The first and second batch of the Diploma in Family Managed Business and first batch of Diploma in Strategic Marketing, Center for Executive Education (CEE), IBA received their Diplomas in a ceremony held on 28th July, 2018. The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran.
The recitation was followed by a welcome address by Ms. Aysha Anas Iftikhar, Academic Director, Family Managed Business Program. She congratulated the participants on successfully completing the requirements of the Diploma. Ms. Iftikhar shared the success stories of the participants with the audience and informed them of the impact the program has had in improving family governance.
Mr. Akhtar Mahmood, Faculty of Diploma in Strategic Marketing at IBA-CEE, congratulated the participants on successfully completing the Diploma program. Mr. Mahmood also stated that the participants of Diploma in Strategic Marketing were from different industries. Mr. Mahmood explained that how the diversity among the participants made their learning more interesting and valuable.
Dr. Izhar Hussain, Director Center for Executive Education, IBA presented the 31 successful participants with their Diplomas. The participants belonged to diverse sectors including automobiles, petrochemicals, printing, trading, fabrication, FMCG etc.
The curriculum of the 4 month weekend Diploma in Family Managed Business included the modules of Family Business Governance, People Management, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Operations Management and Business Plan. The curriculum was designed with input from experts in family business and members of leading family businesses. The two overarching goals for the program are profit improvement and scaling the business to transcend geographical boundaries.
The modules were taught by experienced family business members, industry practitioners and academics. Throughout the semester a number of distinguished
guest speakers namely Mr. Khaleeq ur Rahman, Executive Director, Feroze 1888, Mr. Ameed Riaz, Group CEO, Imrooz, Mr. Abu Talib Surmawala, Owner, Surmawala, Mr. Asad Abdulla, Group CIO, IBL, Mr. Pervez AbuBaker Modi, Technical Director, Steel Crete, Mr. Hamza Rauf Essa, Co-Founder and Director Telemart, Mr. Muhammad Hassan Khan, Co-Founder and Director Trax Logistics, were invited to share their experiences with participants of the Family Managed Business program. Both batches of the Family Managed Business Program visited Atlas Battery Limited as part of Industrial Visit.
During the program the participants undertook a business diagnostic of their family business. This offered an immense learning opportunity for application of management concepts. As part of diagnostics participants learned to review all business functions in addition to the business model.
No business has the capacity to accommodate all family members, so businesses need to think in terms of spin-offs and becoming a group of companies venturing into related and new areas as expansions and new companies. Based on the above participants created a business plan with the guidance and mentorship of a senior family member and Family Managed Business faculty.
At the end of the ceremony, addressing the audience Dr. Izhar Hussain highlighted the contribution of family businesses to Pakistan's economy. He emphasized the need for family business to adopt emerging management practices and take stock of opportunities. Dr Hussain shared with the audience the vision of the CEE for family business. He hoped that the Family Managed Business Program can help family businesses improve their governance. Dr. Hussain also highlighted the importance of an emerging area of Marketing i.e. Neuro Marketing. Dr. Hussain explained that how Neuro marketing is taking the world by storm and has been utilized by almost every major company and university in some way. Dr. Hussain congratulated all participants who received their Diplomas on this occasion.