C.E.O & Founder
Our CEO and founder was born June 2nd 1962 in Lahore, Pakistan. The family business’ spanning textiles, construction goods, steel and real estate were all family owned and operated ventures within his immediate and extended family. His experiences, working daily after school to help manage the various family business’ while attending Saint Anthony’s High School; narrowed his broad interests into a more focused amity for finance and business.
These years managing his family interests in textile and construction goods landed him his first exposure in the steel business, transacting small scrap deals with local breakers to recycle wasted materials from construction projects. This small enterprise on the side proved lucrative for Mr Kamran, however short lived. The family moved to the United States in 1985 moving his focus back to managing the family, its assets and interests in real estate and international trading. Business’ within the family diversified from import/export out of Pakistan and now even included a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York
In 1996 Mr Latif revisited his connections with breaking facilities in Pakistan, this time not selling small quantities of scrap, rather as a traditional Cash Buyer’ business model. The next few years would see the rekindling of many old connections and relationships in the steel recycling industry as he began his extensive travels developing the network of friends, brokers and associates that would facilitate this new business venture. What started out as a way for some quick cash when he was younger had matured into facilitating transactions between his new friends in shipping and old colleagues in recycling. Now as traditional ‘Cash Buyer’, given a developing network of brokers and budding relations with his breakers in native Pakistan the business caught wind and the rest is just history. The Headstart Group brand, and its affiliated companies all enjoy the long standing, respected reputation of its forbearers and its Founder Mr. Kamran Latif and expressly benefit from the regional and industrial credibility of the brand name.
Over the last 20 years, the company has developed its delivered basis recycling program, and now has the infrastructure and logistics to facilitate As-Is-Where-Is transactions, and short term trade vessels. This steady growth over roughly two decades has allowed us the credibility and market reputation we enjoy, and what was a network of friends spanning brokers in Greece to breakers in Pakistan, is now local offices and affiliate offices managing our sales and purchases as well as deliveries in the India, Pakistan, Bangladesh breaking markets. In 2004 ‘Headstart’ officially diversified its interests from delivered basis recycling to encompass marine vessel ownership, trade and As-Is deals to complement and complete its one stop new and aged vessel management solutions product lines.
Managing Director
Aized Kamran born December 4th 1983 Lahore, Pakistan. Moved with the family in 1985 to the United states of America. Growing in a business household much like his father he aspires to venture into business’ and entrepreneurship of his own from a young age showing promise in all business programs, graduating high school at age 15 and college at age 18 respectively. Joining the offices in the year 2000 concurrent with his graduation from Saint Anthony’s high school in New York, he furthered his education at Stonybrook university in New York, with a degree in political science and international business. He eagerly joined the offices he had "grown up" in, seeking to find his calling and bring the business to its next level as our founder had done before him. Formally engaged by the Headstart Group as of august 2003, practically having been working in the Headstart group his entire life, the decision was a seamless transition.
Mr Kamran currently engages in the sale, purchase and management; flying on site to oversee our projects overseas when needed on non-delivered basis transactions. His ability to mobilize and fly within hours of notice, has been the competitive edge needed in securing our recent as is and trading projects. His passion for shipping and engineering allows him to use his expertise in a hands-on approach. With as-is vessel acquisitions, surveying prospects and managing hot or cold laid up vessels needing reanimation for delivery. Adding to this his experiences with vessel chartering and acquiring cargoes he is steadily positioning the business for a spillover growth into our short-term trading projects for further resale or recycling.
Currently residing in and managing our regional sale and purchases office in Dubai, U.A.E. Mr Kamran has developed an intercompany system of marine vessel management and project accounting within the group since his arrival in 2004. We are optimistic and excited to see what further efficiency and productivity developments he can garner using his experience in marketing and sales. Much like our founder and owner, Aized has honed his skills and experience managing projects in Africa, Egypt, and Argentina to mention a few recent endeavors. This ability to have "hands on" in every transaction has proved an invaluable asset for the Headstart group and its mission to do big business with a small business feel. This is the cornerstone of the Headstart experience, reliability, full disclosures and always deliver as committed is not just our company mission statement it is synonymous with the Kamran name.