Speakers

Khalid Abdullah Alhussan

Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Tadawul Group

Eng. Khalid Abdullah Alhussan is a Board member and the Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Tadawul Group. He also serves as the Chairman of the Saudi Exchange, the Securities Depository Center Company (Edaa), the Securities Clearing Center Company (Muqassa), Wamid, an applied technology services business and the innovation arm of Saudi Tadawul Group.  Additionally, Al Hussan is a board member in the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) and Tadawul Real Estate Company, and E-Finance for Digital and Financial Investments (S.A.E).

Alhussan has more than 16 years of capital market and financial sector experience and possesses a wide range of expertise from business development and corporate planning to strategy and operations. Preceding his appointment as CEO of the Group, Eng. Khalid was the CEO of The Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) - now known as the Saudi Exchange - for more than 5 years. 

Throughout his tenure at the Exchange, Khalid has overseen the introduction and implementation of several key development programs, including the Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI) framework, the inclusion of Tadawul in the emerging markets’ indices, the launch of Nomu and the derivative markets, the development of the fixed income market and the record-setting IPO of Saudi Aramco. Notably and most recently, led the transformation into the Saudi Tadawul Group. 

Prior to joining the Exchange, Eng. Khalid worked in the insurance sector, managing areas of business product development and strategy.

Khalid is an engineer and holds an MBA from the University of Colorado, where he is also a certified entrepreneur.

Memberships in Board Committees: Member of the Investment Committee, Member of the Governance, Risk and Compliance Committee

Dr Reena Aggarwal

Robert E. McDonough Professor of Finance, Georgetown University

Dr. Aggarwal specializes in domestic and global financial markets; market regulation, short term funding markets; equity and corporate bond markets; small business financing; capital raising; ETFs; corporate governance including proxy voting, executive compensation, and director elections; role of institutional investors; FinTech and financial inclusion; and ESG attributes of firms. 

She combines rigorous data-driven scholarship with deep knowledge of the institutional workings and regulation of financial markets. She is a renowned scholar, her work is very well-cited, and has served on the editorial boards of several finance journals. Her research has received numerous awards.

Selected Appointments/Roles: Until recently, Dr. Aggarwal was the Vice Provost for Faculty at Georgetown University, responsible for building a diverse and world-class faculty. She managed all aspects of faculty affairs for 2000+ faculty. This included hiring, merit and compensation, promotion and tenure, faculty development, and fiscal planning. She deeply cares about diversity and inequity, and played a leading role on the Presidential Task Force on Gender Equity. 

As the Interim Dean of the business school, she was responsible for the school’s strategy, fund raising, programs, budget, operations, and stakeholder engagement including faculty, staff, students, leadership of the university, board, alumni, and donors. 

She has served on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the Future of Financing and Capital; Fulbright Scholar to Brazil; Distinguished Scholar at the Reserve Bank of India’s CAFRAL; Senior Research Scholar at the SEC; Visiting Scholar at the IMF; and Visiting Professor of Finance at MIT's Sloan School of Management.

Corporate Boards: Cohen & Steers (NYSE:CNS); New York Life Investment Management IndexIQ; Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending. These board positions at asset management firms give her real-time insights into the functioning of the markets in the areas of real assets, infrastructure, fixed income, equity, and ETFs.

Awards: Named among "Outstanding Faculty" in the Business Week Guide to the Best Business Schools, and voted an outstanding professor by students. Honored with the Allan N. Nash Distinguished Doctoral Graduate Award by University of Maryland, and the Distinguished Alumni Award, BITS Pilani, India.

Ph.D. in Finance, University of Maryland, 1985

M.M.S. (Master of Management Studies, 5-year) BITS Pilani, India, 1979

Alina Aldambergen

Chairman of Management Board, Kazakhstan Stock Exchange JSC (KASE)

Alina Aldambergen is Chairman of Management Board, Kazakhstan Stock Exchange JSC since 2016. Previous positions were Deputy Chairman of Management Board of JSC "National Managing Holding "Baiterek" (2013-2016), Deputy General Director, General Director of Samuryk-Kazyna Finance LLP (2011-1013), Deputy Chairman of Kazakhstan's Agency for Regulation and Surveillance of the Financial Market and Financial Institutions (2008-2011), Deputy Chairman of Kazakhstan's Agency for Regulation of Activities of the Regional Financial Center of Almaty (2006-2008), Deputy Chairman of Management Board of JSC "SJSB "ABN AMRO Bank Kazakhstan" (2005-2006), Chairman of Management Board, member of Board of Directors at the company for investment management of pension assets "ABN AMRO Asset Management" (2003-2005).

