Give KESC some breathing space - Ikram Sehgal

Abraaj has taken some vital steps in the resuscitation of KESC. They have bought in their proven "A" Team from Dubai headed by the brilliant Farrukh Abbas to look after Abraaj interests overall in Pakistan. As someone who admires Anjum Niaz for her many accomplishments, one felt she should have looked beyond the Farrukh Abbas family tree and given him the benefit of his proven brilliant record in turning sick companies around, for the past few years very profitably for Abraaj in many countries of the world. In Pakistan merit is often disqualifier, family connections should not disparage merit and outstanding competence. The Abraaj team benefits from an outstanding power sector executive, Tabish Gauhar, with good experience in Pakistan as well as quite a few troublespots in the world. Within KESC it has assembled a formidable team of honesty, integrity and competence, headed by CEO Navid Ismail, who in accepting this challenge has hands-on experience in Ukraine, Georgia, Argentina, etc.

As CFO Abraaj has brought the ever-dependable Jalil Tareen back from Dubai. As Shaukat Mirza's closest aide this technocrat helped turn PSO around. Jalil left in utter frustration when Shaukat Mirza's successor undeservedly took all the credit. As head of organisation management, KESC has acquired the services of the best man available in Pakistan, Zafar Osmani, poaching him away from an outstanding HR job done in Habib Bank. In the ultimate analysis Abraaj must exploit KESC's greatest potential, its well qualified and experienced personnel reservoir. If Abraaj can act as the catalyst to create dynamics in this outstanding asset, KESC will easily light up Karachi again.