Akzo Nobel Pakistan Limited

Inside ANPLEmployee NewsletterQ3, 2014

1Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

FEATURES

Contents

Editor’s Note 2Business Update 3Running Around the World 2014 5What's the buzz at ANPL 9Safety Day 2014 12 What's Happening 14Food for Thought 16Personal Front 18

CURRENT ISSUE OF Q3, 2014

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Best Regards,

Alena S Amir Manager, Corporate Communications

EDITOR’S NOTE

A bright green conglomerate glows defiantly warm and bright inside a sharp and cold crystal rock in what appears to be a scattered winter landscape.

Be sure to glow bright and keep warm this winter!

Cover Photo - Crystalline

ContentsDear Readers,

Once again, we find ourselves at the close of an eventful year and the eve of a promising one. With year-end assessments looming, it's a time for reflection here at ANPL. Whether we dread or antici-pate it, this is infact a perfect time for us to set our intentions and focus on what we want rather than what we do not.

You may agree that everything is accelerating; days merging into weeks, months into years and at times, the polarity of disasters are what we call miracles.

But this too, can and will pass.

We can, now, before the new year, fine tune what is happening in our lives, break the shackles of conditionings and find a truth that strikes true for ourselves so that we may continue to achieve what we already can; and then do much more! I am sure that no matter who we are in the company, we can all look back at the good and the not-so-good days and see that the real miracle lies in what we do, day in and day out; one day at a time.

I'd like to thank the communication reps for their timely contribution to the newsletter. It is by their effort that we can for a moment, put away our not-so-good days and bask in the whole-some warmth of those wonderfully good ones.

Wishing you an enjoyable read.

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Editor-in-ChiefAlena S. Amir

Design & Art DirectionKashif Ashraf

Content DirectionAlena S. Amir

Publisher Corporate Communications OfficeAkzoNobel Pakistan346, Ferozepur Road Lahore 54600

THE ‘INSIDE ANPL’ TEAM

COMMUNICATION REPS

The communication reps for each department are as below:

Usman HafazDeco

Arham Arshaq Specialty Chemicals

Fatima AsgharFinance

Furqan NajeebSupply Chain

Imran Shad HSE

Khawaja Hammad InayatR&D

Mashud Khan Operations

Rabia Batool Performance Coatings

Saira SoofiLegal

3Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

Business Updates

With the start of the traditional painting period, the decorative business has initiated its media campaign to increase brand awareness for ICI Dulux and subsequently help in strengthening our position as market leaders and colour authority in Pakistan.The current campaign will build up on our previous campaign “Make a Colourful Start” and will be more product specific, focusing on promoting our premium interior emulsion ICI Dulux Pentalite Classic.

To help build up hype, the campaign has initially been launched in three metropolitan cities of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, where billboards have been put up at high traffic areas from 20th September. The business expects that such a comprehen-sive campaign will not only help in increasing the Top of Mind for ICI Dulux, it will also strengthen the position of ICI Dulux Pentalite Classic as the first choice premium interior emulsion for our target audience.

ICI Dulux Media campuaign

In order to increase market share in the non-pre-mium enamel market, the decorative business launched affordable superior quality enamel, ICI Hi-Gloss Enamel in July. The product has been launched to target enamel users in mass market and to compete with all available local brands in the non-premium solvent based market. With the launch of ICI Hi Gloss

Enamel, ANPL expects to increase its market share in the non-premium solvent based market. On its launch, the decorative business carried out in store branding at all targeted dealer counters nationally by putting up posters and buntings. The product has received positive response in the short period since its launch.

Launch of ICI Hi Gloss Enamel

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Ferrazone®

T h i s I r o n W o r k s .

One should always strive to live a healthy life, free of physical and mental ailments – as was also reiterated on our Safety Day in September 2014. Getting sick or ill is certainly not an easy thing to endure, as it affects our personal life as well as our professional life, and a hospital bed is the last place any person would want to find themselves in. However, knowing that you are being treated with medicines that were manufactured using raw material provided by AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, you can be sure that you are in safe hands.Unbeknownst to the AkzoNobel Pakistan family, a major chunk of our upstream volumes is also attributed to our Pharmaceutical business. Currently, our business with the Pharmaceutical industry comprises of three segments: (1) Salt Specialties, (2) Performance Additives, and (3) Chelates.