Education: Kazakh State Academy of Management, Washington University, Rochester University.

In 2018 she was awarded the Order of Kurmet.

Jorge Alegria

Chief Executive Officer, Bolsa Mexicana de Valores

He has held various positions of high responsibility in the financial and markets sector, including Senior Director of CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), representative in Mexico and in charge of the development of markets, clients and derivative products for Latin America.

Previously he served as Managing Director of MexDer (Mexican Derivatives Market) and as Deputy Managing Director of the Mexican Stock Exchange, in charge of Market Operations and Data Services of the BMV Group. Prior to that, he was CEO of ABN AMRO Securities (Mexico) and Deputy Managing Director of Scotiabank Inverlat México.

He chaired the International Options Markets Association (IOMA) abroad for three years. Mr. Alegría graduated as a Public Accountant specialized in Finance from ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México), where he has also been a part-time professor teaching the topic of Derivatives Markets in Mexico. He has taken and taught various advanced courses and seminars in Mexico and abroad, specialized in capital markets, FINTECH and financial derivatives.

YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan

Finance Minister II, Ministry of Finance

Amir Hamzah Azizan was appointed as the Finance Minister II effective 11 December 2023. Prior to assuming the role of Finance Minister II, he had helmed the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) as Chief Executive Officer since March 2021. 

With a corporate experience spanning more than 27 years, Amir Hamzah began his career with a decade-long tenure at the Shell Group of Companies. During this period, he held diverse roles in Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Subsequently, he joined MISC Berhad in 2000 and held several senior management portfolios before being appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2009.

Following his tenure at MISC Berhad, Amir Hamzah took on the role of Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad in June 2010. In August 2012, Amir Hamzah joined PETRONAS Lubricants International as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, concurrently serving as the Vice-President for Downstream Marketing, and subsequently as Vice-President of Lubricants for the PETRONAS Group. 

In March 2016, Amir Hamzah joined Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (Ekuinas) to steer its investee company Icon Offshore Berhad as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Subsequently, he took on the role of Group Chief Executive Officer at Themed Attractions Resorts and Hotel Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad. In April 2019, he further showcased his versatility across industries by taking on the role of President/Chief Executive Officer at Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).

Amir Hamzah has also contributed to various organisations in non-executive capacities. He formerly served as the Non-Executive Chairman of Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) and held directorial positions on the boards of Sime Darby Plantation Berhad and Sime Darby Oils International Limited.

Amir Hamzah holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management (majoring in Finance and Economics) from Syracuse University, New York. He has also attended the Stanford Executive Programme at Stanford University, and the Corporate Finance Evening Programme at London Business School.

Abena Amoah

Managing Director & CEO, Ghana Stock Exchange

Abena Amoah is the first female Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange, appointed by the Exchange’s Council on November 24, 2022. Ms. Amoah, who joined the Exchange as Deputy Managing Director on August 1, 2020, has been in the capital market industry over the past 25 years and is highly respected for her technical knowledge, business acumen, outstanding professionalism, and integrity.

She is currently the Co-Chair of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) Pan-African Committee, and the World Federation of Exchanges named her one of the top 20 Women Leaders for 2023.

She has broad boardroom experience gained from serving on, or advising, the boards of publicly listed, private and not-for-profit organisations such as the Central Securities Depository (Ghana) Limited, Minerals Income and Investment Fund, Access Bank (Ghana) PLC, Coronation Asset Management (Nigeria), Kosmos Energy Ghana HC, The Foschini Group (Ghana) Ltd, the University of Ghana, the Ghana Petroleum (Stabilization and Heritage) Funds and the African Women’s Development Fund.

She has previously worked with the BlackIvy Group LLC; Renaissance Group, where she was CEO of New World Renaissance Securities Ltd and Head of Investment Banking & Finance in West Africa (ex-Nigeria) for Renaissance Capital; and Strategic African Securities Ltd, where she was Executive Director.

