Zyla joined Dawn News in January 2008 and soon became an integral member of the newsroom. She took to the excitement, the passion and the high of breaking news like a duck to water. From reporting to anchoring, from editing to production, she did everything, and did it well. Starting out as a sports anchor who knew well the intricacies of tennis, cricket and football, she not only excelled in that field but soon started doing other work also. When asked she did political reporting with ease and made simple a complicated election and its dynamics for her viewer. Her special assignment on dengue fever was informative as it was touching and many of her colleagues still recall vividly.
Zyla’s forte was script writing. Despite being new to the profession, her writing to pictures would leave veteran TV reporters feeling inadequate. Her scripts had a conversational quality about them and instantly connected with the audience. Her technical ability was as sharp as her creative side. From the Dawn News Management System to using editing software such as Final Cut Pro, Zyla displayed the ease of someone who is astute technically.
She told me once that images have always captivated her and she has grown up being fascinated with them. Being at Dawn News gave her the chance to live her dream of expressing through this medium as well. Little wonder she was equally at ease in front of the camera as she was panel producing. In the last mentioned role her leadership qualities came to the fore. Even in the face of huge breaking stories she was calm and directed her team with dignity and authority – one never saw her being fazed or raising her voice but she was in total control. In fact, the bigger the crisis, the wider the smile Zyla greeted it with.
Zyla is a team person and a keen learner. Being exceedingly bright and committed made her an important and integral part of the Dawn News TV team. Having worked in difficult circumstances in strive torn Pakistan and still having retained her poise and humor, it is my considered opinion she will enrich her colleagues, even superiors, with her unique insight and passion for learning. I wish her well and know that whomever she works with will be privileged to be alongside a talented, dedicated and positive soul as her.
TESTIMONIALS
abbas nasir
Director News/Chief Editor
DAWN News
saad bin mujeeb
GM Programming
GEO News
syed a. mahmood
Senior Professor
IoBM
I first came across Zyla in a professional capacity when I was auditioning for host for a program about advertising campaigns. It was not the fact that she got selected and was a good host that impressed me about her. But was her interest in content development and production. For someone so young she as eager and willing to participate and contribute in areas where she need not have shown interest in. besides all that Zyla possessed a prodigious memory. She could recall and memorize details and dialogues quickly and efficiently.
After that experience, I thought Zyla’s strength lay behind he camera more than in front of it. Since then, I have employed her in various programmes, including drama, serials and magazine shows as producer and associate producer.
I have always found Zyla to be diligent, attentive and very hard working besides having an immense desire to learn and absorb. I had hired her as an associate producer for a drama serial and by the third day of production. I had lost my line producer. Zyla volunteered to take over the position. I was a little apprehensive initially due to a lack of experience. But it came as avery pleasant surprise to see that she had observed and grasped what the previous line producer was doing to such a degree that she was doing a better job than the previous one.
Since then Zyla has worked with some very difficult productions and has managed to hold her own.
I think she’s an excellent candidate for the Fulbright scholarship because she is at an age and experience level where such a study program would benefit her immensely. I wish her all the best and hop she comes back from her study program and further the cause of production, education to the less fortunate here.
It is a pleasure to write a reference letter for Zyla Sethi Sarhady. In her years at the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Zyla was a valuable part of the student body contributing to the institute both academically and through her work outside of our parameters. She was always diligent, conscientious, politically aware and a responsible student. Through her diversity she has shown her contemporaries what can be achieved by sheer hard work and determination.
Zyla majored in Marketing and Finance and took two of my courses i.e. Consumer Behaviour and Brand Management. Both the classes consisted of around 40 students and Zyla stood out as one of the more articulate pupils with an opinion of her own, with sound arguments to support her outlook on various issues. Throughout the courses, she proved to be a keen and spirited young woman with an uncanny zest for distinctive self-expression. She is industrious, focused; naturally intelligent and has outstanding presentational and communicational skills. I feel this to be a key quality for any individual wishing to pursue a career in Communications and Zyla possesses it and aptly displays her skills.
She showed keen intellectual curiosity and an extraordinary ability for analytical thinking. Her presence in class always helped generate a healthy dialogue especially in our lectures on Brand Management where her insightful input and her ability to combine information from various sources invariably resulted in interesting discussions that improved the discourse in the class.
Zyla is also unique in that she managed to pursue a career in Media and later Journalism and Communications during her undergraduate studies. This displays ingenuity, initiative and ability to multi-task proficiently. Her work shows originality, creativity and adaptability – all hallmarks of a fast learner and a keen thinking mind. Her intellectual outspoken demeanor and her ability to question will hold her in good stead and take her far in life.
In my assessment I see Zyla excelling in her professional life. Her comprehension and ability to articulate her self are stellar and I foresee no problems whatsoever in this regard. Her ability to work well both alone and in teams as well as her punctuality with deadlines have always helped her academically and will most likely be invaluable in the professional world.
I feel that any organization will be lucky to have her as part of their team and I recommend her without any reservations.
Zyla Sethi Sarhady worked with us from February 2015 in the capacity of “Manager Marketing & Communications”.
During her tenure of employment, she displayed a distinctive ability to convey message through her tremendous communication skills. Her experience in Marketing and Communications area a valuable asset which considered as great value to any organization by utilizing her services. She is loyal and always places the welfare of the company above all else. Her coordination with subordinates and with the Management makes her an ideal employee. If available, she can certainly count on re-employment with our firm, should the opportunity arise.
Any company considering Zyla for employment has my most enthusiastic recommendation. She is destined to achieve new heights in her career, and equipped to set new records for her future employed.
mudabbir Hussain
Director Human Resources
ARFEEN GROUP
Although Zyla did not work directly with me, I knew her well both as a colleague and on a personal level. There was significant interaction and discussions regarding work. I found Zyla to be an extremely intelligent and gifted young lady with a strong commitment in accomplishing assignments to the highest standards. She has exceptionally good social skills and values. I grew to be very fond of her and value her as a person as well as a professional.
Zyla possesses above average communication skills and did well in her assignments in the group. I consider Zyla to be a committed and responsible person. In fact I found her to be very prompt in completing her assignments. Since I had signficiant interaction with the department I was aware of the activities and projects that were going on.
She has exceptional interpersonal skills and is both cooperative and supportive. Is a good team player and goes out of the way to help people out both in context to work and personal level.
I have developed a very close personal relationship with Zyla despite the fact that I am her mother's age. I value her as a young dynamic woman. She has exceptional values and is extremely easy to get along particularly because she has confidence in herself and does not harbour grudges or prejudices. In fact I found her to go out of her way to support her colleagues in whatever way.
RIFAAT JAFARI
Ass. Director HR
ARFEEN GROUP
