Pakistan Banking Summit 2025 (PBS'25)
The Pakistan Banking Summit 2025 (PBS'25), under the aegis of the PBA, is a first-of-its-kind industry-led initiative where the financial sector is convening for a unified dialogue on the sector’s future direction and growth opportunities. The summit aims to foster strategic dialogue by exploring global trends, emerging market dynamics, and technological innovations shaping banking in Pakistan. It will also feature 12+ international experts and 20+ local thought leaders who will share insights and case studies with respect to different themes being discussed during the two days of the PBS'25.
- Date: (Monday – Tuesday) 24 – 25 February 2025
- Time: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Speakers
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Tan Sri Azman Hj. Mokhtar
Speaker
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Tan Sri Azman Hj. Mokhtar
Speaker
Tan Sri Azman Hj. Mokhtar is the Chairman of the Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC) Leadership Council, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and INCEIF University. He served as Managing Director of Khazanah Nasional Berhad (2004–2018), managing ~USD40bn AUM, and as Chairman of Lembaga Tabung Haji Malaysia (2021–2023), overseeing ~USD20bn AUM.He currently serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Investing, the Steering Committee of the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI), and the Investment Advisory Council of Saudi Arabia. His affiliations include SOAS, University of London; Oxford’s Technology & Management Centre for Development; Hamad Bin Khalifa University; and MERCY Malaysia.Tan Sri Azman is a Chevening Scholar with an M.Phil in Development Studies from Cambridge University, a Diploma in Islamic Studies from IIUM, a CFA CharterHolder, and an ACCA Fellow. He was a Bye-Fellow at Darwin College, Cambridge, and a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at its Centre of Development Studies (2019–2022)
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Iqbal Khan
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Iqbal Khan
Speaker
Iqbal Khan is the Chief Executive Officer of Fajr Capital, a sovereign backed private equity firm which invests in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Aster DM Healthcare (GCC), Cravia Group, Jadwa Investment and MENA Infrastructure. Mr Khan has played a prominent role in developing and promoting Islamic finance and investment on the international stage, serving as an advisor to government initiatives in Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. He currently serves as Vice Chairman and Member of the Global Development Council at Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for International Development and Member of the Malaysia International Islamic Financial Centre (MIFC) Leadership Council, among others. Mr. Khan holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and chemistry, and a master’s degree in political science and international relations, both from Aligarh Muslim University, India.
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Rafe Haneef
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Rafe Haneef
Speaker
Rafe Haneef is the Group CEO of MBSB Berhad that comprises MBSB Bank and MIDF group. He was previously the CEO of Group Transaction Banking at CIMB from 2019 to June 2023. Rafe began his Islamic banking career in 1999 with HSBC Investment Bank in London. Over the past 25 years, he has held various leadership roles at HSBC Amanah (Middle East), ABN Amro UAE, Fajr Capital UAE and CitiGroup Malaysia. He was then appointed as the CEO of HSBC Amanah Bank, Malaysia in 2010 and subsequently joined CIMB as the CEO of CIMB Islamic Bank and Group Islamic Banking in 2016. He also served as CIMB’s Group Chief Sustainability Officer and the CEO of CIMB Foundation, where he was instrumental in positioning the sustainability agenda as a key strategic driver for CIMB Group. Rafe read law and Islamic law at the International Islamic University Malaysia and then pursued his Master of Laws at Harvard Law School. He was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 1995 and qualified to the New York State Bar in 1997.
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Dr Andre van der Vyver
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Dr Andre van der Vyver
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He started his career at the Department of Agriculture, specializing in grain financing, marketing and risk management. In the 1990’s he served as the South African agricultural attaché in Washington, USA. On his return, he completed his Ph.D. in agricultural exports at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. After leaving government, he worked for Standard Bank and thereafter Tiger Brands, a large food conglomerate. He was responsible, inter alia, for steering both companies from a controlled to a free market environment. André was one of the founding members of the South African Futures Exchange - Agricultural Division. In 2000 he established Grain Management, specializing in grain and oilseed trading, financing, risk management. He consulted widely including for USAID on warehouse receipt systems and visited Pakistan in 2019 for this reason. André is the Executive Director for SACOTA, responsible for promoting local and international trade. Key to this objective is to ensure adequate financing through all stages of the value chain, from farmer to processor or exporter. He regularly consults with the government, other industry bodies and the financial sector. South Africa’s two largest banks are key members of SACOTA.
