Talha Bin Saleem

Vice President at Arton Capital

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Talha Bin Saleem is a Vice President at Arton Capital. He joined the company in 2018 as a junior sales executive and later covered Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa. Saleem was born in Karachi and moved to Dubai in 2013.

Early life and background

Saleem was born in Karachi. His parents are from Pindi, Islamabad. He has two sisters, both married. He says he was very curious and used to ask too many questions. [1]

He had his own car at age 16. He has always wanted to work. He says he wanted a civil life. His father suffered large losses in the stock market. [1]

Education

Saleem attended a cadet college in Karachi. He says he scored over 85 percent in matriculation and had to learn Sindhi. He joined a college that was very popular in Karachi back then, and he spent two years there. [1]

He was the first in his extended family to go abroad. He arrived in London at age 18. He studied at a small college in London rather than one of the best universities in England. He wanted to become a hotel manager, saying he liked the hotel life of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and he found hotel management interesting when he saw it in a prospectus. He graduated with a BA Honours in International Hospitality and Tourism. [1]

Career in London

Saleem says he made sure he worked multiple jobs. He initially worked for a souvenir shop. He worked at Papa John's making pizzas, and in a call centre selling electricity products by phone. [1]

When he graduated, he lost his job, saying he had been trying to do his own thing. A friend helped him get into Gap. He also did real estate lettings work. He says he was fired again after three months. He was hired at a hotel in Mayfair, Central London. [1]

Career in Dubai

Saleem moved to Dubai in 2013. He got a visit visa for 30 days, and his older sister had moved to Dubai. He says he would apply for about 100 jobs every day, and that he sent about 3,000 emails in the month and a half or two months before coming and never got an answer. He says some employers asked whether he was from Pakistan and then said they would get back to him. [1]

His brother-in-law is a banker who had some connections and sent him everywhere. He was offered a job paying 2,500 dirhams and turned it down as too low. He was initially paid 4,000 or perhaps 4,500 dirhams, and his total package came to about 7,000 dirhams, which he says was somewhat acceptable. He says 3,000 dirhams of that had to be sent home. [1]

He says he would be at the door at 5:00, greeting members. He was promoted to member relations manager. He later became membership manager, and his salary rose to 15,000 dirhams. He bought a car and his own place and moved out of staff accommodation. [1]

Saleem worked as a business development consultant at a learning and development firm. He says he realised he is more of a B2C person than a B2B person. He says he used to sell a membership at a club and made good money. He says he helped connect two people, one of whom ended up buying a passport, and he received a referral fee. He says buying 2 million euros of property in Cyprus was a huge deal. [1]

Arton Capital

Saleem works at Arton Capital. He joined in 2018 as a junior sales executive. He has had several promotions and is now Vice President. He initially looked after the Pakistan market and later covered Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa. He did business development in Nigeria, South Africa and several other African countries. [1]

He says there is now huge interest from Pakistan. He says this market deals with perhaps the top 2 percent. He says many of his clients are American passport holders, and that he has had clients from Romania, Hungary and Poland. He says his clients include Bangladeshis, Indians and Indonesians as well as Pakistanis. He says that after the turmoil in Pakistan following 9 May, inquiries rose by perhaps 300 percent, and that his firm did several hundred passports after the Russian war started. [1]

Views

Saleem says these programmes are fully legal. He says governments refuse passports to applicants with civil or criminal cases or who are politically exposed. He says his firm only assists applicants whose source of funds is clean. He says that in Turkey there is no question of source of funds. [1]

He says Dominica's programme starts from $100,000, and he calls Dominica the cheapest of these programmes. He says Dominica gives access to the European Union. He says a St. Kitts passport allows visa-free travel to about 140 countries, and that St. Kitts and Grenada have been very popular. He says Turkey may be the most sought-after programme, and that Pakistanis, Afghans, Iranians and Russians went to Turkey's programme. [1]

He says Portugal has been very popular among Pakistanis who can afford it, and that you do not have to move to Portugal. He says Canada has investor programmes, including a start-up visa, and that Quebec Investors is currently on hold. He says the one brand in Pakistan is Canada. He says Pakistan has a treaty with 19 countries that lets citizens keep those countries' passports. [1]

He says golden visas are being offered not just to investors but also to medical professionals, scientists and people of special talent. He describes an attitude that anyone who took a second passport or left the country is a traitor. He says many people in Dubai hold second passports and do not disclose them. [1]

Saleem says the Middle East is the new Europe. He says Saudi Arabia is trying to attract and retain talent. He expects Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East to become the capital of the world. He says many people now see Dubai as the safe place. He says Dubai is a natural connection for a Pakistani businessman, as it is a short flight away. [1]

He says that where he went there were about 400 to 500 CEOs from across Africa. He expects Africa to keep growing. [1]

Personal life

Saleem says he feels he is treated best in Dubai. He says he plays a lot of cricket. He was the sole breadwinner of his family at one point. He describes himself as more of an entrepreneur than a studious person. He says he has never wanted to stop growing, and that he believes in real-life skills. [1]

Timeline

2013
Moved to Dubai.[1]
2018
Joined Arton Capital as a junior sales executive.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2023-08-23 Buying a second passport is legal, and a crisis doubles the line Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Talha Bin Saleem?

