TEAM
Amir Jahangir
CO FOUNDER
Amir Jahangir is a strategic communication & media professional specialist. Honored as the Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum for his work on initiatives to improve the state of media and its co-relation with governance & development issues. He also manages Pakistan’s partnership with the World Economic Forum and earned the title of the most innovative strategist for improving Pakistan’s ranking on development indicators. He has served as Advisor to the Stanford Center of Innovation and Communication at Stanford University on Journalism and Media. The Festival of Media, Valencia ranked him among the top 10 media personalities in the world. His specialties include Strategic Communication, Content & Programming Analysis, Journalism, Media Relations, Capacity Building, Competitive Media Analysis, Innovation Journalism, Corporate Social Responsibility, Broadcasting, New Media.
Puruesh Chaudhary
CO FOUNDER
Puruesh Chaudhary is a futures researcher and strategic narrative professional. She is a Distinguished Fellow 2015 at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). She has a professional master’s degree in International Negotiation and Policymaking from Institut De Hautes Études Internationales Et Du Développement, Geneva. Her work mostly involves futures research, knowledge-collaborations and content intelligence within the framework of human security. She has worked with multilateral donors and aid agencies, news organizations and multinationals in advancing development efforts in Pakistan. Featured amongst the World’s top female futurists. She is the Founder and President of AGAHI, a non-governmental organization, which works extensively on creating shared spaces for interactive learning, collaborative thinking and knowledge sharing. Pakistan Foresight Initiative, a project of AGAHI aims to improve policymaking and strategic narratives on key priority areas of the Foresight Lab; facilitative platform – a thinkware that is engaging legislators, strategists, academicians and the community for developing shared understanding for effective implementation of decisions. She has produced foresight research compilation on Pakistan State of Future Index ‘Anticipating 2027’ a single measure that indicates that the country is relatively improving over the next 10 years
Salman Haider Sheikh
CO FOUNDER
Salman Haider Sheikh has over 22 years of global investment management experience and Investment Banking with 12 years as a successful CEO being instrumental in establishment and growth of Two Large Financial Institutions with a prove n track record and independent acknowledgements.Moreover he possesses 10 years of “Wall Street-New York” experience of leading teams with large financial services companies like Merrill Lynch, Janney Montgomery Scott and Wachovia-Wells Fargo Bank/securities.
Mr. Sheikh passed the Professional Licenses of Series 7 and Series 63 from NASD-New York which helped in gaining knowledge of structuring and promoting both equity and debt based financial instruments and derivatives. He has served on the board of Mutual Fund Association of Pakistan. He has also served on the product development committee of the Pakistan Stock Exchange which resulted in the launch of Cash settled futures to improve liquidity and hedging options in Pakistan’s equity markets.
On a special request of the Chairman SECP, he assisted in improving efficiency and market depth of mutual fund industry by structuring first ever acquisition of a distressed equity mutual fund in the country and its re-categorization to enhance capacity building (Equity to asset allocation & achieving no.1 status post acquisition). Mr. Sheikh possesses a bachelors in Finance from Rutgers University, USA, MBA from University of London, UK and a graduate diploma in Executive Leadership from Cornell University, USA.
M. Zeeshan Aziz
CO FOUNDER
M. Zeeshan Aziz has over 19 years’ experience in Financial and Financial Technology. His expertise in Digital Mobile Wallets, Financial Mobile Applications,Corporate Financial Management including performance measurement systems, due diligence and strategic financial planning .
He has diverse background in several sectors – private companies, nonprofit’s, and educational. Currently he is booming Pakistan’s leading Fintech company Monet dt. Previously he was Chief Financial Officer of a Lakson Group Company and Head of Finance of 1Link (Guarantee) Ltd. He was also associated with leading advertising company of Pakistan Interflow Communications and Access Financial Services. He has done Financial Consultancy Project in Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia.
Zeeshan involved in Motivational Speaking Sessions at various business schools. Zeeshan holds ACCA from UK, Masters in Business Administration and Chartered Certified Financial Consultant License from The Canadian Association of Financial Consultant (Vancouver- Canada).
Zain Umar
CO FOUNDER AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Zain Umar is a Social researcher, co-founder/program and project lead for digital banking awards, development practioner, SDG specialist & a Global Shaper accredited by the World Economic Forum with a 5 yr background of R&D in development sector including engagements with legal and International non-profit organizations & Welsh Assembly Government. Zain Umar is a graduate from University of West of Scotland in Business and has a certificate in Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodology from MIT. Umar has assisted and worked with various development agencies on different research publications e.g. UNESCO, Oxfam Novib, DANIDA, Phillip Morris International, DAI, USAID, EU, GoKP & British High Commission. He is also the co-author and research analyst of report writing team responsible for preparing the provincial, regional and National Census Report of Pakistan. His core expertise is in communication, research, demography, information and reporting, SDG and Population. He is currently delivering his services in 4 roles, as Senior Research and Development Specialist at Mishal Pvt Ltd, as Senior Manager for Academy of Responsibilities, Head of Research for Agahi and as Manager Research for Asia Institute of Public Policy
Amna Sabahat Bhutta
PROJECT MANAGER
Amna Sabahat Bhutta is a communication and management specialist. She recently did her Masters in International Affairs with concentration in Economic and Political Development, and specialization in International Conflict Resolution from Columbia University, New York. During her Master’s degree, she worked with Global Partners for Development (GPfD) to design accessible, affordable, and individualized commitment savings products to empower and incentivize women in Uganda. She is currently working with Mishal Pakistan and AGAHI as the Director Strategy. She has also worked as an information analyst for a multinational, Global Rescue, as the regional ambassador to South Asia for Global Zero, and as a research assistant with her Head of Department while doing her Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST). She has been awarded with Emerging Leaders’ Award, given by Pakistan-US Alumni Network and US State Department, as an appreciation for her volunteer work and community service projects in Pakistan since 2007. She is also the co-fo under of THE TRUST GOLD MEDAL, recognizing best public interest communication campaigns in Pakistan.
Rubia Javeed
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Rubia Javeed has an MBA and Post Graduate in Human Resource Management from National University Modern Languages. She has Research Thesis in TQM and Participated in Different Projects and Events held at University. Javeed is currently working as a Chief Coordinator at AGAHI. She has worked on Realtime Delphi studies with Foresight Lab, an initiative by Agahi and has been part of various initiatives. She has also led the RTD studies in different universities and think tanks in Islamabad and is part of Agahi’s pilot project on Africa knowledge Council. She has been discovered as an upbeat, enthusiastic, self motivated individual who is also known as an active team player. Her previous experience is composed of leads qualification, telemarketing and customer services in services Industry. She is good at people management
Maria Nosheen
MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Maria Nosheen has an MSc in Mass Communication specialising in Public Relations. She has previously worked at the Incubation Centre of the National University of Modern Languages. She is currently associated with AGAHI. Nosheen produced a short documentary on “Slums” and I successfully launched a Public awareness campaign on “Save Smiles”. Her interest is in project management specific to the Entrepreneurial Sector. She is currently working on developing a concept paper on Africa Knowledge Council
Hiba Arshad
DESIGN CONSULTANT
Hiba Arshad is a Communication Designer and Illustrator who is working on changing the landscape of her industry. Combining different medium of art to reach the new generations with their unique impulses of self-thought. She has been collaborating with different industries and has vast knowledge with how each market segment on what they need and what they think.