CEO – Raffles

Profile:

Ibrahim can be characterized as a true entrepreneur as he seeks opportunities in everything he looks at. He is fueled with passion and a little bit crazy to achieve extreme success. He in true sense is running the first Multinational Company in the name of Raffles, which is assembling Desktop, Laptops and High End Server solution on state of the Art Platform for Pakistan and International needs. Today Raffles is an Intel Premier Partner and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in Pakistan. In 2006 Raffles was appointed Distributor for Apple Computers for Pakistan and also Distributor for Apple Computers for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

EVOLVE has a very motivational dialogue with Ibrahim that truly describes his persona

Blurb:

The secret of our success story is that we did not give up whatever happened in Pakistan in IT industry. Our core team and dealers network also joined hands with us to grow and move ahead. We are believers of endless possibilities with a mission of technology transfer in Pakistan, innovation and job creation.

EVOLVE: Please share something about yourself, a brief overview of your professional journey? 

Ibrahim Qureshi: In 1997, after completing my Masters degree from USA I came back to Pakistan. My father was in construction business and was pretty hopeful that I would join him but construction was never my passion. I, at that time was mesmerized by the American Dream of being ‘A Self Made’. It is very interesting to share that I with my younger brother were in computer hardware business before I left for America. You can name it as our “Pocket Money generation initiative”. In my absence my younger brother completed his Masters in Computer Sciences and started a distribution company in the name of Micro Masters and started importing computer parts. When I came back, Pizza Hut Pakistan was in launching phase; I joined Pizza Hut as shift manager and served there for one and a half year and left when I was serving as Regional Head for Punjab. I was the youngest Regional Head at that time in Pizza Hut. 

The urge of being an Entrepreneur moved me back to my IT business that was in full swing. We transformed Micro Masters into a national level company from a city based small set up. Obviously my US education and knowledge helped us a lot. I was very much keen about the ‘Made in Pakistan’ dream that if companies like HP and Dell can avail third party facility and generate their own brands then why not we can do it. So, after a detailed study and analysis we launched a company with local brand name “RAFFLES”. We visited China for customized manufacturing. To meet the competitive price with same quality standards as of HP and Dell, we had to place the order of 40,000 pieces. We made our own customized motherboard. We were aiming to be ‘OEM’ means Original Equipment Manufacturers. Basic requirement for OEM is that 55% parts of the product should be made under your license name and should be imported in the country under the same license name. Only then you qualify to be known as an OEM. Finally, in 2000 we a team of four persons started the retail sale of Raffles Computers from Hafeez Centre, Lahore. Honestly speaking, we had to face a very tough time in the market. Observing the slow pace of selling we moved our efforts to public sector means the Government and tried to convince them that we are offering the same quality and services but with a different name and we are the first local brand of Pakistan. We proposed the authorities to mention the category of local brand while publishing a tender for IT equipment. Meanwhile Intel offered us for being a ‘Premier Partner’ and by grace of Allah Almighty we are one of four premier partners of Intel in Pakistan. Other three partners are Karachi based. During our efforts of selling Raffles computers to public sector, we met with the great man Mr. Saeed Ahmed Alvi, Secretary IT, Government of Punjab at that time. I presented him my products and services with full passion and zeal. He listened to me compassionately and asked me to provide the system to benchmark it with Dell and Intel systems. He assured me that if he would find the quality and standard better or even equal of Dell and Intel he would give us a chance. After three months trial period our machines were found 40% better than that of Dell and Intel. Then Mr. Saeed Ahmed Alvi, Secretary IT, Government of Punjab took the decision to include the name of local vendors in the tenders but he made it clear that we would have to develop the industry and engage more companies. We engaged the local companies like Inbox, Optimum and Viper. So, this way we got success by entering in government business. Besides all efforts we could only sell 7000 pieces. By no choice we had to go to the international market. In 2003 we started our company in Dubai and started to compete with Indian brands and within three months our stock was sold out in Middle East. In 2004, we launched Raffles in Saudi Arabia. This success led us to the concept of consumer financing of computers so may we facilitate our buyer in terms of financial support. Bank Alfalah took the initiative and then about sixteen banks joined our cause. We did not forget to offer something different to our customers as we offered customized systems first ever time in Pakistan. Even this is available today. Surprisingly, Rajanpur, a city of South Punjab scored the highest sale and the source was consumer financing through Bank of Punjab. In 2005, Microsoft joined hands with us. Then we moved to Singapore. Meanwhile the government of that time imposed GST on import of computers to generate more revenue. We protested as this move could create a parallel economy means pushing the importers to smuggle the computers to avoid the GST and to make Pakistan the Dumping Ground for global computer waste. This also resulted in almost 60% decline in revenue to the government of Pakistan and many international companies left Pakistan. In 2007, Apple appointed us a distributor in Pakistan.

EVOLVE: What is the secret of your organization’s continuous and consistent growth?

Ibrahim Qureshi: Honestly speaking there were two major factors, Consistency and Commitment.  Moreover we were of the belief that failure was not the option. The secret of our success story is that we did not give up whatever happened in Pakistan in IT industry. Our core team and dealers network also joined hands with us to grow and move ahead. We are believers of endless possibilities with a mission of technology transfer in Pakistan, innovation and job creation.

