Syed Babar Ali

Syed Babar Ali is a Pakistani businessman, philanthropist, and former caretaker Finance Minister. He is the founder of several prominent institutions including Packages Limited and the Lahore University of Management Sciences.

Early life and education

Syed Babar Ali was born on 30 June 1926 in Lahore, Pakistan. His father, Syed Maratib Ali, was a businessman who owned shops within the Walled City of Lahore. Because his father served as a top contractor for the British Indian Army, the family used their earnings to invest in land. His mother came from a prominent landlord family in Lahore, and his maternal grandmother was a member of the Afghan royal family.

He grew up with three brothers—Syed Amjad Ali, Syed Wajid Ali, and Syed Azfal Ali—and five sisters. His siblings included Baji Surraya, Baji Fakhra, Baji Gullo, Baji Kishwar, and Baji Sarwat. The family practices Shia Islam.

Ali received his early education at Aitchison College in Lahore. After graduating from Government College, Lahore, he traveled to the University of Michigan for further studies. He moved to the newly-created state of Pakistan in 1947 and completed his graduation at the University of the Punjab. He also briefly studied at the Harvard School of Business, an experience that later assisted him when he founded a business school.

Career

In October 1970, Ali co-founded the Lahore Stock Exchange and served as a Director on its first Board. During the 1970s, nationalization policies under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto affected five of his six companies. Packages Limited remained the only company he retained during this period.

He served as the First and Founder Chairman of the National Fertilizer Corporation of Pakistan from 1973 until 1980. While he helped establish the country's first fertilizer company, he did not draw a salary during his tenure. Ali currently holds chairmanship positions at Sanofi-Aventis Pakistan Limited, Siemens Pakistan Engineering Company Limited, and Coca-Cola Beverages Pakistan Limited. He often utilizes a joint venture philosophy to partner with major multinationals.

His contributions to education include founding the Ali Institute of Education in 1992 to train primary and secondary school teachers. He also founded Milkpak Limited, which is now owned by Nestlé Pakistan, and Shalamar Medical and Dental College. The Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering is named in his honor.

In 1993, he served as the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs & Planning within a caretaker setup. Regarding environmental advocacy, he worked with the World Wide Fund for Nature from 1972 to 1996 in various capacities. He succeeded Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as the International President of WWF between 1996 and 1999.

Personal life

Ali was married in 1954. His status as a successful entrepreneur led to him being recognized among the 100 richest people in Pakistan in 2020.

Awards and recognition

He received various honours from the Government of Sweden and the Government of Netherlands. In 1997, he was awarded an Order of the British Empire by Britain. That same year, McGill University in Montreal, Canada, granted him an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Laws.