Advisors

Engineer Liaquat Ali is a business-focused technology leader with over four decades of experience in enterprise information technology, digital transformation, and workforce development. After prototyping the AI engineer training program in Karachi for more than a year and successfully placing the trainees into AI jobs, he is now building, as Founder and CEO of the Pakistan AI Centers of Excellence (pakaicoe.com), a national AI talent grid designed to produce 150,000 industry-ready AI engineers per year, aligned with global enterprise standards and the needs of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and international markets. As CEO of LA Consulting Corporation, Liaquat Ali has led complex modernization programs for Fortune 500 and mid-market enterprises, delivering initiatives for clients such as Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cenovus, Johnson Controls, and Carrier, with core expertise in procurement transformation, cloud platforms, and systems integration. At Pak AI CoE, he uses this enterprise experience to design hubs, curricula, and hiring pipelines tied to real project demands. In partnership with governments, industry, and universities, he is working on structuring compliant hiring pathways and AI workforce solutions that de-risk large-scale recruitment and deliver measurable value. Respected as a strategist and mentor, he brings an entrepreneurial, data-driven approach to making Pakistan's AI talent a driver of economic growth at home and in the region.

Professor Tahir Mahmood Chaudhry is a distinguished academic leader, strategist, and operator with over four decades of experience designing, scaling, and stabilising complex education and technology initiatives across Pakistan. As Lead Operations Organizer for the Pakistan AI Centers of Excellence (pakaicoe.com), he will be responsible for turning the national AI hubs blueprint into an executable, on-the-ground system – aligning campuses, partners, governance, and day-to-day delivery so the hubs run reliably at scale. A founding force behind the Pakistan Information Security Association, the Turnaround Management Association (Pakistan Chapter), and the Open Source Foundation’s Industry–Academia Linkages, Professor Tahir has repeatedly taken initiatives from concept to functioning institutions. He has also led professional bodies including the Career Development Association, Computer Society of Pakistan, and Pakistan Society of Security Professionals, giving him deep experience in stakeholder management, standards, and operational frameworks. Renowned for shaping national conversations on entrepreneurship, innovation, cybersecurity, and institutional excellence, Professor Tahir has advised vice chancellors, guided industry leaders, and mentored generations of students. At Pak AI CoE, he brings this rare combination of vision and execution discipline to ensure that the AI hubs are not just announced, but built, launched, and operated to world-class standards.

Kazi Abdul Muktadir is a senior financial sector leader and policy expert with decades of experience across central banking, financial sector governance, and international development. He has served as Chairman SAARC Finance and retired as Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, where he played a key role in financial sector oversight, regulatory reform, and institutional strengthening. He has also held major leadership roles as Chairman of Security Papers Limited and Pakistan Security Printing Corporation, and as Managing Director of the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF), contributing to both the integrity of Pakistan’s financial infrastructure and the development of its human capital. Mr. Muktadir is a graduate of McGill University, holding a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and a Master of Science in Rural Development. He is an approved resource trainer of Higher Education Commission.

Dr. Khurram Iqbal, Advisor at LA Consulting Corporation, is a leading figure in advancing artificial intelligence education and innovation in Pakistan. He plays a pivotal role at the Pakistan AI Centers of Excellence (PAICoE), where he contributes to national AI capacity building through academic leadership and strategic collaboration. Dr. Iqbal oversees the design and development of AI curricula to ensure that they meet global standards and industry needs. His work includes creating cutting-edge AI subjects, formulating hands-on AI projects, and supervising final-year projects (FYPs) at multiple institutions in Pakistan. His leadership equips students with practical, future-ready AI competencies. In addition to his academic contributions, Dr. Iqbal actively engages with Indigenous and international universities, fostering partnerships that promote AI research, technological innovation, and professional development. These collaborations strengthen Pakistan’s AI ecosystem and support the integration of emerging technologies into higher-education. With a deep commitment to excellence, Dr. Khurram Iqbal continues to shape the future of AI education in Pakistan, empowering the next generation of AI professionals and driving innovative impact across the country.