Aamir Ibrahim: The Architect of Pakistan's Digital Future at Davos
At the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, global leaders and policymakers gathered to discuss the shifting dynamics of the global economy. Among them was Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz and Group Executive Committee Member of VEON, who represented Pakistan's digital ambitions on the world stage.
VEON, the largest Nasdaq-listed company with its headquarters in Dubai, is a global digital operator, providing integrated connectivity and digital services across six countries. In his role at VEON, Aamir brings Pakistan's expertise, particularly in the financial services sector, to drive change in some of the world's most dynamic markets.
Since assuming leadership at Jazz and Mobilink Microfinance Bank in July 2016, Aamir has driven significant advancements, maintaining Jazz's position as Pakistan's leading digital operator, serving over 100 million customers across telecom, banking, entertainment, and more. Jazz has invested over USD 10.8 billion since its inception to strengthen Pakistan's digital infrastructure. In recognition of Aamir's contributions to the country's telecommunications and digital financial sectors, he was honoured with Pakistan's highest civilian award, Hilal-e-Imtiaz.
His message at Davos was clear: Pakistan is at a critical juncture. "Pakistan's economy is resilient. Connectivity, financial empowerment, and strong policy are the driving forces behind the country's positive momentum," he emphasized.
Pakistan's Digital Growth
Pakistan's digital economy is projected to grow rapidly, driven by expanding broadband, fintech growth, and increased investment in AI-driven services. The country is also seeing a boom in IT-enabled services, with thousands of companies employing skilled IT professionals.
'Pakistan is at a critical juncture in its digital transformation,' Ibrahim said. 'With growing smartphone adoption, the rise of fintech, and key government initiatives, we are laying the foundation for a digital-first economy that will drive long-term economic growth and inclusion.' Aamir also shared a message of hope for the youth: 'Let's not be daunted by the challenges. The challenges are opportunities, and there are more opportunities in Pakistan's digital economy now than ever before.'
Under Aamir's leadership, Jazz, JazzCash, and Mobilink Microfinance Bank are committed to ensuring a smartphone in every hand, broadband in every home, a QR code in every local store, and expanding offerings in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) financing to power economic growth and advance Pakistan's digital agenda.
JazzCash: Accelerating Financial Inclusion
A standout success in Pakistan's digital economy has been JazzCash, the country's largest mobile wallet, serving over 48 million customers. "Financial inclusion isn't just about payments; it's about enabling economic mobility," Ibrahim emphasized. JazzCash has evolved into a transformative platform for financial services, and Aamir is committed to advancing this mission, contributing to VEON's goal of empowering underserved communities and driving sustainable, inclusive growth in emerging markets.
Expanding the Digital Frontier
The opportunity extends beyond fintech to other sectors such as data centers and software, where Pakistan is rapidly growing and positioning itself as a key player in the global IT landscape. 'Our investments in these sectors will elevate Pakistan's presence on the world stage,' said Aamir.
With Jazz's recently announced ServiceCo structure, it is now more agile in responding to evolving customer needs across fintech, cloud services, data centers, software, IT services, and connectivity. The company has also begun incorporating AI into its operations and plans to expand its data hosting capacity in the next three years.
Pakistan on the Global Stage
Aamir's presence at Davos represents more than just corporate leadership; it symbolizes Pakistan's increasing influence in global digital transformation discussions. With its young, tech-savvy population (64% of Pakistanis are under 30), Pakistan is positioned as an attractive market for technology-driven economic growth. Further confidence-building measures will accelerate this trajectory.
"Pakistan's potential is undeniable," Ibrahim stated. "Our digital economy is not just about technology; it's about creating opportunities, building resilience, and ensuring that our people have the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving world."
