CEO Insights Magazine

Many businesses have been deeply disturbed by the ever-evolving conditions of today's marketplace. Long-term success and supremacy over competitors are two goals of every business. In light of this, it's clear that transformational leadership is essential to any organization's success. Leaders that adopt a transformational style of leadership can influence both their followers and the larger social and political institutions in which they operate. With the ultimate aim of molding followers into leaders, it is at its best when it inspires meaningful and constructive growth in its adherents. Sharam Gulzad, CEO of the Gulzad Group, exemplifies a transformational leader who believes in empowering employees using a variety of approaches to achieve the desired vision and improve the efficiency of teammates.

Sharam Gulzad was raised in a business family with a long corporate history dating back over 100 years, thus it seemed inevitable that he would succeed his family as the company's leader. Sharam Gulzad, in his role as CEO of Gulzad Group, has successfully guided the firm ahead from its historical roots and toward a more diverse portfolio in keeping with the most cutting-edge business practices.

Sharam Gulzad earned his Bachelor of Economics and Master of Leadership and Business Strategy degrees in Scotland before becoming CEO of the Gulzad Group. Sharam Gulzad has had several roles that have given him exposure to the inner workings of new ventures in the environment of the global economic landscape. Early in his career, Sharam Gulzad managed to establish his own trading business in Germany, and he eventually combined the import export firm with the Gulzad Group, taking on the role of Head of European Operations. Sharam Gulzad has worked his way up to CEO of Gulzad Group after holding several other senior roles in the company.

Sharam Gulzad has been a board member of various organizations and founded Afghanistan Youth TV in addition to his work in the business world. Established in 2017, Afghanistan Youth TV is a television station with the mission of giving young Afghans the tools and motivation they need to succeed in the country's difficult political and economic climate. Moreover, Sharam Gulzad hopes to usher in a better world where individuals may develop and prosper without societal or geographical barriers by supporting a wide range of nonprofit organizations.

Below is an excerpt of Sharam Gulzad's exclusive interaction with the CEO Insights ASIA magazine.

How would describe your leadership role at Gulzad Group?

 The Gulzad Group, where I serve as CEO, is an Afghan owned business that has been in the trade industry for over a century. We've spent over 80 years establishing a foothold in Afghanistan and have since grown into dozens of other nations, including Germany, Dubai, Uzbekistan, China, and many more.Because we are a multinational corporation, it is my role to oversee Vast operations and make strategic choices on behalf of the whole company, both domestically and overseas. I'm responsible for making choices across many departments, including agriculture and construction; as our firm has invested in everything from retail complexes and office buildings to international trade and logistics.

Additionally, we have a foundation that assists the people of Afghanistan. Thus, I serve as a kind of all-embracing manager for the whole organization and its many subdivisions. (I lead the overall strategy of the company, please indicate that a bit as well. The management is being done more by our directors of each department and division and I overlook the overall strategy and further business strategies).

Define Gulzad Group as an organization and its current position in the industry. What's its vision and mission?

When it comes to international and domestic trade in Afghanistan, Gulzad Group is uniquely positioned. We're a global company with strategic locations all around the world. As I indicated before, we are one of the few firms in Afghanistan with over eighty years of experience in the trade from Afghanistan to the rest of the world, and connections to or a presence in all thirty-four of the country's provinces (the only company in the sector having a presence in all 34 provinces). As such, we are a forerunner among Afghanistan's commercial enterprises, with a strong international presence.

In what ways are you exploring the environmental viability of this corporation?

As a CEO having a corporation operating in a region that faces the most devastation from climate change, we have been very proactive to ensure we combat this crisis. Gulzad Group is one of the few firms that has taken the environment into account. We have always kept the environment at the forefront of our business and considered it in all our businesses. Especially in the manufacturing industry, when building our factories, we have always made sure we don't compromise with the environmental side. With our foundation, we have also had many campaigns and contributions to preserve the environment. In the last few years in Afghanistan, we have been supporting the Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agencies and Youth Campaigns that were able to over 3 million trees across the country.

Being the CEO, how do you plan to take the firm to the next level ?

I've done business in a wide variety of nations and learned from different systems and cultures. The breadth and depth of my experiences have allowed me to use them in novel ways, allowing me to take charge of the firm with an analytical, methodical approach. This would help me to make tailored decisions based on the situation and location. It would help diversify our company and expand in different regions with a different approach, and business focus.

Did your company go through any transformation since the last year and if so, how?

The last year was very challenging personally for me to witness it and for my firm and country as a whole. But growing up in Afghanistan and the family values that I have been instilled meant I could not walk away from Afghanistan and give up. More than ever, I believed in social responsibility to make a difference. As the humanitarian crisis unfolded in the winter of 2021, Gulzad Group managed to step up and bring basic needs to those in need on time. A lot of businesses shut down and a huge vacuum was created, this, unfortunately, allowed many businesses to raise their prices and make a fortune from the crisis, but at Gulzad Group I made sure we deliver quality service and products at minimum costs, which in turn helped to stabilize the market prices. We also delivered and worked together with the World Food Programme to bring food to the people in dire need, especially in the hard-to-access provinces of the harsh winters. This collaboration was very important and in times of need, we managed to contribute to stabilizing Afghan food prices and inflation. Our company played a crucial role in contributing to times of need and WFP was the first donor to deliver in the most crucial times.

What is Gulzad Group's plan for the future? What's its India blueprint?

We want to grow not just in terms of the number of countries in which we operate, but also in the number of sectors we serve. To further diversify our portfolio and explore investment opportunities, we are considering entering the mining business in Afghanistan. As a result, we'll be more receptive to new commercial opportunities and other initiatives.

As for India, I am a strong believer that this century belongs to Asia. It cannot be an Asian century without the pivotal role of India. As an Afghan entrepreneur looking South, I see immense opportunity. all I can hope for is that conditions improve so that trade and travel between the two countries may flourish. I believe it to be an excellent market for Afghanistan and our organization. Even more, commerce might be accomplished, I believe, by increasing cooperation between the two nations. Gulzad Group is historically established with immense expertise in Afghan dry fruits and we can meet India's demand from a supply and value chain perspective.

Sharam Gulzad, CEO, Gulzad Group

Sharam Gulzad, a prominent figure in the international community, has a Master of Science in Business Strategy and Leadership and Bachelors in Economics. Sharam Gulzad started his career in 2005, and since then, he has held many executive positions at different firms. Furthermore, he has consulted many SME's and has successfully established and invested in many startups and different businesses. He has been a dynamic entrepreneur and developed many ideas and has taken the risks to develop those in uncertain times and places as well. In 2013, Sharam Gulzad joined his family business Gulzad Group and is currently serving as the CEO of the company.