Islamabad, September 15, 2026 – The Nutshell Group will host the 9th edition of the LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT (LIIBS) 2026 on Thursday, September 17 at a local hotel in Islamabad. This year’s summit is themed “The Next Move,” is bringing together federal ministers, global institutional leaders, and Pakistan’s top corporate executives for a day of high-level dialogue on the country’s economic, technological and geopolitical direction.
Building on the momentum of LIIBS 2025’s theme “Navigating the Unknown,” this year’s edition shifts focus from uncertainty to action, and examining what Pakistan’s next strategic, economic and technological moves should be, and who will make them.
The summit will open with an inaugural session, “The Next Move: Reading the Moment,” featuring a ministerial addresses by Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways; Muhammad Ali, Federal Minister & Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation; and Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue, along with a keynote by Lucia Real Martin, Global Executive Director, ACCA.
During the day, five strategic dialogues will unfold including “Geopolitics, Geoeconomics & Pakistan” with Simon Andrews, Regional Director, International Finance Corporation; Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan; Andrew Bailey, Managing Director, BASF Pakistan; Maheen Rahman, CEO, InfraZamin Pakistan; and Dr. Ayesha K. Khan, Regional Managing Director, Acumen.
The next session is themed “Business, Technology & the New Competitive Landscape” with Serkan Ozturk, Chief of Staff and Strategy Officer, VEON Group; Saira Awan Malik, President, TCS Holdings; Irfan Wahab Khan, Chairman, easypaisa Digital Bank; Fatima Asad-Said, CEO, ABACUS; and Kabir Naqvi, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Abhi Group.
Another session will discussion “AI, Digital Transformation & Economic Value” with Saqib Sabah, Managing Director Growth Market Units, SAP; Mujeeb Zahur, Managing Director, S&P Global Pakistan; Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, President & CEO, Mobilink Bank; Muntaqa Peracha, MD & CEO, foodpanda; and Tariq Rashid, Global Telco Growth Leader, Systems Limited.
The session on “Capital, Finance & The Confidence Economy” will include a discussion with Javed Kureishi, CEO, Pakistan Business Council; Dr. Amjad Waheed, CEO, NBP Funds; Muhammad Hamayun Sajjad, CEO, Mashreq Pakistan; Muhammad Shoaib, CEO & Co-Founder, Lucky Investments Ltd; Imtiaz Gadar, CEO, Al Meezan Investment Management; Umair Aijaz, CEO, Raqami Islamic Digital Bank; and Sajjeed Aslam, Partner, Sustainadility, USA.
The event will conclude with a powerful discussion on “Pakistan’s Moment of Choice” featuring Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan (2023-24); Senator Dr. Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Pakistan’s Chief of Air Staff (2015-2018); Ziad Bashir, Chairman, Pakistan Business Council; Aamir Ibrahim, CEO, JazzWorld; and Fahd Hussain, Executive Director, The Express Tribune.
LIIBS 2026 is supported by Coca Cola Pakistan, Technology Partners ABACUS and Systems; Research Partner S&P Global; Knowledge Partner ACCA; Sustainability Partner Sustainadility; Hospitality Partner Serena Hotels; Outreach Partner VCAST; and partners including ABHI Microfinance Bank, Interloop, Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), PARCO, PTCL Group, Faysal Bank Ltd, BankIslami Pakistan Ltd, Mobilink Bank, Mashreq, NBP Funds, Al Meezan Investment Management Ltd, Lucky Investments, PharmEvo, Bank AL Habib Ltd, Askari Bank Ltd, Meezan Bank, Raqami Islamic Digital Bank, TCS, and Hilton Pharma.
