Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) is an annual series of conferences that brings together prominent thought leaders from the public and private sectors and engage them in thought-provoking and future-focused conversations with an aim to shape the future of society and economy in Pakistan.
Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan opened the conference with a passionate keynote stressing on the importance of hope and optimism and warned business leader not to get trapped by naysayers who say it can't happen.
Highlighting the changing role of professional accountants, he said: "Professional accountants are among the most trusted business advisers, including in start-ups and larger organizations seeking to learn from new business models. Of course, for them to be ready to fully to embrace new opportunities will demand new skills, such as financial acumen, technical knowledge and ethical judgment. At ACCA we are ready to take the challenge on board."
Speaking of Pakistan's economic prospects, he further said: "All stakeholders - policy makers, regulators, private sector, practitioners and civil society - need to play their part. To help the economy prosper and solve social challenges, the involvement and contribution of corporate sector, which plays a key role in the economic turnaround, is crucial."
Featuring prominent businessmen, seasoned bureaucrats, senior diplomats, influential lawmakers and renowned thought leaders, the panel discussions at the event revealed that there is a strong need to rethink the role and scope of business leaders to ensure the ability of local businesses to compete globally.
The participants agreed that Pakistan is now seen by many as a place where business can enjoy a stable legal framework and have access to very reliable and skillful professionals with strong work ethic.
It is now important to make an effort to showcase Pakistan's true potential globally and make efforts to improve ease of doing business to attract foreign investment and to fully take advantage of opportunities provided by the innovative technologies and unconventional business models.-PR