News of the Day: Fashion designer Nida Azwer, who was voted in as CEO Fashion Pakistan several months ago in October 2016, has resigned from the council as CEO and board member.
“There were unfortunate irreconcilable differences between myself and select members of the board and I felt it was better to part ways now to avoid any unnecessary unpleasantness,” Azwer spoke to me on her way to the airport, where she is going for a show to raise funds for the SOS village. “I came in with a vision for Fashion Pakistan but I was unable to implement the vision and in such circumstances I simply felt that there was no point in staying on without that voice and vision.”
Nida Azwer’s resignation from her position as council head as well as from the council altogether does not come as a surprise but the fall out did happen sooner than expected. Last year Sanam Chaudhry and Wardha Saleem, Fashion Pakistan’s  previous Chairperson and CEO, also resigned in the same, unexpected manner.
Read Nida’s interview when she signed up for the job:Â https://www.somethinghaute.com/just-want-show-run-smoothly-possible/
“Fashion Pakistan Council at their recent meeting thanked Ms Nida Azwer for the immense contribution she has made to FPC during her tenure as CEO,” Maheen Khan, Vice chair and founding member confirmed. “Additionally at this meeting the board has decided to appoint a full time CEO not affiliated to the designer community in order to further the mandate of the Council.”
While one can appreciate the decision to not appoint a designer as the CEO of the fashion council in future (we have been saying this for ages), one cannot support this change of policy midway in someone’s tenure. This change should have happened at the end of Azwer’s term or before it. A designer member of the council, on conditions of anonymity, did suggest at too many “self-serving agendas” within the council board as reason for constant turbulence. Fashion Pakistan has historically had a very rocky relationship with its council heads – chairpersons and CEOs – and one can only wish the future CEO the best of luck.
