Ghias Khan is the 4th President & CEO of Engro Corporation. Since he came on board at the end of 2016, Ghias has been instrumental in revamping Engro’s strategy, culture, and global outreach. Ghias, along with the Board of Directors, defined a powerful central narrative for Engro Corporation that has charted its path for years to come.

There have been several notable achievements for Engro under Ghias’ guidance thus far. He has stewarded Engro’s renewed commitment in petrochemicals with several growth initiatives at Engro Polymer & Chemicals and other greenfield projects, consolidated the management of all energy assets under one platform – Engro Energy – with a long-term strategy of investing in the overall energy value chain, and paved the way for more cooperation with our long-time partner, Royal Vopak, through its entry into Engro Elengy, which continues to operate as the most utilized terminal in the world.

In addition, during his Presidency, Engro’s Thar Block II mine and power plant have continued to contribute 660 MW of consistent power to the national grid, benefitting around 7 million Pakistanis in the process. Ghias’ contribution to the robust turnaround of the Engro Eximp Agriproducts’ rice business helped win it its first-ever Top Exporter Award in 2018 and triggered an achievement of more than USD 20 million in exports in 2020 alone.

His leadership has helped position Engro Fertilizers as the premier seed-to-harvest solutions provider which, in 2020, achieved record urea production to play its part in food security for Pakistan while also undertaking several digitization initiatives that have established it as one of the largest e-sales companies in the country. Further, with a firm belief that connectivity is the conduit that enables social and financial inclusion, Ghias was involved in the launch of a new vertical at Engro: telecommunications infrastructure, under which Engro Enfrashare has already partnered with all major telcos and deployed over 2,200 telecom towers across Pakistan by the close of 2021.

Recognizing that Engro’s people are its greatest asset, Ghias has focused on the talent development front and was the force behind the Engro Leadership Academy – a platform to develop effective leaders. Further, Ghias has laid the foundation for a digital future through Engro’s OneSAP initiative, endorsed as Pakistan’s largest digital transformation project. He is also leading the transition to sustainability at Engro. Under his leadership, Engro has committed to adopt and implement stakeholder capitalism metrics, sponsored by World Economic Forum’s International Business Council, becoming the first organization from Pakistan to sign this commitment.

Under his guidance, Engro has also earned numerous awards, both locally and globally, for enabling a thriving business environment, investing in the development of its people, upholding high standards of corporate governance, and promoting diversity, health, safety, & environment in the workplace.

As the former CEO of Inbox Business Technologies, an enterprise technology company that he co-founded in 2001 and remained with till 2015, Ghias grew the employees to over 1,900 and pivoted the company from a computer manufacturer to a systems integrator, and then to a technology-enabled digital services company.

Currently, Ghias serves as Chairman on the Boards of Engro Fertilizers Limited, Engro Polymer & Chemicals Limited, Engro Enfrashare (Pvt) Limited, and Engro Energy Limited. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Engro Foundation – the social investment arm of Engro Corporation. In 2022, Ghias was elected President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI).

Ghias was part of the Hong Kong under 16 cricket team, has represented Pakistan in the junior bridge team, and, in 2015, won the amateur singles championship at Karachi Golf Club.

He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi.

Javed Akbar is a Chemical Engineer and has over 40 years of experience in the fertilizer and chemical business with Exxon, (Engro and Vopak in Pakistan) and overseas. He was part of the buyout team in 1991 when Exxon divested its stakein Engro. Prior to his retirement in 2006, he was Chief Executive Officer of Engro Vopak Terminal Limited, a joint venture between Engro and Royal Vopak of Holland. After retirement, he established a consulting company that analyzes and forecasts petroleum, petrochemical and energy industry trends while providing strategic insights.He currently serves on the Boards of:

• Engro Vopak Terminal Limited
• Javed Akbar Associates (Private) Limited
• Engro Powergen Thar (Private) Limited
• Reon Energy Limited
• The Hub Power Company Limited
• Narowal Energy Limited
• Laraib Energy Limited
• Hub Power Services Limited
• EFERT Agritrade (Private) Limited

Mr. Khawaja Bilal Hussain is the SVP Strategy, Business Development & Sustainability at Engro Corporation Ltd. Since he came onboard at the end of 2016, Khawaja Bilal has been an instrumental contributor to key strategic initiatives for the Group, including the technical and commercial assessment of Engro Polymer & Chemicals, pre-feasibility of project Alpha, the sale of shares in Engro Elengy Terminal (EETPL) to Royal Vopak LNG Holding B.V., and Engro Enfrashare launch, for which he also served as the CEO. Most recently, Mr. Hussain served as the Head of CEO’s Office at Engro Corporation Ltd. His previous affiliations include prominent organizations like K-Electric Ltd., the AES Corporation, and British American Tobacco.

Currently, Khawaja Bilal serves as a Director on the Boards of Engro Vopak Terminal Ltd., Engro Powergen Thar

(Pvt.) Ltd., Engro Elengy Terminals Limited, and Engro Exim Agri Products.

He holds an MBA from the Lahore University of Management Sciences.

Global Chemicals Director, Royal Vopak of the Netherlands

Nationality: Singapore

Ismail has been with Vopak for 23 years and is currently Global Director for Vopak’s chemicals business with offices in HQ located in Rotterdam. Prior to this role (since 2012), Ismail was located in Singapore for 10 years where he held the positions of Commercial Director Asia and Managing Director Singapore. Prior to Vopak, Ismail worked for Engro Chemical (previously an ExxonMobil affiliate).

Currently, Ismail is responsible for sales, marketing and commercial activities in Vopak for all chemical related storage activities. Currently about 45 of the 69 terminals owned and operated by Vopak worldwide are for chemicals businesses. His experience in logistics and tank storage services spans over multiple regions with specific focus on Industrial Terminalling, where he leads one of Vopak’s core strategies in this service market segment.

Ismail currently is Vopak member of board of directors for Engro Vopak Terminal Ltd. a joint venture with Engro Corporation, Pakistan. In the recent past he was Vopak member of board at Sabtank Storage Services Co. & Chemtank - Jubail Chemicals and Storage Services Co. both joint ventures with Sabic, Riyadh.

He is also member of European Petrochemical Association – EPCA Logistics Committee in Brussels.

He is a Mechanical Engineer from Lehigh University, USA and an MBA in Finance from St Joseph’s University, USA.

​Dr. Shamshad Akhtar served as Federal Finance Minister of Pakistan holding multiple economic portfolios in the caretaker government and as the Governor, State Bank of Pakistan.

As the Under-Secretary General of the Economic and Social Commission of the Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) and the United Nations Secretary General’s Senior Special Advisor on Economics and Finance, Dr. Akhtar oversaw the development and implementation of the sustainable development agenda including economic, social, environmental and finance work of the UN Department of the Economic and Social Affairs. During her term at UN, she was UN Secretary General’s Sherpa for Development and the Finance and Central Bank tracks. Her close involvement in the development and implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (SDG), the Addis Ababa Financing frameworks and work on the Paris Climate Accord was instrumental in taking forward and ensuring closer alignment of G20 development agenda with the 2030 SDG agenda.

Dr. Akhtar served as the Vice President, Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank, and Director General of Asian Development Bank (ADB). She also served as the Special Sr. Advisor to the President of ADB.

Dr. Akhtar is recipient of Asia’s Best Central Bank Governor from Emerging Markets and the Banker’s Trust awards. In 2008, The WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA recognized her as one of Asia’s top ten professional women. Recently in 2020, she has been awarded the HUM Women’s Leadership Global Award.

Dr. Akhtar in now serving as the Chairperson of few Boards in Pakistan: the Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd responsible for transmission and distribution company, the FCDO-Bill Melinda and Gates Foundation joint venture to promote financial and digital financial inclusion, and Director of the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance etc. She remains engaged in both global and national policy dialogues and is the Global Advisor for the Belt and Road Initiative and Policy Sherpa for Boao Asia Forum and Advisor to Shanghai Forum.

