Day 2 of LIIBS 2024 Continues Momentum Towards Collaborative Economic Growth

Islamabad - 24 April 2024 (Adnan Hameed) : The 7th Edition of the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit (LIIBS) entered its second day with fervent discussions and insights aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation for economic advancement. Hosted by Nutshell Group and Unity Foods Limited in collaboration with OICCI, Faysal Bank Limited, and InfraZamin Pakistan, LIIBS 2024 convened visionary leaders and stakeholders to explore the theme of 'Collaborating for Growth.' Keynote speaker Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman (Rtd) emphasized the pivotal role of private enterprises in driving economic prosperity, urging for consistent policies and enhanced government-business cooperation. “The private sector should take responsibility. This call to action highlights the key role that private businesses and enterprises can play in driving economic growth, job creation, and innovation. Collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector can unlock new opportunities, attract investments, and address key challenges facing the country's economy. Today, the world has changed. It’s not about geo-politics, but it’s about geo-economics and if economics is the key, then the private sector is the one that is supposed to take the responsibility. Consistency of policies is imperative.” Dr. Amjad Waheed, CEO, NBP Funds; and Zarrar Hasham Khan, Group Chief Business Solutions Officer, PTCL Group participated in this discussion. Dr. Amjad, a committed visionary and corporate leader, commented on the need to disrupt the mindset, “I perceive that the upheaval we are experiencing transcends mere technological advancements; it is a disruption of mindset. This shift in perspective is profound and far-reaching, affecting how we perceive the world, make decisions, and interact with each other. Moustafa sharing his experience of being in Pakistan said, “Pakistan is the closest to Egypt culturally, economically, and historically, so it makes sense to collaborate and work together. Pakistan has a great pool of talent in terms of digital skills and education. Zarrar, speaking on the telecom industry and connectivity needs for developing economies, stated, “Traditional structures in industrialized countries are collapsing, with AI revolutionizing software development. The emergence of cloud services & AI is encouraging, Pakistan will need significant changes in the development & delivery of efficient systems.” Saquib, summed up the talk with his take on the need to own the change. He said, “If we want to make an impact, we need to bring a change ourselves. That is the disruption this country needs. That is the impact we all need. It is us who have to own the responsibility and make an impact.” The day commenced with a dialogue on "Forging the Future," featuring industry experts who underscored the importance of adaptive learning models and identified emerging market trends. Subsequent discussions on "Leadership & Strategy in the Age of Disruption" and "The BIG Rethink for Collaboration" highlighted the imperative for mindset shifts and cross-sector partnerships in navigating contemporary challenges. Insights on leveraging data and AI capabilities for economic strengthening were shared in a panel on "The BIG Data," emphasizing democratized access to technology for enhanced productivity. In his closing remarks Dr. Jehad El-Nakla, Chairman, Al Baraka Bank Pakistan Limited said, “Following discussions on economic matters with Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, I am convinced that the country is making significant strides in the right direction. Alessandro Ferin, Founder & CEO, Novelty Media, Italy, said, “We have started investing in Pakistan because communication is not a barrier. Access to millions of young individuals is a tremendous opportunity for startups whose enterprise value is calculated against the size of their customer base. LIIBS 2024 served as a platform for global collaboration and knowledge exchange, reinforcing the imperative for strategic partnerships in driving Pakistan's economic success.