'We need transition, not abrupt change'

The number one item on your wish list.
Contentment. I'm always looking forward to the next big challenge - that's the only thing that keeps me excited. But, at the same time, it makes it hard for me to settle. It would be nice to be content sometimes. I find it hard to go on long vacations and feel the need to get back to doing something productive after four to five days at the most.

Your most challenging project to date?
Once I got my engineering degree, I realised I didn't want to pursue engineering as a career and started working in investment banking in Abu Dhabi. My first project was my biggest challenge: I had no idea what things like balance sheets and income statement were nor did I have any knowledge of finance. I had to learn all this on the job.

The biggest learning point or experience in your life.
When I launched my first car valuation software with my family business, ValuStrat. I was 24 at the time and the process of building the technology and the team taught me a lot about making mistakes, hiring good people and managing expectations.

What advice would you give your younger self, if you could?
Fix your short-term situation before you can focus on your long-term plans. I'm always looking at the future and the big picture and I end up jumping into things fast, without thinking about the now. There has to be a transition, not an abrupt change.

If you could move to any place in the world, what place would that be?
Istanbul - for the culture, history, central location, and good weather.

Favourite fictional character of all time.
Bruce Wayne! He builds an empire by day and saves the world by night - that, what I've always wanted too. Also, he's the only superhero without an actual super power. His real superpower is his sacrifice and the time that he puts in to train to become Batman. I feel like this mirrors reality in a lot of ways. Achieving anything requires hard work, and in the process, a lot of sacrifice.

The best thing you've ever bought yourself and why?
Realistically, it would have to be my laptop. I would be completely useless without it. It's the thing I use the most.

A superpower you wish you had?
Seeing the future. Uncertainty brings anxiety and the only thing which is uncertain is the future. If we know what's coming, we would be far more relaxed and able to plan better.
    
If you were head of your country, what is the first thing you'd do?
I would work on security. This is probably the biggest factor that keeps people away from my home country, Pakistan. I believe that there are four basic things for survival ranked in the following order: security, food, shelter, health.
- Staff reporter