Pakistan's finance professionals are among the most ambitious in the world, and they are telling employers exactly what they want

                                                

If there is one word that captures Pakistan's finance workforce in 2026, it is ambition. New research from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) finds that 86% of Pakistani finance professionals aspire to become entrepreneurs or business owners at some point in their careers, one of the highest rates recorded anywhere in the world, and a figure that speaks to both the dynamism of Pakistan's economy and the scale of opportunity that finance professionals see within it.

 

The Global Talent Trends 2026 report, drawing on responses from over 11,000 professionals in 160 countries, including 536 in Pakistan, paints a picture of a workforce that is purpose-driven, technically confident and under significant financial pressure. The combination creates both an opportunity and an urgency for employers operating in the Pakistani market.

 

Social impact is not a trend, it is a deciding factor

 

The survey's findings on social purpose are among the most striking in the entire global dataset. Eighty-eight percent of Pakistani respondents say an organisation's reputation on social and human rights issues is a key factor in deciding where to work, far above the global average of 75%, and one of the highest figures recorded across all 160 countries surveyed. Eighty-one percent want to pursue finance roles focused on social impact in the future, and 75% are drawn to careers with an environmental and climate remit.

 

This is not idealism disconnected from economic reality. The report consistently finds that in emerging and developing markets, where social challenges are most visible and most acute, finance professionals see their skills as a direct instrument of change. In Pakistan, that connection is particularly powerful.

 

Assad Hameed Khan, Head of Pakistan at ACCA, said: ‘Pakistan's finance professionals are not just looking for a job. They are looking for a role in which their skills can contribute to something larger than themselves, whether through the organisation they work for or, increasingly, through building their own. The employers who understand this will find Pakistan an exceptional source of motivated, capable talent. Those who treat it as a cost centre will find retention a persistent and expensive problem.’

 

Compensation pressure is reaching a tipping point

 

The cost-of-living picture in Pakistan is a defining feature of the data. Nearly two thirds of respondents (65%) are dissatisfied with their current pay, one of the highest rates of pay dissatisfaction in the global survey. An extraordinary 84% say they intend to ask for a pay rise in the next 12 months, compared to a global average of 62%. These are not abstract aspirations: they reflect the sustained economic pressures that Pakistan's workforce has navigated over recent years, including the impact of inflation on real wages.

 

Critically, the report finds that pay dissatisfaction alone does not fully explain flight risk. Employees who feel engaged and valued are more likely to pursue internal moves. But where organisations are seen to be falling short on pay, purpose or leadership transparency, the risk of departure increases sharply.

 

AI confidence is high but governance questions linger

 

On artificial intelligence, Pakistan's finance professionals are notably confident. Eighty-eight percent say they feel confident in their ability to learn and apply AI-related skills, above the global average of 82%. More than half (57%) are already regularly using AI tools in their roles. But confidence in how AI is being deployed in recruitment is more measured: 43% say they trust AI algorithms to support fair hiring decisions, with concerns about bias and transparency running through qualitative responses. The conclusion mirrors the global picture: AI in hiring is inevitable, but the profession is demanding that it be governed responsibly.

 

On office attendance, Pakistani respondents are among the most supportive of return-to-office mandates: 77% agree that organisations should require a set number of days in the office each week, and 71% believe office presence positively impacts career progression, notably above the global average of 58%. This reflects both the practical realities of certain roles in Pakistan and a cultural orientation toward visible professional commitment.

 

Mental health remains a concern: 55% of Pakistani respondents say their mental health suffers because of work pressures, in line with the global average. The report identifies a clear link between organisations that fail to support employee wellbeing and higher rates of both disengagement and turnover.

 

‘The data from Pakistan should be read as a message to employers: the talent is here, the ambition is extraordinary, and the commitment to social purpose is among the strongest anywhere in the world. The question is whether employers are willing to meet that ambition with the investment (in pay, in purpose and in people) that it deserves,’ added Assad.

 

Explore our interactive report here.