She is an alumna of the University of Ghana, which recently awarded her with an Honorary Doctorate Degree for her immense contribution to Industry. She has also undertaken academic and leadership studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, and the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business.

Ibrahim Anwar

Prime Minister of Malaysia

Rajeeva Bandaranaike 

Chief Executive Officer, Colombo Stock Exchange

Mr. Rajeeva Bandaranaike is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colombo Stock Exchange. He has served in a senior management capacity at the Stock Exchange in Trading, Clearing and Settlement, Branch Development, Marketing, Human Resources and has led several market development initiatives. He also serves on the Board of the Lanka Financial Services Bureau Ltd (Local SWIFT Service Bureau) and serves on multiple Capital Market and Financial industry Committees including the Presidential Task Force on Protecting Minority Investors. 

He has also served previously as the Chief Executive officer of two listed companies and counts a total of 30 years’ experience in financial services. 

Mr. Bandaranaike holds a Degree in Law (LLB) from the Open University of Sri Lanka, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) and the Stock Broker Certification from the Securities Institute of Australia.

Thomas  Book

Member of the Executive Board, Deutsche Börse AG

Thomas Book is a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Börse AG, responsible for Trading & Clearing. A pioneer in electronic trading, he joined Deutsche Börse Group in 1995 as a member of the team that rolled out Deutsche Terminbörse’s remote membership concept across Europe and the US, gaining deep insights into the impact of innovation and technology in the exchange industry. Book was also a member of the project team that built Eurex, the first cross-border exchange merger of its kind. In 2001, he rounded off his profound industry knowledge with his Ph. D. thesis Electronic Exchange Trading and Global Markets”. As a member of the Executive Board of Eurex and Eurex Clearing, Book subsequently shaped Deutsche Börse’s trading and clearing business for many years. From 2007 to 2016, he was responsible for the clearing business of Eurex, expanding the value proposition following the 2008 financial crisis. In 2016, he took responsibility for trading at Eurex as its CEO, before being appointed to the Executive Board of Deutsche Börse in 2018. He is responsible for the Trading & Clearing division, which includes Cash Market, Financial Derivatives, FX & Digital Assets, Commodities and Market Data.

Tim Brennan

Head of Capital Markets & Exchange Strategy, S&P Dow Jones Indices

Tim Brennan is Head of Capital Markets and Exchange Strategy for S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI). In this role, Tim focuses on how S&P DJI interacts with the various areas of capital markets with an emphasis on exchanges, liquidity and product issuance (exchange-traded derivatives [ETDs], exchange-traded products [ETPs]). Tim ensures that S&P DJI has a comprehensive strategy for how best to optimize its exchange collaboration, with the aim of getting S&P DJI branded ETDs and ETPs listed on the exchanges that satisfy the needs of our clients, liquidity providers and liquidity seekers.

Prior to joining S&P DJI, Tim was the Chief Commercial Officer for ABN AMRO Clearing Chicago. It was in this role that balance sheet optimization became a primary focus. Previous to working in clearing, Tim held various roles in trading, market making, execution and industry advocacy across multiple asset classes for both the buy side and sell side. He was at the forefront of automated trading in the U.S. as a member of the team at Morgan Stanley that built the automated options market making business. After Morgan Stanley, Tim joined Citadel and was instrumental in starting the Citadel Execution Services business. Tim was a Managing Director at Merrill Lynch, where he was responsible for the options market making business. He also spent time at the NYSE, rounding out his education in trading and markets. Tim has extensive knowledge covering ETDs, ETPs, fx derivatives, market structure, algorithmic trading, clearing and exchanges. He is passionate about the benefits of transparency and open access in markets. 

Tim has served as a Director on the boards of the International Securities Exchange (ISE) and Boston Options Exchange (BOX). He holds the following licenses: 7, 63, 3, 4, 24, 55 and 56.

Richard Carleton

Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Securities Exchange

Richard Carleton was appointed CEO of the Canadian Securities Exchange in July 2011. Since then, Richard and the CSE team have positioned the Exchange to take a leading role in the provision of public capital to entrepreneurial companies.

During this time, the CSE has set a series of records for new listings, capital raised by issuers and trading turnover. An advocate for the public markets, Richard has been recognized for his contributions by a number of industry associations, and is a regular commentator on capital formation and market structure issues in Canada and around the world.

