The World CIO 200 Summit – Pakistan Edition was held on August 29, 2024, at the Expo Center Karachi, bringing together top tech leaders from Pakistan.
This was the second event under the Global CIO Forum in collaboration with ITCN Asia, Pakistan’s largest IT exhibition, this time in Karachi celebrating the silver jubilee of the expo.
The event aimed to provide a platform for leadership excellence, meaningful discussions, and sharing new insights among top IT experts.
The event began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the National Anthem of Pakistan. Mr. Shafaat Ali, the host, and Ms. Maryam Kousar, the co-host, welcomed the attendees and introduced the agenda, which included speeches, keynotes, panel discussions, and networking.
Dr. Erdal Ozkaya, President of the Global CISO Forum, set the stage with an introduction to the World CIO Awards and shared his thoughts on the evolving role of CIOs in the current era. He highlighted the critical contributions of CIOs in driving technological innovation and strategic growth within organizations.
Read more: Empowering IT Leadership In Pakistan: World CIO 200 Summit Awards 2024
The contributions of P@SHA, Tech Destination Pakistan, and Huawei were appreciated as Strategic IT Industry Partners. Special thanks were conveyed to Solarwinds, Sangfor, Cekino, TrendMicro, Server4Sale, NextGenIT, NETs International, StrataG Consulting, TAJMAC, S2 Value Driven, and Axis Digital for their support as Key Sponsors. CXO Media supported the event as Technology Media Partner for the event. Additionally, the host team acknowledged their partners ISACA Karachi, GISPP, TCN Executive Forum & Foodpanda Pakistan for being Community Partners and TriFit as Fitness Partner of the event.
Mr. Umair Nizam, Project Director of ITCN Asia, discussed the potential of Pakistan’s IT industry to bring technological advancement and growth, resulting in new opportunities and prosperity. He also discussed the challenges faced by the industry.
Syed Abdul Qadir, Executive Director of A. F. Ferguson & Co., shared his experience in bringing the World CIO 200 Summit to Pakistan after conducting it virtually for four years. He briefed the audience on the Global CIO Forum’s annual WORLD CIO SUMMIT, a multi-country technology leaders’ felicitation ceremony that recognizes the achievements of digital leaders.
The event featured keynote speeches from various IT experts on topics related to IT, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, IT landscape, and Artificial Intelligence. Panel discussions followed, focusing on challenges faced by the IT industry and their remedies.
Notable insights included Ms. Frances Leung’s emphasis on the transformative effects of technology and the importance of individuals equipped with AI tools. The panelists shared their personal experiences and strategies for overcoming contemporary challenges through technology.
A Fireside Chat with Zainab Hameed explored the theme of “Agility and Adaptability,” featuring Mr. Shaukat Ali Khan, Global CIO of Aga Khan University and Hospitals. The discussion highlighted the importance of creating a unified vision within organizations to drive technological advancement and achieve strategic objectives.
The event concluded with the distribution of awards to 63 Tech Leaders from Pakistan, selected by the Global Jury. The summit was followed by a memorable group photo, networking lunch, and the announcement of the Huawei Launch event, showcasing the latest technologies from Huawei.