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Maria Smith
Speaker
Maria heads the Development Impact team and is responsible for the assessment and management of the impact that BII has through its investments.Maria has spent the last 15 years working in impact investing in emerging markets. She has a successful investment track record focused on financial services, having utilized various products including equity, debt, funds and grant capital. She has expertise in impact themes including gender, climate, inclusion and ESG and has helped shape responsible investment frameworks. She has held various governance roles, including board and investment committee positions.Prior to joining the impact investment sector. Maria has worked at JPMorgan in both London and New York where she was responsible for creating investment solutions for asset management clients.
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Corey Thompson
Speaker
Corey is a highly accomplished Executive leader with over 20 years' experience in digital businesses. He currently serves as Executive Vice President, Head of Digital at Mashreq, leading the banks digital channels and agile operating model. His work has contributed to Mashreq being recognised as the best Digital Bank in the Middle East by Euromoney for five consecutive years.Previously, Corey was Head of Digital Product at HSBC in Hong Kong, supporting over 2 million customers with mobile and online banking. He also held senior digital roles at Manulife, Citibank, and E*TRADE, covering Banking, Wealth Management, and Insurance.Corey has an MBA from the University of Technology, Sydney.
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Dr Aasim Husain
Speaker
Dr. Aasim M. Husain is an economist specializing in International Finance and Macroeconomics. He was a staff member of the International Monetary Fund from 1990 to 2021, where he served as Deputy Director in the Middle East/Central Asia, European, and Western Hemisphere departments, overseeing all aspects of IMF work in 40+ countries. Previously, as Deputy Director in the Strategy, Policy & Review department, he spearheaded the IMF’s work on capital flows, exchange rate regimes, and policy issues faced by emerging markets during the global financial crisis. Earlier in his career, Dr. Husain served as IMF mission chief for Italy, Egypt, Jordan, and Kazakhstan. As a senior official in the Research Department, he led the IMF’s work on oil and energy market issues. During the mid-1990s, on leave from the IMF, Dr. Husain served as Chief Economist at ABN-AMRO Bank in Pakistan. Dr. Husain holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Economics and Mathematical Sciences from Rice University.
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Dr Salman Ahmed
Speaker
Dr. Salman Ahmed is the Global Head of Macro and Asset Allocation at Fidelity International, overseeing a substantial $5 trillion in assets under management. With a distinguished career spanning various facets of global macro and finance, he holds a PhD from Cambridge University and has garnered expertise in global macroeconomics, particularly in the intricate dynamics of emerging markets macro investing. He earned his undergraduate degree from Lahore University of Management Sciences in 1999.
Dr. Ahmed's insights and analyses are highly regarded in the global financial community (especially Europe and Asia), reflected in his frequent appearances on CNBC, BBC, and Bloomberg, where he provides expert views on economic trends and market dynamics.
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Kamal Munir
Speaker
Prof Kamal Munir is Pro Vice Chancellor for University Community and Engagement at the University of Cambridge. He is also Professor of Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School. Prof Munir has published several articles in leading organisational and technology journals and presented his work at numerous international conferences. At the same time, he has written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines including the Financial Times, The Guardian, Tribune, Dawn and World Business. His work has been quoted and cited in several forums, including BBC's HARDtalk, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Business Week, Wired magazines.Prof Munir is the founding Academic Director of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy. He has also been a consultant to various governments. In the private sector he served as a consultant and trainer for several leading organisations. Prof Munir serves on the Syndicates of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens and the University Library and is a trustee of several organisations. In 2022, he was awarded a Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.
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Naveed Sultan
Speaker
Naveed Sultan is a Professor of Practice and Co-Director of the Centre for Financial Technology at Imperial College Business School, where he also serves as Chairman of the Centre for Responsible Leadership and an advisory board member.
