Shahzad Nisar

An finance professional with 20+ years of progressive experience in finance, audit, monitoring, governance, and risk management in globally reputed organizations such as PwC, KPMG, Technip, Alabniah, BRAC & MISFA (Afghanistan apex body for microfinance & ultra poor programs). I have more than 10+ years of experience in governance, finance, internal audit & monitoring positions in development sector operating in active conflict zone i.e. Afghanistan. With the background of Big4, I have progressive experience in Finance from Senior Auditor in PwC to CFO / Director Finance positions MISFA, BRAC, App in Snap & NUST. As CFO, I have prepared funding plans for lenders, investors and donors. I prepared forecasts / budgets and managed their implementation, planned and executed annual financial management plans, coordinated with lenders / donors, regulators, Group Head Quarters, auditors (external and internal) and banks. My experience at MISFA Afghanistan, BRAC Pakistan and NUST has equipped me with invaluable insights into working within the development and development finance sector and effectively managing financial resources to drive impactful outcomes. Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated a keen ability to enhance financial operations, streamline processes, train and develop teams and implement strategic financial initiatives. My experience spans across both national and international settings, allowing me to adapt to diverse environments and effectively navigate complex financial landscapes. I am Certified Director as per requirements of Companies Act 2017 eligible to become independent director in Public Sector Entities and Listed Companies. The Directors’ Orientation and Training Program (DOTP) completed at ICMAP is directly linked with the Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance) Rules, 2013 (PSC Rules)) issued by Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan in 2013 (SRO 180/2013) dated March 8, 2013. I am member of PICG (Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance). I served as founding Audit Committee Member of Mutahid Development Finance Institution, Afghanistan. On the executive education side, I have attended executive education programs in Harvard Business School (HBS) and Pakistan leading university Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). I am an Economics graduate from Punjab University and CA Finalist from Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan.

• Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance, Harvard Business School, 2018
• CGAP course for microfinance funders, CGAP, Nepal, 2013
• Communicate like a leader, Keystone Comm, Canada, 2012
• IFRS, PwC Pakistan & KPMG Afghanistan, 2007

• National University of Sciences and Technology, Director Finance, National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) has come a long way as a premier science & technology university of Pakistan, since its inception in March 1991. It has earned the infallible reputation of being a next-generation university with a strong focus on multidisciplinary higher education, research and innovation. Role & Responsibilities - Long-term financial plans that support University’s strategic initiatives - Developing and implementing financial strategies, policies, and procedures in alignment with the university's goals and objectives. - Developing and managing the University's annual operating and capital budgets in coordination with relevant stakeholders - Monitoring and analyzing financial performance, identify variances, and recommend corrective actions as needed. - Identifying financial risks and propose mitigation strategies to safeguard the university's financial health. - Ensuring compliance with all relevant financial laws, regulations, and accounting standards. - Staying updated on financial regulations, accounting standards, and compliance requirements relevant to higher education - Collaborating with academic and research teams to align financial plans with their objectives - Custodian of financial reporting and analysis - Allocating financial resources effectively across programs, and projects, considering both short-term and long-term needs. - Analyzing funding sources, grants, fees and endowments to optimize revenue generation - Financial management of associated research entities and special purpose vehicles for manufacturing health devices, carrying out consulting services and operating of medical college - Managing overall feasibility studies with Pakistan leading consulting firms for large initiatives
• BRAC Pakistan, CFO & Company Secretary, The #1 most effective Non-Government Organization in the world. BRAC operates in 11 countries across Asia and Africa. BRAC Pakistan works in microfinance, ultra-poor, Education and health sectors. Development sector spending was USD 4 Million annual on average with grants from international and local donors in education, health and targeting ultra-poor segments. and development finance segment was USD 14 Million in outstanding portfolio. Role & Responsibilities - Overall financial management and financial reporting of all programs i.e., Microfinance (PKR 1.8 billion Portfolio), Education (50,000+ out of school learners), Health and Ultra-poor program - Contributing towards program management of donor funded programs - Advise the board of directors on corporate governance practices and regulatory changes. - Assisted the board in developing corporate strategies and policies. - Provided guidance on corporate ethics and best practices. - Organized and overseen annual general meetings and shareholder votes - Organized and attended board meetings, record minutes, and maintain corporate records - Ensured the company complies with all statutory and regulatory requirements - Reviewed contracts and agreements for legal compliance in collaboration with legal consultant. - Oversee the preparation and publication of financial reports and disclosures. - Handled information requests from regulatory bodies and shareholders. - Maintained and updated the company's statutory registers and records. - Arranging & negotiating loan/grant financing from local and international lenders and donors - Controlling and monitoring project’s total expenditure including (claims from suppliers, vendors, contractors also being cared for and verified) - Monitored and reported on corporate risk exposure. - Assisted in crisis management and response planning. - Advised the board of directors on corporate governance matters, such as compliance with laws and regulations, risk management, and internal controls. - Preparing and maintaining the company's statutory books and records, such as the register of members, the register of directors, and the minutes of board meetings. - Provided trainings on corporate governance and compliance to company employees. - Stayed updated on relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards - NBFC Licensing and SECP compliance as per required regulatory requirements. - Liaison with government agencies, donors, regulators etc. - Monitored and maintained effective and efficient system of internal controls - Compliance of financial operations with prevailing local and international laws and regulations - Prepared compliance reports for senior management and the board of directors. - Monitoring and implementation of Child life foundation project for health of Children and mothers, non-formal education programs for donors like Sindh Education Foundation, Punjab Education Foundation, DFID and poverty alleviation programme for PPAF - Member of Country Management Team | Acting CEO in absence of CEO |Acting Program Manager Microfinance | Program Manager for Health Project. - Undertook regular periodic field visits branches/operations being spread over 100+ locations all over Pakistan. - Measuring value of the work done on the site. - Arranging & negotiating loan/grant financing from local and international lenders and donors
• MISFA Ltd, Afghanistan, Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant, MISFA is the apex development finance promoting agency in Afghanistan with a mission to provide financial services to rural and urban micro, small and medium enterprises through DFI’s with portfolio of $ 80 Million and provide grants of approx. $ 10 Million to NGOs for targeting ultra poor programs across Afghanistan. On an overall basis, the relationship with MISFA spanned over a decade from 2008 to 2019 with full time, consultancy, and outsourced roles. During my tenure at MISFA Afghanistan within the Monitoring and Supervision Department, I assumed the responsibility of overseeing and monitoring the operations of our partner microfinance institutions. This entailed ensuring the seamless implementation of our micro-lending programs. Beyond supervision, I actively engaged in decision-making processes and played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our initiatives while aligning with our mission to empower underserved communities in Afghanistan through responsible and sustainable financial inclusion. Furthermore, I contributed significantly to fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the department. I proactively sought out ways to enhance the effectiveness of our micro-lending initiatives while upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Role & Responsibilities - Performance Assessment: Conducting comprehensive evaluations of partner institutions' performance, assessing their adherence to established standards and guidelines. - Risk Mitigation: Identifying potential risks in micro-lending operations and collaborating with partners to develop and implement risk mitigation strategies. - Compliance Oversight: Ensuring that our lending activities complied with local regulations and international best practices, and assisting partners in achieving and maintaining compliance. - Capacity Building: Providing support and guidance to partner institutions to enhance their capacity in microfinance operations, thereby promoting sustainability and growth. - Data Analysis: Analyzing data related to micro-lending portfolios, delinquency rates, and repayment trends to make informed decisions for optimizing lending strategies. - Reporting and Documentation: Preparing detailed reports on the performance and impact of our lending programs, facilitating informed decision-making within the organization. - Contract Management: Managing entire process of negotiating, concluding and reviewing multi-million dollar contracts with micro-lending partners - Development and implementation of annual monitoring plans for all development finance and INGO/NGO partners - Member of Credit Committee approving funding for existing and new partners - Review compliance of partners with MISFA funding agreements’ covenants - Assessment of partner institutions against performance standards (quasi regulations) by reviewing governance process, compliance with laws and bye laws, operations, financial reporting, financial management, human resource, training and MIS. - Review progress against agreed action plans and presenting it to the stakeholders. - Coordination and facilitation of external audit process. - Worked as transition/restructuring team member for consolidation of six partner institutions by reviewing their business processes, evaluation of portfolio and screening of HR. - Regular field visits to the implementation areas e.g. Mazar Sharif, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Jalalabad etc. - As Acting Director Finance for six months, design and preparation of monthly management financial statements with analysis to make effective decisions. - Preparation of IFRS compliant annual financial statements - Completion of annual audit and presentation of audited annual financial statements to BoD

• International, Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance, Harvard Business School, 2018, CGAP course for microfinance funders, CGAP, Nepal, 2013, Communicate like a leader, Keystone Comm, Canada, 2012, IFRS, PwC Pakistan & KPMG Afghanistan, 2007
• Pakistan, Management Development Program, LUMS, 2012, Directors Training Program-DTP, ICMAP/SECP as per Companies Act 2017, 2022