As American President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." The newly elected president of FNCCI Dhakal has announced a long five-point plan in soft to go far.

President Dhakal took office at the FNCCI central office in Teku, Kathmandu, on Sunday, April 16, 2023, for three years. President Dhakal promised to work for the welfare of small company owners after taking office.

President Dhakal was elected at the FNCCI's 57th annual general meeting on April 11-12, and he will now lead the organization for the next three years. Similarly, Anjan Shrestha was elected senior vice president, Surkrishna Baidya was appointed vice president, Jyotsana Subba Shrestha was appointed associate vice president, and Hemraj Dhakal was appointed commodity vice president.

As president of the FNCCI, the country's largest private sector group, Dhakal must handle a variety of economic concerns confronting the business community in Nepal over the last few years.

Dhakal's subsequent three years will be more challenging than those of his predecessors. Nepal is set to experience all kinds of challenges, from rising interest rates to declining economic activity and the global economic downturn.

The issue will probably affect small business groups and industries, making President Dhakal's term more difficult. The difficulty, nevertheless, also presents chances. Dhakal has the talent and drive to deal with these difficulties since he succeeds in business by converting obstacles into opportunities.

Everyone, including his rival and friends, agrees that Dhakal's unusual leadership ability can be helpful. The government and business sector must coordinate their efforts and work closely together to address the nation's economic concerns.

Rises to the top

Given his own skills and methods of dealing with crises in the past, business leaders are hopeful that Dhakal can bring about change.

As the country faces a serious economic crisis, Dhakal has wasted no time in getting to work, having taken the oath of office as president of the business group following the elections.

The senior VP will be automatically raised to the position of president under the provisions of the FNCC's constitution. He was elected senior vice president roughly two and a half years ago. The election was later postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Dhakal: Successful Business Owners

President Dhakal is a first-generation successful entrepreneur and industrialist. Dhakal, who was born in Amalchaur, Baglung district, in 2022BS, had been an entrepreneur since 2045BS.Dhakal, the founding chair of IME Group, has over four decades of entrepreneurial experience. In 2057 BS, Dhakal made the first successful commercial step by establishing IME remit, Nepal's first remit company.

IME Group is now investing in a number of firms and industries with a presence both in Nepal and internationally. Dhakal has played an important role in the country's formal economy by facilitating foreign remittances. More than 20,000 people are directly employed by the IME Group, while another 40,000 are indirectly employed in the country.

Dhakal is aggressively working to build new tourism destinations and infrastructure, including a cable car, in all seven provinces. He has received numerous major accolades for his contributions to the national industry and economy.

Five Point Agenda

Dhakal, the newly elected president, has stated his intention to accomplish five goals during his presidency. In the inauguration program of the Federation's newly elected leadership, he expressed his commitment to preparing a strategy to solve the current economic crisis, creating an investment environment, strengthening the partnership between the state and the private sector, producing skilled labor and creating jobs, and determining the position of the private sector in the state's order of dignity to boost business morale.

When he took office, he stated that he is an example of how even a little merchant from a village can emerge under the leadership of the federation. "Friends are concerned that small businessmen will not be represented in the federation," Dhakal remarked. I rose through the ranks of the Federation by owning a modest business. Small and large enterprises alike are represented. I've also made a five-point pledge. I believe the government will also contribute to this effort."

He has stated his intention to develop skilled labor, create jobs, and identify the position of the private sector in the state's hierarchy of dignity in order to boost business morale.

"Friends are concerned that small business owners will not be represented in the federation." I rose through the ranks of the Federation by owning a modest business. "Small businesses and all types of businesses," Dhakal explained.

Dhakal stated that he would work to elevate the private sector's dignity, build collaboration between the public and private sectors to create jobs, expedite the process of attracting more Foreign Direct Investment, and find solutions to the private sector's issues.

Dhakal stated that he was always in favor of appointing leadership through consensus. He praised former FNCCI Presidents including as Umesh Lal Shrestha for their contributions. He believed that they had elevated the organization's image.

Dhakal is a first generation successful entrepreneur and businessman. He served on the FNCCI executive committee for two terms. He advanced up the leadership ladder, from investment committee chair to employment council chair, vice chair of associate, FNCCI Vice President, and now President.

President Dhakal has stated that he will prioritize five areas during his tenure: the development of a strategy to resolve the current economic crisis, the creation of an investment environment, the strengthening of the public and private sectors, the production of competent human resources and job creation, and the morale of entrepreneurs.

Position Switching

Outgoing FNCCI President Sekhar Golchha gave the oath of office and secrecy to Dhakal, as is customary. Dhakal has succeeded Golchha as the FNCCI's head.

Golchha, the outgoing president of the Federation, stated during the event that he agrees with President Dhakal's five public commitments. Senior Vice President, Chairman of the Investment Committee, Employer Council, and Associate Vice President have all been held by Dhakal, a two-term member of Mahasangh.

Dhakal has improved his relationships with Golchha despite some initial conflicts between the two of them. After two years of collaboration, departing Golchha praised Dhakal's contribution and supported his successor's agenda for the following three years.

Senior Vice-President Anjan Shrestha

President Dhakal has a capable young hand in Anjan Shrestha, who was chosen as senior vice president. Umesh Lal Shrestha was able to win the election after deciding to withdraw from the race and then return.

Along with collaborating with Anajan's team, president Dhakal must also provide Sanghai's team, which lost in the first round of senior vice president, the appropriate amount of room. There needs to be solidarity among all people to fight the impending economic crisis in the nation.

Given his prior experiences, President Dhakal is likely to unite all FNCCI groups to address the country's crisis. Dhakal is the right individual in the right position in the current situation.

The Laxmi Group, which includes Sujal Food and Dairy Products, the packaging sector, vehicle trading, infrastructure, and steel manufacturing, is led by newly elected Senior Vice-President Shrestha.

The current vice president of the commodity sector at the FNCCI is Anjan, a 53-year-old executive director of the Laxmi Group, a company that manages manufacturing, agro-based, trading, and service industries. His tenure as president of the NADA Automobiles Association in 2015 marked the beginning of his leadership in professional organisations.

The company was founded by his father Ganesh Bahadur Shrestha as a candy store in Pokhara; today, the firm manufactures steel, food, packaging materials, dairy goods, and operates trade businesses in a variety of industries, including the automobile industry.

Newly elected FNCCI president Dhakal took office with a fresh team and attitude. But he has a very challenging and complicated future. Dhakal might successfully complete his term by reviving Nepal's economy using his own experiences, strategy, and style.

President Dhakal, who has the ability to play in a team and understands the need to do so given the country's current situation, is the ideal candidate for the job.