Dr. Umar Saif completed his PhD in Computer Science from Cambridge University at just 23 years old and went on to do his postdoctoral research at MIT. Returning to Pakistan in 2005, he joined LUMS as a professor and later became Chairman of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) in 2011. During his tenure at PITB, he founded Plan9, Pakistan's first government-backed startup incubator, which helped over 200 startups grow with a collective valuation of over $100 million. He also served as the founding Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University (ITU) at just 34, making him the youngest Vice Chancellor of any university in Pakistan. In 2023 to 2024, he served as Federal Minister for IT and Telecom, a period during which Pakistan's IT exports grew by an impressive 32%. He has been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, named among MIT's top 35 young innovators, and awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2014 by the Government of Pakistan. Dr. Umar Saif also serves as an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan, continuing his commitment to the country's digital and technological growth.