Raza Pirbhai, a business icon and one of the most intelligent minds in the QSR business, has worked relentlessly throughout his professional career and set a legacy of his own. Having left an indelible mark in the food industry in particular and corporate landscape in general, he is currently the CEO of KFC Pakistan and has led the company through a complete metamorphoses. But nothing in life comes easy and behind a world of success is a world of struggle and ordeals, and no one can tell the story of fighting against all odds better than him.
At a very young age, when most teenagers only dread final exams and losing a cricket match, he went through the tragedy of losing a figure as imperative as a father and shouldered all responsibilities single-handedly. Undeterred by the turbulent financial situation, he continued to strive with sheer courage and strength in the face of challenging times. Attending school during the day and working part-time in the evening, he did not give up on his education despite all odds. He did his early schooling abroad and aspiring to attain the best education, applied to Cornell Business School where he diligently pursued his graduation degree. He chose to work hard when others went to find the easy way out, he chose to work in the wee hours of night when others slept soundly and he chose to fight back with a brave heart when everyone else lost hope in his life. And it was his choices, more than his circumstances that made him what he is today.
He started off his career at Pizza Hut as a Management Trainee and through his never-say-die attitude and passion to work hard he made his way up to the position of Restaurant Manager within a few years. He continued to showcase his talent and dedication at every organization he became a part of – Pizza Hut, Qubee and ZIL – making remarkable contributions in every managerial role he assumed. Alongside his professional career, he revived his family’s entrepreneurial spirits and established a groundbreaking business from scratch. In 2014, his stars once again took a miraculous turn, and he joined KFC Pakistan as Chief People’s Officer. As the previous CEO’s tenure came to an end, the board unanimously voted him in as the new CEO of the company and within a short span of taking over the new role,he turned around the business. He led the company through a complete transformation and breathed life into its deteriorating operations and assets. Soon, his strong will and exemplary leadership yielded results and the business soon began its journey to the top.
Today, Raza Pirbhai is highly revered and admired by every employee in the organization, irrespective of his or her role. Characterized by a hands-on approach,he believes in tackling every problem, from the most basic to highly complex ones, together as one team. He believes in empowering every individual in the organization, allowing them to grow in life and develop their personality at the same time, his employees also remarkon how he has an open door policy, being available for mentoring and insightful advice at all times. Unlike a typical superior who spends most of his time in-house, Raza Pirbhai makes it a point to visit all his restaurants and interact with his team, knowing each member by name. As a CEO, he possesses the excellent traits of managing conflicts, allowing room for innovation and building sustainable teams; a combination that is rare to find in an individual. As a major philanthropist he believes in giving back to the community and helping underprivileged communities, regularly contributing to various social causes.
Speaking of his growth plans for KFC Pakistan, he vividly aims to make KFC the most loved brand of Pakistan. Strong in aspirations and dynamic in thinking, we are positive he will continue leading the change under his exemplary leadership.
