Leading lifestyle and global publication People Magazine Pakistan has declared Danial Schon as 2021’s ‘Man of the Year” for his global entrepreneurship and contributions to Pakistan’s economy during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pakistani-American entrepreneur Danial H. Schon is credited for his achievements in philanthropy and business, displaying resilience during a year of multiple vaccinations and the ongoing pandemic.
Dedicating the front cover to the entrepreneur, People Magazine Pakistan described Danial Schon as a “resilient, intelligent, sharp and compassionate man,” who has seen ups and downs in business but has continued to invest and grow. The monthly magazine interviewed the entrepreneur over six pages, photographing him at iconic London locations for the cover title and interview pages.
Schon, an overseas Pakistani, resides in Central London but divides his time between Pakistan, America, the UK and the Middle East where his businesses operate.
People Magazine said it chose Danial Schon for the prestigious “Man of The Year” title due to his business and civil contributions, including his philanthropic work helping small businesses and young entrepreneurs, along with additional efforts linked to supporting education.
The 38-year-old shared his life story with the magazine, describing what it takes to do business in the West, how to be successful in life, how to grow your business and why he sees potential in the Pakistani economy.
After receiving the recognition, Danial Schon posted online, “All Praise is for Allah. I am humbled and honored to be given this title of Man of the Year by People Magazine in Pakistan. I have tried to be sincere, honest, and worked hard all my life. Like any businessman, I’ve had successes and failures along the way but with pure intentions I have always tried to be resilient and extremely positive in life. As an entrepreneur, my intention is to try and improve society around me. Adding value, jobs, assisting in philanthropic activities where I can and working to create prosperity.”
Schon told the magazine that the fundamentals of success in business are “perseverance and extreme optimism.”
He shared that he started doing business when in school and has not looked back since. He recalled, “I started two businesses in college and when I graduated, I started a real estate brokerage company. The company did extremely well, and it made over $25 Million on my first deal which kickstarted my career. The family business has been started by my father and uncle, and I try to support wherever I can. Their key to success for Schon Group was working hard and being different and ahead of the competition. That hard work made them the largest exporter of Pakistan in textiles. From there, they grew into Airlines, Banking, Modaraba, Fiber Production, Fertilizers, and Property Development. In 1996, they expanded the operation internationally and in 2015, Schon Group restructured and now acts as a Private Family Office globally. The Group is a debt-free entity, which is a huge benefit in cyclical times like the COVID Pandemic which just came.”
Schon added that he has been running his own independent business alongside being a shareholder in the family office.
“Since a young age, though I was born in a successful business family, I truly believe I need to work for my own money. That is something I want to teach my kids as well. Everyone should be self-sufficient and responsible for themselves.”
Schon said he was optimistic about the future of Pakistan and had full faith in the youth of Pakistan, despite mounting challenges in the country.
He told the magazine, “I want the next Einstein to come from Pakistan, the next Bill Gates, the next Warren Buffet. I would love to see the youth of Pakistan at the next level, at par with youth of the nations who are modern and forward looking. I feel, the IQ of the Pakistani youth is way higher than others around the world. We just need to give our youth direction.
“Gen Z and Generation Alpha kids are much smarter, more switched on, more liberal, and are an inclusive generation. With this generation, social enterprises are very important, health is very important, and connectivity is very important for this generation. Wi-fi is more important than drinking water and oxygen. These traits, move the world forward in a positive direction, fast.”
Sharing his experience of successfully investing in Pakistan’s digital sector in 2018, Danial Schon advised Pakistani youth to learn digital skills, coding, blockchain, NFT’s and metaverse. “My aspiration is for our youth to be involved with digital businesses and jobs. Technology and our world as we know it is moving too fast. Twenty years from now, there will not be a shortage of traditional jobs available because artificial intelligence, robotics, and technology will replace most traditional jobs,” he said.
