Abbas Zia - RBM South, Pakistan

"The best results are achieved when people come together."

Meet Abbas Zia

For Abbas Zia, Regional Business Manager – South, this is the philosophy that drives his career. Born and raised in Karachi, Abbas is a seasoned professional that brings several years of experience to his role at FrieslandCampina.

Abbas stepped into FrieslandCampina as Assistant Trade Marketing Manager for the -STC category - his first head-office role, and one he credits with teaching him to perform under pressure. Since then, he's advanced through four positions across trade marketing, category management, eCommerce, and sales. Today, as Regional Business Manager – South, he leads one of the company's largest and most dynamic regions, with end-to-end responsibility for sustainable volume growth. "It has really helped me develop skills to thrive in the most testing times," he reflects on his first role.

An eCommerce Win

Among the many milestones Abbas is proud of, including the Perfect Store Program, the Dairy Category Captaincy initiative, and the Olper's Flavoured Milk trade launch, one stands above the rest: leading FrieslandCampina Pakistan's B2C eCommerce growth and transformation. The initiative pushed healthy milk onto new digital platforms and captured a large percent of the market share, aligning directly with Royal FrieslandCampina's global push into eCommerce. "This project was significant because it aligned closely with company’s agenda of serving 24/7 consumers by shaping quick-commerce leadership in the market." Abbas explains. 

His efforts were rewarded as Abbas was recognized among the top eCommerce Managers by the global team, helping Pakistan close the year as one of the fastest growing eCommerce markets. Another spotlight in his career was when he was featured on our podcast "Nature's Unleashed," where he reflected on his journey and realized that real leadership always starts with listening. “The company places a strong emphasis on nurturing its employees' growth, offering resources, training, and mentorship opportunities tailored to individual aspirations,” Abbas shares when discussing FrieslandCampina’s role in his personal development.

Leadership through Collaboration

Abbas believes the best outcomes come from bringing people together around a common purpose. His leadership style is built on open communication and celebrating wins, simple habits, he says, that foster unity and let a team build on each other's strengths. "In my daily work, collaboration is at the heart of everything I do," he says. From leading cross-functional teams to engaging external stakeholders, he makes sure diverse perspectives shape every solution. He also adds that the team itself is what makes the journey worthwhile: “Beyond the physical space, the environment is enriched by the people - passionate, driven, and committed to FrieslandCampina’s mission.”

Living Nourishing by Nature

To Abbas, FrieslandCampina's purpose is about creating sustainable value for people, communities, and the planet. "To me, it means contributing to a healthier world by promoting nutrition, sustainability, and innovation," he says. Whether it's expanding access to safe dairy products or mentoring the next generation of leaders, he sees every project as part of something bigger. "I'm energized by the opportunity to make a tangible impact whether it's seeing the success of a new product or contributing to initiatives that help FreislandCampina win in the marketplace."