Donate

LeadershipOur Leadership >>

Faiz Kidwai
Founder

Muhammad Faiz Kidwai

Muhammad Faiz Kidwai is the chair of CG Global, a leading architecture, engineering, urban design, real estate development, and hospitality conglomerate. A 1983 architecture graduate of NED University of Engineering and Technology, Faiz was later awarded a research fellowship in conservation in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, by the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. A specialist in socially responsive architecture, he developed master plans for numerous urban housing projects as well as large urban development and city planning projects. He also remained involved in finalization of Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan.

Faiz , who joined Rotaract in 1980, is the first ever Rotary International Director from Pakistan. In 1986, departing from Karachi on a Rotary Group Study Exchange trip to Canada, he survived a violent attack during the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. “I pledged that, if given another chance to live, I would dedicate my life to the betterment of humanity,” he says. “This was the moment that influenced me to join Rotary.”

Faiz  joined Rotary in 1987 and became a charter member of the Rotary Club of Karachi Karsaz in 1993. He has been active in polio eradication efforts since Rotary began its work for the cause in Pakistan. In 1997, he established a Rotary Community Corps (RCC) in the suburbs of Karachi, which continues to work with his club on projects.

He is the founder of Rotary Pakistan Smart Villages Program which he initiated after the 2022 climate carnage in Pakistan. These sustainable smart villages encompasses Rotarya Foundations all areas of focus.

Faiz is founder and Chair Rotary Humanitarian Trust Pakistan and is leading Rotary Pakistan Literacy Mission, an initiative for total literacy and quality education in the country. He launched a million book collection drive under a program to develop reading habbits and create library; tilldate collected more than 700,000 books and created or supporter more than 2000 libraries.

Between 2001-4 he remained involved in supporting Afghan refugees in Pakistan, co-chairing an initiative that assisted more than 50,000 Afghan refugees and working on projects that fight poverty and hunger while promoting the education and empowerment of Afghan girls and women.

He is also member of a number of committees at international level of Rotary which includes :

  • International Polio Plus Committee of The Rotary Foundation.
  • Polio Plus sub Committee on Afghanistan.
  • Peace Fellowship Committee of the Rotary Foundation.

Faiz has received the Service Above Self Award, which is the highest humanitarian service award of Rotary International, The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.

He believes that “Serving others is the best way to live in this world”!