Large corporations should work to empower women

Large corporations have to play a significant role in empowering the country's women, said Simeen Rahman, group chief executive officer of Transcom Ltd.   

"We have to make sure that women get the same opportunities and pay as men when working at the same level," she said, while addressing a webinar organised to mark International Women's Day yesterday.

She said that large business have to lead the way by institutionalising an inclusive culture and environment to empower women.

The event was organised by HSBC Bangladesh with Rahman, also a director of Mediaworld, on the panel.

During the 40-minute conversation with Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO of HSBC Bangladesh, Simeen shed light on different aspects of her career, including the role of her late father Latifur Rahman, the founding chairman of Transcom Ltd.

A leading businessperson in the country, Simeen said that while family support is critical for women to achieve success, the same is also true for men.

"I believe family support is absolutely critical," she said, adding that whatever she has accomplished would not have been possible without the support of her mother Shahnaz Rahman, chairman and managing director of Transcom.

Simeen's journey within the conglomerate was a result her father's foresight, according to the group CEO.

"He could have easily made us directors, but we joined right at the bottom so that we know every level of the business and build professionalism in us," she said. "Now, after all these years, I know exactly how each layer works."

When considering the importance of family support for a man, she thinks of her own son, Zaraif Ayaat Hossain.

"As he is pursuing his dreams and ambitions, I, as his mother, make sure that I am there for him as a source of strength and support," she said.

Simeen went on to say that she always wanted to be a part of the family business. However, she had not thought that she would lead the group one day.

"I worked towards being the best version of myself every day. Somewhere deep within me, I dreamt of it, but I didn't think it would happen, maybe because I am female."

When she was 12, Simeen was fond of two books -- 'Gone with the Wind' by Margaret Mitchell and 'A Woman of Substance' by Barbara Taylor Bradford -- both of which influenced her to some extent.

The two protagonists -- Katie Scarlett O'Hara (Gone with the Wind) and Emma Harte (A Woman of Substance) are strong women, she said.

Throughout her life, Simeen saw women's priorities being questioned, while people also doubted their capabilities, which made her work even harder to be more prepared for a professional career.

There were many challenges which made her take tough decisions while prioritising family and career.

She said that being a mother and a daughter, she dealt with her womanhood by working harder and being prepared every single day.

"I would always have to show confidence and assertiveness when I spoke."

Recalling the events when she became managing director and CEO of Eskayef Pharmaceuticals, which she termed as one of her most "significant career achievements", she said it was a critical decision that her father had to make.

"He decided to give me the reigns of Eskayef," Simeen said, adding that the position was vacated as the company's then managing director left suddenly.

Before appointing her, her father spoke to many of his peers in the business community and was told not to appoint Simeen since she did not have a pharmaceutical background and that it is a specialised industry.

She herself was unsure and was apprehensive about her father's decision. But in reply, Latifur Rahman simply told her: "I believe you can do it".

"I still hear his voice saying this to me every time I am in doubt," Simeen said.

In the first year of her taking charge of Eskayef, the company broke all its past records, including sales.

At present, female professionals occupy about 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the positions available at Eskayef. They all come from diverse academic backgrounds.

To Simeen, a true leader is someone who has to carry his or her team and bring everyone on board.

While the country is being led by a woman, a generation of women also took charge of some of the largest businesses in the country.

She called for equal rights for female professionals in terms of pay, responsibilities and opportunities.

"If everyone works together, then it is possible to have more women in the workforce."

As the group CEO of Transcom, Simeen has two priorities -- talent and technology.

"Without world-class talent, a company is nothing," she said, while stressing on the need to embrace modern technology to cope with the fourth industrial revolution.

Empowering a woman in her career allows her to be independent, both financially and intellectually.

The biggest source of inspiration for Simeen is her father's illustrious legacy and knowing that her purpose is to take that legacy to greater heights.

"His legacy not only includes building Transcom into the enterprise it is today, but is also an example of a career and life lived with the values of ethics, integrity and honesty," she added.