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The management team has a combined experience of 50 years in both domestic and international markets. On average, our team members have worked together for about 5 years in different capacities in the asset management industry of Pakistan and all of our department heads have a proven track record of delivering results and working together as a team in an exemplary fashion.
Babar Ali Lakhani
Chief Executive Officer
Muhammad Umair Chauhan
Chief Investment Officer
Haider A. Gulfaraz
Head of Business Development
Amir Mobin
Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary
Syed Jawaid Raza
Head of IT & Operations
Syed Hassan Askary
Head of Investor Relations & Transfer Agency
TopMr. Babar Ali Lakhani – Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Lakhani has over 12 years of investment and portfolio management experience in domestic and international equity and fixed income markets. Mr. Lakhani most recently served as the Chief Investment Officer of Century Insurance, a Public Limited Company listed on the Karachi and Lahore Stock Exchanges of Pakistan. He was an Investment Associate at High Street Advisors and a Research Analyst at Credit Suisse Equity Group (formerly Credit Suisse First Boston). Mr. Lakhani brings extensive investment experience, globally practiced portfolio management discipline, and a comprehensive understanding of the global asset management industry to Lakson Investments Limited.
Mr. Lakhani received his BA in Finance from Bentley College, and his MBA from Brandeis University.
Mr. Lakhani is the Chairman of Tritex Cotton Mills Ltd., a board member of the Mutual Fund Association of Pakistan (MUFAP), a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), the Society of Financial Service Professionals and the Young President's Organization (YPO). Mr. Lakhani is a member of the Alumni Trustee Committee of Brandeis University and is the school’s representative in Pakistan.
TopMr. Muhammad Umair Chauhan - Chief Investment Officer
Mr. Muhammad Umair Chauhan has over 7 years of experience in the asset management industry of Pakistan. He has previously served as Vice President Investments & Research at IGI Funds Limited and was part of Investment & Research Team at Al Meezan Investment Management. In his previous assignments he managed PKR 12 billion in both equity and fixed income funds.
Mr. Umair received his MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi.
TopMr. Haider A. Gulfaraz - Head of Business Development
Mr. Gulfaraz has over 12 years of experience in capital and financial markets both globally and domestically. He started his career co-founding WMI Capital Inc, a privately owned asset based financing brokerage firm in San Francisco, CA. He later joined Capital International (CI), the institutional division of The Capital Group Companies - one of the oldest and largest global investment management firms in the world with assets under management exceeding $1 trillion. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President & Head of Business Development with Askari Investment Management Ltd and a member of the management committee. Mr. Gulfaraz’s core competence involves developing and managing long term strategic relationships based on trust and by maintaining close liaisons between fund managers and investors. Mr. Gulfaraz is committed to enhancing the awareness of mutual funds amongst both institutional and retail investors in Pakistan and is attracted by the significant growth potential of Pakistan’s Asset Management Industry.
He has studied at University of Texas at Austin and The University of Westminster (London) with a BA (Honors) in Business Management & Financial Services.
TopMr. Amir Mobin - Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary
Mr. Amir has over 5 years of post qualification experience which includes working at IGI funds Limited as Head of Operations and National Clearing of Pakistan Limited as Manager-Operations. At IGI Mr. Amir has been actively involved in acquisition of the software application, preparation of manuals and operations related procedures. He has actively participated in the rating process of the company and was responsible for managing the settlement and Unit holder management functions. At NCCPL Amir has been an active member of the team responsible for the implementation of the Financial Institution Risk Management System. He has actively participated in the implementation of the CFS Mk-II. Further, he has worked on the concept paper of the Security Lending and Borrowing Module.
He has worked with KPMG Taseer Hadi & CO. Chartered Accountants in various capacities for 5 years which includes 4 years of article ship. During his article ship he has conducted the audits of various asset management companies, brokerage houses, commercial banks and service sector entities. He has also performed due diligence assignments.
Mr. Mobin is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan, graduated as Bachelors of Commerce from University of Karachi.
TopMr. Syed Jawaid Raza - Head of IT & Operations
Mr. Raza has over 7 years of technical and professional experience in Information Technology and possesses a strong understanding of the functions and rules and regulations governing the Pakistani capital markets. Prior to joining Lakson Investments Mr. Raza was heading the IT department of ABL Asset Management Company Limited. He has also experience of managing operations and IT at IGI Funds Limited and NAMCO. He has significant experience of implementation of ERP in Asset Management Companies. Mr. Raza was one of the initial team members of the asset management industry’s first mutual fund specific software, developed by Sidat Hyder Morshed Associates (Pvt.) Limited, where he was responsible for providing technical and functional support to several DFI’s, insurance and asset management companies.
Mr. Raza holds an MCS from Hamdard University, Karachi and BCOM from the University of Karachi.
TopMr. Syed Hassan Askary - Head of Investor Relations & Transfer Agency
Mr. Askary’s career experience spans over 13 years, starting with Aetna Retirement Services (USA) in the Investor Relations department, Fatima Jinnah Dental College & Hospital Trust as a Permanent Trustee and Director, Planning & Development and IGI Funds as Head Investor Relations. He coordinated the training of division-wide staff members to ensure that all incoming remittances are invested in a timely, accurate and consistent manner. Initially developed and implemented admin/management processes for IGI Funds. Mr. Askary implemented comprehensive Customer Relations Module. Managed retail sales team hiring plan/commission structure and provided training.
At Fatima Jinnah Dental College he managed strategic initiative, developed human resources department and employee incentive program to increase employee retention rates. Mr. Askary re-organized existing facilities and patient care processes to ensure operational profitability without affecting rates. Liaised with UNICEF on several key projects, and developed staff resources to implement initiatives.
Mr. Askary holds a BSc in Management from the Central Connecticut State University, (USA) and MBA Marketing from Iqra University.
