PSX, 786 Investments, and LADIESFUND Launch She Invests Initiative to Empower Women to Build Wealth

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and 786 Investments Ltd. have partnered with LADIESFUND to host the “She Invests: LADIESFUND Smart Woman Money Masterclass” at the Dr. Shamshad Akhtar Auditorium in Karachi. The event brought together over 140 women from leading Pakistani corporations and diverse professional backgrounds to engage in a dynamic discussion on earning, saving, investing, and building long-term wealth.

The event also marked the official launch of LADIESFUND Investments, a women-focused investment initiative by 786 Investments Ltd. designed around three key stages of women’s financial growth, with the mission “Where Women Build Wealth.” Additionally, the event launched “She Invests,” a financial literacy training series by PSX tailored for women. Participants were provided with a QR code to facilitate their very first step into investing immediately.

Farrukh H. Sabzwari, Managing Director and CEO of the Pakistan Stock Exchange, stated, “It was wonderful to see the PSX auditorium filled with women ready to take ownership of their financial futures. With the launch of the PSX She Invests Series, we are making a clear commitment: women, who make up nearly half of our population, remain underrepresented as investors. At PSX, we believe they should be active participants in Pakistan’s capital markets. Through this series, we aim to make investing more accessible, understandable, and empowering, enabling more women to transition from saving to investing and building lasting wealth. This is the first of many sessions that we will take to women’s chambers of commerce, academic institutions, and women-led organizations across the country. Our heartfelt thanks to our partners, LADIESFUND and 786 Investments Ltd., for helping bring this vital conversation to the Exchange.”

Tara Uzra Dawood, CEO of 786 Investments Ltd. and LADIESFUND Investments, commented, “For generations, women have been taught how to earn, save, and spend money, but not necessarily how to own it, invest it, and make it grow. We aim to change that paradigm. LADIESFUND Investments is about moving women from financial dependence to financial ownership. Whether you are starting with Rs. 1,000 or managing millions, the most crucial investment you can make is in yourself, and then in making your money work for you.”

Under the LADIESFUND Investments theme of “Where Women Build Wealth,” the program challenged traditional attitudes toward women and money. Participants were encouraged to look beyond simply earning an income or keeping savings in a bank account, urging them to understand how money can work for them, how capital markets operate, and how to begin investing. Access ranges from a simple online QR code to private, exclusive investment advisory and wealth management services.

A highlight of the program was a fireside conversation with Sima Kamil, former President of UBL Bank, on “How to Build Wealth During the Career Trajectory.” Drawing on her decades of leadership experience in banking and finance, she encouraged women to start building wealth early and to make proactive financial decisions throughout their careers.

Sima Kamil said, “Wealth is built throughout your career, not at the end of it. I am delighted to see LADIESFUND Investments putting women’s financial inclusion at the heart of investing, with an entire mutual fund and investment platform focused on women. Women need to start early, understand their options, and make their money work for them.”

Hena Sadiq, Partner at Yousuf Adil, stated, “Women should feel confident knowing that their investments are part of a highly regulated and independently overseen ecosystem. With mutual funds, there are multiple layers of accountability, including Shariah oversight and audit, independent financial audits, SECP regulation, regulatory oversight, and ratings. When an asset management company is itself publicly listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, this combination of governance, transparency, and independent oversight gives women greater confidence to take that first step toward investing.”

The program also featured Sharmeen Ahmed from Topline Securities, who welcomed women to the capital markets and encouraged participants to take the practical next step of opening a trading account.

Sharmeen Ahmed said, “The capital market can feel intimidating when you have never entered it, but opening a trading account is actually a very simple first step. You do not need to be a financial expert to become an investor. What you need is the willingness to start, learn, and stay invested. We want women to know that the Stock Exchange is not a men’s club; there is a place here for them.”

Moneeza Butt, Partner at KPMG, who led a fireside chat with Ms. Ahmed, said, “Women need to start investing in the capital markets, whether directly through brokerage or through mutual funds like LADIESFUND Investments.”

A key focus of the event was breaking down the barriers that often prevent women from taking control of their financial futures. These include the belief that a father, husband, or family will always provide financial security; the tendency to postpone financial planning; the misconception that investing is complicated; and uncertainty about how to select and trust a professional to manage investments.

Through lively and highly interactive audience segments, no topic was off-limits. Discussions ranged from pressures from in-laws and family expectations to why every woman needs a financial plan, the difference between money and wealth, and how women can begin investing without needing to become financial experts themselves.

Participants were introduced to practical concepts regarding investments, capital markets, money-market instruments, and Shariah-compliant investment opportunities, with an emphasis on making financial terminology accessible and understandable for first-time and aspiring women investors.

The event further spotlighted two exciting initiatives under development between LADIESFUND Investments and PSX: the LADIESFUND Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), envisioned as Pakistan’s first gender-focused ETF, and the proposed LADIESFUND Green Gender Bond. The proposed ETF aims to provide investors with exposure to strong-performing listed companies while incorporating a focus on companies demonstrating a meaningful commitment to women, gender inclusion, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Meanwhile, the proposed Green Gender Bond aims to connect sustainable and climate-focused investment with measurable opportunities for women, bringing together green finance, gender equality, and Shariah-compliant investment principles. These initiatives reflect a broader ambition to make women’s participation in Pakistan’s capital markets not an exception, but part of everyday financial life.

The collaboration between LADIESFUND and PSX represents a shared commitment to increasing women’s financial literacy and participation in Pakistan’s formal investment ecosystem, enabling more women to transition from earning money to owning, investing, and building wealth.

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