Previously, Mr. Sultan was Chairman of Citi’s Institutional Clients Group (ICG) until June 2022. With over 30 years of experience in institutional banking, he led Citi’s digital policy, strategy, and advisory practice, advising governments on digitizing economies and financial systems, while helping corporates and financial institutions adapt to the digital age.
He holds an M.S. in Management from MIT Sloan School of Management and an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, Lahore.
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Alia Zafar
Speaker
Alia Zafar, Director at Commonwealth Secretariat in London, has 29 years of experience in diverse sectors, starting with public financial management. She is the first woman to serve as a governing board member of a cricket board in Asia and remains on several boards related to culture, women in sports, and finance.Her work in digital transformations, social entrepreneurship, DEI, disability inclusion, and human resources management has earned her multiple awards. She has led the largest national hackathon in Pakistan, spoken on AI at Tech Week London, mentored women leaders at the Women Directors’ Program in Myanmar, and worked with governments on governance, climate, gender, and national energy efficiency.Alia's idea of connectivity for the ISEP, INSEAD community led to the inception of the Hans Wahl Impact Entrepreneurs Community, where she is a global manager. She is also an art historian specializing in mid-nineteenth-century art from Punjab and has written the critically acclaimed book 'The Magnificent Heritage of Punjab'.
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Saleem Ullah
Speaker
Speech - How Regulations Drive Business Growth
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Dr Ayesha Khan
Speaker
Dr. Ayesha K. Khan is a Regional Managing Director at Acumen – a global impact investment fund. She has a strong background in climate finance, corporate strategy, and international business, with a career that has spanned across North America, Asia and the Middle East. Dr. Khan is the founder and MD of Pakistan’s first climate focused private equity fund – a USD 90M growth stage fund that will invest equity in agribusinesses building the future of climate resilient food systems.Dr Khan sits on various corporate boards, including Bank Alfalah and is part of multiple high-level committees advising the Pakistan government on climate finance and impact investing. Her innovative climate work has been recognized by multiple organizations, including GLF (Germany), where she was selected as one of 16 Women Renewing the Earth (2023) and Fin-Erth (UK) where she was awarded the inaugural Women in Climate award for unlocking capital (2024).Dr. Khan holds a doctorate from the Harvard Business School. She has authored various case studies and published several articles focused on emerging markets for different publications – including the Harvard Business Review. Dr. Khan also holds a Masters in International Development (MPAID) from the Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Princeton University.
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Amer Aziz
Speaker
Amer Aziz brings over three decades of extensive experience in banking, finance, and regulatory affairs to his role as Chief Executive Officer of HBL Zarai Services Limited. With a proven track record of leadership and strategic vision, he has held key positions at prestigious institutions such as the State Bank of Pakistan and the National Institute of Banking and Finance. Recognized for his contributions to the financial sector, he was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz Presidential Civil Award in 2003. A Chartered Accountant since 1992, certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan, Amer Aziz’s expertise, leadership, and commitment to excellence continue to drive the growth and success of HBL Zarai Services Limited.