Talha Bin Saleem is a Vice President at Arton Capital. He was born in Karachi and moved to Dubai in 2013. He joined Arton Capital in 2018 as a junior sales executive.[1]

What does Talha Bin Saleem do?

Talha Bin Saleem works at Arton Capital, where he is now Vice President. He initially looked after the Pakistan market and later covered Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa. He did business development in Nigeria, South Africa and several other African countries.[1]

Where did Talha Bin Saleem study?

Talha Bin Saleem attended a cadet college in Karachi. He studied at a small college in London rather than one of the best universities in England. He graduated with a BA Honours in International Hospitality and Tourism.[1]

Where is Talha Bin Saleem from?

Talha Bin Saleem was born in Karachi. His parents are from Pindi, Islamabad. He moved to Dubai in 2013.[1]

When did Talha Bin Saleem join Arton Capital?

Talha Bin Saleem joined Arton Capital in 2018 as a junior sales executive. He has had several promotions and is now Vice President.[1]

When did Talha Bin Saleem move to Dubai?

Talha Bin Saleem moved to Dubai in 2013. He got a visit visa for 30 days, and his older sister had moved to Dubai.[1]

What does Talha Bin Saleem say about the Middle East?

Talha Bin Saleem says the Middle East is the new Europe. He expects Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East to become the capital of the world.[1]

