and hold on to your gains and that is what we are doing. All businesses across the world have to face and weather this economic Tsunami in the form of recession. It is time to dig out heels in and brace the storm.

What are the problems of industries in Pakistan? Are you satisfied with the government’s role in support industries?

Lack of infrastructure like power, water and gas are impeding growth of industries in the country.

We must develop the culture of exporting engineering goods rather than importing these products. Local manufacturing should be given due focus and attention by the government. More incentives should be given to local manufacturing.

How can Pakistan attract foreign investors in different sector?

By maintaining long term integrated policies, providing reliable cost effective infrastructure and improving law and order situation in the country.

In this present scenario, what do you think the business opportunities in different sectors after floods?

Siemens has contributed 2.5 Million EURO towards flood relief in the country. With a shortfall in power and gas, there were many opportunities for Siemens to play a role in. After the floods we are already helping the country get back on its feet.

What would your message be for the entrepreneurs/investors who are entering in the engineering sector?

My message would be very simple and clear. We all must work smart and with determination to enable Pakistan in realizing its full potential and reach to the stage of self-reliance. We have a country full of natural resources, abundant agricultural wealth and above all a valuable pool of human resources who have always demonstrated their talents across the world. Let us build this country together. We have the material for it so let us use for the sake of our future generations.

In a nutshell it is: Growth – People – Process • Production – Costs – Cash – Profits

What is the message you want to convey to the young IT professionals and entrepreneurs seeking success in the industry?

Work smart, be responsible for your behavior, be innovative, be excellent, be courageous and be the first.

What would you comment on first weekly technology-based paper of Pakistan, Technology Times?
Any publication that adds to knowledge in the field of technology is welcome. I wish you every success in your efforts.

“We all must work smart and with determination to enable Pakistan to realise its full potential and reach the stage of self-reliance. We have a country filled with natural resources, abundant agricultural wealth and above all a valuable pool of human resources who have always demonstrated their talents across the world. Let’s build this country together. We have the material for it so let’s use for the sake of our future generations.”

http://www.technologytimes.pk/mag/2011/jan11/issue02/asource_of_inspiration_for_youth.php