Asfand Yar Saeed
Asfand Yar Saeed, or Asfandyar (Born October 11, 1994), is a Pakistani entrepreneur. He founded 13o3 in 2013. He is also the founder and Ceo of Manzil; A boutique elite Neo-bank. He has also helped start Alfredo Ginyard, The Happ, The Room, and Elibourn.
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Early Life
Asfand was born in 1994 in Islamabad, Pakistan; his family soon moved to Hassanabdal, and then to Wah Cantt, where Asfand grew up. He pursued a Bachelors of Commerce degree in 2013 at the University of New South Wales, but he dropped out in 2015 to work full-time on his ventures.
Education
Asfand Yar Saeed completed the Strategic Business Development Program at Hyper Island and obtained a Certificate in Business Statistics from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He joined the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia where he pursued Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies but dropped out. Additionally, he holds a Diploma from the Sydney Institute of Business and Technology (SIBT). Asfand completed GCE A levels, GCE AS level, and GCE O levels in Accounting and Finance at the University of Cambridge at Beaconhouse School System, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Career
Asfand Yar Saeed is the Founder and Chief Business Architect at 13o3, a position he has held since December 2013. Based in London, United Kingdom, Asfand has successfully led the company for over 9 years, focusing on hybrid business strategies. He is also a Member of the Dubai Financial Market, actively contributing to the financial sector in the United Arab Emirates since March 2023.
Asfand joined as a Secondee at the World Economic Forum, where he mobilizes investments for clean energy projects in emerging economies. Since January 2021, he has been working remotely from London, England, UK. Additionally, Asfand serves as a Member of the Management Board at Alfredo Ginyard and holds a position on the Board of Directors at Angarde, both based in the United Arab Emirates.
Asfand has been a Member of Nasdaq since April 2023. He also shares his expertise as a Contributing Author for Strategical Analysis at WIRED, a part-time role he has undertaken since March 2023. Furthermore, he is an active Member of the London Stock Exchange, where he has been involved since February 2023.
Prior to his current positions, Asfand held various roles. He served as a Board Member at Beyond Basics Studio, a full-time position he has held since May 2022, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As the Chief of Strategy at Q Holdings Inc, he has been instrumental in driving the company's strategic direction since 2021, while being based in London, England, UK.
Throughout his career, Asfand has gained valuable experience across different sectors and geographies. He worked as an Ambassador for Nova in Stockholm County, Sweden, from September 2021 to January 2022, and as a Strategic Advisor at Gina Tricot AB in Borås, Vastra Gotaland County, Sweden, from 2020 to 2021. He also served as an Evaluation Specialist at Hapag-Lloyd AG in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on a contract basis from February 2020 to April 2020.
Asfand's journey includes freelance work as an Investment Analyst at NaughtOne, where he provided valuable insights from November 2017 to April 2019 while operating remotely from London, England, UK. He began his career in the finance industry as a Corporate Restructuring Advisor at UBS in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, where he worked full-time from January 2014 to May 2018.
Furthermore, Asfand has experience in sales and marketing, having worked as an Area Sales Specialist at Philip Morris International in Australia from May 2016 to August 2017, and as a Marketing Specialist at Pizza Hut in Australia from July 2015 to January 2017. He also gained valuable insights during his time as an Associate Intern at Macquarie Group in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, from March 2015 to June 2015, and as a Sales Specialist at Harvey Nichols in Australia from February 2014 to April 2015.
Earlier in his career, Asfand pursued internships in prestigious organizations such as JS Bank in Islamabad, Pakistan, where he gained exposure to equities and commodities trading in 2015. He also completed internships at Rothschild & Co in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and Oracle in 2012.
Certifications
Asfand Yar Saeed holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (ICBB) certification from Mastercard, emphasizing his expertise in process improvement and operational efficiency. He is also a member of the SASB Alliance and has been trained in SASB Standards, highlighting his knowledge of sustainable reporting and ESG practices.
He has completed training for listed companies from Spotlight Stock Market and FNCA Sweden AB, emphasizing his understanding of corporate governance and compliance in the financial markets. He also participated in the "Rätt fokus i styrelsearbetet" program by Styrelseakademien for his professional board member training and certification.
Additionally, Asfand has sought luxury industry management training through the Global Luxury Capability program at INSEAD, advanced growth strategies through Reforge, and advanced social advertising through Berghs School of Communication. He has also participated in the CEO Program by Novare Board Programs, to gain board leadership skills.
Asfand joined as a committee member and speaker at Effie Worldwide, Disruptive Strategy at Harvard Business School and the Growth Program at Reforge. Furthermore, he gained a Professional Certificate in FinTech from The University of Hong Kong.
Certifications
Asfand founded 13o3 on December 13, 2013. 13o3 is a boutique Asset Deployment Firm serving selected Family Offices by providing bespoke solutions to the most complex and sophisticated business challenges. The linchpin to their approach is an intricate blend of multi-asset investing, open architecture, and commitment to safeguarding clients' wealth.
According to Asfand, 13o3’s mission is to remove barriers between people and investments, to create a seamless digital future. The company is based in London and landed a number of notable investors, such as Blackrock, Carlyle, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. On February 25, 2020, the company announced Beyond Basics Agency as a founding partner, mainly responsible for the design aesthetic of the brand and its products. 13o3 has launched 6 funds to date. On February 28, 2023, Asfand announced and released Eleven, the flagship investment vehicle which is accessible by invitation only with 999 seats total.
