Exclusive Interview with
SCAO Islamabad Office GM Mr Shahzad Ali Pradhan
“Live a life such that you don’t have to hide your diary.”
Mr Shahzad Ali Pradhan
General Manager of Islamabad office
Sumitomo Corporation Asia & Oceania Pte. Ltd.
You have been the GM of SCAO Islamabad Liaison Office since 2016. How has the experience been, what significant changes or events have you witnessed and how do you wish your office will continue to evolve?
I feel highly honoured to have been given the opportunity as the GM of Islamabad Office. The road to success has not been easy and has been a bumpy ride with its own adversities. It has truly been a great learning experience that has not only elevated me intellectually but has also given the taste of different challenges when dealing with distinct circumstances. It has helped me grow emotionally and made me more emphatic towards the issues faced by people in general. Making decisions during delicate circumstances grooms my leadership qualities and enables me to combat with issues arising in such situations. Success brings a lot of responsibility and liability that need to be well understood.
SC 100th Anniversary Celebration in Karachi Office
Every position towards growth brings a set of new challenges along. Supply of OCTG products to E&P companies in Pakistan is the main business of Islamabad office. Pakistan is an energy deficient country and its major Oil & Gas needs are dependent on imports. E&P sector has immense potential due to large reserves of hydrocarbon in Pakistan. Huge areas of hydrocarbon blocks are yet to be explored or are under explored, hence, now the Government of Pakistan is focusing to further develop this segment by auctioning new blocks regularly in order to minimise the dependency on imported fuels.
Keeping in mind lucrativeness in this sector and having set good roots in energy sector, we then started focusing on this sector for business opportunities other than OCTG, for instance Chemicals, Line Pipe, Specialty Pipes and Boiler Tubes, etc. Besides, we are also actively working to evolve and expand the business fields of the office – striving for new opportunities in diversified business fields, for instance CCS/CCUS and IT related businesses.
Participated in the Japanese Speech Contest arranged by Japan Culture Center,
Karachi in 2001. Won 2nd prize.
Who or what inspired you to pursue the career you have today? What’s the best advice you were ever given, who was it from and what did you do about it?
I had never thought of a career in working for an organisation as my father was a businessman and none of my forefathers pursued a job. I was always looking forward to inherit my father’s business. However, there are some incidences in life that change your destiny. I was inspired by some of my friends who took business studies and I followed their footsteps. Graduation in business studies changed my perception and I decided to pursue a professional career.
I consider myself lucky to have good people in my life who have given me guidance and advices. I however consider that the best advice I have received was from my father. He always advised me to be kind and humble to people, never be arrogant, and treat people as you would want to be treated.
I have taken up those advices seriously which have made me a compassionate listener and an empathetic person, and to treat people equally. I truly believe that kindness lies in the act of giving without the expectation of getting something in return.
What were you like when you were young? What are you passionate about in life as you grow? Please share with us some interesting moments.
I was quite a lot into books and reading was my hobby. Being the eldest amongst my siblings, I was always the responsible type of a child right from the beginning. Apart from reading, I was into sports and used to play cricket, which was a part of my daily routine. I had been quite adventurous and an active member in school extracurricular activities and competitions.
Being passionate about something gives a sense of purpose. It gives the feeling of significance—the feeling that you are meant to do great things in life. I have always been passionate about learning new things and craving to learn more and more. Learning starts from cradle and goes up till grave, hence, I have always kept myself open to adapt new inventions, technologies and anything which helps to enrich knowledge. My passion is to explore new things in life and stay at par with the ever-changing world, which is a never-ending journey. It has been my aspiration to help and uplift others as it makes me feel better.
There had been ample of interesting moments in my life, hence, penning down any one of them would not justify, however there was one moment which along with being interesting was a bit scary as well. It was when I had gone on a trip to the northern mountainous areas of Pakistan with my schoolmates. While we were on our way back, we witnessed landslides due to the melting of glacier that caused road blockage. We were trapped there, and as night approached and having no option, we had to cross over it on foot to reach the other side of the road. It was an adventurous experience that I will never forget.
University life (1st from right)
Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship MoU signing with university
SCAO Karachi Office party in March 2020
Participated in Global Leadership Programme (GLP) in Sumitomo Tokyo in 2015
With colleagues in Tokyo in 2019
At Besshi copper mine
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SNAPSHOT
I strongly believe in… God & that Prayer can do wonders
I spend most of my time.. reading books & with my family
The food I crave most often is… Mediterranean Cuisine
One personal rule that I never break is… honesty & loyalty
The thing that cheers me up whenever I think about is… precious moments that I spent with my parents who had passed on
One thing I really want but can’t afford yet is… a sports car
If I could go back in time, I would… go back to my high school days
If I have enough money to live comfortably without having to work, I would… volunteer myself for charitable works
