Saturday, February 25, 2017

Value Versus Valuation

Image result for we scare because we care

"We Scare, Because We Care." - Disney's Monsters, Inc.

Countless philosophers have spent many years on the effort of providing a complete description of the role of commerce in human welfare. The result of their efforts has filled dozens of very fine books. But, not being a philosopher, I prefer something simpler: The purpose of commerce is not simply to safeguard the future alone, but to make the effort rewarding in the present as well. The problem with slow-moving economies is that the powers-that-be of those nations base their promises to their people on what those powers-that-be can do for the great-grandchildren of their people...but neglect to mention how the present generations are going to live happy & fulfilling lives.

That means, any given country can't put all activities on hold because of the appearance of any obstacle, great or small. For example, in Pakistan, the media seems to be conveying an all-hands-on-deck atmosphere, because of the announcement that the nationwide Operation Something-Or-Other has kicked off to put an end to criminal activity once & for all (once again). Similarly, the other day, the Pakistani Finance Minister was reportedly declaring that the Pakistan Army had been given carte blanche to eradicate terrorism both within the country as well as beyond its borders; he was apparently so excited at the prospect, that he forgot to explain why he was filling in for the Defense Minister in the discussion on national defense policies & also forgot to mention how such operations would be conducted without jeopardising the national economy or the first-class citizens' fundamental rights.

Some folk wonder what is the secret to good business negotiations, be they individual or national. The trick is to prove that challenges don't make you panic & retreat to the nearest bunker; instead, you are capable of multiplying your assets while protecting your people at the same time. Some people really aren't qualified to do that; it isn't a fault, it is just an absence of the relevant negotiation skills. In the aforementioned example, the Finance Minister has supposedly instructed the media to call him a "technocrat"; if that is the case, I guess technocrats are whatever is the opposite of professional negotiators. But, no worries. If you can't get a negotiator to bargain for the country, just look to the foreigners who have invested their time & money here because the idea of a stranger placing faith in the financial value of your abilities is the next best thing.

Given below are 3 examples of foreigners who have placed that kind of trust in Pakistan, but haven't received the coverage that could solve Pakistan's image problems on a global scale. Further details on these individuals & several others can be found on their LinkedIn profiles.

Bernd Hildenbrand (PIA)
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernd-hildenbrand-47332780/)

Acting CEO, Pakistan International Airlines
Dates Employed: May 2016 – Present
Employment Duration: 10 mos

Betriebsdirektor (COO), Pakistan International Airlines
Dates Employed: Feb 2016 – Present
Employment Duration: 1 yr 1 mo 
Location: Karachi

Director, Lufthansa
Dates Employed: Jan 2013 – Jan 2016
Employment Duration: 3 yrs 1 mo

Managing Director, LST Lufthansa Services Thailand
Dates Employed: Jan 2011 – Dec 2012 
Employment Duration: 2 yrs 
Location: Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand

Managing Director, Inflight Management Solutions GmbH
Dates Employed: Jan 2008 – Dec 2010
Employment Duration: 3 yrs 
Location: Neu Isenburg, Germany

Daniel Ritz (PTCL)
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/daritz/)

President & CEO, PTCL
Dates Employed: Mar 2016 – Present
Employment Duration: 1 yr
Location: Islamabad, Pakistan

Member of the Supervisory Board, Maroc Telecom
Dates Employed: May 2014 – Present
Employment Duration: 2 yrs 10 mos 
Location: Rabat, Morocco

Non-executive Board member, Thuraya
Dates Employed: Oct 2012 – Present
Employment Duration: 4 yrs 5 mos 
Location: United Arab Emirates

Non-executive Board member, PTCL
Dates Employed: Sep 2012 – Present
Employment Duration: 4 yrs 6 mos
Location: Pakistan

Non-executive Board member, Atlantique Telecom Holding
Dates Employed: Sep 2012 – Present
Employment Duration: 4 yrs 6 mos
Location: Ivory Coast

David Easton (Daraz.pk)
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-easton-3151186/)

Head of Consumer Businesses and Director, Equity Investments, CDC Group plc
Dates Employed: 2012 – Present
Employment Duration: 5 yrs

Director, Koru Kids
Dates Employed: Jun 2016 – Present
Employment Duration: 9 mos 
Location: London, United Kingdom

Investor and Director, Blaze.cc
Dates Employed: Aug 2012 – Present
Employment Duration: 4 yrs 7 mos
Location: London, United Kingdom

Director and Investor, Jumia Group
Dates Employed: 2016 – Present
Employment Duration: 1 yr

Investor, Daraz.pk
Dates Employed: 2015 – Present
Employment Duration: 2 yrs

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