COMPANY SECRETARY & HEAD OF LEGAL at BIG BIRD FOODS LIMITED (PUBLIC LISTED COMPANY) (2023-09 – Present)
Since joining Big Bird Foods Limited in September 2023, successfully led the Company's Scheme of Amalgamation before the Lahore High Court, resulting in its listing through a Reverse Merger.
As Legal
Head and Company Secretary, managed all legal, regulatory, pre- and post-listing compliance requirements with SECP, CDC, and PSX, while also serving as the Company's in-house Share Registrar, overseeing CDC induction and the successful dematerialization and electronic conversion of all physical shareholdings.
- Ensured compliance with applicable corporate laws, regulations, statutory requirements, and internal governance frameworks of the Company.
- Advised management and the Board on corporate governance, legal, and regulatory matters, ensuring alignment with the Company's Memorandum and Articles of Association.
- Organized and managed Board of Directors and General Meetings, including preparation of agendas, board papers, notices, resolutions, and minutes, while ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements.
- Administered share capital matters, including allotment of shares, issuance of share certificates, maintenance of statutory registers, and processing of share transfers and related corporate actions.
- Liaised with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), and Central Depository Company (CDC) on regulatory filings, statutory compliances, corporate disclosures, and official correspondence.
- Prepared, reviewed, executed, and maintained corporate agreements, leases, legal documents, and other official records as authorized by the Board or senior management.
- Coordinated with external legal counsel and provided legal support to the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and senior management on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters.
- Managed and supervised the Company's civil, labor, corporate, and regulatory litigation matters before relevant government authorities, appellate forums, tribunals, civil courts, labor courts, and High Courts.
- Drafted, reviewed, and vetted a wide range of legal documents, including agreements, contracts, pleadings, plaints, written statements, legal notices, and case responses on behalf of the Company.
- Coordinated with and engaged external legal counsel, developed litigation strategies, and safeguarded the Company's legal and commercial interests through effective representation and dispute management.
COMPANY SECRETARY & HEAD OF LEGAL at CITI PHARMA LIMITED (PUBLIC LISTED COMPANY) (2020-10 – 2023-08)
Joined Citi Group of Companies in October 2020 and successfully led the conversion of Citi Pharma (Private) Limited into a Public Limited Company, followed by the successful listing of the Company on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Managed the entire listing process from inception to completion, ensuring compliance with all pre-listing and post-listing regulatory requirements and coordinating effectively with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Central Depository Company (CDC), and Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
- Ensured compliance of the provisions of Corporate laws, Regulations, other statutes and bye-laws of the company.
- Ensured that business of the company is conducted in accordance with its objects as contained in its memorandum of association.
- Prepared the agenda in consultation with the Chairman and the other documents for all the meetings of the board of directors and called and held Board & general meetings and prepared a correct record of proceedings and attended the meetings in order to ensure that the legal requirements are fulfilled, and provided such information as are necessary and preparation of minutes and to circulate to the members in accordance with provisions of company law.
- Carried out all matters concerned with the allotment of shares, and issuance of share certificates including maintenance of statutory Share Register and conducted the appropriate activities connected with share transfers.
- Dealt with SECP, PSX and CDC for statutory compliances, communications, replies & for other formalities.
- Prepared, approved, signed and sealed agreements leases, legal forms, and other official documents on the company's behalf, when authorized by the board of the directors or the executive responsible.
- Advised, in conjunction with the company's solicitors, the chief executive or other executive, in respect of the legal matters, as required.
- Handled the legal matters of Civil, Labor and Corporate matters of the company before their respective departments, Appellate Benches, Tribunals, Civil, Labor and High Court.
- Drafted & vetted of agreements, plaints & reply of cases on behalf of company.
- Engaged legal advisors and defended the legal rights of the company in Courts.
- Dealt with the registration matters of (contracts, Provident Fund deeds, Power of attorney (Special & General), Trademark Registration etc.
CORPORATE, TAX & LEGAL CONSULTANT at Independent Practice (2016-10 – 2020-09)
- Dealt with all types of corporate matters from incorporation to dissolution/winding up of companies including single member, private and public and foreign companies, Firms and individual businesses.
- Dealt with labor matters including EOBI, Social Security, Provident Fund, Gratuity etc. and dealt with all the related queries of the clients.
- Dealt with tax matters including Income & Sales Tax registration, PF & Gratuity fund recognition, income tax matters and handled the matters on appellate tribunals & in the High court.
- Dealt with federal sales tax & provincial sales tax matters (PRA), Federal & provincial sales tax returns, filing of refund.
- Handled the legal matters of Civil, Labor, Corporate & Taxation of various clients in Appellate Benches, Tribunals, Civil Court, Session Court, Labor Court and High Court.
- Drafted agreements, plaints & reply of cases on behalf of clients.
- Dealt with the registration matters (Sale deeds, Provident Fund deeds, Power of attorney (Special & General), Trust Deed, Company Registration, Trademark Registration, Partnership registration etc.
Senior Manager Corporate Affairs at SYSTEMS LIMITED (PUBLIC LISTED COMPANY) (2015-06 – 2016-09)
- Ensured compliance of the provisions of Companies Ordinance and rules made there-under and other statutes and bye-laws of the company.
- Prepared the agenda in consultation with the Chairman and the other documents for all the meetings of the board of directors.
- Arranged board meetings, general meetings prepared a correct record of proceedings.
- Carried out all matters concerned with the allotment of shares, and issuance of share certificates including maintenance of statutory Share Register and conducted the appropriate activities connected with share transfers.
- Filed of various documents/returns with the Registrar / Commission as required under the provisions of the Ordinance.
- Ensured whether legal requirements of the allotment, issuance and transfer of share certificates, mortgages and charges, have been complied with.
- Dealt with all correspondence between the company and the shareholders.
- Made arrangement for the payment of the dividend within prescribed period as provided under the provisions of the Ordinance.
Assistant Manager (Corporate, Tax & Legal) at KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co. Chartered Accountants (2011-03 – 2015-06)
Reporting directly to the partner with job responsibility at the KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co. Chartered Accountants, Lahore office.
- Obtained various approvals from Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Board of Investment and State Bank of Pakistan.
- Handled Approval/Renewals of foreign companies (Branch/Liaison office) from Board of Investment.
- Obtained security clearance of foreign directors from Ministry of Interior in various companies.
- Registered various types of Companies (single member, Private, Public and Non-profit Organization under section 42, and Foreign Companies etc) under the Companies Ordinance, 1984.
