Hussam is part of the financial inclusion program at IPA and has a key focus of understanding the impact of interoperable payment infrastructures. Previously, he worked at Karandaaz (funded by the FCDO and BMGF), a special purpose vehicle operating in Pakistan with an ultimate objective of accelerating financial inclusion in the country. During his time at Karandaaz, he focused on undertaking research on Digital Financial Services and SME finance. He supported in launching the Innovation Challenge Fund and led evaluations of program interventions, with the objective of course correction and design adjustments of programs through learnings and key insights. Hussam has also worked on evaluating Pakistan's social protection program and has actively participated in the field throughout his career. He has a Bachelors in Economics from the University of London (international programme) and a Masters in Management Consulting from the University of Hull, UK.