From Pakistan to Africa & Beyond: Leading by Example

Fizza Siddiqui MS TME’21

Fizza Nadeem Siddiqui from the Master of Science in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship programme at SDSB was recently commissioned by EvolveAfrica to mentor Nigerian students on how to kick start transition into digital, where she talked about the importance of learning in-demand digital skills. Fizza emphasised positioning as a brand in specific skill domains. "Networking with other digital professionals in the same field is the key to moving upward in a digital career," she said.

EvolveAfrica is an emerging global consortium of exemplary business leaders and professionals championing disruptive innovation and accelerated development across Africa. According to Fizza, "The experience was wholesome, and I gained a lot of insights on the Nigerian audience and tried identifying similarities and differences in both the markets, i.e., Pakistan and Nigeria."

While her academic interests lie in financial technology and policy, Fizza also has experience in the non-profit sector and the research industry. She is currently working as a consultant with Nielsen IQ. She has worked on several social issues as a researcher, including the impact of sexism in Pakistan and the emergence of financial technology.  As an Atlas Corp fellow (US-based fellowship), she got a chance to network with social leaders around the world, working in different domains and industries. Her dedication also led to her selection as a Cultural Ambassador of Pakistan at the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in the United States, where she spent four months dispelling the negative perception about Pakistani society. 

Fizza is currently working with multiple start-ups in Pakistan, helping set up and develop their organisational structure including Baithak - Challenging the Taboos (NGO) amongst others. She is also the founder of a start-up that intends to help young entrepreneurs polish their skills – Peervest, which is in its budding phase. She aspires to contribute to the economic stability of the country by launching a crowdfunding platform to deploy an ecosystem for emerging entrepreneurs who otherwise struggle to secure funds.

"LUMS enabled me to become a go-getter, grabbing all opportunities that come my way and drove me to develop the freedom to call the shots. It has challenged me to fly when I only thought I could run." - Fizza Nadeem Siddiqui