ALUMS Chat Season 2 | Ep 4: Ayla Majid on Driving Real-World Sustainability

Thank you so much, Marva. It's a pleasure meeting you.

Thank you, Marva. I was born and grew up in Rawalpindi. My parents had moved from Karachi. I went to a convent school there and then professional education at LUMS. Growing up, there wasn't much career planning. I was very curious and wanted to do everything: run a business, be an architect, a doctor, an engineer, a pilot. But LUMS shaped where I ended up. It wasn't a planned journey.

Although LUMS was not that old at the time, we thought it had a legacy. LUMS changed and curated the way I think. It put curiosity and critical thinking in me. It wasn't about just accepting information; it was about analytical thinking, problem solving, and taking the lead. That shaped the way I work. From the beginning, it was about taking challenges. I would take difficult courses, especially in finance like Dr. Naim Sipra's classes. I remember Jamshad telling me, 'Isa, you need to be present for the entire 80 minutes.' There were many faculty members like Bashir Khan. My closest friends are from LUMS, especially our girls gang from MBA 2000. We still stick together.

I think it was altogether the entire two years. From the time I entered LUMS, I didn't expect the coursework and ecosystem. I loved taking challenges. I took difficult courses like Dr. Sipra's finance classes. Many faculty members like Jamshad and Bashir Khan impacted me. And my friends, especially the MBA 2000 girls gang, are still close. Their achievements inspire me.

My first work role required restructuring a portfolio of companies in multiple sectors, dealing with mergers and acquisitions. I worked with lawyers and chartered accountants and realized we needed to bridge the gap. I pursued my accounting and law degree while working. I enjoy looking at business propositions from multiple lenses. Planetive is a natural progression of supporting industries like energy, oil and gas, power, infrastructure, and minerals. Climate change is a huge consideration. For Pakistan, energy is about sustainability, availability, and affordability. So my work grew organically. We bring industry experience, knowledge, sustainability, technology, and governance to devise and implement solutions.

I've always been an entrepreneur; taking risks is in my blood. I would rather regret taking a risk than not doing something. Setting up something of your own is about building something new. I was always looking at things from a stakeholder lens—how does our work impact people, clients, teams, the ecosystem, and the planet. That's why the name Planetive. I bring that perspective to all conversations and board roles. Without that lens, we are not thinking long term.

People look at big pictures differently. Most leadership roles require that. You do risk assessment, look at opportunities, build the business, and plan risk mitigation. I've been doing that as long as I can remember. It helped me in roles like ACCA global president. Without the big picture, we miss how to navigate. I like to look at the big picture while not missing details. With experience, I know how to build teams and let them grow, not going into minute details all the time but having robust understanding.

First, communication—active listening and analyzing. Being strategic, stakeholder management, being levelheaded. For leaders, it's important to lead in uncertainty and ambiguity. You need to respond, not react—I learned that from a senior leader. Patience is key. Also, staying on top of your ecosystem, investing time in learning new things, and being aware of the global landscape.

Learning can come from anywhere—from an older person, a younger person, by observation, learning a new skill, going back to school. The dynamics are different now. The younger generation has many tools but also challenges like distraction. Be strategic about what information you consume and make choices. Being holistic is important. We all learn from our own experience, but listening to others helps.

Curiosity. I need to be relevant. Curiosity is number one. Learning new things makes me happy. I get inspired and apply that knowledge. Through the Young Global Leader program, I took courses and learned from peers. Joining ACCA's global council in 2014 inspired me. ACCA is a global body with 250,000 members and over 500,000 future members. Digital platforms have democratized education. Learning can come from meaningful news. It's about making choices and being mindful of the information you consume.

Yes, I unlearned not being on time. About 20 years ago, when I entered LUMS, I was not punctual. Now I value others' time. If you don't deliver on time, it's of little use. Time is very important; we have the same 24 hours. So plan and be strategic. I just don't like wasting time.

It comes with experience. Some priorities are non-compromisable like family. For everything else, prioritize depending on situation and need. I do mental planning. It's about training the mind to recalibrate priorities.

I feel happy. I didn't plan for it. When the opportunity came, I worked on it, encouraged by many. I took time to be convinced it was the right time. I had support from my team, family, colleagues. I chair the global board and council. My other board roles trained me. It's a mix of many things.

When I'm in a boardroom, even as the single woman, I don't think from that lens. What's important is to be prepared with knowledge and skills. On a lighter note, I've heard comments like 'How do you know that?' when discussing technical details. I find it amusing. I encourage women to work in all sectors. There is no job a woman cannot do. Women bring unique perspectives, especially in stakeholder management. I've been underestimated but never felt bad. I'm optimistic. The world has evolved, but we need to include women as decision makers for global good.

There is no shortcut. Give time to what you're doing. Don't keep experimenting. Build a strong reputation for ethics. Have big picture vision, bring it down to work, be a team player, respectful, patient. Balance enthusiasm and patience. Remain curious.

From a business perspective, it's about risk mitigation, building communities, staying relevant, and better financial performance. The younger generation is impact-driven. Organizations must adapt. Community engagement leads to cost optimization. We need a holistic approach and make conscious choices. Whatever we do, we need a multigenerational approach. Our decisions impact future generations. The planet's resources are finite. Thinking long-term leads to a more peaceful world.

Thank you, Marva. LUMS is very close to my heart. A lot of who I am today is built on that experience. I'm happy to share my time.