In addition to his responsibilities with the CSE, Richard is a director of several not-for-profit and business organizations.

A member of the Law Society of Ontario since 1987, Richard is a graduate of the University of Ottawa (B.A. ‘81) and the University of Toronto (L.L.B. ‘85). He has also completed the executive development program at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Ashishkumar Chauhan

Managing Director & CEO, National Stock Exchange of India

Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan is the MD & CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE). A technocrat from IIT Bombay and IIM Calcutta, he was part of the founding team at NSE. He is credited with setting up first screen-based trading in India, mobile trading, mutual fund distribution through exchanges, markets for SME shares, satellite telecom, the NIFTY index, derivatives trading and many other modern developments in the Indian stock markets. He is considered as the father of modern financial derivatives in India.

Ashish has been fulfilling NSE’s mandate of being a frontline regulator that extends well beyond any comparable exchange in the world. NSE, today, is the largest exchange in the world in terms of the number of orders and trades per day. He has been instrumental in the success of NSE IFSC and in bringing SGX NIFTY to GIFT IFSC which is a pivotal moment in Indian Financial Markets in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modiji’s vision for Amrit Kaal. He has also played a significant role in the establishment of the Social Stock Exchange.

Prior to joining NSE back in 2022, he was the MD and CEO of the Bombay Stock Exchange for 10 years. He is a member of the University Grants Commission and the Chancellor of the University of Allahabad. He is on the board of IIM Calcutta, ONDC and other institutions of repute. He is a faculty at Nottingham University, UK and Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada. He has also worked in the Reliance group and as the CEO of Mumbai Indians IPL cricket team in its formative years.

A Book titled ‘Sthithpragya: The Process of Maintaining an Equilibrium’ addresses his life’s journey. He has been awarded many awards in India and abroad including the Most Influential CEO Award by CEO Monthly in 2024, lifetime achievement award from Global Custodian at Singapore in 2023, Lifetime Achievement award in the field of Information Technology by CTO Magazine, Istanbul, Top 50 CIOs in the world by Information Week, US, Digital Icon of the Year, Asian Banker of the Year and many more.

Jos Dijsselhof

Chief Executive Officer, SIX Group and Vice Chair, The World Federation of Exchanges

Jos Dijsselhof joined SIX in January 2018 as CEO. He holds degrees in computer science and business administration, and has a long track record in international management in the financial sector. He has previously held positions at ABN Amro Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and ANZ Australia & New Zealand Banking Group in various countries including Hong Kong and Singapore. His most recent role was Chief Operating Officer (2014–June 2017) and CEO ad interim (2015) at Euronext in Amsterdam.

Other Activities and Mandates

Chairman of the Board of Directors Bolsas y Mercados Españoles (BME), Madrid

Background

Before his appointment as COO of Euronext, Dijsselhof was a general manager at Australia and New Zealand Bank in Singapore. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry and has worked in Europe and Asia institutions including Royal Bank of Scotland and ABN Amro Bank.

Education

Jos Dijsselhof earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the Stenden University of Applied Sciences and an MSc in business administration from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. He completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD.

Carmine Di Noia

Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)

Previously, he was Commissioner of the Italian Securities and Exchange Commission (CONSOB), beginning in 2016. He was also alternate member of the Board of IOSCO and the Board of Supervisor at the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), Chair of the Committee of Economic and Markets Analysis (CEMA) and of the Post-Trading Standing Committee at ESMA, and Vice Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee at OECD.

He had been Deputy Director General at Assonime, member of the Board of the Italian Stock Exchange, Chairman of the Policy Committee of EuropeanIssuers and Head of the technical secretariat of the Italian Corporate Governance Committee.

He was a member of various working groups at the European Commission: European Securities Market Expert Group (ESME), Clearing and Settlement Advisory Monitoring Expert Group (CESAME), Forum Group on Auditors Liability, Securities Expert Group on FSAP.He is Full Professor of Financial Markets and Banking at the Business School of Luiss University in Rome.

He holds a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate in Economic Theory and Institutions at Tor Vergata University.

