We recently had the opportunity to interview Badar Yousuf, CFO of National Foods Limited. With over a decade of experience in finance and strategic transformation, Badar has played a crucial role in financial stewardship, leading organizations across the food manufacturing and FMCG sectors. With a proven track record of driving growth and innovation, he is passionate about leading in value-adding roles in the organization.
As a pioneer in Pakistan’s food manufacturing industry for over 50 years, National Foods Limited continues to set benchmarks of innovation and excellence across the FMCG landscape. As one of the company’s key leaders, Badar Yousuf has been instrumental in strengthening National Foods’ financial foundations and expanding its global presence.
Badar Yousuf’s Career Trajectory
We started by asking, “How did your professional journey begin, and what key moments shaped where you are currently?”
Badar Yousuf shared, “My professional journey began at A.F. Ferguson & Co. (PwC Pakistan), where I was exposed early to the corporate world. This period built my technical foundations, gave me the confidence to deliver under pressure, and shaped my professional discipline.
The next phase at Unilever Pakistan was transformative in a different way. It helped me understand that finance goes far beyond spreadsheets and controls – it’s about processes, systems, and enabling operational excellence. Leading costing for multiple factories – multiple categories and contributing to SAP implementation expanded my horizon from functional to organizational thinking.
Finally, my decade-long journey at National Foods has been the most defining. I had the privilege to build the FP&A function from the ground up, drive multi-billion rupee cost and revenue transformation programs, lead strategic projects like the PKR 7 billion ‘Project Galaxy,’ and become a trusted business partner to the CEO and Board. Each chapter shaped a different part of my leadership DNA – from technical confidence, to process orientation, to strategic stewardship.”
More about Badar Yousuf’s Role
To learn more about the current role and organization led by Badar Yousuf, we asked him to share the same.
“I currently serve as the Chief Financial Officer at National Foods, a leading food manufacturing and FMCG company headquartered in Pakistan, with a growing international footprint. Pakistan remains our core and priority market — the origin of our heritage and the driving force behind our strategic growth roadmap.
In my role, I oversee the group’s entire financial architecture: strategic planning, governance, capital allocation, and cross-border financial strategy across multiple geographies. Equally important to me is creating a learning and enabling environment – ensuring that people are given the right platform, guidance, and opportunities to perform to their fullest potential.
I actively foster a culture of co-creation and business orientation, where Finance is seen not merely as a control function but as a co-creator of value, working alongside business teams to drive sustainable growth,” he mentioned.
Current Offerings at National Foods
We further asked, “What core services or products does your business provide, and what makes them unique?”
Badar Yousuf added, “National Foods is a household name in Pakistan, known for its state-of-the-art food manufacturing facilities producing authentic spices, recipe mixes, pickles, sauces, and condiments that bring real flavors to millions of homes.
What makes us unique is our ability to blend authenticity with innovation. While we remain rooted in traditional recipes that generations trust, we continuously evolve – through new formats, product innovations, and technology-enabled efficiencies – to meet modern consumer needs. Our strategic priority is to strengthen our home market while expanding internationally, taking Pakistani authenticity to new markets in a scalable and sustainable way. With over five decades of manufacturing heritage, we continue to evolve with modern technologies and international standards to meet the growing expectations of consumers worldwide.”
Adaptability Amidst Challenges
Challenging phases are an inevitable part of every leader’s professional journey. So, we asked, “What major challenges have you faced as a leader, and how have you overcome them?”
“One of the most significant challenges has been steering financial strategy through periods of intense economic volatility, particularly during phases of hyperinflation and currency instability. For example, leading major projects to completion during turbulent times required strategic foresight and disciplined execution to ensure that the intended returns remained intact despite macroeconomic pressures.
This meant taking timely, well-calibrated decisions – keeping a close eye on consumer spending patterns, balancing them against input cost escalations, and challenging cost structures where necessary. Simultaneously, I have led cost and revenue transformation initiatives that strengthened both resilience and profitability.
On the leadership front, another key challenge is transforming the role of finance internally – moving it to a modern and tech-enabled strategic business partner. This requires deliberate cultural change, capability building, and consistently leading from the front to set the tone,” Badar reflected.
Redefining Businesses with AI
Technological advancements have been playing a crucial role in reshaping businesses across sectors. To learn Badar Yousuf’s view on this, we asked, “How do you see technology – especially AI – influencing your sector?”
“While we have not yet started actively leveraging AI on a wider scale, we recognize its potential as a strategic reality. As an organization, our DNA is to be thorough and deliberate in how we adopt new technologies. Before deploying AI, we’re carefully evaluating where it can create true value and ensuring our internal processes and data foundations are strong.
We believe that for AI to be effective, the organization must first ‘fix its home’ – establishing clarity on use cases, strengthening data quality, and embedding the right governance frameworks. We see AI playing a meaningful role in areas like forecasting, scenario planning, and supply chain visibility in the future – but we’re taking a thoughtful, strategic approach rather than a hurried one,” Badar commented.
Envisioning the Future of FMCG
We further posed the question, “What’s your perspective on where your industry is heading in the next few years?”
Badar Yousuf explained, “The food manufacturing and FMCG industry is undergoing structural change. Consumer preferences are evolving rapidly, driven by digitization, health consciousness, and changing consumption patterns.
I see three major shifts ahead – digitally enabled supply chains with end-to-end visibility, data-driven decision making becomes central to strategy and operations, and balancing home market strength with international expansion, ensuring authenticity while scaling globally.
For companies like ours, the opportunity lies in leveraging our Pakistani heritage while embracing modern growth levers – building resilience at home and competitiveness abroad. National Foods, with its deep manufacturing expertise and trusted legacy, is well-positioned to lead this evolution.”
Insights of an Expert
Lastly, we asked, “What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs or professionals aiming to create impact?”
“First, master your craft – deep functional expertise builds both confidence and credibility. But don’t stay confined to your silo; step beyond your function to understand the business holistically.
Second, embrace change early. The pace of technological and business evolution is faster than ever; those who view change as a platform rather than a threat will thrive.
Lastly, stay anchored in your values. Leadership is built on trust and impact. Technical skills may open doors, but it’s authenticity, humility, and accountability that keep them open and create lasting influence,” Badar mentioned.
Connect with Badar Yousuf on LinkedIn to gain more industry insights.
Find National Foods Limited on LinkedIn and visit http://www.nfoods.com to learn more.
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