IBA Alumni Excellence Awards 2024

Despite rain, IBA luminaries shine brightly at the IBA Alumni Excellence Awards

September 9, 2025: IBA Karachi proudly hosted its annual Alumni Excellence Awards 2024, a celebration that recognized the remarkable achievements of its alumni across various fields. Despite the overcast skies, more than 500 alumni came together to demonstrate their unwavering support for their alma mater, their peers and predecessors, honouring those whose dedication has made significant contributions to Pakistan and society.

Awardees for 2024 include:

The IBA Distinction Awards — a special category that honours alumni whose extraordinary impact goes beyond the scope of our annual awards – were bestowed on:

Malahat Awan, Director of Alumni Affairs, Resource Mobilization & Corporate Affairs at IBA Karachi, warmly welcomed the guests thanking them for showing up despite the outcast weather and helping make the event a success. She eloquently announced the award winners, sharing compelling anecdotes and showcasing the winners’ outstanding accomplishments, underscoring the exceptional impact they have made worthy of this recognition.

Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director of IBA Karachi, addressed the audience, emphasizing that the legacy of IBA extends far beyond the classroom. He highlighted the success stories of alumni who have ventured into the world and established their names. Dr. Zaidi also celebrated IBA's recent accomplishments and encouraged alumni to remain connected to their alma mater, fostering a deep sense of community and collaboration. IBA Karachi has expanded its operations from its humble beginnings 70 years ago and is determined to continue growing and helping the meritorious students of Pakistan expand their national and global endeavors.

Each award recipient touched upon their experience while at IBA Karachi and how it formed their career and personal trajectories.

Hamza Abdul Rauf spoke about the role his parents had played in supporting him and the trust and confidence he built in himself while studying at IBA Karachi. He appreciated the foundational support IBA placed in his journey as he set out to build an organization that has changed the retail & online landscape in tech in Pakistan.

Azima Dhanjee shared the importance of how supporting students from diverse backgrounds opens opportunities that may not have existed before as she was able to benefit from IBA’s scholarship and create an organization, ConnectHear, that has gone on to win local and global accolades for highlighting a neglected segment of our community that can accomplish so much for the betterment of our society.

Tabarak Rehman, who could not make it to the event as he lives abroad, addressed the audience in a recording sharing the importance of his run becoming the first person ever to run from his high school in Hassan Abdal to IBA Karachi, completing 1600 kilo meters in 35 days, to highlight the plight of deserving students in Pakistan raising money for their education.

Farrukh Sabzwari could not make it to the event due to being called to the capital for an important meeting. His presence was sorely missed as his contribution in building professional institutions within Pakistan is truly commendable.

Syed Taha regaled the audience with his memories of rushing to IBA due to the restricted absence policy and how the rules and discipline inculcated at IBA have helped him provide leadership and ownership as a symbol in his organization.

Dr. Muhammad Imran, a true patriot and son of the soil, shared an anecdote about his father forsaking global opportunities to remain in Pakistan as he believed his services would best be rendered in our country where it needs us the most. He also spoke about how having a good leader and mentor can help you identify your purpose in an organization and find self-fulfillment as others may chase the rat race.

Nassir Salim, as the Distinction Award recipient, provided a positive outlook highlighting how the world is entering the 4th industrial revolution, and this is the great equalizer as our students and faculty can help the country compete in STEM and the sciences. He spoke candidly how we all need to play our part in creating a better tomorrow for our future generations.

Tariq Kirmani, a titan in his contributions to IBA Karachi and Pakistan, had his speech read by Malahat Awan wherein he spoke about gratitude, service, and recognition. His words resounded in the hall as he emphasized the value of giving back and being the best of what we can be not as a personal accomplishment but as a beacon of hope for others.

Attendees included past winning alumni such as Muhammad Zubair (politician), Tabish Hashmi (media personality), Sardar Abdul Rahim (Owner, Bar B Q Tonight), Asif Peer (CEO, Systems Ltd), Ruhail Muhammad (CEO, Lucky Electric Power Company), Shabbir Diwan (CEO, Gatron), and Amir Paracha (CEO, Unilever Pakistan) while many other business and community leaders such as Mushtaq Chhapra, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, Mian Abdullah, Saeed Allawala (Chairman, Atco Laboratories), Atif Bajwa (CEO, Bank AlFalah), Aamir Altaf Qureshi (Managing Director, Hilton Pharma) were also in attendance. Senior leadership from IBA Karachi was also in attendance including Dr. Abdullah Zafar Sheikh, Dean, School of Business Studies (SBS), a number of faculty members, staff and IBA Board of Governors.

The evening served as a testament to the enduring spirit and influence of IBA Karachi’s graduates, inspiring the next generation to continue the tradition of excellence.