Sanal-P – which is AkzoNobel’s brand of phar-maceutical grade of sodium chloride, more commonly known as table salt – is offered to manufacturer of intravenous (IV) solutions. Moreover, we are the leaders in the market for sodium chloride for IV application – having achieved growth in our business with major customers, and developing business with new entrants in the industry. No doubt, it is on the sole basis of our superior product quality and high product purity, that we have a huge chunk in the market. Ferrazone is our brand name for Sodium Feredetate – an iron compound used for the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia – and is locally sold to manufacturers of iron supplements (syrups and tablets). In fact, our brand of Ferric Sodium EDTA is universally accepted as the preferred iron fortificant to treat iron-deficiency anemia, with no side-effects and only benefits.

Akucell is AkzoNobel’s trademark for food-grade cellulose gums – Sodium Carboxy Methyl Cellulose, to be precise. Akucell is sold in Pakistan for the purpose of binding and compression of medicinal tablets. The superior thickening & stabilizing function of our cellulose gum, along with superior moisture retention, indeed make Akucell the optimal choice for our customers in the Pharmaceutical industry. AkzoNobel has a diverse product portfolio for the Pharmaceutical industry. In fact, our Pharmaceutical product range also extends to our Polymer Chemicals BU – however, pres-ently we are just touching the tip of the iceberg, and have a long journey to go. Expanding our local portfolio to the Pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan will indeed help AkzoNobel Pakistan do its part to create a healthier Pakistan.

Creating a healthier Pakistan

For all the automotive technology enthusiasts, the site’s new diesel generators are a site to behold. Delivering a net power output of 1,000 kilowatts, these twin turbo charged V-12 engines are state of the art machines manufactured by the largest engine manufacturer globally; MAN by Volkswagen. But the true beauty of these engines lie in their fuel efficiency compared to competing brands, making power generation cheaper. The two engines form a set of generators which are governed by a state of the art control

system which intelligently manages the load on the engines thus resulting in optimum fuel consumption.Previously our site was powered by a single 1000 KW engine in case of grid supply failure. The changeover of supply from and to generator was all manually executed; the new system is completely automated requiring no human inter-vention. The new system is anticipated to accrue significant savings in fuel costs owing to its intelli-gent operation.Installation and commissioning of

these generators was carried out in a very short span of 4 days, the project team worked all 24 hours to ensure project delivery in this duration. Over and above this the project team put in place interim arrangements to provide power to critical load areas while the project was being executed. Project execution was completed with Zero safety observations which is the greatest success of the project team considering the high hazards involved in the works. Hats off to the project team for a job brilliantly done!

New generators installed on site in Lahore

5Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

What's Happening

Interim Financial Results published of H1, 2014 The interim results of half year ended June 30, 2014 of ANPL were published. The interim report includes financial as well as other information as required by Companies Law, International Financial Reporting Standards, and Code of Corporate Governance.

Star performer again! (in BU A&AC reporting)

ANPL was once again awarded the ‘STAR Performer’ title by BU A&AC (Automotive and Aerospace Coatings) for May 2013 financial reporting. This award was only given to 2 countries out of 28 and Pakistan was one of them. The criteria of this award include fulfilling all reporting requirements ahead of schedule. Jawairia Hashmi, Zaid Khan and Waqas Shahzada were instrumental in the achievement of this award.

ANPL’s 10th Audit Committee Meeting and 16th Board Meeting

The 10th Audit Committee Meeting was held on August 27, 2014 at ANPL Lahore office. Some members attended the meeting via telecom. Matters related to Accounts, controls and Internal Audit were discussed in the meeting.

The 16th Board of Directors meeting was also held on the same day at ANPL Lahore office. It was attended by all the local directors of the company, including the Company Secretary, and by the foreign directors via telecom except for Mr. Peter Tomlinson, who was given leave of absence.The Chairman of the Board extended a warm welcome to Mr. Michiel Franse for coming on the Board of ANPL as a member filling the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. James Thick, the previous director of ANPL.

Various matters were discussed in the meeting including approval of accounts of financial statements and Directors Report for the quarter ended June 30, 2014.