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Farhan Fasihuddin
Speaker
Farhan Fasihuddin is a Principal Investment Officer (PIO) at IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. Based in Dubai, Farhan currently serves as the Regional Business Lead within IFC’s Financial Institutions Group (FIG), covering the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Turkey (MCT) region. With nearly 29 years of financial sector experience spanning four continents, Farhan is a seasoned professional. Farhan joined IFC 19 years ago and has since worked on numerous transactions in various thematic areas, including insurance, leasing, trade, distressed assets, housing, MSME, agriculture, gender, and climate finance. He has demonstrated expertise in debt capital markets, as well as in equity, guarantee, and loan transactions. Farhan also spearheaded the establishment of IFC’s Housing Finance Advisory Services practice for the Middle East and North Africa region. Before joining IFC, Farhan spent seven years at Fannie Mae in the USA, working on mortgage portfolio acquisition, servicing, and securitization. Additionally, he has three years of corporate banking experience. Farhan holds an MBA in Finance from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Pakistan, and an MBA in Finance and Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
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Wasif Rizvi
Speaker
Wasif Rizvi is the founding and current president of Habib University - Pakistan’s first, undergraduate-focused, liberal arts and sciences institution. Wasif is an ardent advocate of student-centered higher education and has been central to the launch of many interdisciplinary degrees, innovative programs, and state-of-the-art spaces on the University’s award-winning campus. Habib University is an American-style liberal arts institution that is deeply committed to integrating contextual knowledge, historical experiences, and an appreciation of indigenous culture and arts into the curriculum, student experiences, and campus design. His belief in making world-class higher education accessible to traditionally disenfranchised populations has enabled Habib University to pioneer a community-owned, non-tuition fee dependent model. He holds twin graduate degrees from Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard School of Education. Prior to founding Habib University, Wasif was associated with the Aga Khan Education Services in Pakistan and spearheaded many development projects across Asia and Africa.
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Kazim M. Saeed
Speaker
Kazim Saeed is the co-founder and CEO of Pakistan Agricultural Coalition which builds new business models for growth in agriculture with Pakistan’s largest business groups and leading donors. He serves on the boards of pioneering agri-businesses: Naymat Collateral, Khushhaal Kissan, and Indus Acres. For the past twenty-five years, he has advised governments on energy policy with the World Bank. He also serves as the Chairman of Idara- e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), one of Pakistan’s leading civil society organizations focused on enhancing learning and school education. His award-winning book “Dou Pakistan: Har Pakistani Gharanay Tak Khushhaali” presents a comprehensive strategy for delivering prosperity to every Pakistani household. Kazim Saeed holds Bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and the History and Philosophy of Science from Cornell University (USA) and a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University (USA).
Moderators
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Ahmed Bozai
Moderator
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Ahmed Bozai
Moderator
Ahmed took over as the Country Officer for Citibank N.A., Pakistan in January 2021. He has been associated with Citi since February 2000.Prior to his current role, he was based in UAE as the Chief Operating Officer for Citi’s Business across Middle East and Africa covering 29 markets.Within Citi Network, Ahmed has also worked in Pakistan, Greece and UK, across several areas including Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury & Trade Solutions, and Operations & Technology.Earlier in his career, Anmed has also served a period at the American Express Bank in Pakistan. He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration and Master of Arts degree in International Relations & Diplomacy.
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Syed Faraz Anwer
Moderator
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Syed Faraz Anwer
Moderator
One of the forerunners and visionaries in modern day consulting in Pakistan, Faraz is well-recognized for his contribution notably in the world of digital and financial services. He consistently spearheads thought leadership initiatives, actively participates in economic and regulatory reform agenda, initiatives pertaining to financial sector policy making, and acts as a catalyst, influencer and enabler to stakeholders on key market developments, challenges and macroeconomic trends. Recently, Faraz has worked extensively with many stakeholders in digital, fintech, e-commerce and start-up spaces and spearheaded many industry capacity building initiatives. He speaks at various platforms, delivers knowledge sharing sessions and authors research publications relating to the evolving digital landscape.
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Habib Yousuf
Moderator
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Habib Yousuf
Moderator
Previously, Habib worked for HBL (Pakistan’s largest bank) from 2012 to 2016 where he was the Head of Strategy, having earlier served as HBL’s Regional General Manager for Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and Head of Financial Institutions. Prior to that he was responsible for Corporate and Investment Banking and Financial Institutions for NIB Bank Limited from 2007 to 2018. Habib spent 13 years with Global Securities Pakistan Limited starting in August 1994, where he finished as CEO from 2003 to 2007. Habib started his career as a relationship manager in the Local Corporate Group at Citibank NA Pakistan in 1992.Habib has also served on the boards of the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank and PICIC Asset Management Limited while at HBL and NIB Bank.
