Mr. Akif Saeed

Akif Saeed is a financial market specialist with successful track record of implementing policy, structural, legislative, and operational level reforms. Key focus areas; Digital Transformation, Promoting Innovation and Startups, Leal Reforms, and Market Development.

He has over 35 years’ experience spanning non-banking financial markets, commercial banking and industry with a focus on originating and closing deals, implementing policy and operational level reforms. He is a specialist in all major areas of financial sector, in particular capital markets, non-bank finance companies like mutual funds, private pension funds, real estate investment trusts, investment banking, Modarabas, corporate law, and insurance.

Currently he is working as chief executive of Sage Consultants & Advisors (Private) Limited, an independent financial consulting firm advising to various market entities on regulatory and business affairs, and product structuring. Earlier he was Chairperson Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

He has to his credit end-to-end digitalisation of company incorporation; testing of innovative products and services under first Regulatory Sandbox in Pakistan; introduction of framework for online-only brokers, shariah-compliant brokers and agri-only category of commodity futures brokers, and framework for digital lending NBFCs; listing of Government Debt Securities (GDS) at PSX; transition from T+2 to T+1 settlement cycle at PSX; integration of three stock exchanges; divestment of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) shares to strategic investors; creation of central counter party at the clearing company; reclassification of PSX to MSCI emerging market index; drafting and post promulgation implementation of Securities Act’2015 and Futures Market Act’2016; launch of investor education program – JamaPunji – ; development of collateral management concept and regulatory framework; automation of CGT regime for capital market; proposing fundamental revamp of Companies Act with an aim of digitalisation and ease of doing business – acknowledged by the Prime Minister of Pakistan; and drafting revamp of Insurance Ordinance, Modaraba Ordinance, and Audit Oversight framework.

Akif Saeed has done MBA from the University of Edinburgh, and also holds Master’s in economics from GC University, Lahore. His professional experience also includes working with Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a consultant, in banking sector (American Express Bank) and industry (Packages Limited).