HFM Project was postponed by the Global team and go live date is now 1st November 2014. First parallel run for August has been successfully completed in September while the 2nd parallel run is planned for September closing.

HFM Project Update

myCareer P&DD Mid-Year Review

myCareer P&DD Mid-Year Refresher sessions were held in Lahore. The North & south region were covered through webex. The aim was to refresh the understanding and usage of the online P&DD system and help answer queries for first timers.

MyCareer P&DD Mid-Year Review was success-fully carried out across the company. myCareer Talent & Succession tool rolled out to people managers with instruction material and guidelines.

Quick updates

• Job Descriptions was completed for all permanent employees working at Akzo Nobel Pakistan Limited in the month of August 2014.

• Employee engagement activities during the month included a mango party by the canal-side for all non-management staff to cool off in the summer heat.

• 2013 WPPF payment released on time

• High score achieved in Giarte Global IT Satisfaction Survey. ANPL achieved a score of 8.36 which was higher than the overall average (7.33) of all AkzoNobel sites

ViewPoint Employee Engagement Survey was held from September 1-19 this year. To make the survey even more meaningful, the AkzoNobel-specific questions in the survey are aligned with

the new core principles and the new Values & Behaviors. These changes have been made to help us better align our personal and team objectives with the company’s strategic goals and key priorities.

The campaign reflected the AkzNobel belief that all our employees should have a sense of purpose and a degree of autonomy – whilst feeling connected, competent and completely

safe in their workplace. The initial results showed a 91% participation achieved in ViewPoint Survey (95% adjusted for leavers).The detailed results of the ViewPoint survey are due in November.

Packing activities performed in the single tank filling area were observed to be less than ideal due to lack of a fresh air point. This was contrib-uting to fatigue, dehydration especially in harsh weather and resulted in output inefficiency. An available fresh air ducting unit capacity evaluation was performed and a fresh air point was provided from the old unit that had the available margin.

Fresh air point provision at packing area

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The Protective Coatings team was successful in securing a project, worth Rs. 7.8 million, in Q3 ’14, for Chashma Sugar Mills. This project centered on our High Build Epoxies and PU Finishes System is tailored to match the specific functional and aesthetic requirements of the Sugar Tank Linings. Our innovative coating solutions along with our strong technical support proved vital in securing this project. The project will provide significant value to the business as they mature.The Protective Coatings team was successful in bringing another remarkable project worth Rs 2.5 million in Q2, 2014. International and local coating systems tailored to match functional and

aesthetic requirements were recommended for up-gradation of the Attock Refinery Limited. In addition to this an order for around 1,600 liters was secured from Pearl engineering for coating of Pakistan State oil (PSO) tanks at Port Qasim, this included local range of Red Oxide Zinc Phosphate Primer and Camouflage Enamel, Epoxy Zinc Phosphate Primer and Hi Build Epoxy Finishes. The team also added a third success with an order from Fabcon Design Company for industrial coatings system for steel structures of bridge package 16 ring road DHA phase V. The order included local range of products such as Epoxy Zinc Phosphate Primers and Polyurethane Finishes.

Cellular contact numbers for all employees in the company were updated on the corporate SMS portal.Regular updates for events and activities are sent through the SMS portal. If you are not

receiving these sms updates, you can share your primary cellphone number and emer-gency contact number with Shahbaz Nawaz, Admin and Security Manager. Please write to shahbaz.nawaz@akzonobel.com

Bright stars in Protective Coating’s baskets

Corporate SMS Portal updated

ViewPoint Employee Engagement Survey

7Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

ANPL takes leaps and bounds in the run to the moon!

10th

Top Countries, Participating Atheletes

10th

Top Locations, Participating Atheletes

Top AthletePakistan

Global Ranking

Creativity AwardBest Event

Lahore SiteRunning Track Event

After its phenomenal success in 2013, Running Around the World took on the challenge this year to run all the way to the moon. With 384,000 kilo-meters to cover, RATW’s Earth to Moon challenge set a high bar indeed. Taking in suggestions from participants from around the world, RATW included a host of different sports and activities that contributed to the distance.112 of the 4840 participants were from Pakistan - placing Pakistan at 10th position in terms of participants per country (based on total employees per country).Our top ten athletes engaged in healthy competi-tion and a score sheet shared each week certainly helped provide the motivation. Despite heavy rain in the first two weeks of the month, participants continued their activities and steadily rose to end the month at 14th position out of 52 competing countries.Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad competed inde-pendently as active sites and Lahore took down an impressive 10th place out of 852 partici-pating sites.

