The event saw a turnout of nearly 1600 Alumni of the most prestigious business school in Pakistan accompanied by some of the biggest names of the country's corporate sector. The Guest of Honor was Mr. Shahid Shafiq, a member IBA Board of Governors, seasoned alumnus and a renowned businessman.
The event commenced with an inaugural speech by Dr. Ishrat Husain, the Dean and Director of IBA, who has recently joined the institute, having brought with him a diverse and impressive experience of serving in the economic institutions of Pakistan and the world in various capacities, including the governorship of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for six years. In his speech, he honored the people who have contributed to the esteem of the Institution and unveiled his plans for the future of the IBA.
His speech focused on enlightening the audience about the current economic conditions of the country, mainly with reference to the role of financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies and investment firms. He shed light on his past experience at the World Bank where he was conducting a study on educational institutions in Pakistan and his results declared IBA as one of the best in the country. He also spoke of the Indian economy and industry and how they have become a beacon of light and a force to reckon with.
Dr. Ishrat Hussain's speech was followed by an address from the Chief Guest, Mr. Shahid Shafiq, who commented on the contributions of the IBA Alumni to the economy of the country through their services in various sectors. He said he hoped to see a continuation of this tradition of excellence in the future graduates of the IBA.
Afterwards, the audience was addressed by the Alumni Managers Aania Alam, Aina Gul Marwat and Muneeza J. Khan, who graciously thanked Dr. Ishrat Husain, Dr. Shahid Mir, the Student's Counselor and Mr. Imran-ul-Haq, the Alumni and Placement Manager for their continued support and guidance in arranging the event. They proceeded to thank the Student Executive Council and the event team for their commitment and hard work in making this event possible. They also thanked the sponsors of the event, Mobilink (Diamond Sponsor), The Jang Group (Media Sponsor), Arif Habib Investments, Indus Motors Ltd., Engro Chemicals and Invest Capital and Securities (Private) Ltd. for their financial support in making the event possible.
The thank-you note was followed by an address from Umair Waheed Shaikh, the Vice President of the Business Administration Students' Council, wherein he observed the efforts of this year's BASC, ESF and BITS to bring up the standard of events and student activities at the IBA. He commented on his own tenure and the council's commitment to provide the student body with a memorable year and hoped the benchmarks of performance set by all BASC members will be met by the future councils.
Before the dinner was declared open, plaque distribution took place; Dr. Ishrat Hussain presented plaques to the chief guest, Mr. Shahid Shafiq, the Alumni Managers (mentioned above), the Vice Presidents of the Students' Councils and the Student Executive Council; Salman Humayun (Event Manager), Yamna Sultan Bari (Marketing Manager), Madiha Sheikh (Registration Manager) and Ather Sheikhani (Chief Organizer).
The dinner was declared open at 10:15 pm. The dinner ended on a note of youthful celebration with a stunning performance by Strings, who sang some of their hit singles to an excited audience of 1500 at the IBA Main Campus.
