Habib Bank Limited (HBL) privatization is the hallmark for compliance with corporate governance practices. A tremendous increase in deposits and overwhelming profits of approximately Rs. 22.3 bn (PKR) for the financial year 2012, a network of over 1,500 branches, and recent acquisition of Citibank credit card, personal loan and car financing divisions are the milestones which HBL has achieved on account of good corporate governance.

Corporate governance is important for almost all forms of business organizations, but it is crucial for privatization of public limited companies where public funds are involved. The issue of corporate governance started gaining importance after the South East Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s and financial failures like Enron and WorldCom. This paper discusses the case of Habib Bank Limited (HBL) privatization as an example to decipher the credo of corporate governance and consider it as a means for achieving corporate excellence. In this paper, the single case holistic research design is used. Single case methodology is, in particular, a longitudinal typical case that tests formulated theory.

Corporate Governance Journal, Privatization of Habib Bank, Corporate Governance Compliance, Habib Bank Limited (HBL), South East Asian Financial Crisis , Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED).