The First Shahjehan Syed Karim Social Entrepreneurship Conference (SSKSEC-2018) was organized by the Institute of Business Management (IoBM) in collaboration with Momentum, Association of Management Development Institutions of Pakistan (AMDIP) and IBA Sukkur on the theme of “Considering Impactful Solutions”, according to IoBM Public Affairs Section. This conference brought together scholars, researchers, students and practitioners to discuss emerging concepts and explore topics in social enterprise, innovation, sustainability and impact. SSKSEC-2018, the largest academic gathering of its kind in terms of research paper submissions, was dedicated to the on-going development of theory and research on social entrepreneurship and its impact on global communities. This Conference was dedicated to the memory of IoBM’s Late Founder President, Shahjehan S. Karim, who devoted his life to excellence in education.
Mr. Talib Karim, President IoBM felicitated the organizing team of SSKSEC-2018 headed by Ms. Misbah Iqbal, Assistant Professor Accounting and Finance and Coordinator, BS-Social Entrepreneurship and Social Leadership, for holding this Conference and said IoBM pursues such initiatives where financial incentives are provided to all students who need financial assistance. He said IoBM provides admissions on merit to all students and acknowledged the support of Mr. Bashir Janmuhammad who donated Rs. 50 million for IoBM’s Endowment Fund and students’ scholarships. Mr. Bashir Janmuhammad, Chairman and Director Westbury Group of Companies, Dalda Foods (Pvt.) Limited, Mapak Edible Oils (Pvt.) Limited and Chancellor IoBM, invited as Conference Chair, defined “social entrepreneurship as our contribution to society” and that Zakat as such pillar of Islam on which depends the very salvation of our socio-economic problems.
Syed Nadeem Hussain, Founder, Tameer Bank and Planet N Group of Companies, during his Keynote Address, said that companies’ CSR initiatives must make a social impact and that every Pakistani should have a financial identity and how Nano Lending can provide instant loans to the masses. Earlier, Dr. Syed Irfan Hyder, Dean CBM and CES, while delivering the Conference Flow said that companies must focus on creating financial but also socially sustainable dynamics. He opined that technology can help researchers conduct in-depth research. He was hopeful that the research endeavoured and designed for SSKSEC-2018 will create value-adding impact on students and faculty.
Speakers scheduled at the SSKSEC-2018 included Mr. Riaz Kamlani, Vice President, The Citizens Foundation, Mr. Saad Amanullah, Chairman of the Board, Pakistan Innovation Foundation, Dr. Abdul Bari, Co-Founder and CEO, Indus Hospital, Mr. Zafar Zaidi, Co-Founder, Indus Hospital, Ms. Jehan Ara, Director, NEST I/O, Ms. Sadaf Mehmood, Partner and Enterprise Development Strategist, SEED Ventures, Mr. Tofiq Pasha, Environment/Water Solutions, Ms. Humaira Bachal, Founder, Dream Foundation, Mr. Shahjahan Chaudhary, Director, National Incubation Center, Mr. Asif Jafri, CEO, Eocean, Mr. Shahzad Qureshi, Director, Urban Forest, Ms. Ifft Zafer, Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer, Sehat Kahani, Ms. Ambreen Thompson, Executive Director, I Am Karachi, Dr. Ayesha Khan, Country Director, Acumen Funds, Mr. Shayan, CEO, PakVitae, and Dr. Abdul Wahab Suri, HoD, Philosophy Department, University of Karachi.
Participants focused pursuing and following up on different tracks of the SSKSEC-2018 such as Building a Social Enterprise, Innovative Solutions-Agents of Change, Impact Investing and Sustainability, Corporate Social responsibility linkages to Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise Plan Presentations. While Strategic Partners of the SSKSEC-2018 were Momentum Tech Conference and Association of Management Development Institutions in Pakistan (AMDIP), the Academic Partner was Mehran University of Engineering and Technology. This Conference was largely attended by guests along with IoBM Deans, HoDs, faculty, students, and management. Also invited were over 300 students from various universities and schools of Karachi and over 100 representatives from Social Enterprises, NGOs, Incubators, Donor Organizations CSR representatives and Investment houses.