Seeing the enthusiasm, healthy snacks were distributed to employees to further encourage the activity. Participants also got a special RATW calendar to record their entries. A 250m running track was utilized by colleagues for walking or running after working hours and the track was also used to hold refreshing team meet-ings. Appreciated highly on OneWeb and Yammer amidst fellow athletes; ANPL won the award for most Creative Event. Congratulations and thank you to all participants! Here are the top ten athletes from ANPL:

"Initially, there was no concept of keeping fit in my family, but that all changed when my father underwent Angiography (stunts were applied to 2 valves in his heart) and afterwards the doctor specifically told him and the family that to stay healthy my father should be physically fit and he could achieve this by walking on a daily basis. I was naturally inclined towards sports from the beginning and I urged my father to walk with me, and I'm very happy to say that it’s been almost 2 years now that together we both go for a regular walk in day, and whenever we have the time during the day.During the course of time, I have been involved in playing some of the tough activities in the games category like Basketball, Squash, and Swimming. Over time while i was regularly walking on a daily basis, a realization occurred to me.I realized that this activity alone is not enough for my age and

if I have to prevent myself from illness I need to start playing one of the other games. Luckily, while walking one day, I saw a squash court in a rotten condition in our vicinity (Malir

Cantonment) and with the help of some ener-getic players, we renovated the court and now it’s habitual for us to play for at least 2 hours atleast 3 days in a week.When I see that squash was been counted in the activity as well, I shared it with my fellow players and we all agreed to play squash on regular basis for a month at least. This year I initially set a target of doing at least managing the double from last year’s i.e. 625kms during the month but I only managed to achieve 521kms. I am already setting my bar higher and hope that AkzoNobel would take the RATW initiative next year so that I may be able to beat my own distance the next year. My aim is to keep myself and others around me in the family to be healthy and fit. I thank you AkzoNobel for arranging this Running Around the World initiative and I look forward to beating my own score next year.”

A word from the star athlete:

My aim is to keep myself and others around me in the

family to be healthy and fit.

Our colleague in Karachi, Iqbal Ahmed wowed us all by finishing RATW at 15th place globally out of 4850 participants. He entered a total of 521 kilometers by swimming, squash, running and cycling!We got in touch with Iqbal to find out what makes him tick and all about the games he plays.

9Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

What's the buzz at ANPLHere, there and everywhere in Q3, 2014

Eye exam - Safety Day 2014Employees got their eye sight examined by an optometrist for Safety Day

Safety Day gameANPL broke records on the Safety Day game with four colleagues ending up in top ten

Furthering the relief efforts for IDPsCommodore Akbar Naqi discussing the IDP relief efforts with CE, Jehanzeb Khan

Walk and talkNo better way to unwind than a refreshing walk with friends at the end of a long day's work

Loading rationsThe generous contributions of employees being loaded and transported for the welfare of IDPs in North Waziristan

Orientation session for Rahbar ProgramVolunteers from ANPL attend an orientation session for TCF Rahbar Program to learn more about how they can help change lives of TCF students for the better

Recruiting RahbarsTeam for TCF Rahbar Program discussing the enrolment of counsellors from ANPL

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FLT Safe Driving Contest in full swingObservers eagerly look on as the FLT parked at pit-stop is inspected thoroughly to demonstrate FLT safety knowledge

Bike safety sessionAn engaging session on bike safety took place at the plant which was informative and educa-tional for all the staff participating

Saying Goodbye to Mohsin R. NaqviEmployees gathered to bid farewell to Mohsin as he moves on to Dubai for his new role

Farewell for Muddassir KhalidColleagues bid farewell to Muddassir Khalid as he moves on to Dubai into a new role

On September 17, AkzoNobel Pakistan celebrated Safety Day along with all AkzoNobel sites globally. This year, the aim of the Safety Day was to enhance safety awareness of our employees on Driving Safety. The day started with cascade sessions of the safety presentation at different locations, both on and off site. The presentation emphasized on the core objective of Safety Day and the importance of the five factors that contribute to driving safety. The factors are: Distractions, Alcohol & Drugs, Fatigue, Speed & Safety Belt, and Weather.

