An individual’s voice can be heard in the public sphere if they are able to gain the interest of influential people such as politicians, journalists, and celebrities. Anyone can be a catalyst for positive change in the world by bringing attention to their point of view and influencing others through advocacy for a cause or to get justice served. Although the word advocate is typically reserved for lawyers, it is also sometimes applied to those who speak out for social causes or raise their voices against injustice. “Speaking truth to power” is one definition of advocacy.
Social media campaigns, demonstrations, petitions, and mobilizing others are just a few examples of the many techniques an advocate can implement. Pascal Najadi, a banker, film producer, and author did the same things to protest and raise his voice to seek justice for his late father after his assassination by gunshots in broad daylight in Kuala Lumpur’s city center in 2013. Najadi’s father, Hussain Najadi was the Chairman & CEO of AIAK Group based in Kuala Lumpur.
Since his father’s murder, Najadi has devoted himself completely to investigating the specifics of this act of terrorism. He has spoken out and engaged in protests in the hopes of seeing his late father’s killer brought to justice. Najadi stated during the course of the investigation, “My father died as a result of his efforts to expose corruption in Malaysia. I feel safe and protected here (in Moscow). I can only return to Malaysia after we figure out who and why.” He further added, “The world comes to a halt when such horror terrorizes you.” His security adviser urged him to stay away from Malaysia until the murderer was caught. Due to this, he was even unable to attend his father’s funeral. Angered by the lack of investigation into the case’s background and the fact that they were never questioned about possible motives, Najadi’s family took this case to the United Nations in 2016 in an attempt to get justice for him.
Pascal Najadi is also an author, film producer, and retired Swiss investment banker who now travels the world advocating for peace and bitcoin. The businessman and investment advisor Najadi is well-known for his expertise in the fields of investment banking, public relations, and marketing. After finishing his primary and secondary schooling in Switzerland, he enrolled at the Institut auf dem Rosenberg in St. Gallen to study economics. After graduating, he began his professional life in 1987 with a general internship at UBS AG in Zurich, Switzerland.
In 1989, Najadi,after moving to Zollikon, Switzerland, started working as an assistant in public relations for Klaus J. Stöhlker AG. He joined Orbitex Finanz AG in Zurich, Switzerland, later that year as an account executive responsible for selling open-end mutual funds to Swiss banks. In the mid-1990s, Najadi became an A. Vice President, Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets Swiss Francs at Merrill Lynch Capital Markets AG, Zurich, Switzerland, and in 1994, he was promoted to the position of Vice President, Head of Capital Markets for Central Europe at Merrill Lynch & Co., London, United Kingdom.
Najadi has spent the last 25 years of his professional life in banking. From 2009 to 2012, he worked for Investment Advisors Zurich AG in both Zurich and Singapore Republic, where he served in various capacities, including as a partner, member of the supervisory board, and holder of licenses from both the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority. A strategic advisor to the CEO at RBR Capital Advisors AG in Küsnacht, Zurich, Najadi joined the company in 2017. He took early retirement that year (2018) and has since been active in the bitcoin and peace movements. In addition to fixing the Chelsea Football Club for Roman Abramovich, he was also a bidder for the Portsmouth Football Club with London City Investment Bank’s Keith Harris.
Until 2003, Najadi served on the Board of Directors at Dresdner Bank London, where he was responsible for the Russian Federation and headed the bank’s Sovereign Advisory division. Soon after moving to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2004, he began working for the family business, AIAK Malaysia, as a merchant banker. He did so alongside his father, Hussain Najadi, until the latter’s murder in 2013. He rebranded AIAK Malaysia as Najadi & Partners AG, Zug, Switzerland, the following year and in 2017, finally parted ways with the business. Najadi and his struggles are an excellent example for anyone who believes that they would eventually lose because they are alone, even when fighting for the right cause, and who may be hesitant or unmotivated to speak for issues that hold great personal intent.
