KARACHI: Dr Shamshad Akhtar on Wednesday was unanimously elected chairperson of the board of directors of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

She is the first woman chairperson to be elected to that post in the 73-year history of the PSX.

Dr Akhtar, a veteran of the financial markets, had spearheaded the capital market reforms during her tenure at the Asian Development Bank in 1990 and also served as the governor of State Bank of Pakistan in the past.

On being elected as PSX board chair, Dr Akhtar commented, “After my long association with Pakistan’s capital market, it is a proud moment for me to represent the Pakistan Stock Exchange as its chairperson and join the efforts of the SECP, the new board and management to take this institution to new heights.

“I look forward to our joint endeavours to further transform PSX as a premier institution so it can play a critical role in raising its market capitalisation through deepening of debt and equity markets, broadening its investor and product base and service efficiently all its clients upholding high standards of governance”.

A statement by the PSX said that seven shareholder directors were elected at the Extraordinary General Meeting on April 19, 2021, upon the expiry of the term of the previous board.

The new directors included Wang Baojun, Ahmed Chinoy, FU Hao, You Hang, Ms Yu Huali, Nadeem Naqvi and Zubair Razzak Palwala.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2021