EVOLVE: How do you manage a rapidly growing company while focusing on operations?

Ibrahim Qureshi: The biggest thing we did from the day one was the Automation of our business. We invested a lot in our infrastructure and automation. Our total sale was online and since our start in 2001, we used the latest equipment like barcode scanner for our database and warehouse management. We were accurately updated about our performance and progress. Even for, after sale service we were able to get the history of our client by clicking the barcode and to verify the warranty claim. All these practices were entirely for the market. To avoid tempering we invested in sticker technology and made state of the art stickers. This was even appreciated by Intel team. Systems always help you to grow more and reduce your expenditure.  

EVOLVE: You must be facing a number of business challenges and how do you address them? 

Ibrahim Qureshi: It is interesting to share that in Pakistan challenges always come from Government side. Unfortunately this is our dilemma. I can guarantee that if our Government does properly the task of ‘Enablement’ and ‘Facilitation’ for the business community, we can beat the whole world.

EVOLVE: How do you look at the industry and its current market trends?

Ibrahim Qureshi: In 2008, I went to China to attend Apple Conference and was really disappointed to see that Pakistan was nowhere in Apple’s books. We offered them to be our partner in Pakistan. They had their own patterns to work but we convinced them and they joined hands with us. As per Apple policy distributor and store operator must be two different parties. This way they sell to distributor and distributor further resells to store operators. For this Apple has a very strict guideline. By grace of Allah Almighty we met their expectations and in 2008 we launched first I-Raffles store in Gulberg, Lahore. This store has won many global awards. The latest store was launched in 2013 in Y – Block, Defence, Lahore. US Ambassador to Pakistan, at that time, Mr. Cameron Munter graced the occasion. We are probably the only company working with Apple and playing both roles of Distributors and Store operators at the same time. Fluctuating Dollar price and absence of consumer financing from banks due to high interest rates are also major challenges. Then comes the issue of refurbished computers and equipment but the largest issue is paralleled smuggled market. Here we want the role of Government in terms of Rule of Law because we are again becoming the hostage of international brands.

EVOLVE: What is the importance of values in sustaining a company? Can values repel change?

Ibrahim Qureshi: Values keep evolving. People think that values are set of rules that you put in place and live by that. If a value is hindering your operations and growth then there is no point of having that value. You have to evolve according to market needs and conditions. Our textile industry is the example of what I am saying. Textile industry did not evolve as per global standards that resulted in decline and shortage of electricity did the rest of job. Simply, the values are mechanized and transformed as per modern needs.    

EVOLVE: What kind of culture you have maintained in your organization and how would you throw light in its significance? 

Ibrahim Qureshi: Basically, your human resource is your culture. We have invested a lot in our human resource in terms of training and knowledge. That’s why when Intel Pentium 4 processor was launched the Intel guy was being assisted by Raffles team. That was just because of the strength we injected in our people.

EVOLVE: How do you prevent mistakes and practice damage control?

Ibrahim Qureshi: Mistakes are bound to happen. You cannot prevent mistakes but you have to learn from them. Again I shall say that when industry evolves, new mistakes take place. New concepts come into play. Technology has replaced many of old models. As far as Raffles is concerned, we have developed a warning system as a part of corporate strategy. We have two basic principles and we cannot make any compromise on these; one is customer services and second is always speak truth with the customer.

EVOLVE: How do you see the quality of your products and customer service in a highly competitive market?

Ibrahim Qureshi: Our major strength is Customer Support. Our motto especially in corporate sector is    that if your machine is down, no matter where you are we shall replace it within three hours the industry has experienced our customer support and we are proud of it.

EVOLVE: Is there any company that has ever impressed you?

Ibrahim Qureshi: Yes, there are companies that have impressed me in Pakistan but not in my sector while many IT companies outside Pakistan have impressed me. I wish to be like them but their Governments are very supportive while our Government is in process of being good to businessman. An Indian IT company Vipro has impressed me due to its art of reaching the market and beating the brands like Intel and Dell in USA. I feel very sorry to say that we have been honored by US President Obama and Secretary of the State Hillary in Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in 2010 and US companies are willing to work with us but our Government is not get anything out of us. This is the dilemma of Pakistan. 

EVOLVE: What is the recipe to achieve long-term success? 

Ibrahim Qureshi: There is no formula. It is simple rule defined by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W) that your deeds reflect your intentions. Long term approach with right intention can drive you to success only but you must have a fighting spirit.

EVOLVE: Where do you see yourself and your organization in next 10 years?

Ibrahim Qureshi: We aim to be a global player. Moreover we are committed to find the gaps between academia and industry so may our coming generation aim to be an Entrepreneur rather than wandering for job. If we shall not manage the asset of youth, this can be a source of destruction.

EVOLVE: Any message for the readers of EVOLVE magazine?

Ibrahim Qureshi: EVOLVE has created a name in a very short span of time. You are highlighting the critical issues of the country. You also have engaged the diplomatic community. You surprisingly under promise and over deliver. Keep doing this good work. All we can do is to create awareness and then at the end of the day it is Government’s job to implement on it but they will have to take the stakeholders from private sector.