Daniah Ishtiaq
Co-Founder & Strategy Lead | AND THE NERVE
Former Planning Director | BBDO Pakistan
Recognized as Campaign Asia’s 40 Under 40 (2020) and named a Superperson by The Pitch List, Daniah Ishtiaq is hailed as one of Pakistan’s most compelling strategists. After an impressive career spanning Ogilvy, IAL Saatchi & Saatchi, MullenLowe, and BBDO Pakistan, she co-founded AND THE NERVE. Her track record includes an 83% pitch-to-win ratio at MullenLowe and winning the Effie Pakistan Grand Prix for the ‘Veil of Care’ breast cancer awareness campaign. Daniah has transformed B2B fintech marketing through groundbreaking work with Easypaisa and Telenor Microfinance Bank, repositioning 7UP and LAYS for the Pakistan market, and leading strategy on Unilever Surf Excel, MG Motors, and other major accounts. Her approach combines deep consumer insights with strategic defiance, creating campaigns that challenge conventions while delivering measurable business results.
Nida Fatima Haider
Group Brand Strategy Director | IAL Saatchi & Saatchi
Nida Fatima Haider serves as Group Brand Strategy Director at IAL Saatchi & Saatchi, where she operates at Executive Creative Director level, developing strategic frameworks for Pakistan’s most sophisticated B2B campaigns. Selected as a jury member for Spikes Asia 2016, Nida has led transformative work on P&G’s B2B portfolio, with several campaigns becoming global models for the multinational. Her strategic philosophy emphasizes fluid, flexible big ideas that can evolve across time and channels. Nida’s expertise in creating brand-consumer connections has made her one of the most respected strategists in Pakistan’s advertising industry, known for transforming functional product attributes into emotionally resonant brand narratives.
Muhammad Usman
Associate Planning Director | IAL Saatchi & Saatchi
A communication strategy and planning specialist with 13+ years of experience, Muhammad Usman has worked across FMCG, Retail, Telco, and Technology sectors at globally affiliated advertising networks. At IAL Saatchi & Saatchi, he headed the planning division for the Lahore office, leading strategic thinking for Nestlé Pakistan’s Ambient, Chilled, and Dairy Culinary Divisions. Usman created long-term strategic plans for Philip Morris International’s portfolio (focusing on RED & WHITE brands) and worked with clients including Mitchell’s, FINCA, ZONG, and Tetra Pak. His approach ties creative marketing to solid marketing theory, focusing on mutual knowledge-creation and brand-building tools. Usman’s work demonstrates how deep category expertise combined with strategic rigor can drive breakthrough consumer insights and transformative B2B campaigns.
Shazia Khan
Planning Director | Ogilvy Pakistan
Shazia Khan serves as Planning Director at Ogilvy Pakistan, where she creates connections between brands and consumers by helping brands understand why they exist in consumers’ lives. A mentor to leading strategists including Daniah Ishtiaq, Shazia is known for her ability to crack the code of authentic brand-consumer relationships. Her planning philosophy moves beyond functional attributes to build ideas on emotional connections grounded in authentic consumer insights. Shazia’s work spans technology and enterprise accounts, where she brings strategic clarity to complex B2B marketing challenges. Her influence extends throughout Pakistan’s advertising industry, having shaped the strategic thinking of a new generation of planners.
Hira Mohibullah
Co-Founder & Creative Lead | AND THE NERVE
Former Executive Creative Director | BBDO Pakistan
Hira Mohibullah co-founded AND THE NERVE after a distinguished career including six years at BBDO Pakistan and experience at VMLY&R in the United States. Starting as a copywriter at Adcom Leo Burnett, she progressed through Soho Square, Ogilvy Pakistan, and BBDO Pakistan, where she served as Executive Creative Director. Her work combines strategic rigor with creative excellence—what she calls “highly strategic creative.” Hira’s campaigns for P&G’s Always brand (including the innovative ‘Top Secret Material’ sofa campaign that challenged stigma around product trial) demonstrate her ability to create breakthrough creative solutions backed by data, science, and research. Her leadership has transformed how creative and strategy work together, proving that creativity is a science with strategic methods behind the madness.
Zahra Fatima Ali
Senior Planner | Ogilvy Pakistan
Zahra Fatima Ali serves as Senior Planner at Ogilvy Pakistan, specializing in B2B brand positioning and technology accounts. Her planning philosophy focuses on identifying ideals that brands choose to stand for and consumers want to belong to—creating meaningful connections that transcend functional benefits. Working on enterprise and technology clients, Zahra brings clarity to complex B2B value propositions, translating technical capabilities into compelling business narratives. Her work demonstrates the critical role of strategic planning in making technology brands accessible and relevant to business decision-makers, bridging the gap between innovation and market adoption.
Amna Khatib
Managing Director | Mindshare Pakistan
Amna Khatib serves as Managing Director at Mindshare Pakistan, leading GroupM/WPP’s B2B enterprise media planning and strategy in Pakistan. She spearheaded the strategic partnership between Mindshare and EFU Life, demonstrating expertise in B2B insurance and fintech sectors. Amna leads the Mindshare Enterprise division, which focuses on delivering sophisticated media solutions for corporate clients. Her leadership has positioned Mindshare Pakistan as a key player in B2B media strategy, combining data-driven insights with creative media solutions. Under her direction, the agency has expanded its B2B capabilities, winning major enterprise accounts and establishing new standards for media effectiveness in Pakistan’s corporate sector.
Farooq Qazi
COO / Business Director | BBDO Pakistan
Farooq Qazi serves as COO and Business Director at BBDO Pakistan, leading B2B account strategy and business transformation initiatives. Selected as an Effie jury member for 2024, Farooq brings deep expertise in managing complex B2B client relationships and driving strategic growth. His role encompasses oversight of major accounts, new business development, and ensuring BBDO Pakistan maintains its position as one of South Asia’s most effective agencies. Farooq’s leadership has been instrumental in BBDO Pakistan’s consistent recognition in global creativity reports, combining commercial acumen with creative excellence. His approach emphasizes measurable business results while maintaining the creative standards that have made BBDO Pakistan a powerhouse.
Altamash Kohati
General Manager | Mindshare Enterprise
Altamash Kohati serves as General Manager of Mindshare Enterprise, the specialized B2B division of Mindshare Pakistan. He played a key role in the strategic partnership with EFU Life, demonstrating expertise in corporate and enterprise media solutions. Altamash focuses on delivering integrated media strategies for B2B clients, combining traditional and digital channels to reach business decision-makers effectively. His work in the enterprise segment has established new benchmarks for B2B media planning in Pakistan, showing how sophisticated data analysis and strategic media buying can drive business outcomes for corporate clients. Altamash’s leadership has been crucial in expanding Mindshare’s enterprise capabilities.
Abbas Alam
Chief Strategy Officer | Lowe & Rauf
Abbas Alam serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Lowe & Rauf, where he transforms brand propositions into creative fuel through deep-rooted insights that can change human behavior. His strategic philosophy emphasizes converting brands’ functional attributes into meaningful food for thought that creatives can build upon. Abbas has led strategic planning for diverse B2B clients, bringing rigor and insight to complex marketing challenges. His work demonstrates how powerful insights, when properly articulated, can unlock breakthrough creative solutions that drive measurable business impact. Abbas’s leadership in strategic planning has helped establish Lowe & Rauf as a key player in Pakistan’s advertising landscape.