This year for the first time, customers’ represen-tatives participated to enhance safety awareness. Toyota’s representative shared the good practices on general inspection and maintenance of cars. Meanwhile, Honda Atlas’s representative conducted a highly interactive session with practical demon-strations on the topic of general inspection and maintenance of motorbikes.The day also included free eye testing by an optom-etrist at the plant site. Moreover, brainstorming sessions were conducted in different work groups to generate safety improvement ideas from shop floor level. These sessions also covered pledge signing activity & LSR quiz for the workers. The highlight of the day was the FLT competition, flamboyantly named as Tour de Plant. It comprised of five diversified teams demonstrating the FLT safe driving on a purpose built track on the plant site. This track contained a number of check points. These check points challenged the teams on routine lifting activities, the HALO principle implementation and routine maintenance inspections. This exciting

Inside ANPL, Q3 2014 11

Safety Day 2014

Getting Around Safely

game not only provided awareness but also moti-vated the teams to follow the FLT safe driving principles in future. The Safety Day’s signature activity of pledge signing was religiously observed by the ANPL employees. A total of 117 pledges were submitted, which was the highest amongst the region.The day was concluded by the closing speech of Operations Manager, Rizwan Afzal. He addressed the Operations & Warehouse staff and reinforced the importance of Safety. Though an eventful day, the Safety Day helped the employees to understand the importance of safe driving and reiterate our message that nothing we do is worth getting hurt for.

Did you know that almost every day one of us is involved in a road traffic incident while driving for AkzoNobel? We are convinced that each of us can become a better, safer driver. To support ourdrivers AkzoNobel developed a Safe Driving Program called ‘Drive 4 Zero’. It is developed to positively influence our driver’s behavior and significantly reduce the number of road traffic incidents towards our ambition of zero injuries.

The Drive4Zero e-learning is mandatory for all AkzoNobel drivers. Here's a map to help you see if you require the training. You can also take the e-learning and the awareness module by visiting the myCareer Learning page today.

AkzoNobel CityAre you driving on

the road for AkzoNobel?

AkzoNobel City

Drive 4 Zero Road

Do you drive more than 10.000 km per year?

Do you drive more than 20.000 km per year?

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

NoAre you interested

in becoming a better driver?

You may follow our Safe Driving

awareness e-module.

Follow our additional set of e-learning modules in 2015.

Follow our defensive driving training in 2015.

Follow our Safe Driving Awareness e-module before

30 september 2014

Are you sure?

Yes

No

Are you transportinggoods or personnel?

Yes

oN

No

Become a better driverDrive 4 Zero

www.akzonobel.com

AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, Interna-tional and Eka. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 50,000 people around the world are committed to delivering leading products and technologies to meet the growing demands of our fast-changing world.

© 2014 Akzo Nobel N.V. All rights reserve® Registered trademark of Akzo Nobel Chemicals

bv in more than one country

Become a better driver:Drive4Zero Program

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13Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

What's Happening

Formal Iftar parties were held by the Vehicle Refinishes team for their customers – the painters – in 4 major cities of Pakistan, with the aim of increasing customer engagement as well as enhancing brand awareness. These parties were able to provide an interactive platform for painters to discuss their concerns and share their feed-back with our technical and sales team.

Painter’s iftar parties

Vehicle Refinishes teams got in the spirit of the football fiesta and distributed world cham-pionship posters to the customer, dealers and distributors, so that everyone can be updated and can enjoy the game. Most important is that we were the first ones to hand over the poster to our customers!

Vehicle Refinishes in Soccer Fiesta

This June Vehicle Refinishes for the first time took its Top Sikkens’ customers to Dubai on a 5-day Dealers’ Trip, accompanied by the NSM Vehicle Refinishes. The group visited Atlantis Water Park, Burj Khalifa, Desert Safari, and later a cruise dinner. The purpose of this tour was to foster existing relationships with the dealers, which resulted in better communication and relation-ships between the business and its key dealers, and also helped to maintain our market presence and promote Sikkens with higher volumes.

