Zouhair is a UK based Board level Senior Executive with a successful track record in building, growing and turning around companies in the Telecom and Technology space. He has over 27 years of experience in leadership positions with expertise in finance, marketing, corporate strategy, business development, human resource development and relationship management.

Zouhair while based in Egypt 2009-10 led the Orascom Telecom Group initiative in Mobile Financial Services and banking for the unbanked and was involved with the setting up of a Microfinance Bank. He also led the Orascom Telecom Group Strategy on infrastructure sharing with several projects in different countries. He recently oversaw the planning and strategy for a potential US$1 billion Tower Sharing Joint Venture between Orascom Telecom and another major Telco group.

During 2003 through 2008 as Chief Executive Officer of Mobilink in Pakistan, he led the growth of the customer base from 1 million to 30 million over 5 years, growing revenues 15 times to US$ 1.25 billion, maintaining stable EBITDA and market leadership in a 5 player market. He successfully helped deploy US$ 2.5 billion in cellular infrastructure, a nationwide fiber optic backbone and Wi-max operations transforming Mobilink into the leading Telecom Solutions Provider and the largest private sector company in the country. During his tenure Mobilink was rated amongst the 5 fastest growing companies in the Asian region alongside China Mobile, NTT DoCoMo and Bharti Telecom in 2006-2007.

Zouhair successfully helped raise over US$ 1.1 Billion dollars of debt working with European Export Credit Agencies and local and international banks and the Ministry of Finance including the first ever US$ 250 million private sector Bond in the country’s history. He played a pivotal strategic role, in helping to shape and formulate the Mobile Cellular Policy of the Government of Pakistan, working extensively with the Ministry of Communications and lobbying the Government at all levels thus paving the way for Orascom Telecom’s success in the country.

As Group COO at Orascom Telecom in Egypt in early 2003, he revamped the Board Governance structure and Operational Strategy of the Group, restructured the management of the Algerian operations and helped launch the Tunisian cellular operations and planned the launch of the Iraq operations thus contributing to the Group’s subsequent rapid expansion. Earlier in 2002 as Group CFO at Orascom Telecom he successfully led the restructuring of the Group’s US$ 1.8 billion debt with Egyptian and international banks and major equipment suppliers.

While at Motorola during 1997-2001 he exercised a key Board role in helping to successfully build Mobinil, a US$ 4 billion quoted cellular company, to a position of dominant market leadership in the Egyptian market with 1.2 million subscribers in 2 years. He exercised a key Board role in helping establish market leadership and subscriber growth of 6.5 times in 3 years in Fastlink, Jordan.  He collaborated in the preparation of a potential IPO valued at over US$ 5.0 billion for Motorola’s Network Management Group.

As a member of the Board of Regents of the Harris Manchester College Oxford University, he is currently assisting the college with fund raising. As part of the Board of the Karachi Education Initiative helped with strategy and governance structure to attract the Judge Business School, Cambridge University to become a strategic partner. Zouhair is a past President of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), Lahore Chapter, where he helped young entrepreneurs, through structured programs, to realize their full potential. He is also a WPO member.

As Board Member of the Government of Pakistan’s ICT R&D Fund he helped set up a vocational training institute for under-graduates. As member of the Board of Islamabad Stock Exchange he contributed to the governance structure and market repositioning. Zouhair is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and has served on the Board of Directors of Companies in the UK, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. He has trained in Managing International Businesses at INSEAD. 

Mr. Muneer Farooqui has served as CEO of Warid Telecom International Limited, Bangladesh for over four years. In view of his dynamic work experience in telecom sector and proven leadership in various capacities where his last assignment was CEO of Warid Telecom, Bangladesh, he has been assigned to undertake his responsibilities as CEO of Warid Telecom (Pvt.) Limited, Pakistan, to optimize and lift the business performance of the Company from its current level and ensure a potential niche for the Company in the local Telecom Industry.

Academically, he is holding a Master degree in Computer Science from Preston University, USA. He bags almost 20 years of performance driven experience where major part of his professional life pertains to the Telecom Industry of Pakistan and abroad.  The panorama of his multi-dimensional experience revolves around creating and implementing Business Plans and performance oriented Organizational Strategies, Customer, Sales & Marketing Management and other technical/non-technical organizational dimensions.

He started his professional journey with Mobilink in 1993 and shouldered his responsibilities in various capacities till the year 2004. The last position he held in Mobilink prior to joining Warid, was Director Customer Service where he turned around Customer Service function by rolling out two CTI based state –of –the-art (3rd Generation) contact centers.

In May 2004, Mr. Farooqui joined Warid Telecom (Pakistan) as part of the core team in the capacity of GM Customer Service when the Company had just made a beginning in the local telecom industry.  He spearheaded one of the largest roll outs of customer service operations in the history of telecom in Pakistan, launched two multimedia state-of–the-art (4th Generation IP based) largest contact centers. He has a vast experience of launching simultaneously multiple business centers across the country. Apart from rich experience in different areas of commercial operations in Telecom Sector, he has initiative, positive attitude and the charisma to lead in a challenging environment.

In January 2006, Warid visualized and decided to expand its horizon of telecom business outside Pakistan. Mr. Muneer Farooqui was considered and chosen for giving this challenging task of creating Warid operations in Bangladesh and leading the team to register a business success outside Pakistan as well.

Now, in his present role as CEO of Warid Telecom (Pvt.) Limited, he will lead to provide direction to Warid Team, in order to achieve the Company Vision and annual business goals. With his diverse international experience of managing large scale telecom projects, he is expected to help the organization secure its due position in the local cellular industry that is very much required to sustain Warid’s role as one of the leading telecom companies in Pakistan.

Mr. Muneer Farooqui is a result oriented professional, exuding strong support for innovation and organizational changes aimed at creating business relevance and enhancing organizational effectiveness. He is a team player with an objective-driven approach that gives priority to company’s best interests at all times strongly backed by efforts that are focused on determination, dedication, follow-up and successful completion of result oriented initiatives. 

Tariq Gulzar has a combined professional and industry background gained from over 19 years experience, primarily in Europe & North America, in Finance, enterprise-wide risk management, corporate governance, control assurance and general consulting in telecommunication, media & technology industries.  

Tariq is a Fellow Chartered Accountant, (Pakistan), a Certified Public Accountant (Colorado, USA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (New York, USA).     

CFO is a key leadership role responsible for all financial and fiscal aspects of the business. Providing leadership and effective coordination for end-to-end finance function including commercial affairs, risk management, capital structure, investment, treasury, revenue assurance, credit & collection, budgetary control, accounting, reporting, taxation, shareholder affairs, financial strategy and planning.

Immediately prior to the assumption of the CFO role was heading the Audit, Risk Management & Corporate Governance function at Warid Telecom International (Abu Dhabi, UAE) covering Pakistan and overseas operations in Asia, Middle East & Africa.  Assisting management in meeting its business objectives by evaluating and making recommendations to improve company’s risk management, accountability and corporate governance processes.  Directly managing a global team of highly trained professionals and reporting into the Board Audit Committee.

Prior to joining Warid Telecom was working as Assistant Vice President in the Risk & Regulatory Advisory practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Canada.  At PwC was responsible for delivering internal audit, sustainable process improvement and risk management services to organizations in terms of increased revenues, decreased costs, improved efficiency, control and organizational & process agility in a range of industries. 

He has also worked with Millicom International Cellular S.A., Luxembourg, and Modern Times Group AB, Sweden (as Group Management Consultant), before joining PwC in Canada. 

He is a key note speaker at various forums in Thailand, UAE, Singapore, Belgium and Pakistan on telecom industry and governance related initiatives.