Haroon Ahmed Sacranie
Haroon Ahmed is a champion for social inclusion in Malawi. He started his first business, supplying bricks and sand to various building companies, in 1977 by purchasing a used truck and driving it himself. By 1982, he had five trucks.
When the government ordered Indians to leave the transport industry in 1983, Haroon Ahmed found himself once more at a crossroads in his life. Even so, he registered and established Shaanti Constructions Ltd. as a result.
For the following 17 years, Shaanti Constructions Ltd. prospered and completed numerous private projects, including schools and post offices. They were one of Malawi’s top six construction firms by the year 2000.
Haroon Ahmed debated whether to let their most senior engineer go or accept their offer when he received a different employment offer. Then, at the height of their success, he took the greatest and craziest decision of his life by deciding to hang up the gloves in the construction industry.
They chose to construct a hotel and shopping mall on 5 acres of property they had previously purchased in Lilongwe. The Crossroads Hotel and Complex opened in 2004, while the second Crossroads Hotel and Mall in Blantyre opened in 2018.
Haroon Ahmed just recently realised that leaving the construction industry, which upheld the “Working Hard” principle, meant switching to the “Working Smart” philosophy.
To grow your businesses, it’s critical to have a long-term, comprehensive perspective. Therefore, in order to maximise chances that unlock their full potential, the vision of company executives must include innovation and expertise.
Accolades
In 2009, Haroon Ahmed was named among the Top 20 Entrepreneurs in the country by the Malawi Government. Haroon Ahmed is also a current Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club Lilongwe since 2013. Indian High Commission award was given to Haroon Ahmed for the recognition of outstanding contribution and leadership in the hospitality sector.
Honorary Positions
- Haroon Ahmed was a Trustee on the Board of Mzuzu University Trust Fund
- He is a past President and a Rotarian of 30 years
- He is the Chairman of ASUM (Association of Sunni Madrassas)
- Chairman of Muslim Sports Club (1983 to 1996)
- Chairman of GTF (Group Ten Finance Company) (1995 to 1999)
- Chairman of the Lilongwe Memon Association
- Trustee of WMO (World Memon Organisation)
- Chairman of Operation Smile Malawi
- Director on the Board of Malawi Stock Exchange
