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Chairman

Syed Mumtaz Saeed is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tameer Microfinance Bank. He is an internationally known expert and writer on Management and his book, Managerial Challenge in the Third World (1986), is widely renowned and taught in major educational centres all over the world. He is currently completing his second book, Managing for Deliverable Democracy. Between 1982 and 1987, he wrote over 300 weekly columns on a range of management topics for the Pakistan and Gulf Economist and from 1991 to 1996 he wrote a weekly column for The News International. He regularly lectures at international forums and universities.

Mumtaz began his career as a Strategic Change Management and Human Resources Consultant over forty years ago. From 1976, he conducted top management training for Shell Pak, Brooke Bond, Jenson and Nicholson, Pakistan State Oil, National Refinery, National Bank of Pakistan, Pakistan Banks Association, Pakistan Steel and Reckitt Benkiscer.

From 1971 – 77, Mumtaz developed and implemented Pakistan’s first postgraduate program in computer based information systems and taught course at MBA and BBA levels in all aspects of corporate management.

He spent twenty years in various capacities, including Secretary to the Board of Directors and Head of Computer, Corporate Planning, Human Resources Management and Development at the National Bank of Pakistan from 1976 until 1996.

Since 1997, Mumtaz has served as consultant to prestigious organisations such as the State Bank of Pakistan, the Central Bank of Bangladesh and Hamdard University, to mention a few.

Mumtaz was Founder of the Computer Society of Pakistan (1973), he served on the Board of IBA from 1974 -76 and headed the IBA Alumni Association from 1991 – 1992. In addition, Mumtaz has held various honorary posts, including Chairman of the Corporate Excellence and Awards Committee of the Management Association of Pakistan and Life Member and Executive President of the Pakistan Society for Training and Development.

Mumtaz got his MBA from the American University, Washington DC (1970) and from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi (1964). He also holds a BSc Honours in Physics and an MA in Sociology from Karachi University.

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Mansoor Alam
Director

In 1966, Mansoor Alam joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan where he held various posts, including Consul General of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia (1980 – 1983), Minister/Deputy Head of Mission, London (1984 – 1986), Director General, Middle East, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad (1986 – 1989), Ambassador of Pakistan to Mexico (with concurrent accreditation to Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, El-Salvador, Nicaragua, Belize and Cuba, 1990 – 1993), Ambassador of Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates (1993 – 1994), Ambassador of Pakistan to Egypt (1994 – 1997), Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia and Finland (1997 – 2000) and Director General Foreign Service Academy, Islamabad (2000 – 2002).

Currently, Mansoor is an Advocate and Legal Consultant, specialising in International Law, Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation and Corporate Law. He is affiliated with Hussain and Haider, Advocates and Solicitors and the Law Office of Sohaib Qadar, Islamabad.

He is also Director for the Middle East and Asia at the Infrastructure Funding Group, a body that raises funds for large scale infrastructure projects based in New York, USA.

Mansoor is Founding Member of the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Economic Affairs and Law where is currently serving as Chairman Activities Committee.

Mansoor is the Founding Chairman of Friends of Literacy and Awareness (FLAME), an NGO which works towards the promotion of literacy among and provision of basic healthcare to the poor.

Mansoor has an MA in International Relations and passed his LLB exam in 1965.

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Mayada Moussa Baydas
Director

Dr. Mayada M Baydas is a leading expert in the field of microfinance with research and practical skills focusing on the commercialization of microfinance through Non Governmental Organization (NGO) and banking sector partnerships.

Currently, she is the Senior Vice President and Managing Director with the Development Innovations Group (DIG), a private sector company based in the US and Middle East focusing on Development Finance. In August 2005, DIG signed an 18-month agreement with Tameer to provide company design, training, and operations management support. DIG's senior staff have remained closely involved with Tameer through all phases of this partnership and also fielded a Resident Training Advisor, Abdo Jarosh, in Pakistan.

Dr. Baydas established and served as the Director/General Manager of AMEEN, the largest microfinance organization in Lebanon, constituting a partnership between CHF International and three leading commercial banks.

In addition, she served as the Associate Director for CHF International’s Office of Development Finance, and the Director of the CHF International Training Center in Lebanon.

A recognized specialist in microfinance market assessments, with over 15 years of research and applied experience in examining the provision of financial and non-financial services to the working poor.

Working experience in several regions around the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East (Gambia, Ghana, Rawanda, Zimbabwe, Niger, South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon), as well as a number of countries in Asia (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, India, Pakistan), Eastern Europe (Bosnia), and Latin America (Peru).

Dr Baydas possesses strong skills and expertise in operational management of financial institutions, evaluation of microfinance organizations, econometrics, and policy analysis.

She was appointed as a Professional Researcher and Lecturer at the University of California, Davis.

Dr Baydas has presented at numerous seminars and conferences to scholars, policy makers and practitioners.

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Nizar Noor Mohammad
Director

Nizar N Mohammad joined Eastern Garments (PVT) Ltd, Karachi as Manager Production and Operations in 1987. He was promoted to Director Operations in 1992 and Managing Director in 1997. Currently employing over 2,800 people, Eastern Garments is one of the top exporters of knit apparel from Pakistan with annual sales of around USD 22 million.

Recently, Eastern Garments, in league with Century 21, created Synergy Textile Mills (Pvt) Ltd. Operational since March 2006, Synergy produces cotton yarn for the knitwear, weaving and denim industries.

Nizar was also involved in the creation of Sterling Creations (PVT) Ltd in 2001. Sterling caters to the embellishment needs of the local apparel industry. Current capabilities include direct embroidery, laser cut appliqué work, sequins attachment machines as well as fourteen colour screen printing machines. The company has enhanced Pakistan’s export produce and has made a name for itself globally.

In 2005, Eastern Garments took over a small-scale manufacturer of chocolate and related confectionary called Toms Foods Ltd. After moving to new, larger premises, the company is now launching added products and is poised to become a significant player in the food industry.

Nizar got his MSC in Operations Management from Georgia State University in 1987. He is married with two daughters.

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Zahid Razzak Lakhani
Director

Zahid Razzak Lakhani is CEO and major shareholder of one of Pakistan’s leading apparel companies, Century 21 Group, with which he has been involved with for the last 22 years. With an annual projected turnover of $18 million (2005), Century 21, in business since 1988, maintains strong relationships with major US based customers, such as Wal-Mart, South Pole, VF Corporation and Goody’s Departmental Store. Century 21 is a vertically integrated operation, with in-house knitting, dyeing/finishing, embroidery and sewing facilitates, employing a workforce of over 1,600 people. Apparel Buying Connection is a subsidiary of Century 21 and represents American and European customers in the sourcing and execution of apparel orders.

In addition to this, Zahid was involved in the creation of Synergy Textile Mills (Pvt) Limited, of which 50% is owned by Century 21 in alliance with Eastern Group. Operational since March 2006, this unit produces cotton yarn for the knitwear, weaving and denim industries.

Zahid also runs Textile Testing Laboratories, one of Pakistan’s leading consumer products testing and inspection bodies.

Currently, Zahid in involved in creating Pakistan’s first private sector industrial park on 2400 acres of land in Karachi, in alliance with Century 21.