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Aamir Mazhar


 

 

A banker by profession Aamir Mazhar of SAVVY PR & Events gave it all up and plunged into the creative world of event management. Within a few years of his company’s launch he has taken over Lahore with his glamorous and fun events. We have been bringing you his events in our paparazzi section for quite some time now, we met up with Aamir and asked him how he got started and what plans he has for the future:




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Please introduce yourself to our readers:

I am Aamir Mazhar, and I run a company under the name of SAVVY PR & EVENTS based in Lahore. In a span of three years, we have done numerous events in Karachi, Faisalabad, Dubai & London apart from Lahore. We have a team of professionals delivering tailor made services to clients.

Tell us about where you grew up, your family and education.

Since my father was in government service we shifted bases quite a lot, but Lahore has been home since childhood. I remember growing up here and then occasionally shifting bases, and then eventually coming back to Lahore. I’m the youngest amongst my siblings. I am an MBA by qualification, and was a corporate banker for three and a half years before venturing out on my own.

You are a banker by profession; tell us what banks and companies you have worked with?

I was working for Bank Alfalah as a management trainee officer. I left for Mashreq Bank in Dubai when I was in charge of the credits of a branch. In Dubai, I was dealing in contracting finance.


 


 

 


When and why did you decide to quit it all, and move to Lahore to open an event management company?

I wasn’t satisfied with what I was doing. Although I was doing great professionally, there was something missing. Everyday I used to curse myself when waking up for work. I always had a knack for putting things together since childhood. Frankly, in those days applying for a job in a new field after banking sounded a bit risky, so I turned my passion into my profession. In September 2006, I moved back to Pakistan and started SAVVY PR & EVENTS.

Tell us about your company. How many people are in your team? What services do you provide for your clients?

We have a team of seven people in Lahore and Karachi. There are 5 internees and a lot of contractual staff. We offer services for weddings, launches, fashion shows, dinners, exhibitions etc. the whole list can be seen at www.savvyevent.com.

To date, how many events have you done?

I have done around 45 events in three different cities in Pakistan, Dubai & London.

What is the future of event management companies and do you think there is room for competition?


There is a bright future for event management in Pakistan regardless of what people think. A lot of people are aware of event managers and want to hire their services in order to lessen their hassle. It’s a niche market service and all the publicity is through word of mouth. There is a lot of competition in this field as it’s a cut throat service, one mess up and you can consider yourself out of the business for good. Everyone delivers their best in order to sustain in this market.

 


Events set up by SAVVY PR & EVENTS

 

 

Wedding Stage set up by SAVVY PR & EVENTS

There are a lot of themed parties happening these days is this a new trend? What is the most bizarre themed party you have done so far?

Yes, theme parties are always more fun to go to and even organize. Since we don’t have any clubs in Pakistan, the concept of theme parties is quite popular here. A lot of people have done casino nights, white theme, Bollywood etc., the most unusual theme party would have to have been ‘mirch masala’ where we had to create the whole theme around gossip.

How does one get invited to an event, how much do tickets cost and what is usually included in the cost?

Well, it’s a closed door guest list policy. Generally, socialites and their friends get invitations. Even when there is a commercial event, only a select few know about it. Tickets generally start from $50, and they cover the appetizers and beverages.

A lot of college and school kids have been involved in organizing concerts and events; do you think this is a good trend since there isn’t much in terms of entertainment there?

Healthy entertainment brings a lot of confidence in these kids along with extra pocket money. Living in a society where you have to justify a lot, it’s awesome to see these kids taking initiative and learning a lot on their way. We must encourage more kids to organize such events; and this will give other kids a lot of entertaining activities.

 

Sometimes our readers (living out of Pakistan) are shocked to see pictures of events that happen in Pakistan, why do you think that is? Do you think we (expatriates) are still living in the past?

I will agree with this because expatriates tend to be more rigid and Pakistani in their lives when they know that they are living in a foreign land. They teach their kids about all the Islamic values and the Pakistani lifestyle because they want to keep the traditions alive away from home. We people travel frequently and are aware of the latest trends and love to follow it. Sometimes the events are quite bold, but the people only are from the higher strata of society, and their picture is not the same on macro level.

What has been your best event so far and what made it so special?

My best event till date is the Asian Fashion Extravaganza 2009 in Dubai. This was my first international event and a first of its kind; a bridal show from designers from Pakistan and India put together with Pakistani supermodels flown in. It was very well received and we got rave reviews in international press. It’s a great feeling when you get that response in a country away from yours.

Do you plan to do any events in the US? If so where and when?

Yes, after London we are focusing on NY & DC, these are the cities with a huge Pakistani population. We’re planning to do so at the end 2009 or early 2010 for sure. I am sure the Saturday Post will agree to be our media partners.

Lastly your message to the readers of The Saturday Post:

Follow your dreams and live your life to the fullest. Cherish your moments and memories because nothing lasts for good. The Saturday Post is a brilliant weekly and my week is not complete without going through it. It is doing a great job in keeping the readers updated with a weekly dose of Asian glamour. Keep it up!

 

 


 


Aamir Mazhar with Rezz Aly Shah

 

 
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