Muhammad Umar Farooq Rana Email & Phone Number

Dubai, Ae

Dubai, Dubai, Ae

Alchemative pioneered many enablers in the industry for the e-commerce echo system. i.e. Adapting Shopify for Pakistan, Payment processing (UnumPay), Smart logistics (Unified Couriers), Omnichannel (Ginkgo), Marketplace Solution (Comverse), Social Commerce Solution (Shopolace), Checkout Catalyst and the journey goes on.We at Alchemative focus on the transformation of business, people and communities by embracing the power of technology.The company is built around a value system that enables rapid evolution.Teamwork, transparency, delegation and openness are encouraged within the organization. Before focusing on retail, we had contributed/developed solutions for education, sales distribution, IoT and manufacturing sectors.

Dubai, Ae

As the Director of HUB47, my role encompasses leading the organization with a vision to transform it into a central hub for Pakistani tech startups and entrepreneurs seeking to establish and scale their operations in the UAE. I'm tasked with strategizing HUB47’s growth, ensuring it provides unparalleled support, resources, and guidance to startups. My responsibilities include overseeing the development of programs that foster innovation, cultivating partnerships that expand our network and influence, and ensuring our startups have the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in a competitive market.

Dubai, Ae

To advise startups, founders and businesses in order to create, review or refine their business plans.Provide support in coming up with ideas and strategies for improving growth and efficiency.Help identify obstacles and pinpoint opportunities.Provide business mentorship and coaching.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sa

As a Board Member with a focus on technology at a vehicle tracking company, I provide strategic insights to guide decision-making and align technology with business objectives. I ensure the governance of technology strategy to maximize business value, and oversee the development and implementation products and services. My role also involves mentoring senior management and technical teams, fostering informed decision-making, and educating the board on technological trends and issues. This holistic approach supports the company's strategic goals and technological advancements.

Lahore, Punjab, Pk

Supporting and strategising to bring fashion design to the digital world (Meta and beyond).

Lahore, Punjab, Pk

To advise the CEO in matters relating to organisation building and consult on strategic direction.

To advise the CEO and board in matters relating to organisation building and consult on strategic direction.

Lahore, Punjab, Pk

As the Founder, the journey from inception to becoming a market leader is a testament to market understanding, customer centricity, strong leadership, innovative execution and the power of fostering high-caliber talent:Start (2019): The journey began within Alchemative, where we initiated a product concept aimed at filling a significant market void. This marked the beginning of a transformative journey.Evolution: The product quickly evolved into a department within Alchemative, showcasing our commitment to growth amidst rapidly changing market dynamics.Navigating COVID-19: The global pandemic accelerated our evolution. Innovation and agility propelled our growth during a period when many faced uncertainty.Independent Identity (2021): By 2021, the department had matured into an independent entity, a milestone that symbolized our journey from a fledgling idea to a sustainable, market-leading company.Throughout this period, Obaid Arshad played a pivotal role. Initially following in the footsteps, Obaid worked closely with me, embodying the spirit of innovation and leadership that Alchemative thrived on. His dedication and leadership qualities were instrumental in the rapid growth and success. In July 2021, Obaid took over as CEO, a move that was both a testament to his remarkable capabilities and a strategic decision to ensure the continued prosperity and innovative trajectory of the company.Key aspects of this journey include:Empowering Team Members: Central to our success was the emphasis on empowering individuals like Obaid, giving them the freedom to innovate, lead and ultimately take the helm, ensuring the legacy and vision of the company continue to flourish.Graceful Transition: My decision to exit the board in 2024, to explore new ventures, was part of a carefully planned transition strategy. This move was designed to ensure the company's enduring success under new leadership

Lahore, Punjab, Pk

In my role as Chief of Global Strategy & Partnerships at Ginkgo, my focus was on steering the strategic direction for global expansion and nurturing a comprehensive partner ecosystem. My responsibilities included identifying key strategic markets for entry, negotiating and securing partnerships that align with Ginkgo's growth objectives, and setting a course for scaling our global presence. This role demanded a forward-thinking approach, with a heavy emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and strategic foresight to position Ginkgo as a leader in the retail sector worldwide.

Lahore, Punjab, Pk

Ginkgo is credited by our clients' as the first fully functional Omnichannel engine developed to address the needs of the retail sector.Ginkgo enables its customer to focus on doing business and taking decisions rather than worrying about the technology and lack of visibility. We achieve this by developing algorithms for automation, intelligent processing, BI reports and dashboards.

As a Project ICT Consultant for a construction company specializing in unique projects, I led the technological innovation and infrastructure design for two flagship projects:The DHA Head Office and the Pakistan War Museum. For the DHA Head Office, my responsibility was to architect a cutting-edge ICT infrastructure, leveraging Cisco technologies to ensure a robust, secure, and scalable network. The Pakistan War Museum project allowed me to innovate by integrating future-tech solutions, such as BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology, to enhance visitor engagement through mobile device content delivery, creating an immersive and interactive experience.

Lahore, Punjab, Pk

As the VP of Commercial Engagement at a leading Home IoT company, my focus was on fostering strategic commercial relationships and initiatives that drove our market presence and innovation. The company achieved notable recognitions, including the PTA Best Mobile App and Telenor IoT Award. We were also selected for the Facebook Startup Program, highlighting our pioneering approach in the IoT space. This trajectory of success and innovation culminated in a strategic buyout by BlueEast, marking a significant milestone in our journey.