With visionary leaders like Aamir Ibrahim at the helm, Pakistan's digital revolution is rapidly taking shape. From the global stage at Davos to the streets of Karachi and Islamabad, momentum is growing towards a more connected, financially inclusive, and economically empowered future for all Pakistanis.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
16 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Wall St falls as Israel's strikes on Iran erode risk appetite
NEW YORK: Wall Street's main indexes fell on Friday after Israel struck a series of nuclear facilities and missile factories in Iran, escalating tensions in the oil-rich Middle East and undermining global investor confidence. Israel's attacks were aimed at preventing Tehran from building an atomic weapon, while Iran has promised harsh reprisals. Oil prices surged nearly 7% on fears the conflict could disrupt crude supply from the Middle East. US energy stocks rose in tandem, with Exxon up 1.7% and Diamondback Energy rising 3.2%. Airline stocks dropped on fears that fuel costs could surge if bottlenecks squeezed supply. Delta Air Lines was down 2.1%, United Airlines fell 2.6% and American Airlines declined 3.2%. Defense stocks climbed, with Lockheed Martin up 3.4%, RTX Corporation gaining 3.3% and Northrop Grumman rising 3.5%. 'I think the market understands that this is a continuation of the war between Iran and Israel... I don't think the market expects it to escalate too dramatically from here,' said Jed Ellerbroek, portfolio manager at Argent Capital Management. At 11:38 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 453.51 points, or 1.06%, to 42,514.11, the S&P 500 lost 32.29 points, or 0.53%, to 6,012.97, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 127.05 points, or 0.65%, to 19,535.43. Eight of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors fell. Energy stocks gained 1.3%, while financials was the worst hit with a 1.5% drop. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were set to log their third week of gains, while the Dow was on track for its first weekly loss in three weeks. Photoshop-maker Adobe fell 5.2% despite raising its full-year results forecast. Most megacap and growth stocks declined. Nvidia was 1.5% lower and Apple lost 0.8%. Visa shares hit a more than four-week low and were last down 5.2%. Shares of Boeing fell nearly 2%, weighing on the blue-chip Dow. US-listed shares of gold miners rose tracking an increase in bullion prices. Newmont gained 2.4%, while AngloGold Ashanti added 3.1%. The S&P 500 was 2.1% below its record high reached earlier this year, after upbeat corporate earnings and a softening in US President Donald Trump's trade stance drove stellar monthly gains in May. The tech-heavy Nasdaq is about 3.2% off its record closing high reached in December last year. A tame consumer price report, softer-than-expected producer price data and largely unchanged initial jobless claims earlier this week helped calm investor jitters around tariff-driven price pressures. However, US Federal Reserve policymakers are widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at their meeting next week.
Business Recorder
25 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Pakistan, UAE agree to convene JMC moot in Abu Dhabi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to convene a meeting of Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) in Abu Dhabi. Both the countries have showed willingness in this regard during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's day-long visit to UAE on June 12. However, dates for holding the Pak-UAE JMC are being finalised. Shehbaz, Abu Dhabi ruler discuss regional and global issues Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting on Friday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to review preparations for the upcoming 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission in Abu Dhabi. The meeting was attended by SAPM to DPM Office, federal secretaries of Economic Affairs, Commerce, Maritime Affairs, Interior, Inter-Provincial Coordination, National Heritage, and Health, along with senior officials from relevant ministries and concerned departments, including MoFA, overseas Pakistanis, Finance, Railways, Defence, and Tourism. Discussions focused on advancing key bilateral initiatives, formalising collaboration in existing sectors, exploring new avenues for cooperation, and attracting mutually-beneficial UAE investments in priority areas, the Foreign Office spokesperson said. The DPM/FM reiterated Pakistan's firm commitment to strengthening Pakistan-UAE economic and trade relations. The UAE is Pakistan's third largest trading partner after China and the United States. The UAE is also home to over one million Pakistani expatriates and the second source of major remittances to Pakistan. Currently, according to a senior official trade volume between Pakistan and the UAE crossed over USD 10.9 billion. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
9 hours ago
- Business Recorder
FTSE 100 pulls back from record as Middle East tensions escalate
London's FTSE 100 retreated on Friday after closing at a record high in the previous session as Israel's attacks on Iran ramped up geopolitical tensions, but gains in energy stocks limited declines. The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed down 0.4%, less than 1% away from an intraday record high. Israel launched strikes against Iran on Friday, targeting nuclear facilities and ballistic missile factories, to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon. The Islamic Republic insists it wants nuclear energy only for civilian purposes. Israel said Iran had launched around 100 drones towards Israeli territory in retaliation on Friday, but Iran denied thisand there were no reports of any drones reaching Israeli targets. The development adds to caution among investors, who are already grappling with the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's erratic tariff policies. The heightened tensions sent prices of crude soaring about 6% and weighed heavily on travel and leisure stocks. British Airways owner ICAG fell 3.7%, EasyJet dropped 2.7%, while Wizz Air was down 5.6%. Global airlines cleared out of airspace in the Middle East, diverting flights. London-listed shares of cruise operator Carnival were down 3.4%. Gains in commodity-linked stocks capped declines in the blue-chip index, with energy shares rising 0.8%, boosted by oil giants Shell and BP. As investors flocked to safe havens, gold prices rose 1%, helping precious metal miners rise 2.8%. The midcap FTSE 250 slid 1%, recording its steepest single-day fall in more than two months. Gas producer Energean dropped 5.1% after it said it had temporarily suspended the production and activities of its power floating production storage and offloading located off northern Israel. Markets will be looking ahead to the Bank of England's monetary policy meeting next week, where it is expected to keep interest rates on hold. A central bank survey showed the British public's expectations for inflation over the medium term remained at the highest in several years although short-term expectations fell.
