Yusuf H. Shirazi

Yusuf H. Shirazi (1929–2020) was a Pakistani industrialist, civil servant, and writer. He founded Atlas Group.

Yusuf H. Shirazi Complex at the Lahore University of Management Sciences is named after him.

Early life and education
Shirazi was born in Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan. He received his early education from the Government College Sahiwal. For further studies, he moved to Lahore and attended Forman Christian College, where he earned a bachelor's degree. He later obtained postgraduate degrees in Persian and mathematics from the University of the Punjab.

Career
Shirazi began his career in journalism, working for publications such as the Pakistan Times and Nawaiwaqt while studying law at Punjab University. In 1953, he cleared CSS exam and became an income tax officer, initially posted in Shikarpur before relocating to Karachi.

In 1962, Shirazi was assigned to compile a report on the leading business groups of Pakistan. He conducted interviews and, in the process, built relationships with leading business families of Pakistan. Later, he was asked to serve as an executive director at Mian Muhammad Yahya's Nishat Group and was a board member of Ghandhara Industries Limited, positions he held into the 1980s.

In 1963, Shirazi left civil service to start a business. He co-founded a brokerage firm with his brother based in Karachi Stock Exchange, which laid the foundation for the establishment of the Atlas Group, named after the Greek mythological figure Atlas. Later, he co-founded Atlas Honda along with Syed Wajid Ali family in a joint venture with Honda. In 1968, Shirazi was elected as president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, serving two consecutive terms.

Following the independence of East Pakistan, the Atlas Group continued to service their loans despite losses, including the loss of their Dhaka motorcycles factory. Later, he established Atlas Asset Management, acquired Atlas Insurance, and expanded into the trading sector in collaboration with General Electric.

Awards and recognition

 * Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2012)