Day: October 26, 2021

Lahore, October 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):On October 16, 2021, the calendars of 48 LUMS alumni were marked for a special event – the UAE Alumni Chapter Meet-up. The eagerly awaited evening was an exciting event arranged inside the Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The Pakistan Pavilion has had over 55,000 visitors in the first seven days since the beginning of the event on October 1, 2021 and has become popular for its innovative display of art and culture.

Envisioned and designed by Pakistan’s leading visual artist, Rashid Rana, the mesmerising façade of the Pavilion draws inspiration from the diversity that Pakistan has to offer. The interior has been expertly curated by Noorjehan Bilgrami, a renowned multi-disciplinary artist, curator and educationist, while the Chief Architect who has bought the entire project to life is Shahid Abdulla.

The alumni took a tour of the Pavilion, which consists of eight unique spaces designed around the theme ‘Pakistan’s Hidden Treasures’. It also displays fresco art and a projection of the famous Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) along with other awe-inspiring exhibits of culture, landscape and art.

The alumni also had the chance to interact with Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS. He talked about how the University has been at the forefront of national initiatives that have led to personal growth and transformation for students from across Pakistan in addition to producing high impact research in areas of smart agriculture, energy, water management and many others.

“LUMS continues to step up its philosophy of ‘Learning without Borders’ with initiatives like LUMSx that is now home to the indigenized version of world’s most popular massive open online course (MOOC), Learning How to Learn. This online platform will provide access to quality learning across the country and beyond,” said Dr. Ahmad.

He spoke about the National Outreach Programme (NOP), a signature initiative at LUMS which has supported students from diverse backgrounds from across the country since its inception in 2001. Recently, the NOP received the prestigious Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Platinum Award 2021 in the Best Practices in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion category. Selected from among nearly 300 entries submitted from across the world, the NOP was awarded particularly for identifying talent from all parts of Pakistan.

While talking about international recognition and accolades, Dr. Ahmad highlighted how LUMS was a great option for international students, providing world-class education at a fraction of the cost of other universities. Encouraging alumni to give back to their alma mater, he said that the University looks up to them for support and mentorship.

This meet-up was organised by the President of the LUMS UAE Alumni Chapter, Shahzad Bashir, MBA 1998. Mr. Bashir has had an accomplished 20-year career in banking and finance and is currently working for a bank in Dubai at a senior position in their Credit and Risk Group. The evening spent at the Pakistan Pavilion was an enjoyable affair for the alumni as they reconnected with their alma mater while witnessing a positive, progressive image of their country.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, October 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):On Thursday, October 14, the Centre for Chinese Legal Studies (CCLS), Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL), organised a virtual conference on ‘China and the Environment: Lessons for Pakistan.’ Speakers included Associate Professor, Dr. Khalid Mir; renowned environmental lawyer and activist Mr. Ahmad Rafay Alam; and Head of the Department, SAHSOL, Professor Uzair Kayani. The conference was moderated by the Director of CCLS, Professor Sikander Shah.

The conference highlighted how Chinese activities impact the global environment and the lessons Pakistan can glean from China’s current environmental governance model. Professor Mir presented a theoretical side to the discussion by delineating the environmental catastrophes faced by the world today. He insisted that a mere economic analysis is insufficient, and an exclusive focus on economic theory, capitalism, GDP and income will not yield answers. He also argued for the need of incorporating legal, economic, scientific, political, and ethical dimensions while discussing any policy directives to address climate change.

Mr. Alam discussed the practical implications of the existential threat posed by climate change and China’s environmental policymaking. He remarked that the air quality index (AQI) in Beijing compelled Chinese policymakers to take concrete steps to mitigate air pollution. He raised critical points on Chinese environmental planning by sharing the presentation of Ma Jun, former Chief Economist at the People’s Bank of China. Effective contextual research, depoliticized environmental plans beyond election cycles, capturing private sector finances, and ensuring financial system and sustainability compatibility in Pakistan were the prominent takeaways of his discussion.

He reasserted the need to question the unaccountability of the current economic framework that relies on accumulation and exploitation of resources, and emphasised the need to raise ethical questions to prevent any future civilisational collapse driven by climate change.

Professor Kayani presented the recent findings of the International Energy Agency (IEA) on China’s carbon emissions, accounting for a quarter of global emissions due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. He discussed that the environmental policy laid out in the 14th Five Year Plan of China offers more hopeful projections, as the service-based economy is thriving, and the Chinese government has strengthened its resolve to reach peak emissions by 2030 and go carbon-neutral by 2060.

He also suggested looking beyond the stigma associated with nuclear energy and exploring the responsible utilisation of nuclear energy as climate change grows into an immediate existential threat to sentient beings. Professor Sikander Shah thanked the speakers and the audience for their participation and concluded the conference by reiterating the drivers of climate change.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, October 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):Mohammad Omer Saleem (EMBA 17), has become Pakistan’s first-ever horseback archer. He is also the official representative of the World Horseback Archery Federation (WHAF) in Pakistan. Saleem represented Pakistan in the 16th World Horseback Archery Championship 2021 held in Tehran, Iran.