Discussing his philanthropic work, Danial Schon said that he would like to encourage others to come forward and create more models for sustainable, long-term causes in Pakistan.
Pakistani-American entrepreneur Danial H. Schon is credited for his achievements in philanthropy and business, displaying resilience during a year of multiple vaccinations and the ongoing pandemic.
Dedicating the front cover to the entrepreneur, People Magazine Pakistan described Danial Schon as a “resilient, intelligent, sharp and compassionate man,” who has seen ups and downs in business but has continued to invest and grow. The monthly magazine interviewed the entrepreneur over six pages, photographing him at iconic London locations for the cover title and interview pages.
Schon, an overseas Pakistani, resides in Central London but divides his time between Pakistan, America, the UK and the Middle East where his businesses operate.
People Magazine said it chose Danial Schon for the prestigious “Man of The Year” title due to his business and civil contributions, including his philanthropic work helping small businesses and young entrepreneurs, along with additional efforts linked to supporting education.
The 38-year-old shared his life story with the magazine, describing what it takes to do business in the West, how to be successful in life, how to grow your business and why he sees potential in the Pakistani economy.
After receiving the recognition, Danial Schon posted online, “All Praise is for Allah. I am humbled and honored to be given this title of Man of the Year by People Magazine in Pakistan. I have tried to be sincere, honest, and worked hard all my life. Like any businessman, I’ve had successes and failures along the way but with pure intentions I have always tried to be resilient and extremely positive in life. As an entrepreneur, my intention is to try and improve society around me. Adding value, jobs, assisting in philanthropic activities where I can and working to create prosperity.”
Schon told the magazine that the fundamentals of success in business are “perseverance and extreme optimism.”
He shared that he started doing business when in school and has not looked back since. He recalled, “I started two businesses in college and when I graduated, I started a real estate brokerage company. The company did extremely well, and it made over $25 Million on my first deal which kickstarted my career. The family business has been started by my father and uncle, and I try to support wherever I can. Their key to success for Schon Group was working hard and being different and ahead of the competition. That hard work made them the largest exporter of Pakistan in textiles. From there, they grew into Airlines, Banking, Modaraba, Fiber Production, Fertilizers, and Property Development. In 1996, they expanded the operation internationally and in 2015, Schon Group restructured and now acts as a Private Family Office globally. The Group is a debt-free entity, which is a huge benefit in cyclical times like the COVID Pandemic which just came.”
Schon added that he has been running his own independent business alongside being a shareholder in the family office.
“Since a young age, though I was born in a successful business family, I truly believe I need to work for my own money. That is something I want to teach my kids as well. Everyone should be self-sufficient and responsible for themselves.”
Schon said he was optimistic about the future of Pakistan and had full faith in the youth of Pakistan, despite mounting challenges in the country.
He told the magazine, “I want the next Einstein to come from Pakistan, the next Bill Gates, the next Warren Buffet. I would love to see the youth of Pakistan at the next level, at par with youth of the nations who are modern and forward looking. I feel, the IQ of the Pakistani youth is way higher than others around the world. We just need to give our youth direction.
“Gen Z and Generation Alpha kids are much smarter, more switched on, more liberal, and are an inclusive generation. With this generation, social enterprises are very important, health is very important, and connectivity is very important for this generation. Wi-fi is more important than drinking water and oxygen. These traits, move the world forward in a positive direction, fast.”
Sharing his experience of successfully investing in Pakistan’s digital sector in 2018, Danial Schon advised Pakistani youth to learn digital skills, coding, blockchain, NFT’s and metaverse. “My aspiration is for our youth to be involved with digital businesses and jobs. Technology and our world as we know it is moving too fast. Twenty years from now, there will not be a shortage of traditional jobs available because artificial intelligence, robotics, and technology will replace most traditional jobs,” he said.
Discussing his philanthropic work, Danial Schon said that he would like to encourage others to come forward and create more models for sustainable, long-term causes in Pakistan.