KARACHI: Corporate boards in Pakistan need to move beyond compliance and take a more active role in managing economic uncertainty, technological disruption, cybersecurity, sustainability and succession risks, business leaders and governance experts said at the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG) Directors’ Summit 2026.
More than 350 directors, business leaders, regulators and senior executives attended the summit, held under the theme ‘The Showcase: Your Leadership, Your Impact’. PICG Chairperson Muhammad Ashraf Bawany said corporate governance is increasingly about building trust, creating sustainable value and strengthening institutions rather than simply meeting compliance requirements.
PSX Chief Executive Officer Farrukh H Sabzwari highlighted transparency, accountability, market integrity, investor confidence, diversity and board inclusion, while former investment minister Muhammad Azfar Ahsan stressed policy predictability and the need for boards to anticipate economic and regulatory changes.
Panels at the summit discussed the role of boards in managing geopolitical, supply-chain, economic and climate risks, as well as succession challenges in family-owned businesses. Technology was also a key focus, with speakers discussing board oversight of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital transformation. A separate session examined AI governance, accountability and emerging risks.
The summit concluded with the PICG Recognition Awards, with speakers calling on boards to anticipate disruption, challenge assumptions and strengthen decision-making to build more resilient organisations.
