From Lahore to Vietnam: Pakistani Sellers Gear Up for Alibaba.com KEL Awards Regional Finale
Alibaba.com, a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce, today hosted the finale of the Pakistan round of its Key E-commerce Leader Awards (KEL Awards) in Lahore to celebrate the exceptional e-commerce sellers of Pakistan. The event showcased the remarkable talents of six top country finalists each delivering insightful presentations that highlighted their achievements and the strategies that fueled their success on the Alibaba.com platform.
The competition concluded with the selection of all six finalists, as Alibaba.com Pakistan Ambassadors for 2024. Tayyub Hussnain from Norwich Streetwear and Muzafar Hussain, from JNM Leather Safety Gloves were honored as Alibaba.com Pakistan Key E-commerce Leaders for 2024 and will represent Pakistan in the KEL Awards Regional Finale, set to take place in Vietnam later this year. Additionally, today’s event in Pakistan featured a People’s Choice Award for 2024, with Tayyub Hussnain from Norwich Streetwear receiving recognition based on audience voting.
The Pakistan KEL Awards finale was held by Alibaba.com in collaboration with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). The award’s judging panel, consisting Adil Mukhtar (Assistant Director of TDAP), Rocky Lu (Head of Pakistan Business, Alibaba.com), Muhammad Sadiq (Senior Growth Manager, Alibaba.com), and Joanna Xu (Seller Operations Manager, Alibaba.com) tasked with the challenging mission of evaluating each presentation.
Rocky Lu, Head of Pakistan Business at Alibaba.com, emphasized the significance of the awards, stating, “The Pakistan KEL Awards are a testament to the entrepreneurial excellence present in this country. We are proud to provide a platform where sellers here can showcase their success and have the opportunity to be recognized on a regional stage. It is not merely a competition. It is a celebration of the ingenuity and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are pushing the boundaries of global trade. Through this initiative, we hope to inspire and help even more SMEs to seize opportunities in the global marketplace.”
The Alibaba.com KEL Awards aims to gather top-notch suppliers from across the South and Southeast Asia region to foster mutual learning and engagements, while also providing a unique opportunity for participants to amplify their influence within Alibaba.com’s global community of buyers and suppliers. With more than 250 global sellers participating.
Rafia Syed, Director General of TDAP, emphasized the importance of showcasing local businesses on a global stage. “The KEL Awards, hosted by Alibaba.com, mark a significant milestone in nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit within Pakistan’s e-commerce sector. We take pride in witnessing our local businesses receive recognition in such a prestigious arena.”
One of the six finalists, Tayyub Hussnain from Norwich Streetwear, shared a compelling story that underscores the transformative power of ambition and innovation in e-commerce. After graduating from Govt. Murray College in Sialkot in 2014, he embarked on his career with a modest monthly salary of 16,000 PKR. His entrepreneurial journey in the apparel industry was catalyzed when he received a laptop from the Chief Minister of Punjab, which introduced him to Alibaba.com. Through this platform, he secured his first major order of 770 pieces of clothing, an accomplishment that significantly boosted his confidence. This newfound assurance led Hussnain to leave his stable job and devote himself fully to building his business on Alibaba.com.
By transitioning into full-time entrepreneurship, he recognized the immense potential of e-commerce and harnessed the platform’s global reach. Starting with just one seller account, Hussnain methodically expanded his business by focusing on market demand, quality and nurturing customer relationships. A remarkable milestone was achieved in 2023 when he landed the largest order to date—valued at $1 million—through Alibaba.com. This impressive growth was not only a highlight of Hussnain’s entrepreneurial journey but also serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs in Pakistan to harness technology in the pursuit of their dreams.