2003: Chief Executive, Television Aries Production & Marketing Pakistan
- Partner in Production & marketing company called Television Aries
- Buying Time from PTV Network with ongoing Television Magazine Programmes. Three continual slots have been allotted.
- Programmes Produced and Marketed in-house.
- Telefilms and shows produced and marketed.
2001 – 2003: Managing Director, Ptv Prime Television, USA Director Operations, Ptv Prime Television, UK
- Changing the identity of the company through re-branding and bringing it into line with the fast media world
- Channel now known as Ptv Prime with a new modern format.
- Marketing and carrying out sales restructure of the channel in the UK.
- Providing a 13 episode weekly pop programme, this was branded and financed by pearl White advertising in the UK.
- Revenue Generated from TV advertising increased by 90% over previous years.
- Launching Ptv Prime USA on the 14th of August 2001 on the Echo star Platform on channel 616.
- Liaising with KBSA (Kelly Broadcasting Systems & Associates) and with Echo star.
- Generating over 18000 subscriptions in a period of seven months, breaking all previous records held with KBSA by any other ethnic channel.
1999 – 2001: Director Marketing Pakistan Television, Pakistan
- Working for a Government owned terrestrial and satellite television station based in seven cities throughout Pakistan with over 110 million viewers.
- Marketing PTV dramas including prime time and non prime time.
- Creating and Packaging events and shows, generating revenue and achieving targets set by the Managing Director.
- Based in the Central Marketing Office (CMO) in Karachi, responsible for reshaping and restricting the office.
- A workforce consisting of over 200 advertising and marketing staff reported to me on a daily basis.
- PTV was the only Government organization in Pakistan to make a profit in recent years.
- Awarded shield of marketing excellence and shield of dynamic progressive marketing.
- Key member of the management team that generated profit for the company for the first time in its 36-year history.
1995 – 1999: Multi Media Manager, British Telecom UK
- Gaining new advertising as well as increasing advertising revenue from existing clients.
- Responsible for three areas in London marketing four products: Yellow pages, Talking pages, Business Pages and the Local pages.
- Going above target on advertising Revenue.
1993 – 1995: Marketing & Advertising Manager Libas International Magazine UK
- Libas International is an Asian fashion and lifestyle magazine on a par with Vogue dealing with Asian fashions as well as mainline and current issues.
- Increasing the publication from a quarterly magazine to a bi-monthly magazine.
- Creating Local, National and International Supplements with a classified section in each issue of the magazine.
- Responsible for the conception and realization of the Gulf addition and the inclusion of advertising relevant to that region, i.e. The UAE.
- Working on an English / Urdu daily newspaper with UK and Saudi Arabian circulation.
1989 – 1993: Advertising Executive, The Khaleej Times UK
- The Khaleej Times is an English daily newspaper in the Gulf with a world wide circulation.
- Advising clients on advertising space and coordinating responses with the Middle East head office in Dubai.
- Researching information on banking services for special supplements on various locations in Europe including the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
- Generating Advertising revenue from the Newspaper, and the supplements.
- Managing the London office, responsible for two staff members.
Sohail hashmi can be reached on Email : [email protected]
Corporate Experience
Real Eyes Media Group – Present
After spending 2 years in the USA, Sohail returned to Pakistan on his second stint to start his own television production company called Real-Eyes Media Group. Since then, Sohail’s work has been shown on GEO TV, HUM TV and new upcoming television channels are also carrying Real–Eyes production telefilms. Sohail Hashmi found directorial success with Natalia, the Russian girl, his debut on television. He feels that his marketing background has helped him immensely in his new career. And is truly grateful to his professional experience attained internationally which has enabled him to serve Pakistan with quality productions. His search for excellence continues as he believes that one never finds excellence, there is always room for improvement.
CityFM89 – Present
While working in his own productions Sohail Hashmi was approached by Hameed Haroon to join CityFM89 as a presenter. Since joining CityFM89 and the subsequent launch of the channel, Sohail has made his mark as the Breakfast Show and the Sunday Affair presenter. Sohail likes the earthy feel to his program and enjoys communicating with his listeners on a daily basis. He insists that his listeners have helped him shape his shows and are responsible for making Breakfast Show and Sunday Affair a success.
PTV Prime
2001 – 2003
After his success in Pakistan Television, Sohail was chosen by Prime Television UK, to launch Prime Television in the USA. Prime Television is a private concern, but has 70% of its programming from PTV. Sohail Hashmi changed the channel’s name from Prime TV to PTV Prime, giving it the Pakistan Television association. Before launching PTV Prime in USA Sohail increased the Prime TV UK revenue by over 90%. He re-structured the advertising in UK and provided Weekly Music programs which were branded by Pearl White Advertising in the UK.
Sohail launched PTV Prime USA on the 14th of August 2001 on the Echo Star platform on Channel 616. He was also responsible for generating over 18,000 subscriptions in a period of 7 months, breaking all previous records held by Kelly Broadcasting for any other ethnic channel.
PTV Pakistan Television
1999 – 2001
Approached by the then Minister of Information, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Sohail Hashmi accepted the position of Director Marketing of PTV. Based in Karachi, Sohail Hashmi was accountable to the Managing Director of PTV Mr. Yousf Baig Mirza. With Sohail’s previous training and experience in marketing he was able to over achieve all advertising revenues set by him for PTV. Marketing included PTV dramas Prime Time and non Prime Time. Sohail also created package events, shows which generated further revenue for PTV. Based in the Karachi office (CMO) Sohail was also responsible for reshaping and restructuring the office. PTV was one of the government organizations in Pakistan to make the most profit in recent years. For his efforts Sohail Hashmi was awarded “The Shield of Marketing Excellence and of Dynamic Progressive Marketing”.
BT British Telecommunications
1995 – 1999
The main bulk of Sohail Hashmi’s corporate training began with BT as one of it’s Multimedia Managers who was responsible for achieving advertising revenue for four BT products which included the Local Pages, the Yellow Pages, the Talking Pages and the Business Pages. Attending many seminars and training sessions Sohail Hashmi always achieved and went above his advertising revenue targets for BT. He insists that it was the best corporate training that he has received from a leading British Blue chip company, where he specialized in time management, multi revenues for each product and over achieving his targets.
Libas International UK
1993 – 1995
Hired by Yousaf Baig Mirza, the then UK General Manager of Libas International, Sohail proved himself to be an asset because of his contacts in the United Arab Emirates. Sohail created a Gulf edition of this high class fashion magazine. There were local, national and international supplements created for this publication along with a classified section. Advertising revenues soared and professional respect developed between Sohail Hashmi and Yousaf Baig Mirza.