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Kashif Thanvi
Moderator
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Kashif Thanvi
Moderator
Kashif Umar Thanvi is an Investment Director at Acumen, leading investments in companies driving positive impacts on climate and agriculture. With a career spanning since 1996, he has played key roles in business transformation and sustainable innovation. Starting at Engro, he won the prestigious “Marketing Excellence Award” in 1998 for optimizing supply chain operations. Transitioning to banking in 2002, he joined Khushhalibank, Pakistan’s first microfinance bank, where he scaled its outreach and impact by pioneering commercial microfinance distribution models. Later, at Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Kashif transformed its Rural Banking into a self-sustainable, scalable model, positioning HBL as a leader in Agricultural Finance and Pakistan’s largest provider of farmer loans. His leadership earned HBL multiple “Best Bank for Agriculture” awards at the Pakistan Banking Awards. Moving into global AgTech, Kashif specializes in leveraging digital agriculture and remote sensing to benefit financial institutions and the broader agricultural ecosystem. He serves on the boards of Pakistan Agricultural Coalition and National Credit Guarantee Company. Kashif holds an MBA from IBA Karachi and a Bachelor’s in Science from Government College, Lahore
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Musharaf Hai
Moderator
Musharaf’s professional growth was with Unilever Pakistan. Joining Unilever in 1983, her 23 years with the organization spanned from brand management to country operations. Musharaf’s various assignments included, posting in London Head Office where she worked for the Asia Pacific and Africa Middle East regions from 1991-94, giving her exposure to a variety of country operations. From November 2006 to September 2007, Musharaf worked with Citigroup as Country Head for Consumer Bank in Pakistan. The business portfolio comprised Branch Banking, Credit Cards and Consumer Loans. Musharaf joined L’Oreal Group, in March 2008, the world leader in Beauty business. Her responsibility was to establish and launch L’Oreal business in Pakistan. L’Oreal Pakistan was formed in April 2009. Musharaf’s external roles have included Board positions in Education institutions, Banking, Non- Government Organizations and the Health sector. She has been a member of several Government policy groups in her capacity as CEO of Unilever and L’Oreal. Musharaf studied at the London School of Economics (BSc Econ) and Boston University (MA). She enjoys Well Being & Fitness, coaching and Leadership development and promoting Arts in the country.
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Dr Muhammad Imran
Moderator
Dr. Muhammad Imran is a seasoned banker with over two decades of experience in Islamic Banking and currently leading Pakistan’s largest Islamic Banking businesses as a Group Head at Bank Alfalah. Dr. Imran started his career from Shell where he was heading North West Asia for the Retail & Capital Investment. After generating interest in Islamic Finance, Dr. Imran has worked at different positions in leading banks like Standard Chartered bank, UBL, National Bank of Oman and right now he is the Group Head - Islamic Banking at Bank Alfalah. In addition to his banking career, Dr. Imran is pursuing his passion in the field of academia. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and is a visiting faculty at Pakistan’s oldest and top-most business school; Institute of Business Administration, (IBA) Karachi. Dr. Imran holds an Electrical Engineering degree from NED University and MBA from IBA. He is an IBA Gold Medalist.
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Farhan Bokhari
Moderator
Farhan Bokhari is a prominent writer on politics, economy and Pakistan’s outlook with a long track record of writings for domestic and international newspapers. For more than three decades, he served as the Pakistan correspondent for the Financial Times, the UK based newspaper.Additionally, he is dedicated to the cause of philanthropy. In addition to his commitment to help run a private trust, Farhan Bokhari also serves on the board of directors of The Pakistan Centre for philanthropy.
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Asif Riaz
Moderator
Graduated from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad in 1993, holding a degree of Masters in Public Administration (MPA). Have attended various International and national training and workshops. Currently working at the Bank of Punjab, as SEVP-G/Group Chief – Consumer Banking. An experienced and highly accomplished banking & management executive with a proven track record of 28 years of success & rich exposure to Retail and Commercial Banking, SME, Agriculture, Consumer, Public Sector led initiatives, Trade Finance & General Banking, Strategic Planning, Execution and Implementation in various Financial Institutions namely, The Bank of Punjab, Habib Bank Limited, Allied Bank Limited, Royal Bank of Scotland, Pakistan ,formerly ABN AMRO Bank and State Bank of Pakistan (Central Bank). Proven track record of successful affiliation at senior / country level positions with leading local and international financial institutions. Established leadership skills with in depth understanding and exposure to managing large / country level portfolios and teams. A strong and widespread network of personal and business contacts across the country, different geographic locations, industries and official entities including Central Bank, State Ministries and Financial / Developmental Organizations etc. Director BOP Exchange (Pvt) Ltd; a company recently formed to undertake currency exchange business . Chairman Punjab Capital Securities (Pvt) Ltd., a subsidiary of the Bank of Punjab.
