– Schneider Electric Solutions making way for ‘Made in Pakistan’ and Indigenization
Interview with Humayun Akhlaq — Country President, Schneider Electric Solutions & Services (SSSPL)
PAGE: What are your experiences and achievements as the Country’s President and CEO?
Humayun Akhlaq: It has been indeed a very fulfilling experience with Schneider Electric over the past four years. Working for the most sustainable corporation in the world has exponentially enhanced my learning curve over the years and exposed me to solutions and services that are most relevant to our customers, partners and the population at large. The most notable achievement has been to bring about a business, organizational and cultural transformation in Schneider Pakistan. Over the years we simplified our ‘Go To Market’, bringing new solutions, products and services faster to market with agility and the right competencies. Focus more on building local partnerships with a strong emphasis on the transfer of technology, skill development and indigenization. Developing an organization that is more customer-focused, collaborative, strategic in thinking and more horizontal than vertical to be able to respond to customer and market needs in an agile manner. Advocated the same culture based on Schneider values and ethical business principles as seen in any other part of the world.
PAGE: Schneider Electric has attained a specific age, but a quiet impact here. can you elaborate?
Humayun Akhlaq: Schneider Electric is the most local of any global company and the job that we do as a company has a high degree of relevance in nation-building, economic well-being, and livelihood of people. I am proud to be part of a company that serves its customers across multiple segments with the purpose to bring about efficiency, achieving operational excellence, digitization, and becoming more competitive in the global ecosystem. This applies to our customers in the utility segment, buildings, data centers, industry, and oil & gas to name a few.
PAGE: What are your products that better serve people here?
Humayun Akhlaq: Schneider Electric is a highly diverse company in terms of the depth and breadth of its products, services, and solutions. We cater to a wide range of segments and customers with the underlying principle of bringing energy efficiency and digitization across the electrical infrastructure of our customers.
This also comes as a challenge and as an opportunity to serve a large and diverse set of customers and partner with them on their journey to achieve operational excellence and meet their sustainability objectives.
PAGE: Climate change is the biggest challenge of the world now, what specific plans are for Pakistan to meet rising temperatures?
Humayun Akhlaq: Absolutely correct, climate change is the biggest threat facing the world today that if not addressed in a pro-active, collaborative, and speedy fashion will impact the livelihood of our future generations. Schneider Electric has been the biggest advocate globally and part of every forum to make its contribution to a better, sustainable, and electric world. We believe electrification and digitization can address climate change and all our products, services and solutions are designed to meet that objective. We are working closely with customers across multiple segments in Pakistan to move their energy infrastructure to electric and more digital to help make efficient use of their energy sources.
PAGE: What are the challenges in this sector that your company’s taking it as a priority?
Humayun Akhlaq: I believe the most significant challenge is the state of decade-old infrastructure that is damaging our environment and causing financial losses due to leakages, high maintenance costs, etc. and there is a dire need to upgrade the infrastructure with better technology, more energy efficient and environment-friendly products and solutions. Growing energy prices is also a challenge from an affordability perspective and that needs to be addressed through the use of alternate energy sources like solar, microgrids, and wind with automation and digitization to be able to operate the devices in an efficient manner.
PAGE: Can you please brief your customers’ strengths, and how you compare them to a decade ago?
Humayun Akhlaq: I believe our customers are highly knowledgeable and very well-versed in the changing trend in energy transformation. They are up to par in terms of knowledge and exposure as any other customer in any other part of the world. Our customers realize the need for transforming their energy infrastructure and are making good progress in upgrading the same. Schneider Electric is working hand-in-hand with them in the spirit of partnership to further accelerate this journey through knowledge transfer, and skill development, bringing best-of-breed solutions to the market and building local partnerships to pave way for “Made in Pakistan” and more indigenization.