Karachi, May 6, 2025 — The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) successfully organized the CFO Conference 2025 under the theme “Quantum Leap: Agility & Competitive Edge” at a local hotel.
In his welcome address, Mr. Saifullah, President ICAP, extended his appreciation to the guests, organizing committee, Council Members, sponsors, and participants. He underscored the pivotal role of CFOs as agents of transformation — not only in ensuring sound financial management but also in steering organizations towards digital integration, ethical governance, and sustainable growth.
Mr. Samiullah Siddiqui, Vice President and Chairman of the PAIB Committee at ICAP, highlighted the relevance of this year’s theme as a reflection of the rapid transformation reshaping today’s business and financial landscape. He emphasized the critical need for finance leaders to foster agility, adopt emerging technologies, and proactively create strategic value within their organizations.
The keynote address, Leadership Metamorphosis: Recalibrating CFOs in Motion, was delivered by Mr. Saqib H. Shirazi, CEO of Atlas Honda. He underscored the multidimensional evolution of the CFO role—from traditional financial stewardship to strategic business leadership—highlighting the CFO’s capacity to drive performance, innovation, and resilience amid today’s volatile economic landscape.A prominent feature of the conference was the panel discussion titled Empowered Growth: Leveraging the Digital Ecosystem, moderated by Mr. Syed Faraz Anwer, Partner at A.F. Ferguson & Co. The panel brought together distinguished leaders including Mr. Humayun Sajjad, CEO of Mashreq Bank; Mr. Rizwan Ata, CEO of Bank Islami; and Ms. Farrah Rostamzaad, Head of Client Servicing at Marsh. The session offered deep insights into unlocking scalable growth through digital transformation, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced financial agility.
In a thought-provoking presentation titled Ethics in AI: Safeguarding Trust & Transparency in Finance, global technology thought leader Mr. Warren Knight examined the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and ethics. He underscored the necessity of robust governance frameworks to uphold transparency, trust, and accountability in algorithmic decision-making within the financial sector.Mr. Jamil Qureshi, Federal Secretary of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), delivered an insightful address on Investment Opportunities in Pakistan: Evolving Business Climate, shedding light on Pakistan’s strategic potential and the growing landscape of opportunities for both local and international investors.
Mr. Arshad Mahmud, acclaimed music composer and actor, shared his reflections in a captivating session titled Notes, Numbers & Narratives: The Arshad Mahmud Perspective. The session provided a profound exploration of the intersection between creativity, culture, and personal evolution, offering valuable insights into the artistic and human dimensions often overlooked in the world of finance.
The human capital dimension was brought into focus through the panel discussion titled The Human Balance Sheet: Future-Proofing Talent & Leadership. The panel featured distinguished speakers including Mr. M. Ahmad Khan, Director HR, Dawlance and Ms. Sharon Ditchburn, Vice Chairperson, IFAC PAIB Advisory Group, and was expertly moderated by Mr. Farhan Mithani, CEO, QICT. The discourse underscored the imperative of cultivating diverse talent pipelines, embedding future-ready competencies, and fostering leadership grounded in empathy and adaptability.
In an engaging fireside chat titled Beyond Compliance: ESG for Sustainable Success, Mr. Memosh Khwaja, Founder of ILMNET, joined environmentalist Ms. Afia Salam to examine the evolving ESG landscape. The dialogue emphasized the need for finance leaders to transcend compliance-driven frameworks and integrate sustainability as a strategic imperative within organizational DNA.
Mr. Lee White, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), delivered a compelling keynote address titled Finance in the Age of Acceleration: Navigating Complexity with Agility. He urged finance professionals to proactively embrace artificial intelligence, sustainability imperatives, and inclusive leadership models to sustain relevance and competitiveness in an increasingly complex global economy.
The concluding panel discussion, Riding the Economic Wave, convened eminent thought leaders in finance and journalism, including Mr. Amjad Waheed, CEO, NBP Funds; Mr. Irfan Siddiqui, CEO, Meezan Bank; and Mr. Shabbar Zaidi, Former Chairman, FBR. Moderated by Mr. M. Shuja Qureshi, Presenter of Nukta, the session provided critical insights into Pakistan’s macroeconomic trajectory, fiscal policy landscape, and evolving business environment.
The conference also featured the third edition of the Professional Excellence Awards, celebrating exemplary leadership and transformative impact across diverse sectors. In the Business Enabler – Public Entities category, accolades were presented to Mr. Muhammad Rizwan (K-Electric), Mr. Salman Amin (Competition Commission of Pakistan), and Mr. Mohammed Irfan Amanullah (Attock Cement). The Business Leader – Non-Public Entities award was conferred upon Mr. Kamran Nishat (Muller & Phipps), while the Public Entities category recognized Mr. Muhammad Ali Zeb (Adamjee Insurance) and Mr. Farhan M. Haroon (Haleon Pakistan).
The Emerging Leader Award honored Ms. Iqra Sajjad (Packages Group), Mr. BasatHamanyun (Samba Bank), and Mr. Saad Un Nabi Khan (P&G Pakistan). In the Finance Leader category, Mr. Imtiaz Jaleel (Tapal Tea) was awarded for Non-Public Entities, while Mr. Syed Manzar Hassan (PAEL) and Ms. Shagufta S. Hassan (Aga Khan University) were recognized under Public Entities.The Overseas Excellence Awards acknowledged global contributions from Dr. Rahim Somani (America), Mr. Khurram Nagori (Europe), Mr. Humayun Habib (ASEAN/Oceania Region), Mr. Asad Zain (KSA), and Mr. Abdul Haleem Sheikh (UAE).This year also marked the introduction of the Entrepreneur Leadership Award, bestowed upon Mr. Faisal Qamar, Co-Founder & CEO of Decibel BPO Pvt. Ltd.,
The well attended conference provided a platform to leading industry experts and business professionals to discuss, debate and seek pragmatic solutions of emerging business and finance issues.
