Key role of women entrepreneurs stressed at IBA event

KARACHI: The IBA Aman Center for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) organized an “Unlocking The Power of Women Entrepreneurs” summit, in collaboration with the Click Sindh Investment Department and IBA’s Alumni Affairs Department on March 15 at the JS Auditorium, IBA City Campus.

The event was graced by the Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety & Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme Shazia Marri as Chief Guest, dignitaries from World Bank, and Sindh Investment Department, and esteemed Women Entrepreneurs. Around 300 individuals joined the summit.

In her speech, the federal minister said that the government placed tremendous importance on providing a safe and secure environment for the women of the country to step forward and play their role in the economy. She said that events such as these played a key role in harnessing the productive potential of female entrepreneurs in the country.

Dr. S. Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director, IBA Karachi shared his valuable thoughts about the role of women in personal & professional lives. Aman CED IBA Director Dr Lalarukh Ejaz, thanked the chief guest for taking out the time to fly in from Islamabad to attend the summit and enriching the audience with her excellent speech. She also thanked the distinguished panellists and said that they were much-needed role models for women in Pakistan. She also spoke on how IBA had changed over the years and that several of its centres and departments were now led by women.

The summit inculcated a panel session moderated by Dr. Saima Husain, Director QEC, IBA Karachi. It included Saeeda Mandviwalla CEO & Art Director of Toni & Guy and CEO of the Sri Lankan Ayurvedic Franchise Spa Ceylon; Misbah Naqvi, Early Stage Investor and Co-Founder & General Partner at i2i Ventures; Nadia Patel Gangjee Founder Sheops, Founder & CEO Femprow, and Tara Uzra Dawood, CEO Ladies Fund and Board Member, Pakistan State Oil. Women entrepreneurs from different fields shared their life experiences, their struggles & challenges, and what enabled them to become change-makers.

A total of twenty-seven IBA female students and alumni showcased their start-ups and businesses at the event. The event was a remarkable opportunity to network with various stakeholders.

The event concluded with the remarks of Mr. Syed QasimNaveed Qamar, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Investment and Public Private Projects, and Syed MansoorAbbas Rizvi, Secretary, of Investment Department, Government of Sindh, and was followed by a networking dinner.