After receiving a liberal education culminating at Cambridge University, M. Riaz Mahmood (MRM) joined the B.A.T. Group’s Pakistan subsidiary, Pakistan Tobacco Company, in 1954. He worked with that company for 33 years, of which 29 years were devoted to the marketing function – which he headed for about 12 years – and he held charge of the commercial and corporate affairs departments for his final 4 years. Upon retirement from the service of PTC in 1987, Mr. Mahmood practised as an independent marketing consultant for over 7 years.

Invited to join the Board of Directors of Social Marketing Pakistan (now GREENSTAR) in 1992, he was appointed Chief Executive the following year, although it was not until 1994 that SMP obtained funding to operate its first project. As Chief Executive, MRM was charged with overall responsibility for organizing SMP’s operations, and the NGO became the major provider of contraceptives in the private sector. In 2001 he relinquished charge of this assignment assuming the role of Vice-Chairman, and resumed his marketing consultancy work.

MRM was elected to the Council of Marketing Association of Pakistan in 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2005, also serving for two annual terms as President (1990 and 1994).