LAHORE: COMSATS University Islamabad hosted an insightful seminar titled “Entrepreneurship, Advertising and Leadership” under its Department of Media and Communication Studies, featuring renowned advertising executive Ahmed Kapadia as the keynote speaker.
The seminar brought together students, faculty members, and media professionals for an engaging discussion on leadership, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the rapidly evolving advertising and media landscape in Pakistan.
During the session, Ahmed Kapadia shared valuable insights from his professional journey and highlighted the importance of adaptability, innovation, and continuous learning for success in the advertising industry.
Addressing the students, he spoke about the strategic planning and creative thinking behind successful campaigns developed for major brands, including Suzuki, KFC, Roshan Digital Account, and Raast.
He emphasized that impactful advertising goes beyond visuals and slogans, requiring a deep understanding of consumer behavior, market trends, storytelling, and audience engagement.
Reflecting on memorable moments from his career, Ahmed Kapadia also discussed the iconic 1996 Cricket World Cup campaign featuring Salman Ahmad’s famous anthem “Hai Jazba Junoon Tou Himmat Na Haar,” which became one of Pakistan’s most celebrated patriotic sports campaigns.
The seminar began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Sohail Riaz, who highlighted the significance of industry-academia collaboration and described the session as an important learning opportunity for students.
Dr. Sohail Riaz also acknowledged Ahmed Kapadia as a mentor and source of inspiration for aspiring communication and media professionals.
During the interactive session, students actively engaged with the keynote speaker on topics such as creativity, leadership, career development, entrepreneurship, and emerging advertising trends in the digital age.
Ahmed Kapadia encouraged students to strengthen their practical skills alongside academic learning and remain prepared for the changing demands of the media and advertising industries.
The seminar concluded with remarks by Dr. Ayesha Mirza, who thanked the guest speaker and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to organizing more industry-focused educational initiatives in the future.
Following the seminar, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yar met with Ahmed Kapadia in the presence of Dr. Sohail Riaz to discuss potential collaborations between the Pakistan Advertising Association, Media Studies Department, and IRCBM.
The discussions also included the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen academic and professional partnerships aimed at promoting research, innovation, and professional development in Pakistan’s creative and media sectors.
The Pakistan Advertising Association appreciated the hospitality extended by COMSATS University Lahore and acknowledged the efforts of Dr. Sohail Riaz in facilitating the seminar and promoting meaningful industry-academia engagement.