Panelists
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Muhammad Nassir Salim
Panelist
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Muhammad Nassir Salim
Panelist
Mr. Muhammad Nassir Salim assumed the role of President & CEO - HBL in March 2024. Nassir is a seasoned banker with 36 years of international and domestic banking experience; he has worked in the USA, Abu Dhabi and Pakistan with organizations like American Express Bank, Citigroup and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. He has been associated with HBL since 2017. Nassir joined HBL as Head Global Operations and based on his contribution and capability was elevated to the position of Head Branch and Islamic Banking. His most recent role before assuming the President & CEO responsibility was the Chief Operating Officer of HBL.Additionally, Nassir has held key positions such as Director at the Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited and Chairman of the Board at HBL Currency Exchange, reflecting his commitment to contributing to Pakistan’s financial industry.Nassir holds an MBA in Finance from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, earning the Finance Gold Medal for his outstanding academic achievements. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan (IBP).
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Irfan Siddiqui
Panelist
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Irfan Siddiqui
Panelist
Mr. Irfan Siddiqui is the founding President and CEO of Meezan Bank since 1997 to date. Having articled with Coopers & Lybrand, London from 1975 - 1979, Mr. Siddiqui qualified as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. His distinguished career includes several senior management roles, such as Chief Executive Officer at Al Meezan Investment Bank Limited, General Manager at Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company, Chairman of Al Meezan Investment Management, Advisor to the Managing Director at Kuwait Investment Authority, Manager of Finance and Operations at Abu Dhabi Investment Company, and Senior Business Analyst at Exxon Chemical (Pakistan) Ltd. He has recently assumed the role of the President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a member of Government of Pakistan Steering Committee for 'Promotion of Islamic Banking in Pakistan
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Yousaf Hussain
Panelist
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Yousaf Hussain
Panelist
Mr. Yousaf Hussain, President & CEO Faysal Bank since 2017, comes with an extensive professional background, spanning over three decades. His association with Faysal Bank, dates back to August 2008. Mr. Hussain has had the honor of being at the helm, during the transformation journey of Faysal Bank from a conventional to a complete Islamic Bank. Prior to joining Faysal Bank, Mr. Hussain held senior managerial positions at ABN AMRO Bank, primarily within Corporate Banking space. Mr. Hussain holds an Electrical Engineering degree and an MBA from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). His professional affiliations include, serving as a member of the Executive Committee of Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA), a Council Member of the Institute of Bankers-Pakistan, Director at Pakistan Business Council and Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance, and Chairman of Faysal Asset Management Limited - a subsidiary of Faysal Bank Ltd. He is also a member of the Management Committee of IBA- CEIF (Centre for Excellence in Islamic Finance).
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Rehmat Hasnie
Panelist
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Rehmat Hasnie
Panelist
Mr. Hasnie is the President of National Bank of Pakistan since August 2023. He has over 27 years of work experience in the financial sector including stints in economic research, capital markets, investment banking, treasury and credit markets at various institutions in Pakistan. He is a banker with a MA in Development Banking from the American University (USA).As a nominee of National Bank of Pakistan, he has also served on the Board of various companies such as the Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Ltd, Fauji Akbar Portia, and Marine Terminals Ltd and Agritech Ltd. He has also been Chairman of the Board of First National Bank Modaraba as well as the Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company Ltd. At present, he is a member of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan Banks’ Association and a member of the Council of the Institute of Bankers of Pakistan.
