“Reinvent or die”

MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF PAKISTAN’S 18TH CONVENTION OPENS TO PACKED HALL

“Reinvention in today’s disruptive environment is the need of the hour. Companies which continuously evolve, stay ahead of the curve,” Dr. Zeelaf Munir, CEO and Managing Director, English Biscuits Manufacturers (EBM) said addressing to a packed audience of the Management Association of Pakistan (MAP)’s 18th Convention at Movenpick Hotel.

The MAP convention is a platform for the business community to discuss the opportunities and challenges in Pakistan’s business environment. This year, the two-day convention’s theme is ‘Dancing with Disruption’, which revolves around the research and experiences captured by Shane Cragun and Kate Sweetman, co-authors of the book Re-invention, which was officially launched in Pakistan on the first day of the convention.

Sharing the example of Nokia, Kate Sweetman said the Finnish mobile phone maker did not respond to the threat posed to them by then emerging technologies, iOS and Android and thus, it lost out to the competition – they didn’t even listen to their own employees and told them that there was no threat because they were market leaders, she said; today Nokia is dead.

Both Sweetman and Cragun believe it is time for a wakeup call to those hoping to thrive in the 21st century. Similarly, the MAP also focuses on critical business and economic forces, business trends, disruptive technologies and organizational and personal level changes that could reshape the commercial environment over the next two decades. It plays a vital role in bringing businesses together to reflect on the socio-political and economic environment of Pakistan for business development. The convention was addressed by thought leaders from different sectors, like fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs), pharmaceuticals, IT and telecoms, financial services and other sectors, who highlighted the challenges posed by disruptive forces and shared insights on how their respective companies were dealing with them.

The two-day convention includes presentations by industry veterans from multiple sectors reflecting on the impact of Pakistan’s economy on their relevant industries followed by a panel discussion on ‘Leadership in times of disruption’. The convention also includes a keynote address on strategic innovation and leading business growth through innovation.