Junaid Iqbal

Junaid Iqbal is the former Managing Director and Global Head of Careem Pay, the fintech arm of Careem (a Dubai-based ride-hailing platform recently acquired by Uber). Leveraging over 25 years of experience across finance, media, and tech, Junaid has now embarked on a new journey as the Founder and CEO of Salt Ventures, where he works alongside entrepreneurs, investors, and stakeholders to create innovative solutions for real-world challenges.

In his previous role at Careem, Junaid played a crucial part in overseeing the growth and operations of two of the company’s largest ride-hailing markets and was an integral member of the leadership team driving the company’s regional expansion.

Before his time at Careem, Junaid was a key member of the launch team for CNBC Pakistan in 2005, where he anchored the flagship business show Power Lunch. He later became the CEO of Elixir Securities, where he co-managed transactions worth $1.6 billion, the largest in Pakistan’s history. Junaid’s deep expertise in technology, economics, and financial leadership has led him to be regularly invited to share his insights at prominent forums, including the 2010 Summit on Entrepreneurship hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama. He has also been a frequent commentator on Pakistan’s tech economy.

Additionally, Junaid was the former Chairman of Salt Arts, a creative agency specializing in music, art, and event production, as well as artist management.

Junaid holds a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan and later pursued studies in leadership in financial organizations at Harvard Business School.