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Business Recorder
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PAIB Committee of ICAP holds ‘CFO Conference 2025'
LAHORE: The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) organized CFO Conference 2025 on theme 'Quantum Leap: Agility & Competitive Edge' at a local hotel. A major highlight of the conference was the keynote address titled 'Leadership Metamorphosis: Recalibrating CFOs in Motion' by Syed Hyder Ali, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Packages Group. He examined the multidimensional evolution of the CFO role, shifting from traditional financial stewardship to becoming strategic business leaders. Hyder Ali emphasized the CFO's potential to drive innovation, performance, and resilience amid today's volatile economic climate. Saif Ullah, President of ICAP, in his keynote address, eloquently underscored the critical importance and timeliness of this year's theme. He reflected upon the unprecedented velocity of transformation reshaping the global financial and business landscape, emphasizing that today's finance leaders must cultivate agility, embrace disruptive technologies, and position themselves as strategic enablers. He further asserted that in an era defined by complexity and volatility, the ability to anticipate change and proactively drive value creation is no longer optional but imperative for sustained organizational success. Samiullah Siddiqui, Vice President of ICAP, conveyed his profound gratitude to the distinguished guests, organizing committee, ICAP Council Members, sponsors, and participants for their invaluable contributions to the success of the conference. He highlighted the evolving and pivotal role of CFOs as catalysts of organizational transformation not merely as stewards of financial integrity, but as visionary leaders driving digital integration, fostering a culture of ethical governance, and steering their institutions toward long-term, sustainable growth in an increasingly complex business environment. The conference proceeded with a thought-provoking panel discussion titled 'Empowered Growth: Leveraging the Digital Ecosystem', expertly moderated by Ms Sana Mela, Vice President Strategy at Swyft Logistics. The panel featured a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Atyab Tahir, CEO of Hugo Bank; Salman Hafeez, Executive Director at Nishat; and Faisal Khan, CEO of IGI General Insurance. The session offered deep insights into how businesses can unlock scalable growth through digital transformation, real-time data analytics, and enhanced financial agility. This was followed by an insightful presentation titled 'Ethics in AI: Safeguarding Trust & Transparency in Finance' by global technology thought leader Asmar Atif, Chief Intrapreneur and Head of Octopus Digital at Avanceon. He explored the intersection of artificial intelligence and ethics in finance, stressing the urgent need for robust governance structures to uphold transparency, trust, and accountability in algorithm-based financial decision-making. A second keynote address was delivered by Lee White, CEO, IFAC, titled 'Finance in the Age of Acceleration: Navigating Complexity with Agility.' White urged finance professionals to proactively embrace Artificial Intelligence, align with sustainability imperatives, and adopt inclusive leadership models to ensure continued relevance and competitiveness in an increasingly complex global economy. Further enriching the programme, Ashfaq Yusuf Tola, President of the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA), delivered a presentation titled 'Redefining Finance: Quantum Thinking for Agile Times.' His address highlighted the significance of forward-thinking, adaptive finance strategies in uncertain and fast-changing environments. Adding a fresh perspective, Faizan Hanif, a young ICAP member, engaged in a dynamic conversation with Zunair Zafar, CfO, The International Grammar School, Lahore. Titled 'Unleash Your Superpower,' the discussion inspired emerging professionals to harness their strengths and lead with purpose in the finance domain. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Financial management: CFOs are agents of transformation, says ICAP chief
KARACHI: 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 address of welcome, 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. 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 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 Syed Faraz Anwer, Partner at A.F. Ferguson & Co. The panel brought together distinguished leaders including Humayun Sajjad, CEO of Mashreq Bank; Rizwan Ata, CEO of Bank Islami; and 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. 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 M. Ahmad Khan, Director HR, Dawlance and Sharon Ditchburn, Vice Chairperson, IFAC PAIB Advisory Group, and was expertly moderated by 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, Memosh Khawaja, Founder of ILMNET, joined environmentalist 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. 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 Khurram Schehzad, Advisor to the Finance Minister of Pakistan; Mr. Amjad Waheed, CEO, NBP Funds; Irfan Siddiqui, CEO, Meezan Bank; and Shabbar Zaidi, Former Chairman, FBR. Moderated by 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 Kamran Nishat (Muller & Phipps), while the Public Entities category recognized Muhammad Ali Zeb (Adamjee Insurance) and Farhan M. Haroon (Haleon Pakistan). The Emerging Leader Award honored Iqra Sajjad (Packages Group), Basat Humayun (Samba Bank), and Saad Un Nabi Khan (P&G Pakistan). In the Finance Leader category, Imtiaz Jaleel (Tapal Tea) was awarded for Non-Public Entities, while Syed Manzar Hassan (PAEL) and Shagufta S. Hassan (Aga Khan University) were recognized under Public Entities. The Overseas Excellence Awards acknowledged global contributions from Dr. Rahim Somani (America), Khurram Nagori (Europe), Humayun Habib (ASEAN/Oceania Region), Asad Zain (KSA), and Abdul Haleem Sheikh (UAE). This year also marked the introduction of the Entrepreneur Leadership Award, bestowed upon 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. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