Asad Said Jafar, has held the position of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Signify Pakistan Limited (formerly Philips Pakistan Limited) since 2009. Prior to this, he was Director Supply Chain, for Philips Lighting ASEAN from 2006 to 2008. Asad has extensive manufacturing, supply chain, business excellence and general management experience and has held various leadership roles at Philips including overseas expatriate postings to Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore from 2001 to 2008. Asad joined Philips in 1998 as Supply Chain Manager at Philips Pakistan Limited.He has driven the transformation and revitalization of the Philips business in Pakistan to become a focused lighting technology company offering a complete range of conventional and LED lighting solutions including its connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, design services and turnkey solutions. He has also steered the transition of the company from Philips to Signify in Pakistan.Before Philips, Asad worked at ICI Pakistan Limited from 1988 to 1996, joining them as a Management Trainee and gaining experience of projects, plant maintenance, design and engineering planning before leaving the company to pursue an MBA degree.Asad served as the President of Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) in 2014 and as its Vice President in 2013. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Engro Fertilizers Limited. Previously he has served on the Board of Directors of Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG) and Engro Polymer & Chemicals Limited and has been a member of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Corporate Leaders Advisory Board (ICLAB). He also serves as the member of International Advisory Board at NED University of Engineering and Technology. He participates regularly in Karachi School of Business & Leadership’s CEO mentorship program.Asad holds an Electrical Engineering (BE) degree from the NED University of Engineering & Technology and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Imperial College Business School, London, UK where he studied as a Chevening scholar. Asad has completed several management development programs including the ‘Leading a Business’ program at Ashridge Business School, UK. He attended the ‘Philips Simplicity Brand 1000’programme at the Chicago Graduate School of Business (London campus) as well as the ‘Business Marketing Strategy’ program at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA. He is often invited to address business professionals and student audiences at corporate and academic events.

Asim Murtaza Khan is working as pro bono CEO of Petroleum Institute of Pakistan (PIP) since November 2015. Prior to that he has worked for Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) for over 32 years. Asim oversaw the Bolan Mining Enterprises, a joint venture between PPL and the Government of Balochistan for mining of barites, iron ore and lead-zinc. He was one of the founder Directors of PPL’s overseas subsidiary companies, PPL Europe E&P Ltd. and PPL Asia E&P B.V. Asim was appointed as MD/CEO of PPL by the Government of Pakistan in May, 2011 and he superannuated in February, 2015.He has a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK. He is an alumnus of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA. Asim is a Fellow and Member Central Council of the Institution of Engineers Pakistan, Chair of the Petroleum Engineering Advisory Board and Member Academic Council at NED University of Engineering & Technology, and member of a key committee of the Pakistan Engineering Council. Previously, he has served as the Chair on the Boards of Pakistan LNG Terminals Limited, Petroleum Institute of Pakistan (PIP), and on the Boards of Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG), Community Development Board of the Government of Sindh. Asim also served as the Chair of the Technical Committee of the Pakistan Petroleum Exploration and Production Companies Association (PPEPCA).

Ahsan Zafar Syed is the CEO of Engro Fertilizers Limited – Pakistan’s premier seed-to-harvest solutions provider and a subsidiary of Engro Corporation Limited.

Ahsan started his professional career with Engro (then Exxon Chemical Pakistan Limited) more than 30 years ago. As a proud alumnus of NED, he has vast experience of leading multi-billion-dollar, mega-scale projects and stakeholder management to achieve several notable milestones for Engro.

He played a key role in construction of the USD 1.1 Billion EnVen Project, the world’s largest single train urea plant, for Engro Fertilizers. After EnVen’s commissioning, in 2011, Ahsan spearheaded the operations of Pakistan’s largest rice processing facility in Muridke for Engro Eximp Agriproducts. Since 2014, Ahsan had been the bedrock of Engro’s Energy vertical, responsible for taking the Thar project to its commercial operations in 2019 and developing a path for the company to operate in a liberal market using renewable fuels as the source. He served as the CEO of Engro Energy, overseeing investments, operations, and business development at Engro Powergen Qadirpur Limited (EPQL), Engro Powergen Thar Limited (EPTL), Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC), Engro Energy Services Limited (EESL), and Siddiqsons Energy Limited. By establishing the CPEC-endorsed Thar power and mining projects under his leadership, the Engro Energy vertical has been able to successfully unearth Pakistan’s large coal reserves in Thar and contributed significant foreign exchange savings for the Country’s progress.

Additionally, Ahsan is Chairman of the Board of Elengy Terminal Pakistan Limited and serves on the Boards of Tenaga Generasi Limited and Engro Elengy Terminal (Pvt) Limited. He has served as Convenor “Light Engineering Sector” at the Engineering Development Board of Pakistan as well.

As a visionary who is passionate about advancing the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) agenda, Ahsan has championed various programs to increase women representation at Engro and develop them as future leaders. A true practitioner of socially responsible business practices, he is also passionate about community welfare and enhancing industry-academia linkages to upskill the talented youth of Pakistan.

Ahsan earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the NED University of Engineering and Technology and subsequently pursued a post-graduate degree in the USA. He has also completed executive programs from INSEAD.