References

  1. Buying a second passport is legal, and a crisis doubles the line . Thought Behind Things , 2023-08-23.
Show the source passages (100 statements)
  1. Talha Bin Saleem is the Vice President at Arton Capital. Talha Bin Saleem is the Vice President at Arton Capital.
  2. Talha Bin Saleem was born in Karachi. But I was born in Karachi because my father was in PIA, he was posted in Karachi.
  3. His parents are from Pindi, Islamabad. My parents are from Pindi, Islamabad.
  4. He attended a cadet college in Karachi. It's called Pakistan Steel Cadet College, Steel Mill se aage, woh Karachi mein.
  5. He says he scored over 85 percent in matriculation. So, I scored over 85% in my matriculation.
  6. He joined a college that was very popular in Karachi back then. I joined a college called PAF Keet, very popular in Karachi back then.
  7. He spent two years at that college. So, two years I did in PAF Keet, Shahrah-e-Faisal pe tha.
  8. He was the first in his extended family to go abroad. I think I was the first one in the entire khandaan to, to go abroad.
  9. He studied at a small college in London rather than one of the best universities in England. I did not go to one of the best universities in England. I went to a college in London, a small college in London.
  10. He wanted to become a hotel manager, saying he liked the hotel life of breakfast, lunch and dinner. kyunki hotels mein jayenge, breakfast, lunch, dinner, so I was like, 'I want to be a hotel manager. I like this life.'
  11. He found hotel management interesting when he saw it in a prospectus. And I'm on the prospectus, I was like, 'This looks interesting. Hospitality management, hotel management.'
  12. His father suffered large losses in the stock market. my father had huge losses in the stock market
  13. He says he made sure he worked multiple jobs. So, I had to make sure ke I do multiple jobs.
  14. He arrived in London at age 18. I'm 18 years old, I just landed in, in, in London.
  15. He initially worked for a souvenir shop. Initially, I was working for a souvenir shop.
  16. He worked at Papa John's making pizzas. I got into Papa John's and I used to make pizzas.
  17. He worked in a call centre selling electricity products by phone. in a call center. So, I started selling on the phone. We used to sell electricity products.
  18. When he graduated, he lost his job, saying he had been trying to do his own thing. When I graduated, uh I somehow lost my job because I was trying to do my own thing.
  19. He graduated with a BA Honours in International Hospitality and Tourism. the degree I got was BA Honors in International Hospitality and Tourism.
  20. A friend helped him get into Gap. a friend of my got into got me into into Gap.
  21. He also did real estate lettings work. In the middle, I did real estate uh lettings.
  22. He says he was fired again after three months. For three months, I got fired again.
  23. He was hired at a hotel in Mayfair, Central London. I was hired again while I was being fired or still on probation, in a Central London hotel in Mayfair.
  24. He says extending that visa required an investment of 50,000 pounds. if you wanted to extend that visa, aapko 50,000 pounds ki investment karni padegi.
  25. He was the sole breadwinner of his family at one point. So, I was the sole breadwinner of the family because of certain, as I said, challenges.
  26. He has two sisters, both married. Meri dono behno ki uh shaadiyan ho gayi thin.
  27. He says his father was not keen on him going. unki itni marzi bhi nahi thi ke main jaon.
  28. He moved to Dubai in 2013. So, that's when in 2013, I I I moved to Dubai.
  29. He got a visit visa for 30 days. I got a I got a visit visa for 30 days.
  30. His older sister had moved to Dubai. meri jo my older sister, she had moved to Dubai by then.
  31. He says he would apply for about 100 jobs every day. maybe every day I would apply for 100 jobs.
  32. He says he sent about 3,000 emails in the month and a half or two months before coming and never got an answer. maybe I did 3,000 emails in one and a half month or two months before coming, I never got answered.
  33. He says some employers asked whether he was from Pakistan and then said they would get back to him. Are you from Pakistan? We'll get back to you.
  34. His brother-in-law is a banker who had some connections and sent him everywhere. my brother-in-law is a is a banker, masha'Allah se, so he had some connections. He sent me everywhere.
  35. He was offered a job paying 2,500 dirhams and turned it down as too low. Um toh wahan pe the guy offered me 2,500 dirhams job. And I was like, "No, man, that's too low."
  36. He was initially paid 4,000 or perhaps 4,500 dirhams. So initially they were paying me 4,000 Dirhams, or maybe 4,500.
  37. His total package came to about 7,000 dirhams, which he says was somewhat acceptable. So total package came to about 7,000 Dirhams, which was somewhat acceptable.
  38. He says 3,000 dirhams of that had to be sent home. Usme se 3,000 mujhe ghar bhejne the.
  39. He says he would be at the door at 5:00, greeting members. So I would be 5:00 at the door, greeting members, 'Good morning, good morning, good morning.'
  40. He was promoted to member relations manager. So they promoted me as a, as a member relations manager.
  41. He later became membership manager, and his salary rose to 15,000 dirhams. they put me as a membership manager, and my salary went up to 15,000.
  42. He bought a car and his own place and moved out of staff accommodation. then I bought my car, I bought my first own place, I moved out of the student, the staff accommodation.
  43. He worked as a business development consultant at a learning and development firm. It's, uh, very well-known learning and development firm as a business development consultant.
  44. He says he realised he is more of a B2C person than a B2B person. I didn't enjoy it, and at this moment I realized ke yaar, I'm more of a B2C guy than B2B guy
  45. He says he used to sell a membership at a club and made good money. in Capital Club, I used to sell a membership and I would make good money.
  46. He says he helped connect two people, one of whom ended up buying a passport, and he received a referral fee. so I helped the two connect, and he ended up buying the passport, and in my bank is the referral fee
  47. He says buying 2 million euros of property in Cyprus was a huge deal. Europe mein aap Cyprus mein 2 million Euro property khareedein, which was a huge deal.
  48. He works at Arton Capital. Arton Capital, that's the company I work for today as a Vice President.
  49. He describes himself as more of an entrepreneur than a studious person. I'm not studious, I'm more of a, you know, entrepreneur guy, I'm into sales, I'm into interacting with people.
  50. He joined Arton Capital in 2018 as a junior sales executive. So in 2018, I joined them as a junior sales executive.
