Managing Director - SICPA Inks Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited

EVOLVE: First of all, please share your professional journey with our readers? 

Asif Ikram: I am a Chemical Engineer with Masters in Engineering Management both from the USA. I started my career with E.I. DuPont De Nemours & Co. and worked for 10 years in various positions in the USA. I moved back to Pakistan and was the founding CEO of DuPont Pakistan. Prior to joining SICPA, I worked in the financial sector in Asset Management & Private Equity. I was appointed Managing Director of SICPA Inks Pakistan (Pvt) Limited in July 2011. I have a diversified experience of over twenty-five years in Manufacturing, Finance, Marketing Business Development & Financial Services. 

EVOLVE: You are leading SICPA Inks Pakistan since July 2011. What leadership vision you envisioned to lead this most valued organization? 

Asif Ikram: SICPA’s Mission is to develop products & systems that allow you to be assured that the things that matter most to you are protected. Every day governments, companies & millions of people rely on security inks and integrated Authentication & Traceability Solutions to protect the integrity, the safety and value of their currency, products & personal identity. At SICPA Pakistan we strive to live up to SICPA’s global vision and be the best within the SICPA group of companies globally. 

EVOLVE: What measures do you take to ensure environmental preservation and how Pakistani companies can be benefitted by these noble Swiss practices? 

Asif Ikram: The environmental footprint of the company is closely monitored. SICPA’s production processes are energy intensive and the company is implementing projects to optimize energy use. In 2015 for instance, SICPA decreased its energy consumption by 15%.

In Pakistan specifically, SICPA aims to go beyond the minimum legal requirements. Regular environmental audits are being conducted for emissions, noise, internal and external ambiance through an independent third party. As an example an audit of lighting was conducted to determine the required light levels on shop floors and other areas. Based on the results, tube lights were replaced with energy saving and later with LED lights. Energy and chiller verification was undertaken to determine the effective use of air conditioning and energy. With these improvements, SICPA Pakistan was able to save 16% electricity units per ton of ink produced.

EVOLVE: Your clients are the most sensitive and security conscious organizations/ states. They want a complete solution blended with a long term trusted relationship. How do you prepare and manage your human resource to build these relationships? Again how Pakistani organizations can implement these models to gain more benefits? 

Asif Ikram: Our staff, regardless of their positions, regardless of whether they are in direct contact with our clients or not, are trained about the need for discretion, and are instructed from day one to focus on our client’s long term needs. This is now part of our corporate culture and it shapes the way our teams think about business activities.

EVOLVE: Please enlighten our readers about your technological supremacy that drives your platform? 

Asif Ikram: Since its foundation in 1927, SICPA has built its successes on Innovation. This is not just a motto but something deeply present in the company’s DNA. A significant percentage of our employees worldwide are technology experts, working in labs in various fields (chemistry, optics, cyber security…). SICPA has also built tight relationships with universities, including the EPFL in Lausanne, which is one of the top science universities worldwide (14th in the QS 2016 ranking), and with innovative startups, all over the world in various fields, relevant to SICPA’s core business and mission of “Enabling Trust”.

EVOLVE: What is Banknote Ethics Initiative (BnEI) and what is the relationship between SICPA Inks and BnEI? 

Asif Ikram: The BnEI sets out a framework for promoting and maintaining ethical practices and requires members’ commitment to the prevention of corruption and on compliance with antitrust law within the banknote industry. SICPA SA is one of the eight founding member companies of the initiative. All members must adhere to the strict Code of Ethical Business Practice developed in partnership with the Institute of Business Ethics, and pass accreditation. SICPA received the accreditation in November 2014. This certifies that the company is in full compliance with the Code of Ethical Business Practice within the BnEI audit framework. Central Banks and stakeholders can be confident about SICPA’s high ethical standards. 

EVOLVE: How much are you spending on Research and Development? Please share your future initiatives? 

Asif Ikram: Due to the nature of our activities which requires remaining discreet about research fields and initiatives, we cannot share such information. But, more than half of SICPA staff in the world are focusing on the R&D, application and customer services 

EVOLVE: In your view what are the key elements needed to make a successful organization? 

Asif Ikram: Commitment to providing the best and most appropriate service to our clients is absolutely crucial to our success – which means listening carefully before developing the solution that will be really effective in practice for our customers. Clearly our staff are a key asset – they develop our technology and deliver our solutions! It is important that they are appropriately skilled, clear about their roles. SICPA is a family- company and this is the spirit I try to share. 

EVOLVE: How do you face the challenges and transform them into opportunities? 

Asif Ikram: SICPA’s systems are generally needed because there are problems to be solved - so seeing challenges as opportunities is the way we function. Making the most of an opportunity requires analysis and lateral thinking – of course being proactive and using our expertise and experience on the ground are vital too.

EVOLVE: Is success an overnight process and what is the recipe to achieve long-term success? 

Asif Ikram: In my view success is nearly always built on hard-work and focus. Building trust in relationships with customers takes time and means understanding what is important to them. Maintaining this in the long term is a permanent effort. No matter how successful a project seems, there is never room for complacency. The world is evolving fast and it is necessary for any successful company to keep changing in line with customer needs and available technology. 

EVOLVE: Where do you see SICPA Inks Pakistan in coming years? 

Asif Ikram: I think the prospects for SICPA in Pakistan are promising – sadly the problems that we help to solve are not diminishing – be they linked to counterfeiting or other frauds. Sadly criminals are not constrained by rules, regulations or borders and are evolving their techniques all the time. The increase in crimes linked to the internet is a good example. SICPA stands ready to continue developing new solutions and to serving the Government and its other customers in the long term. 

EVOLVE: How effective do you perceive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? 

Asif Ikram: At SICPA we see CSR as a broad concept covering all the aspects of what we do that assure sustainability: our people, our business practice, our impact on the environment and the communities in which we operate. It is an important aspect of the way we interact and I am proud of our record. 

EVOLVE: Is there any particular practice that you want to share with the world in order to make business more productive? 

Asif Ikram: Ensuring we have systems in place which promote innovation and foster quality. SICPA’s secret of success is its innovation & customer focus. 

EVOLVE: Any message for the readers of EVOLVE magazine? 

Asif Ikram: SICPA’s motto is ‘Enabling Trust’ – what this means for you as Pakistani citizens is that we aim to provide systems to the Government and companies so that you don’t have to worry about problems of fraud in your everyday lives.