Arif Habib

Habib was born to a Memon family in Karachi. His family were from Jamnagar, Gujarat, where they owned a tea venture and several properties. Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, they left behind their businesses and migrated to Pakistan. His formal education ended after completing 10th grade (Matric) and never attended university. In 1970, he began his career in the brokerage industry at the Karachi Stock Exchange, which his brother had purchased.

In 1970, at the young age of 17, Habib began his career as a stockbroker at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), hired by his elder brother who bought a trading license. His monthly salary was 60 rupees. He spent his days in the trading hall analysing shares and statements for investors, which he credits as having contributed to his knowledge of stocks. In 1992, Habib was voted president of the KSE and he computerised the stock trading system. He was elected president of the KSE five more times.

In 1998, Habib acquired stocks following market crash after nuclear tests by India and Pakistan. Anticipating a market recovery, Habib made substantial investments during this period, which proved profitable as the market saw a significant rebound in the following years.

In 2000, he founded Pakistan's second asset management company which currently manages over $430 million (Rs. 49 billion).

With Pakistan's state-owned companies undergoing a process of privatisation at that time, Habib bought stakes in fertiliser, cement and steel production, as well as banking.

In 2008, regulatory curbs on stock trading due to the 2008 financial crisis resulted in Habib's stock clients defaulting, as the KSE 100 Index fell by 48% within two months. However, his business recovered following a rise in corporate earnings.

In addition to his role at KSE, Habib was a founding member of the Central Depository Company. He has also served as a member of the Privatisation Commission, Board of Investment, and the Securities and Exchange Ordinance Review Committee. The government of Pakistan has appointed him into the board of governors for several companies.

In December 2025, it was announced that a consortium led by Habib had acquired a 75% shareholding in Pakistan International Airlines through a government auction. The acquisition, valued at 135 billion Rs ($482 million), represented one of Pakistan’s largest privatisation transactions in the aviation sector.