MBA Marketing 2010 From Aberdeen to Owner of Contract Research Organization
Your Time at Aberdeen
Why did you choose to study at Aberdeen? I am a physician by qualification and the University of Aberdeen is famous for its medical school. The education standard is as good as anywhere else in the world and the University was highly recommended by a couple of my friends, who had done their masters programmes in different faculties there. Also, Aberdeen is a good destination for full-time international students because of the job opportunities and the serene environment of the city.
Why did you choose your particular course? I selected the MBA programme because of my future career aspirations in the commercial healthcare industry. I was working for Novartis in Pakistan before enrolling in the programme and wanted to do a full-time one year programme to further equip myself with this much sought after qualification in the industry.
What did you most enjoy about your time at Aberdeen? Did you have any particularly memorable student experiences? As a full-time student, I spent a lot of time at the beautiful campus of the University. I have very fond memories of that place. Some of the friends made during that time are one of my most valued assets. I am still in touch with a few faculty members and seek their guidance whenever required. I’m very proud to be associated with this prestigious name!
If talking to a group of prospective students, what advice would you give them to help them make the most of their time at the University of Aberdeen? It is very easy to ignore studies when you are enrolled in university because there are a lot of distractions. My advice would be to maintain the focus on the primary goal ahead, which is to get the best out of this opportunity to achieve academic excellence. Everything else can be pursued further in future career and life.
Your Time After Aberdeen
What was your first job after graduating from Aberdeen? Assistant Product Manager with Novartis Pakistan.
What did your first role involve? I was responsible for brand management for the cardiovascular portfolio of the company. My job description included strategic inputs in new marketing campaigns, execution of global campaigns in Pakistan and managing the profit and loss of my assigned brands.
What is your current role? Chief Executive Officer of my own company, Metrics Research Pvt Ltd. I look after a team of 82 people now and as the owner of this company, I am looking after the complete business operations.
What is your current location? Karachi, Pakistan.
Please briefly describe the journey from your first job after graduating to where you are now I worked for the pharmaceutical industry for about a decade after graduation, with a steep career growth. My last assignment was heading the business acquisition team for Abbott Diagnostics Division, responsible for five countries. I resigned from my last position in 2020 and purchased majority shares in the pioneer contract research organization of Pakistan, Metrics Research. For the past 4 years, I have been managing the complete business operations of the company.
Was your degree at Aberdeen essential for getting to where you are now? If so, in what way? Absolutely! The MBA programme perfectly complemented my earlier qualification of physician in the healthcare industry. The degree gave me an edge over others in the industry because of my international exposure to business management. Moreover, the MBA degree is currently helping me significantly in managing my own company, with a thorough understanding of the different faculties involved in daily business activities (finance, HR, operations, quality management etc).
Have you been involved with the University since your graduation, e.g. guest speaker, ambassador or mentor? I was appointed as the president of the alumni chapter for Pakistan last year and have been actively trying to gather fellow alumni for social engagements and interaction throughout the year.
One Top Tip
Please share your one top tip that you think is most important for our current students or recent graduates that will help them when starting out on their career paths It’s important for students to understand that a focused approach towards their career goals is extremely important. One should only take up a career if that is driven by passion in that particular field. Adapting a run of the mill approach might promise a job, but will never lead to a fulfilling career that can impact people's lives.
