Key Managment
Synergistic Financial Advisors (“SFA”) is a diversified financial services firm catering to various client segments, we offer financial and analytical support to businesses, corporations, financial institutions and individual professionals.
Meet Our Team
SFA believes in investing in human capital, our most important competitive asset is the skill set of our management team.
Overview:
Experience
- Over 17+ years of experience in investment banking, corporate finance advisory, fund raising and capital markets
- Founded Synergistic Financial Advisors
- Previously worked for Fauji Foundation, one of the largest conglomerates of Pakistan
- Worked for The Kadmos Initiative
Education
- CFA Charter Pending, CFA Institute, Virginia, USA
- MBA, with majors in finance, Institute of Management Sciences, Pakistan
- B.A in Economics and a minor in Statistics, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
Awais Iqbal
Managing Director Chief Executive Officer
Previous Transactions
- Chief Executive Officer of the firm, he has led the firm since 2011
- He develops the firm’s strategy, exemplifying the firm’s commitment to client service and leverages firm-specific and industry knowledge to lead the firm and its people through his commitment to talent development
- Extensive experience in interaction with the firm’s clients working directly with CFOs, CEOs and board members
- Track record of successfully advising top international and regional corporates, investment companies, holding companies, family offices and investment banks
- During the career, he has worked on transactions worth more than USD 4,000 Million in Debt (senior, mezzanine), Equity (including IPOs, Private Equity) and Mergers & Acquisitions in Infrastructure, Transportation, Real Estate, Healthcare, Industrial, Consumer and Financial sector all across the globe
- He started his career in 2009 in the Corporate Finance department of The Kadmos Initiative
Hussain Asghar
Managing Director
Previous Transactions
- He has extensive experience in MENA and Asia region specializing in Mergers & Acquisitions, Equity & Debt Capital Markets, Investment Banking, Private Equity and Company Management
- Track record of successful origination, execution and fund raising of deals and expanded relationships with leading international and regional corporate clients and family offices and raised over USD 1,000 million in debt and equity capital for clients and transactions and advised on completed mergers & acquisitions transactions valued at over USD 500 Million
- Notable expertise in structuring and developing investment products and asset management currently Managing a Discretionary Portfolio of USD 50 million with a mandate to invest in public equities of Pakistan
- Collaborated with Cross functional teams to structure and negotiate complex deals, ensuring an optimal outcome for clients and the firm
- Successfully led number of teams advising clients on sell side, buy side, Private Equity and Transaction Support, mentored and trained number of junior team members
Overview:
Experience
- Over 17+ years of experience in investment banking, corporate finance advisory, fund raising and capital markets
- Founded Synergistic Financial Advisors
- Previously Worked for Invest Capital Bank.
Education
- CFA Level III Candidate, CFA Institute, Virginia, USA
- MBA, with majors in finance, Institute of Management Sciences, Pakistan
- B.A in Economics and a minor in Statistics, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
Overview:
Experience
- Over 20+ years of corporate finance advisory, fund raising, capital markets and private equity experience in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Executive Director on the Board of Himmah Capital
- Non-Executive Director on the Board of Hana Food Industries
- Board member, Chairman Nomination Committee at Gulf Union Foods Co.
- Previously worked at Jadwa Investments, Falcom Financials Services and Ernst & Young Corporate Finance
Education
- MBA (Finance), Imperial College
- Master of Science in Finance, Sawyer School of Business, Suffolk University
Sajid Riaz
Director
Previous Transactions
- Accomplished executive with extensive MENA experience in Mergers & Acquisitions, Equity & Debt Capital Markets, Investment Banking, Private Equity and Company Management.
- Established several successful financial services firms in the region and has been on the Board of a numerous of prominent regional companies.
- Track record of successful origination, execution and fund raising of deals in excess of USD 3 billion and actively managed a portfolio of private equity investments and led the growth strategies, governance frameworks, efficiency initiatives and exits.
- Led number of IPOs of including ACWA Power, Shaker, Othaim and MESC
- Led the advisory team on HADCO-Almarai (the first public market M&A in Saudi Arabia)
- Currently advisor to the Board of Many listed Saudi companies
Quratulain Kamila
President of Corporate Finance Team
Previous Transactions
- President of Corporate Finance Team, she has been with the firm since 2011. Prior to becoming the President of Corporate Finance Team, she was serving as the Vice President of Corporate Finance Team
- She develops the firm’s business development strategy, identifying and tapping new markets and avenues for the firm
- Track record of successfully establishing a global footprint of the firm, has played a pivotal role in establishing firm’s business and clientele outside of Pakistan in markets such as Australia, Europe, North America and GCC
- She also plays a pivotal role in talent acquisition, training and development of the team, performance management and the diversity of our workforce
- Track record of successful origination, execution and fund raising of deals worth more than USD 200 million
Overview:
Experience
- Over 15+ years of experience in advisory, fund raising and capital markets
- Worked for Synergistic Financial Advisors
- Previously worked for Invest Capital Bank
Education
- CFA Level III Candidate, CFA Institute, Virginia, USA
- B.Sc (Hons) with Majors in Economics, Kinnaird College
Overview:
Experience
- Over 20 years of experience in capital markets , Portfolio Management & Fund raising
- Co-Founder | CEO Of Horizon Securities Limited (“HSL” Corporate member of Pakistan Stock Exchange)
- Co-Founder | Managing Partner Cordatus Resource Group (“CRG” A leading Business Process outsourcing)
Education
- CFA Charterholder, CFA Institute, Virginia, USA
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics Concentration: Operations Research & Industrial Engineering. Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY.
Afraz Zafar
Head of Business Development & Equity Research
Previous Transactions
- Vast experience in portfolio management, risk management, VAR based risk-assessment and modeling
- Managed/advised large pools of investment funds achieving one of the top performing alpha returns
- Extensive experience in brokerage operations, stock market financing products, stock exchange compliance, AML compliance
- In-depth corporate finance experience in local and international markets working directly with CFOs, CEOs and board members
- Successfully running an outsourcing operation with a team of over 100+ employees working with publicly traded and private equity backed corporations in international markets
Dr. Nawazish Mirza
Head of Quantitative Research
Overview:
Education
PhD, Financial Markets, University of Paris (Dauphine)
MPhil, Quantitative Finance, University of Paris (Dauphine)
Key Credentials
Dr. Mirza holds a PH.D in quantitative finance with specialization in financial markets from the University of Paris Dauphine. Dr. Mirza possesses diversified professional experience in UAE, France and Pakistan. He has worked as a research consultant at Valuei Research – A UAE based research boutique, where his research advisory focused on petrochemicals and financial sector of the MENA region. Dr. Mirza has also worked as a financial analyst at Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) and was involved in rating assignments (entity and instruments) of Corporates, NBFIs and Commercial Banks. Prior to working for PACRA, he was an investment analyst at BNP Paris Bas where he was involved in structuring exotic derivative instruments and arbitrage trading. Dr. Mirza is on the editorial advisory board of various academic journals of international repute including “The Journal of Portfolio Management, International Journal of Finance and Economics, Asian Journal of Accounting and Finance and Lahore Journal of Economics”. Presently, he teaches courses in areas of Quantitative Risk Management and Financial Markets at the Lahore School of Economics.