Dubai foreign scheme

The MSD resin transfer area was an open area, exposed to sunlight during most part of the day.Workers suffered from fatigue and dehydration in that area during summer season. A shed design compliant to LDA requirements was approved and installed resolving both issues that were being faced.

MSD resin transfer area shed provision

At filling, due to manual weight adjustment mechanisms, operators are trained to conduct weight checking of the filled gallons at least three times during a single filling activity. In case of any customer complaint regarding weight varia-tion, there exists no record whether the operator followed the procedure or not.It is agreed to install 02 non zone classified printers with existing fixed weight scales at filling hall so that the operator could record his activity of weight verification.The advantages of this was the significant reduc-tion in complaints regarding weight variation and thereby improving customer trust.Also, this provides a record for investigation if ever necessary and overall, the loss and gain accuracy will also improve with this system.

Weight scale printer for record keeping

A large quantity of packrites stored at the plant was not only increasing the OWC but the excess stock in the storage area was also contributing to congestion; resulting in difficulty in movement.To remedy this, the production team performed an extensive activity by revisiting and changing the minimum storage levels to an optimum amount and controlling the ordering process especially by the end of each month.This resulted in a huge reduction of the pack-rites stock. Previously at more than 22 thousand packrites at month end, this was reduced to 16.5 thousand with a total saving of Rs. 0.2 million per month.Not only did this exercise contribute to OWC reduction but also made more space available in the area for free and safe movement.

OWC reduction by packrites inventory control

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The STAR of the Quarter for the first quarter was held. The panel of nominees presented a tough and varied range of projects and people for consideration. Additionally, this STAR award was judged on the criteria for Value Awards based on the new values and behaviours.Abaidullah Muzzaffar was selected as the STAR of the Quarter. Well done Abaidullah!

ANPL relief efforts for IDPs

STAR of Q1, 2014

This Ramadan, employees from AkzoNobel Pakistan contributed generously to gather rations, water and medicine for the welfare of flood affected civilians in North Waziristan.Thousands of locals were displaced this year due to the ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation.The collection was done in collaboration with the Pakistan Navy. Commodore Akbar Naqi visited the ANPL office to collect the goods at the end of the month. He was very grateful to the employees for showing such generosity and remembering the less fortunate at Eid when thousands did not have access to food and clean drinking water.Overwhelmingly, ANPL colleagues collected a six figure sum in just 10 days in addition to rations and goods. AkzoNobel Pakistan contrib-uted PKR 50,000 in addition to the contribution collected and the money was used to buy addi-tional rations and goods.The success of this activity is a tribute to the phil-anthropic spirit of our colleagues.Thank you to all those who contributed.

Performance Coatings team was provided with a colorful tool to further uplift business. The shade card will hopefully bring colors more into discussion with industrial customers. The shade card includes different local ranges and most popular colors from the market much to the customers appreciation.

Uplifting through colors

Food for Thought

Ten things to stop doing right now Shared by Habib Ahmed

We all constantly hear about what we do or should do to help ourselves be better at our work.

There are also some things that can help us go a long way if we stop doing them.

Habib Ahmed, Manager Accounts shares the wisdom...

BlamingPeople make mistakes. Employees don' t meet your expectat ions. Vendors don't de l iver on t ime. Taking responsibility when things go wrong instead of blaming others, it's empowering--because then you focus on doing things better or smarter next time; which will make you happier.

CriticizingEveryone is different: not better, not worse, just different. Appreciate the differences instead of the shortcomings and you'll see people--and yourself--in a better light.

PreachingThe higher you rise and the more you accomplish, the more likely you are to think you know everything-and to tell people everything you think you know. When you speak with more finality than foundation, people may hear you but they don't listen. This would finally leave you feeling less happy.

ControllingYeah, you're the boss. Still, the only thing you really need to control is you. If you find yourself trying hard to control other people, you've decided that you, your goals, your dreams, or even just your opinions are more important than theirs.

