Job Summary
Role Purpose
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides dedicated leadership for IPS Pakistan and its Pakistan based portfolio. The main focus of the role is to strengthen sister companies that have already been set up and develop new businesses that are in the pipeline or may be identified in future.
The CEO should bring practical business experience, including experience in setting up, growing or improving businesses. IPS Pakistan is a developing portfolio, the role requires a hands-on leader who can work in a lean environment, build people and systems, and convert opportunities into realistic business plans and operating businesses.
Role and Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Business Building and New Ventures
- Lead the identification, assessment and development of new business opportunities in Pakistan.
- Prepare and refine concept notes, feasibility studies, business cases, funding plans and launch plans for Board review.
- Work with technical partners, advisors, investors and sister companies to test commercial assumptions and reduce execution risk before capital is committed.
- Lead the setting up of new businesses, including operating model, staffing, partnerships, governance, reporting and early stage performance tracking.
Strategy and Portfolio Direction
- Develop and recommend a practical IPS Pakistan strategy in line with Board and shareholder priorities.
- Translate Board direction into annual plans, budgets, milestones and management routines.
- Ensure sister companies have clear business plans, performance targets and corrective action plans where required.
- Prepare concise Board papers and recommendations for major decisions, partnerships and new business approvals.
Commercial and Financial Management
- Improve financial performance through revenue growth, disciplined cost control, cash flow management and sound capital use.
- Strengthen sales, pricing, customer channels and market access where relevant.
- Maintain oversight of budgets, forecasts, cash flow, procurement, inventory, receivables, payables and capital spending.
- Recommend investments only where the business case, funding route, risk profile and execution plan are sufficiently developed.
Operations, Governance and Risk
- Oversee IPS Pakistan and sister company performance against approved plans and budgets.
- Support management teams to resolve operational issues, improve systems and achieve agreed milestones.
- Ensure practical controls are in place for scope, cost, timeline, procurement, risk, quality, safety and benefits tracking.
- Maintain statutory compliance, audit readiness, internal controls and transparent Board reporting.
- Develop a risk management approach suited to a lean and growing portfolio.
Stakeholder and Community Relationships
- Lead relationships with government bodies, regulators, lenders, development institutions, commercial partners, suppliers and communities in Pakistan.
- Represent IPS Pakistan professionally in government, industry, institutional and community forums.
- Build trust with communities in which IPS Pakistan and sister companies operate.
- Negotiate and manage partnerships that support business growth, project delivery and institutional credibility.
People, Culture and Leadership
- Build and lead a capable management team with clear roles, measurable targets and regular performance discussions.
- Create a practical, delivery focused and ethical culture suited to a growing business portfolio.
- Strengthen organisational capability through recruitment, coaching, systems, performance management and succession planning.
- Communicate priorities, performance, risks and expectations clearly to staff and stakeholders.
Required Skills
Skills and Qualification:
Education
- Required: Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Engineering or a related discipline.
- Preferred: Professional certification in corporate governance, finance, project management or a relevant leadership discipline.
Experience
- At least 10 years of relevant business leadership experience in a commercial, industrial, infrastructure, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, services, investment or development finance environment.
- Experience setting up, scaling, improving or turning around a business, business unit or venture should be treated as a core requirement.
- Experience working in a lean or developing organisation where systems, people and processes need to be built while the business is operating.
- Proven ability to create business plans, manage budgets, work with Boards and deliver practical results.
- Experience working with shareholders, Boards, government, lenders, regulators, technical partners and communities.
- Prior CEO experience is preferred but not essential where the candidate has credible business leadership and execution experience.
Core Competencies
- Business builder mindset with strong commercial judgement.
- Ability to turn opportunities into realistic business plans and executable operating models.
- Financial discipline in budgets, cash flow, working capital, capital spending and performance reporting.
- Practical operating capability across sales, procurement, production, distribution, controls and service delivery where relevant.
- Governance discipline, risk awareness, stakeholder maturity and clear communication.
- Leadership presence, integrity, resilience and accountability.
Success Metrics and KPIs
Business Building and Growth
- Quality of new business pipeline, with feasible and Board ready opportunities.
- Progress of approved new ventures from concept to launch against agreed milestones.
- Improvement in sister company performance against agreed plans.
Financial and Commercial Performance
- Performance against Board approved budget, including revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, cash flow, capital spending and return on investment.
- Improvement in sales growth, pricing discipline, cost control, receivables, inventory, procurement and customer channels.
Operations, Governance and People
- Projects and business initiatives delivered against agreed scope, timeline, cost, quality and risk expectations.
- Timely statutory filings, clean audits, accurate Board reporting, effective action closure and clear risk reporting.
- Management team stability, performance review completion, succession coverage and improved organisational capability.