The Ignite–National Technology Fund has appointed Muhammad Bilal Abbasi as its new Chief Executive Officer for a three-year term, ending a prolonged period during which the position remained vacant.
The CEO post at Ignite had been unfilled since January 17, 2024, when the tenure of the previous CEO ended. Following the vacancy, General Manager Corporate Affairs Adeel Ejaz Sheikh was assigned additional responsibilities as Acting CEO.
The position was later overseen by Rafique Ahmed Buriro, who served in a dual role as Ignite CEO and Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.
The CEO position was advertised multiple times, and a specialized committee was formed to evaluate applicants based on their academic qualifications and professional experience. Following interviews conducted by the Ignite Board, two internal candidates were shortlisted in 2025. However, a tie among committee members resulted in the Ministry of IT re-advertising the position due to the absence of a consensus candidate.
Bilal Abbasi brings more than two decades of experience in information technology, digital transformation, e-governance, and public-sector innovation.
Since April 2022, he has been serving as General Manager at Ignite, where he led initiatives aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s startup ecosystem. During his tenure, he oversaw National Incubation Centres across the country and played a key role in designing programs related to gaming and animation, virtual production, aerospace technology incubation, Pakistan’s first startup portal, and the country’s startup acceleration program.
Before joining Ignite, Bilal Abbasi served as Director General of IT at the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication from 2019 to 2022. In that role, he contributed to several flagship digital initiatives, including the Digital Pakistan Policy, international payment gateway efforts, cloud computing policy, and the Personal Data Protection Bill 2020.
He was also involved in policy formulation related to artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, and e-commerce, while managing a portfolio of government IT and telecom projects worth billions of rupees.
His career also includes senior positions at the National Information Technology Board (NITB), where he led the development and implementation of the federal government’s e-Office platform and other digital governance projects.
Earlier, he worked with the Electronic Government Directorate, Vensys Telecom, and Digitania Pakistan, gaining experience in enterprise resource planning systems, network infrastructure, digital services and project management.
His appointment comes at a time when Ignite is expanding its role in supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology-driven economic growth in Pakistan.
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