Prof. Dr. Shahid Qureshi (GIFT Univesity)
Prof. Dr. Shahid Qureshi, Rector of GIFT University, is a distinguished academician and expert in entrepreneurship with a Ph.D. from TU Berlin and an MBA from LUMS. As a fellow of Babson Business School, he has taught at renowned institutions globally, contributing significantly to the promotion of entrepreneurial education in Pakistan. Dr. Qureshi has served as Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Development at IBA Karachi and currently holds key positions as a board member of IGNITE and the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education Karachi. His research, focusing on entrepreneurship, technology-based firms, and entrepreneurial universities, has been widely published in impactful journals. Dr. Qureshi envisions transforming Pakistani universities into practical and entrepreneurial hubs.
Engr. Muhammad Ahsen Mirza (IIU Islamabad)
Mr. Muhammad Ahsen Mirza holds an MS degree in Electronics Engineering, is the Director of the Business Incubation Center (BIC) at the International Islamic University (IIU) Islamabad. He has demonstrated success in establishing and managing the BIC at various universities by crafting a functional model, rule book, and business plan for sustained success. He is recognized as an internationally certified master trainer and an expert in professional engineering, specializing in business incubator development and management. He helps to startup companies and individual entrepreneurs to develop their businesses.
Ms. Munahill Zia (LUMS)
Ms. Munahill Zia graduated from the University of Punjab with M.Phil in Economics.
Ms. Minahill is involved in developing strategic community partnerships and management of stakeholders including incubators, innovation-led universities, and investors. She manages network building of mentors, investors, and serial entrepreneurs to facilitate the startup community.She is actively involved in startup selection, coaching, and investor connectivity.
Mr. Zayn N. Qureshi (NSTP-NUST)
Zayn is the head of Marketing & Partnerships at the National Science & Technology Park (NSTP). He has worked as a consumer researcher in the brand and advertising domain at Ipsos where he consulted large conglomerates such as USAID, Colgate Palmolive, HBL Bank, Neslte Mena, and USAID. Zayn holds a master’s in marketing & Strategy from Durham University and has done professional courses at Columbia Business School (Digital Marketing) and Oxford University (Project Risk Management).
Engr. Usama bin Mansoor (IGNITE National Technology Fund)
Engr. Usama bin Mansoor is currently t working as the Assistant Manager (Training Projects) at Ignite – National Technology Fund, Ministry of IT & Telecom, Pakistan. He holds M.Sc. Engineering with Innovation and Entrepreneurship from University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom and B.Eng. (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom. He is a highly versatile individual with a strong engineering background and industrial experience. Engr. Usama is certified trainer of Start & Improve Your Business (SIYB) and Gender & Entrepreneurship Together (GET Ahead) programs.
Dr. Jamil Anwar, an Assistant Professor at COMSATS University, Abbottabad, possesses over 25 years of multifaceted experience encompassing management, teaching, training, and software development. With a PhD in Management (Strategy and Finance), along with qualifications such as an MBA in Finance, MSc in Statistics, and Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) in database administration, he has a robust skill set. Dr. Anwar’s extensive tenure at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), where he held roles including Sr. Joint Director and head of the SME Finance division, coupled with his involvement in projects with international organizations like the IMF and ADB, underscores his expertise. He has contributed significantly to SME development, serving as a project coordinator and head of the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC), conducting workshops, and acting as a consultant for projects in Oman. His research publications in esteemed journals and his involvement in educational initiatives highlight his dedication to academia and professional development. Additionally, he is actively engaged in conducting training sessions on various topics for diverse organizations, including universities, banks, NGOs, and schools, demonstrating his commitment to knowledge dissemination and skill enhancement.
Dr. Muhammad Naveed Jan, an IBA Karachi graduate specializing in Finance, holds an MS in Finance from COMSATS and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Muhammad Ali Jinnah University Islamabad. Joining COMSATS-Abbottabad in 2003, leading numerous innovative projects, notably establishing the Career Development Center (CDC), acclaimed for its impact on graduates, corporate clients, and campus executives. His tenure includes successful student placements in the corporate sector, management of industry liaisons, and roles as In-Charge of the Finance group and member of academic committees. Additionally, he contributed significantly to the National Bank of Pakistan’s Strategic Corporate Planning Group in Karachi, driving HR policy development, strategic financial planning, procedural re-engineering, and website design as a Project Manager. Jan also lectured in Finance at Peshawar University and coordinated the BBA program at the Institute of Management Studies.