Umar Ahsan Khan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Dawlance (Private) Limited, has been elected as the new president of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) for the 2026-28 term. The leadership change was announced following the chamber’s Extraordinary General Meeting held on Tuesday, with Khan taking over the presidency as the organization prepares to engage with the government, regulators and international institutions on investment, business and policy matters.
Alongside Khan’s election, Ahmed Zahid Zaheer, Country Chairman and General Manager of Chevron Lubricants Pakistan (Private) Limited, was elected senior vice president, while Dr. Syed Amir Ali, President and CEO of Meezan Bank Limited, was elected vice president. The new leadership will oversee OICCI’s activities during the two-year term and is expected to continue the chamber’s engagement on issues affecting foreign investors and businesses operating in Pakistan.
Khan succeeds Yousaf Hussain, who served as OICCI president during the 2024-26 term. Commenting on the economic environment, Hussain said that recent progress toward economic stability would need to be followed by stronger investment, exports, productivity and job creation. His comments came as the chamber prepared to transition to its new leadership and continue its engagement on economic and business policy matters.
The incoming OICCI president said the chamber’s advocacy during the new term would be based on evidence and practical policy proposals. Khan said macroeconomic stability could contribute to greater investor interest, but emphasized that the broader investment environment would ultimately influence whether investors commit capital in Pakistan. His comments place attention on factors beyond economic stabilization, including the conditions businesses face when assessing investment opportunities and planning long-term operations.
Khan also highlighted the recent decline in foreign direct investment in Pakistan. According to the information shared at the chamber, FDI declined by 34 percent to $1.65 billion during the last fiscal year. The figure adds to the investment-related issues that the new OICCI leadership is expected to address through discussions with policymakers, regulators and other stakeholders. The chamber represents companies with international investment interests and regularly engages on issues connected to the business and investment environment.
During the 2026-28 term, the new managing committee will engage with the government, regulatory authorities and international institutions on matters relevant to investors and businesses. Its work will also include research and policy discussions covering a range of subjects, including climate, technology, artificial intelligence, diversity and inclusion. These areas reflect the broadening scope of business policy discussions as companies assess changes in technology, environmental requirements and workplace practices alongside conventional investment and economic concerns.
The new OICCI managing committee includes Umar Ahsan Khan of Dawlance, Ahmed Zahid Zaheer of Chevron Pakistan Lubricants, Dr. Syed Amir Ali of Meezan Bank, Ahsan Zafar Syed of Engro Corporation, Amin Mohammad Khowaja of J.P. Morgan Pakistan, Erum Shakir Rahim of GlaxoSmithKline Pakistan, Khurram Shahzad Khan of Habib Metropolitan Bank, Sami A. Wahid of Coca-Cola Export Corporation, Syed Anis Ahmed of Abbott Laboratories Pakistan and Syed Kashan Hasan of FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan. The committee will serve alongside the new office-bearers throughout the 2026-28 term as OICCI continues its policy, research and investor engagement activities.
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