Fornebu, No

In this role I was responsible for providing overall leadership to Enterprise IT constituting IT Support, Service Desk, Collaboration Platform, Enterprise Network & Datacenter Networks.Responsible for long-term budgeting (CAPEX & OPEX), making investment plans and scheduling expenditures, planning & conducting procurements, analysing variances and initiating corrective actions.Supervised planning, designing, procurement, implementation and operations of IP network infrastructure for following areas; data-centers (Core switching & Security), enterprise access (Bandwidth management, Filtering, Internet, LAN and Wireless), remote network access (VPN), partner and sites (IP Routing, MPLS, OSPF & Metro).Analyzed end-user computing needs to workout feasible hardware & application solutions for following areas; Identity management, end-point security & management, enterprise printing and knowledge management.Supervised implementation and operations of enterprise applications for following areas; MS ADS, MS Exchange, MS LYNC, MS SharePoint, MS SQL Server, EMC RSA and Global HRMS.Project Work:* Led IT awareness and skill building program for the entire organization (improved helpdesk usage to 95%).* Coordinated InfoSec analysis for “data leakage prevention” project. * Project sponsor for 1 yellow belt and 1 green belt 6Sigma project (Improvements in IT service response & asset utilization).* GCB/ A.T. Kearney infrastructure optimization project.* Led revision of IT policies and process project.* Led ITIL compliance project.* Worked as lead for IT/Telecom tools group for Telenor HQ construction project.* While on this position I was indirectly responsible for projects in enterprise networks, datacenter and end-user computing & collaboration portfolio.

Fornebu, No

In this role I was responsible for providing overall leadership to CCTS team constituting PMO & Process, Application Operations, Application Development and Implementation. I proposed and developed these teams from scratch.Achieved significant reduction in CAPEX and OPEX for development & implementation activities.Project Work:* Led ISO/TL9000 compliance project for CCTS.* First Call Resolution (6σ Project) (Green Belt Team Member).* Member of SteerCo for 1 yellow belt and 1 green belt project.* Successfully led “Managed Services” outsourcing project for Contact Center resulting in reduced OPEX.* While on this position I directly and indirectly managed technically complex projects of 11M$ plus value. I was mainly responsible for solution architecture and project management. Main technologies/products involved Avaya VoIP, Genesys Inbound/Outbound, Interactive Voice Portals, Reporting Platforms, Call Recording & Quality Control, Workforce Management, CRM & BI Agent Applications, Nadra Integration, etc.

Fornebu, No

Managed teams; regional IT support, IP network and call center IT.Established and maintained SLAs. Complaints handling with-in TAT increased from 53% to 79%.Maintained SLA for IT Level-1 help-desk, increasing call logging from 11% to 64%.Achieved call center and network up-time 99%.Project Work:* Led call Center expansion from 360 channels to 2910 channels projects.* Led call center technology migration from Avaya Definity 3000 to S8700 (TDM to IP).* Led network routing platform upgrade to Cisco 7600 series and firewalls from PIX to ASA.* Successfully led “Managed While on this position I directly managed technical projects of 5M$ plus value.

Fornebu, No

Managed IP network which included design, installation, configuration, performance monitoring and troubleshooting.Implementation & operations of BGP and OSPF.Securing network by implementing network access, monitoring and control via Cisco security devices (IOS Sec, PIX, IDS, VPN Con).Established partner network of 450 connections via GRE/IPSec tunnels.Established and maintained Intercity (E1, STM & xDSL, Radio) network; supporting diverse internal customer requirements (VoIP, DR sites backups etc.) on multiplexed network by using tunneling and QoS techniques.

Faisalabad, Punjab, Pk

Support MIS Dept. in developing strategy for IT infrastructure.Support in RFP development, solution design, vendor selection, project planning & execution. Implement IT best practices for documentation & incident management.Audit and advice IT optimization and process improvements.

London, Gb

Supported in application development for e-marketing platform based on Microsoft Exchange Server & SQL Server.Managed hosted volume email solution; supporting connectivity requirements.

Established and maintained network services, also developed teams for network operations and phone support.Planned and executed the selection, installation, configuration and testing of equipment; defining network policies and procedures.Initiatives & Achievements:* Spearheaded implementation of BGP and procurement of multiple backbone links.* Monitoring customer side service quality & making an improvement plan based on customer expectations. Getting ISP rated as #1 for whole year from second month of launch.

Nz

Established & maintained web services infrastructure.Established 2 new IT units, software development and web hosting services.Primary contact for Microsoft Partnership Program.Additional responsibility included pre-sales activity for Microsoft Technologies.Initiatives & Achievements:* Proposed & supervised the development of ISP billing solution, key technologies involved were Microsoft Active directory, MS IAS and MS SQL server.

Managed all network elements (Cisco routers & switches, DVB receivers, Intel Cache Engines, Cisco RAS, Open RADIUS) including installation and configuration.Management of remotely hosted Microsoft Exchange 5.5.Initiatives and Achievements:* Planned and migrated Windows NT based LAN to Windows 2000.

Mdp, Business Administration

Bcs, Computer Sciences