Ayesha Khan is a development economist and institution development specialist with over 26 years of experience working in South Asia (including Afghanistan) with multilateral and bilateral development agencies such as World Bank, ADB, EU, UNIDO and the Swiss Government. She is also an IFC-World Bank certified enterprise development trainer and curriculum development specialist. Ayesha has taught development economics and project management at university level and microfinance at the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF). As a committed development practitioner and social entrepreneur, she currently holds multiple roles from advisory to executive and volunteer within the corporate, public and academic sectors both at national and international levels.

She is a Professor at Practice at Bahria University, one of Pakistan’s prestigious universities. She is Chairperson and CEO of SASCA (South Asian Society for Cultural Advancement) which is a 30-year-old nonprofit that promotes a Sufi Path to Sustainable Development. She is the founder and CEO of Danai AgriVenture Ltd.

She was the first Chief Sustainability Officer of Hashoo Group and is also the first female Board Member of Pakistan Services limited (PSL). As an ID expert she restructured and established the Hashoo Foundation, Hashoo Hunar, Hashoo Trust and Umeed-e-Noor along with establishing three StartUps namely Organiks, HunarTech and Shine Plus. Her honorary positions include: Advisory Member of Pakistan Digital Agriculture Consortium (PDAC),
Elected Board Member, Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA); Member on the Advisory Board of the National Incubation Center; former Chairperson, NACG-Pakistan Chapter of SAIVEC (South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children; President, Sector Skill Council-Hospitality (SSCH) – 2017-18 and Convener, SSCH – 2019. She is a member of the Pakistan Society for Development Economics (PSDE-PIDE), Global Entrepreneurship Network; the Pakistan Evaluation Network and the Economic
Freedom Network among others.

Ayesha Khan has a passionate commitment to social inclusiveness through leveraging knowledge and enabling accessibility. She holds two master’s degrees: MA in International Political Economy from Warwick University, UK and MBA in Project Management and Financial Analysis. She also has a Diploma in Business Development Services from Glasgow University, UK, and another Diploma in Microfinance, from Colorado University, USA. She received Certification in Investment Promotion and Facilitation from ITPO, Bahrain, United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO, 2007 and another in Financial Sector Accountability from the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) in Switzerland, 2005.

Starting as a social activist Ayesha Khan not only promoted child rights and gender equitable
development but also co-founded a voluntary organization of professional evaluators for the
promotion of transparency and accountability of development aid, (PEN). Some of her select
publications include: Islamic Laws and the Status of Women in the Modern World, Co-Author with Professor Laiq Ahmed Khan. Advocacy Strategies for Youth, Gender and Reproductive Health. Women’s Employment Concerns. Institutionalising Public -Private partnerships for Economic Empowerment. Importance of Public Private Partnerships in Technical Education and Vocational Training. Education for Development