DwellingThe past is valuable. Learn from your and others mistakes. Easier said than done! When another person makes a mistake, see that as an opportunity to be kind, forgiving, and understanding.

ImpressingNo one likes you for your clothes, your car, your possessions, your title, or your accomplishments. Those are all "things”. Genuine relationships make you happier, and you'll only form genuine relationships when you stop trying to impress and start trying to just be yourself.

ClingingHolding on to what you think you need won't make you happier; letting go so you can reach for and try to earn what you want will. Even if you don't succeed, the act of trying will make you feel better about yourself.

InterruptingInterrupting isn't just rude. When you interrupt, what you're really saying is, "I'm not listening to you so I can understand what you're saying; I'm listening to you so I can decide what I want to say."Want people to like you? Listen and focus on what they say.

15Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

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One domestic flight, two international flights, a fast train, a subway train and a taxi ride later, I was standing at the doors of a slightly formidable looking entrance that reminds one of the Fort Knox bullion deposit. Little did I know that after a busy week in CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) - a global Top 20 Business school, I will end up making dozens of global connections, learn more in class than I had learnt in a year and most importantly, fall head over heels in love with a very strange city and a very surprising country. After a swift check-in into Residence No. Six, I ran off to grab a welcome cocktail (orange juice for me) at Cantina Agave – a well-known Mexican tequila bar located within walking distance from campus. This ice breaking session really helped everyone settle in and warm up to the other 59 participants that had all flown in to attend the Boot Camp from 22 different countries. Nobody asked us to brace ourselves for the week ahead, and we weren’t really sure how the ride would go.The camp was overwhelming. We would wake up every day at around 8am, grab a buffet break-fast at the commons building, and then run off to attend class. The teachers were from Mainland China, France, the USA, South Korea and Sweden. Needless to say, every one of them had a Ph.D. from the best universities in the world including Chicago, Pittsburgh, Sorbonne, INSEAD and North Carolina.We were lectured on topics ranging from 'Strategy Making in Turbulent Times' to 'Company Valuation', 'The Rise and Fall of Marketing in China' to 'Global Mega Trend' and finally on 'Managing Cross Cultural Conflicts'. Each of these classes were more than just a great learning experience. I had barely handled the epiphanies I felt during Professor Sampler's class on how great strategists are born in great universities when Prof. Cronqvist swept us off our feet with his passion for finance. I felt motivated by Prof. Cronqvist’s interest in what I had to share on Islamic Finance and its place outside of faith and in an evolving global economy. He showed an active eagerness in learning from us just as much as we valued learning from him. Prof. Xiang let us in on countless surprises about the Chinese market

and how its evolution outpaced many before us. Prof. Gosset’s class on global mega trends ended up giving us goosebumps as he impressively broke down our limited views on global geopolitics and had us rethink a more realistic future while preparing us for an utterly absolute miscalculation most of us were bound to make. He lead us to learn about unlearning and relearning what was there to learn and pick up as the world shifted its course at an astounding pace. His lecture ended with a beau-tiful message on global peace and the class just erupted in helpless applause. Finally Prof. Kim tutored us on managing cross cultural and other conflicts in the overall business environment. The bootcamp experience however, was far from over and neither is my account. My days ended at midnight when I would drop shattered onto my bed, take some long, relaxing breaths and fall asleep

before I knew it. The bootcamp also included a session with directors, an evening dedicated to cracking the GMAT, cultural activities (Chinese Traditional Mask Painting… I painted mine after the Joker from Batman and won a beautiful flower vase in the lucky draws), exclusive dinner along the Bund at Kathleen’s, a career opportunities session and finally an alumni sharing session.We had three afternoons dedicated to company and site visits, and we visited AT Kearney where the senior partner gave us a very insightful presentation on Innovation in China. We also visited JD.com, the

