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Tariq Gulzar

Tariq Gulzar

FCA (ICAEW), CPA (Colorado/Canada), CIA: A Profile of Transformational Leadership and Global Excellence

đŸ’Œ Executive Summary & Professional Synopsis

Tariq Gulzar stands as a result-driven C-level global professional whose career exemplifies the pinnacle of achievement in international finance and corporate strategy. With a diversified leadership experience spanning over two decades across Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America, he has consistently demonstrated an exceptional capacity for driving organizational transformation in the telecommunications, media, technology, and retail sectors. As a PricewaterhouseCoopers-trained financial expert with an impressive array of professional credentials, Gulzar has built a distinguished reputation for strategic vision, operational excellence, and transformative leadership. His career journey—from prestigious international firms to leadership positions at major corporations and ultimately to founding his own venture—showcases a professional who has not only navigated but actively shaped the evolving landscape of global business. This profile delves deep into the remarkable career of an individual whose professional story serves as an inspiration and testament to what dedicated excellence can achieve.

📚 Academic Distinction and Professional Credentials

Tariq Gulzar’s professional foundation is built upon an exceptional portfolio of qualifications that reflect his commitment to global excellence and multidisciplinary expertise.

  • Chartered Accountancy Excellence: As a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA)certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Gulzar has achieved one of the most respected credentials in the global accounting profession, signifying his mastery of complex financial management principles and international accounting standards.
  • North American Accounting Trilogy: His unique triple certification encompasses Certified Public Accountant (CPA)credentials from Colorado, USA, and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) certification from Canada, demonstrating his comprehensive understanding of diverse international financial reporting frameworks and regulatory environments.
  • Specialized Risk Management Expertise: As a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)certified in New York, USA, Gulzar possesses advanced capabilities in enterprise risk management, control assurance, and governance frameworks, enabling him to navigate complex regulatory landscapes across multiple jurisdictions with confidence and expertise .

🧭 Career Trajectory: A Path of Progressive Leadership

Current Leadership Roles

  • Founder of Numeriqe LTD: Tariq Gulzar established Numeriqe LTD in London, creating a consulting firm that brings together experienced professionals with Big 4 and diversified industry backgrounds. The organization specializes in delivering extraordinary outcomesfor clients through bold thinking and transformative challenges, with a dedicated team of highly skilled professionals .
  • Group Chief Financial Officer at Outfitters Stores: In his current capacity, Gulzar provides strategic financial leadership to the retail organization, where he actively engages in operational reviews and distribution network redesign. He emphasizes the importance of robust organizational structures, effective policy development, and digitalization to optimize operational efficiency .

Historic Leadership Positions

Table: Tariq Gulzar’s Key Leadership Positions and Achievements

Organization

Role

Tenure

Key Achievements

Warid Telecom (Pvt) Ltd.

Chief Financial Officer

Approximately 2009-2016

Led finance during landmark merger; executed network transformation from 2G to 4G in 5 months 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada

Assistant Vice President-Risk & Regulatory

Pre-2009

Delivered internal audit, process improvement, and risk management services to various industries 

Mobilink GSM

Finance Manager

Not specified

Early telecommunications industry experience in Pakistan 

Millicom International Cellular SA

Various Roles

Not specified

Gained international telecommunications experience 

Modern Times Group AB

Various Roles

Not specified

Media industry experience in Sweden 

🌟 Leadership Philosophy and Mentorship Impact

Tariq Gulzar’s leadership approach combines strategic vision with practical engagement, creating environments where teams and organizations can achieve extraordinary outcomes.

  • Transformational Leadership Style: Gulzar believes in challening teams and peoplewhile simultaneously supporting and inspiring them to be extraordinary. This philosophy of “never let one another fail” creates collaborative environments where individuals are motivated to exceed their own expectations and achieve collective success .
  • Hands-On Operational Engagement: Recent accounts from his role at Outfitters Stores highlight his active participation in operational reviews, where he engages directly with processes, provides valuable insights for improvement, and recognizes exceptional team performance. This hands-on approach from a C-level executive demonstrates his commitment to understanding ground realities while providing strategic direction .
  • Mentorship and Talent Development: Former colleagues describe Gulzar as “the best mentor I’ve ever had the privilege to work with”, highlighting his significant impact on developing professional talent. His commitment to mentorship extends beyond immediate business objectives to fostering long-term professional growth in others .

