To the thread - A day in life with Iqbal *Heaven help!*
I've been a silent watcher on this thread reading everyone's post sporadically and sometimes daily, this happening mostly when Iqbal is in Kuwait. Let me introduce myself. I am Samira, Mr. Iqbal Latif's assistant. I have been working with him for the past 12 years and known him for 17. I was compelled to write this post because I felt this need to share with his friends (and foes alike) what I know of him for what seems like an eternity. :-)
Iqbal, ever since I've known him, has been an extremely interesting and dynamic persona. People call him eccentric, they call him genius, some think he's "not quite there," and some say "Lord, where does he come from?!" At the expense of putting it mildly, to say the least, I'd say he's "different." To be more expansive, let me describe a typical day with Iqbal.
He is in the office before anyone else, either reading the local papers (which by the way can hardly be called interesting or elaborate) or writing articles in his native language, Urdu. Mr Latif is a regular author on political newspapers in Pakistan, writing controversial and "earth-shaking" articles in both English and Urdu circulations (I have yet to see a more nationalistic person). The day starts with exchanging social pleasantries, trading mundane happenings in family life when in the midst of it all, before coming to the end of my woes, so to speak, he asks me to log on to the "Idea of the Day." To put the day in a nutshell, like last Thursday for example, while the SI page was downloading, he decided he wanted to finish a memo on the future strategy of the company for the next five years first and then carry on with his personal postings on the thread. Sounds simple?? Well, it would! There I am, poised over my PC, ready for some real "finger action" and before I know it, there goes Iqbal rattling off figures off the cash flow projections and assumptions (without a single piece of such projection around him!), pacing the room furiously, peering over my shoulder from time to time, then going back to pacing, gesticulating to himself as if assembling Lego pieces (methinks blocks of company's strategy *grin*), stopping short, staring into space wondering how that "speck" got there :-) turns out that in a span of 20 minutes (I am not exaggerating I assure you!), he completes a 2500-word report on the future of the firm and just half an hour before that he had already written a 10,000-word article on the border resources of Pakistan for one of the newspapers and was faxing it to Islamabad! He makes the whole process seem as simple and natural as eating a 3-course meal complete with dessert. :-)
Once the company memo was "out of the way," we go to the "Idea" page and Iqbal still seemed rarin' to go while I was already on the verge of mental exhaustion! What amazes me is that this man rarely refers to any magazine, or newspapers, or notes or any such item of reference. All his information comes from picking bits and pieces from this paper and that magazine. It takes all of fifteen minutes to research on any "idea" that's brewing in his head. I've never seen him read an issue from cover to cover, when you give him a book to read, he opens it from the middle, reads a couple of pages, then goes to the end of the book, reads a few more pages, then decides that he "ought to" read the introduction :-) and then he sifts through the thick pages, as if fanning himself :-) and he is ready to present you a thesis. From the time I've known him, he's never been wrong, yet he always has a back-up and contingent plan, just in case he's made an error of judgement.
While he's dictating his "idea" on the thread, he even talks to friends who call on him, laughs and jokes over trivial day-to-day matters, hangs up, and continues with the flow of dictation as if there never was an interruption! Never have any of his articles on the thread, or anywhere else, been a result of endless poring over publications; they come from, I believe, naturally overactive brain cells. He is an ardent believer of "the big picture," has a deeply incisive and analytical mind, and has so much common sense that it borders on the genius. While an average person like me stores pieces of information in isolation, Iqbal applies it in every equation, so to speak, I think this is how he comes out with his "global vision." Once he finishes his posts, he goes back to his office, writes another article in Urdu, while I'm touching up on the dossier for the company's Board, brings in a thick sheaf of papers (another article!) for me to fax to Islamabad again, puts on his jacket, asks me what was cooking for dinner at home (because he was invited that evening), chats casually for a good ten minutes about nothing in particular, and then waves goodbye. I breathe a sigh of relief now that I was left to finish my work in uninterrupted peace, when all of a sudden I hear Iqbal return and shout at the door "don't forget to add in the company's cash flow `so-and-so' item!" There I am thinking to myself, "Is this guy ever gonna quit?" *resigned smile*
I have never known Iqbal to be affected when he loses on his trades. He was having dinner with my family that evening, and the markets were down, but did he lose a smile? No sirree! He was easily and unaffectedly talking to his good friend (also broker), Raj, on his mobile. Amazes me how this guy can stay "so cool," probably because he thinks losses are part and parcel of profits. :-) A final word on his character. Iqbal, despite his brilliance, is so down-to-earth, humble, and...NICE. He might have a hyperactive "business life" but he places his family on the top of his list of priorities. I have never seen him ignore his family or friends just because he's been "busy," or has had a "grinding day." Come hell or high water, he's always there when they need him.
This post describes just one of the "slow" days at work.:-) Iqbal is not even aware that I'm writing this note, he's off to London and will probably read this there on Monday morning. I just thought to lighten up everyone's mood from the tension of hectic or not-so-hectic trading by posting on this thread. Through this message, I also want to let Iqbal know, in some small way, how appreciated he is and I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to know and work with him all these years. Iqbal, you're a oner and don't let anybody say any different! :-)
Samira |
