- Country has fertile landscape for both nascent and established IT entities to innovate and scale internationally
- SI Global is poised to augment its business volume through a focus on technological innovation and strategic alliances
Interview with Mr. Noman Ahmed Said — CEO SI Global Solutions (Pvt) Limited
Profile
Noman Ahmed Said, the CEO of SI Global Solutions (Pvt) Limited, is leading a system integration and consulting company in Pakistan. A dynamic, results-oriented leader with a strong track record of performance in turnaround and high-paced organisations.
He has over 25 years of venture capital experience in the US, Pakistan, and GCC countries, with unique insight, relationships, and expertise within big data, mobile and information technology, HRM SaaS, and cloud ecosystems. He also managed to bring foreign investments to Pakistan from time to time. His keen analysis, insights, and team approach to driving organisational change for improvements and the implementation of best practices have given him an edge over his contemporaries.
PAGE: How do you see the technological trends in 2024 in Pakistan and across the world?
Noman Ahmed Said: In 2024, Pakistan, alongside the global community, stands on the cusp of a technological renaissance. The country is embracing digital transformation with vigour, driven by governmental support and a vibrant startup culture. Internationally, breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and 5G are revolutionising industries, offering efficiencies and capabilities hitherto unseen. This synergy between global innovation and local dynamism positions Pakistan to significantly benefit from the ongoing technological revolution.
It is also expected that local IT companies will also attract foreign direct investors in 2024, including strategic shareholding and sell-offs for majority stakes. In this connection, the more the government gives confidence to existing players, the more foreign players will invest their capital in Pakistan.
In my view, tech startups are likely to emerge in Pakistan, offering innovative services to customers. As far as freelancers are concerned, thousands of people who are acquiring skills will join the freelancing platform or virtual network to earn jobs. The IT remittances through this workforce will continue to increase significantly and more people will opt for remote jobs in foreign companies.
The co-working space dedicated to freelancers will bode well for their training, development, and earnings, as it will build a strong ecosystem of freelancing withing the country, providing capacity building opportunities to freelancers.
PAGE: After multiple incentives and facilities given to the IT sector, are you optimistic that Pakistan’s IT exports will record significant growth in the coming months?
Noman Ahmed Said: The strategic incentives and facilities extended to the IT sector by the government imbue cautious optimism for a surge in Pakistan’s IT exports. These initiatives have prepared a fertile landscape for both nascent and established IT entities to innovate and scale internationally.
The fruition of these efforts, however, remains contingent upon sustained policy support, enhanced infrastructure, and talent cultivation to ensure competitiveness on a global scale.
The exports of IT and IT-enabled services should cross the mark of $3 billion in 2024 for the first time, which will also go beyond the value provided the exporters scale up their business worldwide. As the exports of IT grow, its contribution to the economy will go beyond that, as not only tech and IT companies will get business but hundreds of skilled and talented youngsters will get jobs.
Moreover, tech education, cyber security, and the internet require serious attention, including policy measures, regulatory implementation and investment on infrastructure.
PAGE: What are the major challenges and issues in the IT sector that must be resolved in Pakistan?
Noman Ahmed Said: The trajectory of growth in Pakistan’s IT sector is impeded by several critical challenges: fluctuating policy environments, a deficit in skilled manpower, limited access to venture capital, infrastructural shortcomings, and cybersecurity threats. A comprehensive strategy, encompassing policy reform, educational investment, and the fostering of public-private synergies, is imperative to surmount these obstacles and unlock the sector’s full potential.
The scarcity of human talent is becoming a serious issue in the country. The IT industry, through the government and the private sector, including software houses and welfare organiSations, introduced various capacity-building and training programmes in a wide range of trades to meet the requirements of human resources in the IT industry.
The government should continue to work on perception management and confidence-building measures to establish a strong ecosystem for the IT sector in the country, which is also possible through uninterrupted long-term policies, handholding with local investors, and continued incentives.
PAGE: What is the strategy of your company (SI Global) to grow its business volume in multiple fields?
Noman Ahmed Said: SI Global’s Strategic Growth Plan: SI Global is poised to augment its business volume through a focus on technological innovation and strategic alliances. Our roadmap includes diversification of services via investment in avant-garde technologies and deepening expertise in nascent areas like consulting, systems integration, digital marketing, AI, IoT, and cybersecurity. Through cultivating partnerships with global tech luminaries, the most recent being Pro Device, which is badly needed for cybersecurity, and prioritizing client-centric solutions, we aim to broaden our market reach and fortify our industry leadership.
SI Global continues to support women’s empowerment by providing tech education to them in collaboration with prestigious institutes. It will continue to support tech events, sports tournaments, and philanthropic services in innovative and sustainable ways under its corporate social responsibility.