Heba El Serafi

Vice Chairman, The Egyptian Exchange

Heba El Serafi is the Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange. She is also the Chairman of EGX Holding Company for Financial Markets Development.  El Serafi is also the Vice Chairman of Egypt for Information Dissemination company (EGID) and a board member of the Investor Protection Fund. She is also the Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange Sustainability Foundation.

El Serafi has over 30 years of hands-on experience in the capital market field, including research and markets development, stock and securities trading, market surveillance, financial disclosure and ESG reporting, strategic planning, international relations, in addition to credit analysis and risk assessment.

Prior to her appointment as EGX Vice Chairman, she assumed the position of the Assistant Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange and Director of Disclosure & Corporates Governance Sector.  El Serafi also worked as the head of Surveillance, Research & Market development, Strategic Planning and International Relations departments at EGX.  El Serafi was also the Project Manager of EGX SMEs board.  Earlier in her career, she held a number of positions at the credit division and corporate banking at the Arab African International Bank and Fleming CIIC investment bank.

El Serafi was also a member of the Committee who drafted Egypt's Corporate Governance Guidelines issued in August 2016. She also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Egyptian Institute of Directors (EIOD).  She was also a board member at the Research & Commercial Studies Center – Cairo University. El Serafi also served as the Vice Chairman Corporate Governance Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce.

El Serafi was selected as one of the most influential Capital Markets' women leaders by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) in 2021.

Korkmaz Ergun

Chief Executive Officer, Borsa Istanbul

Korkmaz Ergun earned his undergraduate degree at Ankara University Faculty of Political Science, Department of Business Administration and started his career at Borsa İstanbul the same year. He completed his masters’ degree and PhD at Marmara University, Faculty of Economics. Having 25 years of Stock Exchange and Capital Markets experience, Ergun has administered the evaluation of the initial public offerings of numerous companies, and the examination and market activities of the companies listed on Borsa İstanbul. Moreover, Ergun is the Deputy Chairman of Takasbank Board of Directors. He is also a Board Member of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).

Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi

Executive Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia

Dato’ Faiz was appointed the Executive Chairman of the Securities Commission SC, the capital markets regulator of Malaysia, in June 2024 by the Malaysian Minister of Finance. He was previously a Board member on the SC since August 2023. 

He was the Chairman of PwC Malaysia for 11 out of his 30 years with the firm. He has over 38 years of experience in the audit and business advisory services in Malaysia and the UK. He was the leader of PwC's Global Islamic Finance Team practice from 2007 to September 2012. He was also PwC's Malaysia's Financial Services Leader and joint Head of Audit and lead the ESG and Shariah Investing part of PwC's Sustainability and Climate Change practice in Malaysia. He retired as a partner and the Executive Chairman of PwC Malaysia in June 2023.

Much of his recent work has been with the Federal and State Governments involving work related to Accrual Accounting, acting as an Administrator for an airline and certain government entities and being part of the Federal Government National Covid vaccine rollout. He has also been involved in the financial restructuring of government agencies as well as investigations.

Dato’ Faiz is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and a Fellow of ICAEW. He has held the post of President of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, Chairman of the Malaysia Accounting Standards Board, President of the Kuala Lumpur Business Club and ICAEW City Group Chairman.

He was educated in Malaysia and UK and read law at the University of Durham before being called to the English Bar. He is an alumni of Lincoln's Inn and a member of the Inns of Court of Malaysia. He is a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants England and Wales. He was conferred the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’, which carries the title Dato’ in 2013 by the Sultan of Selangor. He was conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Laws by the University of Nottingham in July 2016.

Leila Fourie

Group Chief Executive Officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Dr. Leila Fourie

Group Chief Executive Officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange

With over 25 years of international experience, primarily in financial services, Leila Fourie has served on multiple boards and held senior roles in banking, capital markets and payments.

Leila was appointed as CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange effective 1 October 2019. Leila also currently holds the role of Co-chair for the United Nations Global Investors for Sustainable Development convened by the UN Secretary General.

Prior to this role, Leila served as Executive responsible for Consumer Finance at Australia’s largest bank, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and served as the NSW Vice President of the Economic Society of Australia and on the Board Audit Committee of Lifeline Australia. Before this, Leila she held the role of CEO of the Australian Payments Network.

