An expat’s view on heading communications at Pakistan’s leading private hospital

Published on: June 8, 2018

British national Shamsah Virani is the director for communications and marketing at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. She was born and raised in the UK and had spent her career working in pharmaceuticals and health services in London, Toronto, San Francisco and New York before moving to Karachi three years ago – a city far from her comfort zone.

Shamsah’s family had moved to the UK from India in the 1960s and she had only visited Pakistan to see an aunt who had moved here when she was younger.

In her first year, Shamsah faced some expected obstacles in terms of adapting to the culture and norms of Pakistan, but overall it’s been rewarding, she says.

Typically, Pakistan is looked upon with skepticism and fear from the eyes of foreigners, who buy into the narrative portrayed by the international media. Often times, it’s Pakistan’s own mainstream media that fails to give a balanced view of the country.

Watch Shamsah’s interview and hear her account of heading the marketing division of a leading health provider in Pakistan.

VCast Online believes that expats have a unique perspective in their respective fields. You can find this video and listen to other leading voices from Pakistan’s professional community on our Youtube channel.