School of Management Sciences - BNU

The Corporate Advisory Board at the School of Management Sciences, BNU is a group of external business leaders, industry experts, and executives who provide strategic advice and guidance to the university on matters related to curriculum development, research collaborations, career readiness, and industry trends. The board’s main goal is to bridge the gap between academia and industry by ensuring the university’s programs align with the skills and knowledge required in the professional world.

Founder & CEO, Zayn Venture Capital

Faisal Aftab is a Pakistani-American tech entrepreneur, venture investor, and executive with over 25 years of experience in leading and scaling businesses. Recognized as a Shark on Shark Tank Pakistan, Faisal is known for his forward-thinking investment philosophy, focusing on technological shifts driven by global macroeconomic trends, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. An early investor in Bitcoin and Ethereum, he identified their transformative potential long before mainstream adoption.

As the Founder, CEO, and General Partner of Zayn VC, Faisal has played a pivotal role in establishing two leading venture capital firms in Pakistan. His portfolio companies have collectively raised over $500 million in debt and equity funding. Some of his notable investments include NayaPay, PostEX, Abhi Finance, Bazaar-tech, Krave Mart, AdalFi, GrocerApp, and Colabs, among others.

An Oxford University graduate, Faisal Aftab drives Pakistan's tech sector forward, fostering innovation and attracting global investment to shape the country's startup ecosystem.

Former Finance Minister of Pakistan

Dr. Shamshad Akhtar is a distinguished Pakistani development economist, United Nations diplomat, banker, and politician with an extensive career in leadership roles. She served twice as Caretaker Federal Minister of Finance (2018 and 2023–2024) and was the 14th Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to hold this position. Her international roles include serving as a Senior Adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Vice-President of the World Bank, and Under-Secretary-General and 10th Chief Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Dr. Akhtar’s contributions reflect her expertise in economic governance, financial policy, and international development, positioning her as a highly respected figure in both national and global financial circles.

CEO, Jazz

Mr. Aamir is Chief Executive Officer of Jazz, Pakistan’s number one 4G operator and leading digital service provider with around 71 million subscribers. Prior to his position as CEO, Aamir was Jazz’s Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer.

Aamir has over two decades of international experience as a senior executive across multiple industries and continents. Prior to joining Jazz, Aamir was the Senior Vice President for Telenor Group, where he led distribution initiatives across Asia. Aamir has also held senior leadership positions at Ford Motor Company, Jaguar & Land Rover.

Aamir is a Pakistani native, with an undergraduate degree in Accounting from the University of Texas and an MBA from IMD in Switzerland. In 2012, Aamir received an Advanced Management Program diploma from Harvard Business School. Aamir has lived and worked across multiple cultures and countries including Thailand, Pakistan, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and the US.

Group CEO, OB Hospitality Group

Asim Ibrahim is the Group Chief Executive Officer of OBHG, leading renowned brands such as Café Aylanto, Fuchsia, Mad Italian, and Fine Foods. With over 30 years of experience in hospitality, tourism, and international consultancy, Asim has held key roles, including Senior Vice President of Operations at Hashoo Group, managing 10 five-star hotels and 20 select-service hotels in Pakistan. He also served as Area Director of Operations – Americas for Marriott International, overseeing 45 luxury hotels, including The Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott. Asim is also the CEO of Lakeshore Hospitality Group and contributes to Pakistan’s National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB).

He mentors emerging entrepreneurs at NIC Pakistan and provides consultancy to global organizations like UNESCO and USAID. A graduate of Iowa State University, he holds a degree in Hospitality Management and is a Certified Food & Beverage Executive (CFBE). Asim is known for his operational excellence, customer service dedication, and strong leadership, consistently delivering exceptional ROI for stakeholders.

Former President & CEO, Engro Corporation

Ghias Khan is the 4th President & CEO of Engro Corporation, where he has led transformative changes since 2016, focusing on revamping strategy, culture, and global outreach. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing Engro’s petrochemical initiatives, consolidating energy assets under Engro Energy, and launching Engro Enfrashare, deploying over 2,200 telecom towers across Pakistan. Under his guidance, Engro Fertilizers achieved record urea production, contributing to Pakistan’s food security, while his leadership in digital transformation through the OneSAP initiative has made Engro a pioneer in corporate digitization. Ghias has also driven sustainability efforts, positioning Engro as the first Pakistani company to adopt stakeholder capitalism metrics.

Previously, he was the CEO of Inbox Business Technologies, which he co-founded and grew into a leading technology company. Ghias serves as the Chairman of the boards of Engro Fertilizers, Engro Polymer & Chemicals, Engro Enfrashare, and Engro Energy, and on the Engro Foundation board. He was elected President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) in 2022. Ghias holds an MBA from IBA Karachi and is a former cricket and bridge player, winning the Karachi Golf Club’s amateur singles championship in 2015.