He placed 18th in Qabaq Track, 19th in Kassai Track and 20th in Korean Serial Track out of 45, including qualifiers. He broke the record for the highest score of any first-time participating country. Speaking about his achievement, Saleem said, “It was a great feeling as it is not every day that someone gets this opportunity. I am really proud that I kept the Pakistan flag high and managed to give a good fight.”

He explained how he is unlike many sportsmen as he pursued this as a passion only. “All the time I could spare in my daily routine went towards equestrian sports as I have owned and bred horses for more than a decade. Representing Pakistan is one of the best feelings ever. I believe that my experience at LUMS has helped me a great deal, both personally and professionally.”

Saleem has also started his own school, Drakken, which offers horse riding lessons. The aim is to create valiant riders who can compete on national and international levels. He plans to set up an equestrian centre in Lahore to train individuals in basic riding and horseback archery.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, October 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):National Incubation Center Lahore (NICL) at LUMS has onboarded illustrious Pakistani start-up founders, inventors and investors to help accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship-led economic growth in Pakistan. The seven new Council members include four Pakistani women venture capitalists and entrepreneurs with academic qualifications from MIT, Harvard and Stanford. NICL’s Foundation Council curates, inspires, mentors and monitors the progress of its Foundry programme that culminates in successful launch of ventures.

“NICL’s revamped venture incubation model is rooted in discovery and innovation. Being an integral part of LUMS, we are uniquely positioned to pioneer this model by fostering an intersection of applied research, industry and talent. Solving Pakistan’s biggest problems requires extraordinary human capital development. We are fortunate that we are able to do so with the help of faculty at LUMS and our stellar Council members who embody our spirit of excellence, resilience and character,” said Saleem Ahmad, Chairman NICL.

The new Council members include tech disruptor Dr. Wardah Inam, Founder and CEO of Overjet, a dental AI-venture based in the US which recently raised $27MM from leading VCs. She previously worked at Q Bio, GE and Apple and received her PhD from MIT, where she developed AI-powered microgrid technology, recognized by National Geographic as a breakthrough that could transform the way we power the world. As a postdoctoral fellow at MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, she worked on remote biomedical sensing, using machine learning on wireless signals. Dr. Inam is the recipient of MIT Graduate Women of Excellence Award and will also be joining NICL Advisory Board.

She is joined by Anna Khan, General Partner at Charles River Ventures (CRV), one of the oldest venture capital firms in the US where she focuses on enterprise software and has invested in Storyboard, Workstream, Cord, Figure, and Tribe. Prior to CRV, she spent five years at Bessemer Venture Partners, investing across the software ecosystem. Ms. Khan is the Founder and CEO of Launch X, an accelerator that helps female founders learn how to raise capital for their businesses, and has been featured in Harvard Alumni Magazine and Bloomberg Business. An honours graduate of Stanford and with an MBA with distinction from Harvard, Ms. Khan was named as Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ and is also the author of several industry-leading papers on the cloud ecosystem.

Also joining is Sacha Haider, Principal at Global Ventures based in Dubai. She brings investment experience in MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia, through her work as an investor at Colony Capital in Mexico, Abraaj in Kenya and L Catterton in Singapore. She is a graduate of University of Warwick.

Halima Iqbal, Founder and CEO at Oraan, Pakistan’s first women-led, women-first fintech, is also a new Council member. Formerly, she founded Mealsurfers, a food-tech start-up in Toronto where she also worked as an investment banker with TD Securities. She is a graduate of University of Waterloo.

The Council also welcomed Rabeel Warraich, Founder of Sarmayacar, a major Pakistani venture capital fund. Mr. Warraich was formerly a Vice President at the Government of Singapore’s private equity firm, GIC Investment Management and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley based in London. He is a graduate of Economics from MIT and the University of Oxford.

Joining him is Omair Ansari, Co-Founder and CEO of Abhi, a Y-Combinator affiliated start-up that has built a Shariah-compliant salary advance platform aimed at digitising consumer credit in the country. Previously, Mr. Ansari worked at Morgan Stanley as an investor focused on frontier and emerging markets based in New York. He is a graduate of McMaster University.

Salman Khalid is Founder of Chogori Ventures, an angel investors syndicate for Pakistan, and Director of BNP Paribas in the M and A team for MENA. Previously, he worked at private equity funds Manara infrastructure Fund and Emerging Markets Partnerships in Bahrain and Washington D.C. Mr. Khalid was a Fulbright Scholar to Georgetown University, an MBA from LUMS and has an Electrical Engineering degree from UET Lahore.

Speaking about recent developments at NICL, Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS recognized NICL’s transformational journey over the past year, “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the new team continues to uplift the quality of the Center’s services with a laser-focus on impacting Pakistan’s entrepreneurship talent. The calibre of recent appointments is a reflection of its exceptional strengths and persistent focus on delivering results.”

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk