Dr. Shamshad Akhtar served as Federal Finance Minister of Pakistan holding multiple economic portfolios in the caretaker government and as the Governor, State Bank of Pakistan. As the Under-Secretary General of the Economic and Social Commission of the Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) and the United Nations Secretary General’s Senior Special Advisor on Economics and Finance, Dr. Akhtar oversaw the development and implementation of the sustainable development agenda including economic, social, environmental and finance work of the UN Department of the Economic and Social Affairs. During her term at UN, she was UN Secretary General’s Sherpa for Development and the Finance and Central Bank tracks. Among others, she was closely involved in the development and implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (SDG), the Addis Ababa Financing frameworks and work on the Paris Climate Accord and ensured closer alignment of G20 development agenda with the 2030 SDG agenda. Dr. Akhtar served as the Vice President, Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank, and Director General of Asian Development Bank (ADB). She also served as the Special Sr. Advisor to the President of ADB. Dr. Akhtar is recipient of Asia’s Best Central Bank Governor from Emerging Markets and the Banker’s Trust awards. In 2008, The WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA recognized her as one of Asia’s top ten professional women. Recently in 2020, she has been awarded the HUM Women’s Leadership Global Award. Dr. Akhtar in now serving as the Chairperson of few Boards in Pakistan: The Pakistan Stock Exchange, the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance, Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd. responsible for transmission and distribution company, Karaandaz a nonprofit organization and joint venture sponsored by the FCDO-Bill Melinda and Gates Foundation to promote financial and digital financial inclusion etc. Dr. Akhtar serves on couple of Government’s advisory committee. At Global level she has been appointed to the Council of Advisors of the Boao Forum for Asia after serving as Sherpa of the forum. She remains engaged in both global and national policy dialogues and is the Global Advisor for the Belt and Road Initiative, cochaired G20 Think Tank group on Infrastructure and Sustainable Investment and as Advisor to Shanghai Forum.