As part of an ongoing webinar series between ANDE and Accelerate Prosperity, Bring Your Own Insights (BYOI) brings together regional perspectives and field-based expertise to explore emerging economic trends shaping Central and South Asia.
This session will explore the growing creative economy and its potential to drive jobs, entrepreneurship, and economic growth across the region. What role are creative industries playing in national economies, and where are the biggest opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses?
Drawing on insights from Accelerate Prosperity’s regional teams and field experts, we’ll take a closer look at the creative economy in Central and South Asia —an industry generating USD 2.3 trillion annually and contributing 0.5–7.3% of GDP (varies across countries), through insights from AP and players on the ground.
Registration is free but required to attend. Please complete the registration form to secure your spot and receive access to the virtual meeting links and event details.
We recommend registering in advance and using the email address you plan to use to join the event. The registration deadline is 21 September 2026.
Register now to join us!
Speaker – Partner, Center of Excellence in Gaming and Animations (CEGA)
Muhammad Hilal has spent over a decade building Pakistan’s games and animation industry. He is the partner at Center of Excellence in Gaming and Animations (CEGA), immediate past Chairperson of IGDA Pakistan, and sits on the Games Committee at P@SHA. He previously led multiple gaming and animation studios, and have successful products and exits in gaming and animation industry.
Speaker – Partnerships and Government Relations Manager, Creative Industry Park of Kyrgyzstan (CIP)
Zhibek is Partnerships and Government Relations Manager at the Creative Industries Park of Kyrgyzstan (CIP). She develops partnerships with government institutions, international organizations, and the private sector, coordinates the Creative Industries Support Fund, and contributes to initiatives aimed at strengthening Kyrgyzstan’s creative economy and supporting creative entrepreneurs.
Speaker – Senior Lecturer in Communications and Media, Naryn Campus / Independent Writer-Director
Anisa Sabiri is a London-based filmmaker and researcher, born and raised in Tajikistan.
She is a recipient of the Tajik National Literature Prize Padida (2014), Chevening Scholarship (2019) and the Arts Council England DYCP Award (2025). Her films and moving image work have been screened internationally, including at the 79 Locarno Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Venice Biennale, Asian Film Archive, National Museum of Qatar, Documenta 15, Klassiki, LUX Centre and IDEAL Barcelona, amongst others.
She holds an MA from the London Film School, from which she graduated with the Outstanding Screenwriting Award, sponsored by Final Draft (2021), and is an alumna of CHANEL & BIFF Asian Film Academy (2023).
Anisa is a senior lecturer at the University of Central Asia, and is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media (CREAM), University of Westminster, where she is developing her first feature under the supervision of Joshua Oppenheimer and Özlem Köksal. As a researcher, she gave talks and lectures at the Royal Society of Asian Affairs, Richmond American University of London, TED Mastercard, UNESCO, European Film Market, and other international platforms.
She is a member of the Documentary Association of Europe and Documentary Film Council (UK).
Moderator – Programme and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Specialist, Accelerate Prosperity
Ambareen Baig is a Programme and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem specialist with over 11 years of experience leading private sector development and impact investment initiatives across emerging and frontier markets in South and Central Asia. She currently serves as PMU and Insights Manager at Accelerate Prosperity (Aga Khan Foundation), where she oversees strategy, implementation, and learning across a £32M+ regional entrepreneurship and investment portfolio funded by donors like FCDO, SECO, the European Union, AKF, etc.
Ambareen specializes in strengthening early-stage investment pipelines, ecosystem mapping, and designing evidence-driven programmes that improve startup and SGB access to finance. She has contributed to the design of AP’s impact investment vehicle, investment readiness frameworks, and multi-country results and data systems that inform future programming and donor strategy. She is passionate about leveraging data and market intelligence to build inclusive and climate-resilient entrepreneurship ecosystems.
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