The Pakistan Digital Authority has appointed Sheraz Karim as Executive Director, People and Culture, bringing on board a leader with more than 25 years of experience building human resources functions and leading organisational change at several major multinational companies. The appointment reflects PDA’s broader view that digital transformation functions as an institution building exercise before it becomes a technology one, positioning the organisation’s people strategy as a central component of its overall growth rather than a supporting function operating separately from its core mission.
Karim joins PDA following an extensive career spent at Transworld Associates, S&P Global, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Oracle, working across several international markets and through periods of substantial organisational restructuring at each of these companies. Throughout his successive leadership roles, Karim has focused specifically on addressing the gap that often exists between what organisations plan strategically and what they are actually able to deliver operationally, an issue he has approached primarily as a matter of leadership and accountability rather than purely as a process or systems related challenge. This background across multiple large scale, internationally operating organisations gives him a wide ranging perspective on how people functions can be structured to support broader institutional objectives during periods of significant change.
In his new role at PDA, Karim’s work will sit at the intersection of people strategy and the Authority’s broader institutional goals as its People and Culture function continues to scale alongside the organisation’s expanding mandate. His specific focus will center on developing a performance driven culture intended to support PDA’s continued growth, while also working to strengthen leadership capability across every level of the organisation. This dual focus on performance culture and leadership development suggests PDA is looking to build internal capacity that can sustain its expanding responsibilities as the Authority takes on a growing role within Pakistan’s broader digital governance framework.
PDA framed the appointment around the idea that policies and infrastructure are ultimately delivered by people, and that how those people are hired and supported determines whether any given initiative actually reaches the citizens it is meant to serve. The organisation described Karim’s experience and his demonstrated commitment to helping organisations thrive as key factors behind his appointment, positioning him as a significant addition to PDA’s leadership team as it continues building out the institutional foundations needed to support its ongoing digital transformation work across the public sector.
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