PICG Summit puts governance, leadership at centre of corporate future

Corporate boards in Pakistan should go beyond box-ticking and take a more active part in handling economic uncertainty, technology shifts, cyber threats, sustainability and succession, according to Mettis Global. Business leaders and governance specialists made that case at the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG) Directors' Summit 2026, which drew more than 350 directors, executives and regulators on September 10.

PICG Chairman Muhammad Ashraf Bawany said good governance is increasingly about trust, long-term value and institutional strength rather than only satisfying rules. PSX CEO Farrukh H. Sabzwari pointed to transparency, accountability, market integrity and wider board diversity, while former investment minister Muhammad Azfar Ahsan called for predictable policy and strong institutions.

Panels addressed AI governance, cybersecurity, succession in family-owned firms and digital banking, while Meezan Bank CEO Dr. Syed Amir Ali discussed linking sustainability, governance and innovation with Islamic finance strategies. The event closed with PICG Recognition Awards and a push for directors to foresee upheaval and take firm steps.