Senior Franchise & Key Accounts Director , PepsiCo Beverages for Pakistan & Afghanistan

Saad Munawar Khan is the Senior Franchise and Key Accounts Director at PepsiCo Beverages for Pakistan and Afghanistan, with over 14 years of experience at PepsiCo. Since 2020, he has overseen PepsiCo’s commercial strategy, focusing on building a world-class consumer-focused franchise and enhancing collaboration with franchise-owned bottling operations.

Mr. Khan has held leadership roles in Pakistan Foods, as well as marketing and insights positions in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. He is passionate about environmental and human sustainability and is a key member of the Pakistan Pep+ team, which works on reducing plastic footprint, renewable energy, and food security.

Before PepsiCo, Saad worked at Procter & Gamble, where he helped drive the anti-bacterial PCC brand to market leadership. He holds a Bachelor's in Computer Sciences and an MBA from Lahore University of Management Sciences, with an Exchange Program Degree from Copenhagen Business School.

MD, Certified Corporate Trainer and Senior Consultant, Exelon Management Consultants

A senior banker, now a management trainer, Amir Zahoor Khan has over 27 years of profound experience in the banking sector at various executive positions. With an MBA from University of North-West, UK, he is well known for conducting various trainings in the banking, corporate and education sector. With more than 15 years of experience in HR, Amir facilitates learning programs locally and internationally for the corporate sector, non-profits and youth to enhance their managerial and leadership effectiveness, covering inspirational and visionary leadership, change management, team building, mentoring & coaching for excellence; stress management; and so on..

He has been involved in conducting corporate trainings in various national and multinational organizations including Total Parco Pakistan Ltd., Silk Bank Ltd, Habib Bank, Bank of Punjab, PPCBL, Fatima Group Pakistan, LUMS, Pakistan Institute of Management Sciences (PIMS), Pak-Aims, Lahore School of Economics (LSE), Punjab Police Training Center, Civil Academy etc. He has also been in the visiting faculty for University of North London, University of Edinburgh and Lahore School of Economics.

CEO, Pakistan Business Council

Mr. Ehsan Malik is the Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Business Council and has an extensive career in leadership and corporate governance. Prior to this he was the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Pakistan and spent a total of 24 years with Unilever in UK, Egypt and Sri Lanka.

He currently sits on the Boards of Abbott Laboratories Pakistan, Gul Ahmed Textiles, Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan, Friesland Campina Engro Pakistan, and the Pakistan Business Council.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, Mr. Malik is also an alumnus of Wharton and Harvard Business Schools, reflecting his strong foundation in financial and strategic leadership.

Director, Samira Fabrics Pvt. Ltd.

Kamal Monnoo holds key directorships across multiple prominent organizations, reflecting his extensive expertise in corporate leadership and strategic management.

He serves on the boards of Samira Fabrics (Pvt) Ltd., Samira Industries (Pvt) Ltd., Unilever Pakistan Foods Ltd., Bata Pakistan Limited, Karavan Crafts Ltd., CNM Textil a.s., Czech Republic, and Larsson Trade s.r.o., Czech Republic. These roles highlight his diverse experience across industries, including textiles, consumer goods, and international trade, positioning him as a seasoned leader with a global perspective.

Currently serving as the Honorary Consul General of the Czech Republic in Punjab and President of the English Speaking Union, Lahore, Mr. Monnoo has demonstrated exceptional leadership in both public and private sectors. An accomplished author, his widely recognized books, A Study of WTO and Economic Management in Pakistan, reflect his deep understanding of global trade and economic strategy, making him an ideal candidate for corporate advisory roles.

CEO, Infra Zamin Pakistan

Maheen Rahman is the Chief Executive Officer of Infra Zamin Pakistan, a Private Infrastructure Development Group (UK) company. With over 20 years of experience in investment banking, research, and asset management, she has been instrumental in setting up InfraZamin's operations and developing a strong project pipeline. Under her leadership, InfraZamin has successfully executed award-winning transactions, providing credit guarantees to de-risk projects and unlock finance for underserved sectors.

Previously, Maheen served as CEO of Alfalah GHP Investment Management, leading it to become one of Pakistan’s largest asset management firms. Her extensive career includes roles as CEO of IGI Funds, Head of Research at BMA Capital, and Investment Banking Analyst at Merrill Lynch. Recognized in Fortune’s “40 Under 40”, Maheen serves on multiple boards, including GlaxoSmithKlein Pakistan, Khaadi, and Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan. She holds a B.Sc. in Economics from LUMS and an M.Sc. in Finance and Economics from Warwick Business School, along with several capital markets certifications.