‘CFO Conference 2024’: Solutions to emerging business, finance challenges discussed

KARACHI: The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) organized CFO Conference 2024 on the theme “Curating Responsible Growth: Innovate, Illuminate, and Integrate,” at a local hotel.

Farrukh Rehman, President ICAP welcomed the guests and congratulated the organizing committee, council members, sponsors and the participants. He highlighted that curating growth involves not just expansion but also ensuring that it is sustainable, ethical and aligned with the long-term vision of the organization.

Asmâa Resmouki, President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), delivered the keynote presentation on IFAC’s Role in Rebuilding Trust. She navigated the audience through the landscape of seizing opportunities, particularly emphasizing the importance of doing so in the context of rebuilding trust, even amidst unpredictable circumstances.

The highly anticipated presentation on “Leadership Alchemy: Shaping Growth through Persistent Diligence” delivered by Waqar Ahmed Malik (SI) Former MD & CEO, Fauji Foundation. He emphasized that true leadership entails continuous learning, adaptability and unwavering dedication to excellence.

The conference’s inaugural panel discussion, centered the theme of “Thriving Responsibly Beyond Green Horizon, brought together an esteemed panel of industry leaders.

The panel included Ms. Mariam Durrani, Director Marketing & Brands, Pakistan Cables Ltd., Mohammad Shahzad, CFO, Unilever Pakistan, Mr. Farooq Barkat Ali, CFO, Engro Corp, Zarrar Mahmud, CFO, Shell Pakistan.

The session focused on exploring innovative strategies and collaborative approaches to address environmental challenges while driving sustainable growth and responsible business practices in today’s dynamic landscape.

The highly anticipated panel discussion on the intriguing topic of “ Charting Financial Frontiers: Global Trends” featured esteemed guests who shared their valuable insights and perspectives.

The guests included Imran Ali Shah, CFO, Meezan Bank, Sanjay Rughani, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda, Brian Kalish, FP & A and Treasury, eCapital Advisors, Gregory Le Henand, Trade Credit Practice Leader UAE, Marsh Specialty, Sujan Kumar Kafle, President, ICAN. In his address, Samiullah Siddiqui, Council Member of ICAP, shared the conference objectives, vision, and ICAP’s substantial contributions to the finance and economic sector of Pakistan. He highlighted the significance of the conference and its direct relevance to professionals in the business and finance fields.

Rose Hindy, a Leadership Coach, delivered a captivating presentation titled “The Leader Within: CFO or Beyond Finance”. She expounded that embracing change and fostering a culture of continuous learning are essential for CFOs to not only thrive but also lead their organizations to unprecedented heights of success.

The following engaging discussion delved into “The HR Mosaic: Integrating Generations to Propel Growth”. The panelists included Atif Kaludi, CFO of Lucky Cement Ltd., Farhan Haroon, CEO of Haleon Pakistan, with the session moderated by Pouruchisty Sidhwa, CHRO of Telenor Bank. They discussed strategies to harness the unique strengths of each generation and cultivate a cohesive, inclusive work environment conducive to innovation and collaboration across all age groups.

Atif Aslam Bajwa, CEO of Bank Alfalah Limited, delivered a compelling presentation titled “Chief Future Officer: Readiness for the Leadership Journey”.

He adeptly guided the audience through the realm of seizing opportunities even in the face of unpredictable circumstances. Mr. Bajwa further emphasized that embracing change and cultivating a forward-thinking mindset are essential attributes for aspiring leaders in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

The eagerly awaited Tech Futurism segment, exploring future technological trends and innovations and their societal impacts, arrived. Dr. Umar Saif, Co-Founder of Khudi Ventures and former Minister of IT & Telecom, led a captivating session, delving into insightful discussions and thought-provoking analyses of emerging technologies and their implications.

The engaging Fireside Chat, titled “Surfing the Wave of Digitization-Assessing Our Readiness” Esteemed panelists explored strategies for organizations and individuals to embrace digitization effectively, highlighting the importance of readiness assessment and proactive adaptation to thrive in the digital era. The esteemed guests were Arif Akmal Saifee, CFO, United Bank Limited, Tania Aidrus, Co-Founder & CEO, DGlobal and Saquib Ahmad, Country Managing Director, SAP Pakistan- Iraq- Bahrain & Afghanistan.

The panel discussion on “Unveiling Economic Landscapes” highlighted trends, challenges, and strategies for navigating diverse economic landscapes, offering valuable insights into maximizing opportunities and mitigating risks in various economic contexts.

The panel included Amber Shamsi, Director at IBA; Salman Ahmed, Global Economist; Ashfaq Yousuf Tola, Former Minister of State & Former President of ICAP; Asad Umar, Former Minister of Finance; and Dr. Shahid Hassan Siddiqui, Economist.

In recognition of the outstanding contributions and remarkable achievements of ICAP members, the Professional Excellence Awards (PEA) ceremony was meticulously organized. S. Anis Ahmed, CEO of Abbott Pakistan Ltd., along with Ali Asghar Abbas, CEO of Indus Motor Company Ltd, and Armughan Ahmed Kausar, Chief Compliance Officer at HBL, were recognized with the Business Leader Award.

Additionally, Mohammad Nadeem Khan, Group CFO of PTCL, Ziad Bin Wasim Chowdhrey, Country CFO & Director at Novartis Pakistan and Moeid Sultan Latif, Finance Director at the Institute of Business Administration received the Finance Leader Award. Ijaz ur Rehman Qureshi, Group Head of Operations at The Bank of Punjab, Pakistan, received the Business Enabler Award.

Notably, Faisal Saleem Bokhari, Group CFO and VP of MOHAMED Y NAGHI GROUP, Farooq Zaheer Zuberi, CFO at APM Terminals, Muhammad Shoaib Jan Memon, COO & CFO of Europe Arab Bank Plc and Muhammad Kamran, Director of Finance at Cargo-Partner Australia were recognized with the Overseas Excellence Award.

Irfan Bashir Shaikh, Head of Investments at PARCO, Faizan Irshad, Group Head of Audit Policy, Monitoring & Quality Assurance at ABL, and Nabeel Shaikh, Senior Financial Advisor at Thiqah Business Services, who received the Emerging Leader Award.

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, 2024