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Muhtashim Ahmed Ashai
Panelist
President - Soneri Bank
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Maya Ismail
Panelist
Ms. Maya Inayat Ismail brings over 25 years of experience in the financial sector, with a strong focus on financial services institutions, managing strategic partnerships, and strategy formulation to benefit people at the grassroots level. She is the Chairperson of HBL Microfinance Bank; and is the first woman to Chair any Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) institution. At HBL, Ms. Ismail Chairs the Sustainability Forum and serves as the Chief of Staff- Corporate Office. She is also a Trustee of the HBL Foundation, which oversees HBL’s philanthropic endeavors. Furthermore, she serves on the boards of Aga Khan Ismailia Charitable Trust, which develops affordable community housing, and Healthwire, a health tech provider making quality healthcare more accessible within the country. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations from Smith College, USA and is accredited as a Mediator from the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, UK.
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Basir Shamsie
Panelist
Basir Shamsie, President and Chief Executive Officer of JS Bank Ltd., understands banking is about more than numbers—it’s about creating opportunities, and driving meaningful change. During his tenure, JS Bank has achieved major milestones. These include the acquisition of BankIslami, one of Pakistan’s largest Islamic financial institutions. JS Bank has also launched Zindigi, a pioneering digital platform that redefined banking for Pakistan’s younger, tech-savvy generation. With over 5 million downloads, Zindigi exemplifies how technology breaks barriers, expands opportunities, and redefines financial empowerment. JS Bank continues to be recognized as leader in SME financing to drive entrepreneurial growth. Basir’s journey has been shaped by a commitment to learning and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Leadership Program and an alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s in Accounting.
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Dr Ahmad Junaid
Panelist
Dr. Ahmad Junaid is an academic leader and finance expert dedicated to advancing education, research, and industry collaboration. As Rector and Dean at KSBL, he is driving institutional growth, academic excellence, and strategic partnerships. With over two decades of experience, he has held leadership positions and taught at leading academic institutions locally and internationally. He earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in Finance from France. Dr. Junaid has provided strategic advisory to leading institutions, government entities, and multilateral organizations, contributing to policy development and financial sector reforms. His research focuses on character-driven leadership, market microstructures, and asset pricing. Ahmad’s expertise bridges corporate strategy, public policy, and social impact, driving meaningful change in institutions and communities.
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Kanwal Cheema
Panelist
Kanwal Cheema is a Pakistani-Australian entrepreneur who returned to Pakistan in 2020 to spearhead My Impact Meter (MiM), a tech startup focused on generating philanthropic impact. With a robust background as Global Account Director at Cisco in Australia, she has held pivotal leadership roles across multiple continents, showcasing her global expertise in a $214B multinational giant. Kanwal was also instrumental in the founding of a successful Silicon Valley startup, which raised $96M and boasts a valuation of $475M. As President of the Overseas Pakistani Entrepreneurs (OPEN) Lahore chapter, she champions entrepreneurship, startup growth, and investment in Pakistan, leveraging a vast network of global Pakistani entrepreneurs. Additionally, she founded Alplaar Consulting, offering strategic consultancy in B2B sales, marketing, partnerships, and app development for startups. Kanwal’s dynamic career reflects her commitment to driving innovation and fostering economic development in Pakistan.
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Salman Akhtar
Panelist
Co CEO - Techlogix and CEO - AdalFi
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Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary
Panelist
Haaris is a seasoned senior executive with over 22 years of extensive experience in banking, finance, risk management, and public policy. His career includes significant roles at notable organizations such as Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan, Barclays Capital UAE, ABN AMRO Bank Pakistan, and Citibank USA. Before joining Mobilink Bank as COO and Interim CEO, Haaris was the CEO of the Universal Service Fund (USF) at the Ministry of IT & Telecom, where he led transformative projects focused on expanding telecommunications access nationwide. Passionate about promoting financial inclusion, Haaris emphasizes women’s empowerment and initiatives that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations. He holds an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology and is committed to driving sustainable growth and enhancing the banking experience for all customers at Mobilink Bank.
Media
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