IBA Centre for Entrepreneurial Development is hosting an exclusive session today featuring Syed Shabbar Zaidi, former Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue and former Senior Partner at A.F. Ferguson and Co., one of Pakistan’s most prominent voices on fiscal policy and corporate governance.
The session, titled Securing Capital and Global Survival for Pakistani Startups, is positioned as a high-stakes conversation aimed at founders and entrepreneurs navigating an increasingly unpredictable global economic environment. Drawing on his extensive background in economic policy, taxation, and corporate governance, Syed Shabbar Zaidi is expected to offer insights that bridge the gap between the regulatory and institutional realities that Pakistani startups must contend with and the strategic decisions that determine whether a venture survives and scales or stalls.
The session is being held at LT Hall B, 12th Floor, Aman Tower, IBA City Campus, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm on May 9, 2026. Registration is limited to 20 spots, making it among the more intimate and selective engagements that IBA Centre for Entrepreneurial Development has organised, and reflecting an intention to keep the format conducive to meaningful dialogue rather than a large-format lecture.
Syed Shabbar Zaidi’s tenure as Chairman of Federal Board of Revenue and his long career at A.F. Ferguson and Co. give him a vantage point that few other speakers in Pakistan’s entrepreneurship circuit can match. His familiarity with the mechanics of taxation, regulatory compliance, and institutional governance means the session is likely to address dimensions of startup survival that go beyond fundraising mechanics, touching on the structural and policy-level challenges that founders often encounter without adequate preparation.
For early-stage founders and operators in Karachi seeking access to senior-level insight on capital strategy and business resilience, the session represents a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of the country’s most experienced figures at the intersection of business, finance, and public policy.
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