  51. He has had several promotions and is now Vice President. Today in 2023, I've had multiple promotions and this, that, that, that, and now I'm, Masha'Allah se, Vice President.
  52. He initially looked after the Pakistan market. initially I looked after, uh, Pakistan market.
  53. He later covered Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa. eventually I started covering Pakistan and the Middle East, and then Pakistan, Middle East and Africa.
  54. He did business development in Nigeria, South Africa and several other African countries. I was sent to Nigeria, South Africa, I did business development in several African countries
  55. He says there is now huge interest from Pakistan. now we have a huge interest from Pakistan.
  56. He says this market deals with perhaps the top 2 percent. obviously this market deals with perhaps the top 2%
  57. He describes an attitude that anyone who took a second passport or left the country is a traitor. Ke jisne second passport le liya ya jo mulk se bahar chala gaya, woh gaddar hai.
  58. He says many of his clients are American passport holders. mere paas bahut saare American clients hain, they are American passport holders
  59. He says he has had clients from Romania, Hungary and Poland. I have had clients from Romania, Hungary, European Union, Poland
  60. He says his clients include Bangladeshis, Indians and Indonesians as well as Pakistanis. it's not just Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Indians, I have Indonesians.
  61. He says that after the turmoil in Pakistan following 9 May, inquiries rose by perhaps 300 percent. abhi Pakistan mein turmoil hua tha 9th May ke baad, our, our inquiries maybe went up by 300%.
  62. He says his firm did several hundred passports after the Russian war started. So, when the Russian war started, before the sanctions, uh, we did multiple hundreds of passports.
  63. He says these programmes are fully legal. so they are 100% legit programs.
  64. He says governments refuse passports to applicants with civil or criminal cases or who are politically exposed. if you have any sort of civil cases, criminal cases, if you're a PEP, politically exposed person, they will not offer you the passport.
  65. He says his firm only assists applicants whose source of funds is clean. We don't assist them, we only assist the clean people with source of funds.
  66. He says that in Turkey there is no question of source of funds. in Turkey, there is no question of source of funds.
  67. He says Dominica's programme starts from $100,000. For example, for Dominica, it starts from $100,000.
  68. He says Dominica gives access to the European Union. Dominica has access to European Union, yeah.
  69. He says a St. Kitts passport allows visa-free travel to about 140 countries. So, if you have a St. Kitts passport, you can travel to about 140 countries visa-free.
  70. He says one pays 8 euros, applies and gets a travel authority. you have to pay 8 euros, uh, and then you apply, you get a travel authority
  71. He says St. Kitts and Grenada have been very popular. Uh, St. Kitts, Grenada has been very popular.
  72. He calls Dominica the cheapest of these programmes. The cheapest one, I would say, is Dominica.
  73. He says Portugal has been very popular among Pakistanis who can afford it. Portugal has been very, very, very popular amongst Pakistanis, the ones who can afford.
  74. He says you do not have to move to Portugal. you don't have to move to Portugal.
  75. He says Canada has investor programmes, including a start-up visa. Canada has a couple of investor programs. One is a start-up visa program
  76. He says Quebec Investors is currently on hold. Quebec Investors tha, woh abhi hold pe hai,
  77. He says the one brand in Pakistan is Canada. Dekhein, ek jo brand hai Pakistan mein, woh hai Canada.
  78. He says Pakistan has a treaty with 19 countries that lets citizens keep those countries' passports. Pakistan ki 19 mulkon ke saath treaty hai, jinka aap passport rakh sakte hain
  79. He says many people in Dubai hold second passports and do not disclose them. And then they keep it, don't disclose it. So many people in Dubai, they have second passports.
  80. He says the Middle East is the new Europe. yes, Middle East is the new, uh, Europe.
  81. He says Saudi Arabia is trying to attract and retain talent. Saudi is trying to attract talent and retain talent.
  82. He expects Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East to become the capital of the world. this will be Dubai, Saudi, the Middle East will be the capital of the world, may, perhaps the financial capital of the world
  83. He says many people now see Dubai as the safe place. everybody sort of now considers Dubai to be the safe place.
  84. He says these passports are becoming much harder to obtain. these passports now are getting very much more difficult to obtain.
  85. He says requirements may move from mandatory interviews toward physical stay requirements. mandatory interview se start karke physical stay requirements ki taraf bhi aayenge.
  86. He says golden visas are being offered not just to investors but also to medical professionals, scientists and people of special talent. they're offering, you know, these golden visas not just to the investors, but to medical professionals, to scientists, to people of special talent.
  87. He says he feels he is treated best in Dubai. And I feel I'm treated best in Dubai.
  88. He says he plays a lot of cricket. myself, I I play a lot of cricket
  89. He says Dubai is a natural connection for a Pakistani businessman, as it is a short flight away. Toh Pakistani businessman ke liye Dubai mein ek natural connection hai, ghantay ki flight hai.
  90. He says he has never wanted to stop growing. I never wanted to stop growing.
  91. He says he believes in real-life skills. so that's what I believe in, uh real-life skills.
  92. He says that where he went there were about 400 to 500 CEOs from across Africa. I went there and there was about 4-500 CEOs from across Africa.
  93. He expects Africa to keep growing. I think Africa will continue to grow.
  94. He says he was very curious and used to ask too many questions. I was very curious. I used to ask too many questions.
  95. He had his own car at age 16. I was 16 years old. I had my own car.
  96. He says he wanted a civil life. So, I was not the guy. I wanted a civil life.
  97. He says he had to learn Sindhi. And then I had to learn Sindhi because, you know, in, in GCSE, you never learn the local languages.
  98. He has always wanted to work. as a child, I always wanted to work.
  99. He says Turkey may be the most sought-after programme. I think Turkey would be at one point the most successful, the most, uh, you know, sought-after program.
  100. He says Pakistanis, Afghans, Iranians and Russians went to Turkey's programme. Uh, Turkey mein there's Pakistanis, Afghans, Iranians, Russians, they all went.