Shanghai Port Authority, Kerry’s Logistics, another Cold Logistics facility and Morningside VC – a Shanghai based venture capital firm. One of our visits took us to the heart of Shanghai, deep into the old markets near Ruijin Road no.2. Another memo-rable visit was to the Long Museum, which featured priceless contemporary art pieces and relics from the People’s Revolution of China. Every visit brought us even closer to business in China, evolving strat-egies in the chinese market and the global impact of the chinese economy.I apologize, but it wasn’t all business. We dedicated our nights to visiting the magical city and ended up eating crab fish that we helped pick out of a live aquarium, went to the most exclusive bars (again, read: orange juice for me), walking tours around downtown, YongKang Road, Nanjing Road and the Bund. We had some participants who lived in Shanghai and they were more than happy to help us skip the tourist traps and take us where the city breathes and whispers life into the crowd. Finally, the bootcamp offered amazing networking opportunities. We had people studying in univer-sities, fresh into their careers and mid-careers, executives and even some young CEOs. We had people from Marketing, Finance, Audit, Risk Management, Investment Banking, Hedge Funds, the US Navy and more. My fellow bootcampers worked in the nuclear industry, the chemical industry, steel, mining, law, press reporting and engineering. They made lasting connections with me and with each other. From splitting cab fares to paying for each other’s food, from intellectual discussions on business and politics to life sharing, I feel we really bonded very strongly during the camp. We’re all still in touch with each other and we all know we have global comrades we can pretty much count on. I made connections in Africa because a delegation was visiting CEIBS for their EMBA semester.I made friends with current students and alumni. In very broad terms, this bootcamp experience helped me understand how excellence is a very practical aspiration and shapes not just our own lives, but global economies and shared knowledge as well. This experience has helped me bring fresh insight into my existing work and will continue to act as a source of inspiration.

The Shanghai experienceWritten by Bilal Khalid

Little did I know that...I will end up making dozens of global connections, learn more in class than I had learnt in a year and most importantly, fall head over heels in love with a very strange city and a very surprising country.

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The autumn weather is all the more reason these days to be outdoors. And our colleagues who are out and about have managed to capture these breathtaking views.

The contributors would like to encourage everyone to take a moment to look up from computers, laptops and smartphones and admire the absolute wonders of everyday life around us.

FROM TOP (CLOCKWISE):

1) BILAL KHALID: MUTHURAJAWELA MARSH NEAR NEGOMBO, SRI

LANKA; 2) BILAL KHALID: COLOMBO LIGHTHOUSE, COLOMBO, SRI

LANKA; 3) YASIR SHAMI: REFLECTION IN THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR;

4) ALENA AMIR: SUNSET AT KOLACHI, SEA VIEW, KARACHI

Through the lens

17Inside ANPL, Q3 2014

International Assignments & Secondments

Ijaz Goher, Engineering Manager, Operations Department, Lahore is being seconded to Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals LLC as Black Belt Project Manager with effect from August 01, 2014. Ijaz will be based in Chicago, United States.

Neman Ahmad, Development Officer, Lahore has been selected to join AkzoNobel Middle East, as Chemist. Neman will be based in Dammam & his last working day with the Company was September 12, 2014.

Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Business Manager Performance Coatings, based in Lahore is being seconded to Akzo Nobel UAE Paints L.L.C as Business Manager Vehicle Refinishes with effect from September 1, 2014. Mohsin will be based in Dubai and will report to the Business Director, Vehicle Refinishes.

Muhammad Kashif, Development Officer, Lahore has been selected to join AkzoNobel Middle East, as Chemist. Kashif will be based in Dammam & his last working day with the Company was September 12, 2014.

Muddassir Khalid, currently HR Business Partner for AkzoNobel Pakistan, is appointed as Middle East Regional HR Manager w.e.f November 1, 2014.

www.akzonobel.com

AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International and Eka. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 50,000 people around the world are committed to delivering leading products and technologies to meet the growing demands of our fast-changing world.

© 2014 Akzo Nobel N.V. All rights reserved.

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Suggestions & Feedback

New Joiners (Q3, 2014) Upcoming Events

We’d like to extend a warm welcome to:

Naveed Niaz Khan AfridiASM Peshawar

Farhan MahmoodSales Officer - Decorative

Tassawar Abbas Area Sales Manager Magik

Muhammad Shahbaz NawazAdministration & Security Manager

Aijaz Ahmed Engineering Manager - Operations

CSR Activity: LRBT HospitalFamily Get-togetherRecreational Club: North Region Cricket TournamentCE Session Q4, 2014TCF Career Counselling Session

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