KARACHI: Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) president Iftikhar Taj said the digital economy is rapidly developing worldwide and it is one of the most important drivers of innovation, competitiveness and growth.
In his welcome address at the CFO Conference 2021 titled ‘CFO in the world 2.0 -360 perspective’ organized by Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) committee of the ICAP, said the advancement and adoption of digital technologies and business models will enable companies to achieve greater scale, penetrate new markets more swiftly, and understand their customers better.
He said ICAP is the premier body of Pakistan, recognized throughout the world and the CFO conference provides a platform to learn about the solutions of the challenges faced by finance experts in the new normal.
This year the CFO conference was held virtually with high-profile experts and corporate leaders from across the globe to discuss the pertinent topics related to global, economic and technological dimensions of the world post Covid-19. The virtual event provided an opportunity to thousands of ICAP Members and business and finance leaders from all over the world to attend the much-anticipated CFO conference.
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) president Alan Johnson speaking on the global dimension anticipation and preparation for the Next uncertainty said finance leaders should plan for the world where both globalization and anti-globalization pressures remain enduring features of the business environment.
He said in this new decade, technological advancements have the capability to redefine economic activities and government services. The developments in technology have impacted employment, creating alternative job opportunities. Daily life and businesses are increasingly becoming digital and the pandemic has greatly accelerated this trend. IFAC and ICAP working relation is of more than 40 years based on integrity and trust. He added that ICAP members have made commendable contribution in various IFAC boards and committees.
Khalilullah Shaikh, Council Member ICAP & chairman Professional Accountants in Business Committee, shared the conference objectives and the institute’s contribution towards the economic development of Pakistan. CFO conference is the flagship event of the Institute. This Conference provides an opportunity to finance professionals to discuss and share the latest trends impacting the finance professionals. He also highlighted various initiatives like National Finance Olympiad, Mentorship program, Industry Specific Guidelines, Ethics Dilemma App, CA Toastmaster Club, Finance Transformation Series, Professional Excellence Award and Corporate Advisory Forum taken for the benefit of members of ICAP.
The lineup of speakers for the conference included Joerg Steinhaeuser executive vice president (Finance) at Siemens Gas & Power GmbH & Co KG, Tania Aidrus former special assistant to PM digital Pakistan, Ashfaq Yousuf Tola FCA, vice president ICAP, Jehan Ara startup ecosystem expert, member of the PM’s taskforce on IT & Telecom, Ali Khizar head of research at Business Recorder, Dr Amjad Waheed CEO NBP Fund Management Ltd, Salim Ghauri Founder & CEO Netsol Technologies, Mazhar Hasnani FCA CFO Engro Corp, Imran Batada founding director Center for Information & Communication Technology IBA, Samiullah Siddiqui FCA finance director Oxford University Press, Sumair Sayani FCA founder, Pathos AI, Dr. Shahid Qureshi associate professor & program director-CED, IBA and Muhammad Faisal FCA COO, KIA Motors who shared their expect views with the audience.
Adding a fresh motivational touch to the conference there was an inspirational session organized, titled Winning with Wasim Akram by the Sultan of Swing himself and a light hearted session – Rekhta with the Legend by Zia Mohyeddin. The 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, 2021
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