 

🏆 Landmark Achievements and Industry Impact

The Historic Jazz-Warid Merger

A defining moment in Gulzar’s career came in 2015 when he played an instrumental role as CFO of Warid Telecom in what he describes as “the largest merger in the corporate history of Pakistan” . This landmark transaction involved:

  • Strategic Business Combination: Jazz (then Mobilink) acquired 100% of Warid Telecom shares, with Dhabi Group shareholders acquiring 15% of Jazz shares in return, creating a telecommunications powerhouse in the Pakistani market .
  • Substantial Value Creation: The merged entity realized capex and opex synergies exceeding $500 million, demonstrating the tremendous value created through this strategic combination. The combined revenue of both companies for the year leading to September 2015 was approximately $1.4 billion.
  • Digital Transformation Impact: The merger created Pakistan’s strongest telecommunications provider serving 45 million customers, fundamentally changing the country’s digital landscape by offering best-in-class mobile and high-speed data networks .

Technology Transformation Excellence

  • Record-Breaking Network Evolution: Gulzar spearheaded a “one of its kind network transformation”at a 4G telecom operator in Asia, achieving the leap from 2G to 4G technology in a record time of just five months. This extraordinary achievement demonstrates his capacity for driving rapid technological innovation under challenging conditions .
  • Strategic Digitalization Advocacy: In his current role, he emphasizes digitalization to optimize operational efficiency, recognizing technology’s transformative potential in enhancing business performance and competitive advantage across industries .

Financial Strategy and Governance Expertise

  • Successful M&A Leadership: Throughout his career, Gulzar has executed successful M&A dealsin telecommunications and construction industries across Asia and the Middle East, demonstrating sophisticated deal-structuring capabilities and cross-border transaction expertise .
  • Business Turnaround Proficiency: He has engineered remarkable business turnarounds, transforming organizations from heavy losses to decent profitabilitywithin short timeframes, showcasing his operational effectiveness and strategic financial management capabilities .
  • Corporate Governance Leadership: Gulzar has established and led Audit, Risk & Corporate Governance functionsacross large multinational groups, reporting directly to Board Audit Committees and developing comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management programs with defined risk appetite and tolerance frameworks .

🌍 Global Perspective and Multidimensional Expertise

Tariq Gulzar’s career is distinguished by its truly international dimension, with professional experience spanning four continents and numerous markets.

  • Cross-Cultural Business Leadership: His professional experience encompasses significant work in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, providing him with exceptional cross-cultural leadership capabilities and a nuanced understanding of diverse business environments .
  • Multilingual Communication Skills: Gulzar’s global perspective is enhanced by his multilingual capabilities, which include proficiency in English, Urdu, French, Hindi, and Punjabi. This linguistic diversity enables him to navigate cultural contexts and build relationships across international markets with exceptional effectiveness .
  • Frontier Market Expertise: His experience includes overseeing digitalization and business automationof key operations in frontier markets, demonstrating his adaptability and innovative approach to challenges in diverse economic environments .

💎 Conclusion: A Legacy of Transformative Leadership

Tariq Gulzar represents the pinnacle of global financial leadership and strategic vision. His career journey—from PwC-trained professional to Group CFO and founder of his own venture—exemplifies a consistent pattern of transformative impact across every organization he has served. The combination of his impressive professional credentials, diverse international experience, and proven track record in complex mergers, technological transformations, and business turnarounds positions him as an exemplary figure in the global business community.

Perhaps most remarkably, Gulzar has achieved these substantial professional accomplishments while maintaining a commitment to mentoring future leaders and fostering collaborative, high-performance team environments. As he continues to provide strategic leadership at Outfitters Stores and through his consulting firm Numeriqe LTD, Tariq Gulzar remains a powerful example of how technical excellence, strategic vision, and transformative leadership can combine to create extraordinary business outcomes and redefine industry landscapes. His career stands as an inspiring testament to what dedicated professionals can achieve through expertise, vision, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

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