Before moving to Australia, Leila served on the Board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as Executive Director. Leila previously worked for one of South Africa’s largest banks, Standard Bank as Card Division Managing Director. During this time, she served as Chairman on the board of Diners Club and Board Member on Discover’s Chicago-based Diners Club International Advisory board. Leila started in Standard Bank’s Investment Bank as Global Director Credit analytics, capital and portfolio management for SA, UK, Hong Kong, Russia, Brazil and Argentina.

Leila has a PhD in Economic and Financial Sciences and won the Economic Society South Africa Founders’ award in 2012 for best Masters Economics thesis in the country. Leila has published several articles in academic journals and actively advocates for policy development in various sectors.

Leila is an active rock climber, mountaineer and cyclist and plays the piano in her spare time.

Dr. Jane Goodall

Founder, Jane Goodall Institute

Iosif Itkin

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Exactpro

Iosif is co-founder and co-CEO of Exactpro, a specialist firm focused on functional and non-functional testing for market infrastructures. Founded in 2009 with ten core specialists on board, Exactpro now employs over 550 specialists. In May 2015 - January 2018, Exactpro was part of the Technology Services division of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). In January 2018, the founders of Exactpro completed a management buyout from LSEG.

Iosif manages business development and research in the field of high-load trading systems reliability. He is actively involved in delivering strategic software testing initiatives. Iosif has organized several industry conferences, including EXTENT - Software Testing and Trading Technology Trends Conference. He frequently speaks at worldwide FinTech events.

Iosif started his professional career in 2000 as a software engineer in a US-based software development company. For seven years, he worked as a Team Lead and a Technology Architect on projects for a number of US companies. In 2006, Iosif joined a company providing QA services in the financial sector. His extensive software development experience helped him to establish a Performance Testing Department specialising in testing high load trading systems. As a Technical Lead, Iosif was responsible for developing testing tools and implementing technical solutions for a number of leading exchanges and global investment banks. Iosif also has experience managing a consulting practice with a focus on advanced execution systems. As VP of Technology, he was responsible for implementing testing solutions on a number of complex projects for customers worldwide.

Ian Johnston

Chief Executive, Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)

Ian Johnston was appointed Chief Executive of the DFSA in 2022, a position he previously held from 2012 to 2018. 

From 2018 until his reappointment, Mr Johnston provided advice and consultancy to a number of regulatory bodies across the Middle East, Europe and Asia, including on projects funded by the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Originally a lawyer, Mr Johnston held a number of senior positions within the financial sector, including as CEO of one of Australia’s major trustee companies. In 1999, Mr Johnston moved into regulation joining the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as Executive Director, Financial Services Regulation, and spent several terms as an Acting Commissioner. He served as a Special Advisor with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission from 2005.

Mr Johnston’s impact extends globally as he chaired the Joint Forum, which comprised representatives of major international regulatory standard-setters such as the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), and the Basel Committee.

Currently, Mr Johnston serves as Vice Chair of the IOSCO’s Africa and Middle East Regional Committee and as an IOSCO Board member. His wealth of experience and commitment to regulatory excellence positions him as a distinguished figure in the global financial landscape.

Mr Johnston is a Board member of two non-profit organisations, the Fred Hollows Foundation (HK) and Opera Scholars Australia.

Edward  Knight

Executive Vice Chairman, Nasdaq

As Executive Vice Chairman, Edward Knight manages global government relations and serves as a senior advisor on public policy and litigation.

During his tenure as Nasdaq’s General Counsel from 2001 to 2019, Knight championed many causes for investors and public companies: proxy reform; corporate governance modernization, including the JOBS ACT passage in 2012; regulatory reform; immigration reform; and enhancing the self-regulatory organization model. He has worked tirelessly to ensure Nasdaq’s U.S. equity market maintains its position as the premier global marketplace for capital formation.

Knight currently serves as a member of the Advisory Board of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and is a member of the District of Columbia, Texas and Supreme Court Bars. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and sits on its Committee on Corporate Affairs. Knight is Vice Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the U.S.-India Business Council. He is also chair of TechNet's Executive Council. He is a member of the Nasdaq Dubai Board and the Board of the World Federation of Exchanges. He is based in Nasdaq’s Washington, D.C., office.

Before serving as FINRA’s General Counsel from 1999-2001 and then NASDAQ’s General Counsel, Knight served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury from September 1994 to June 1999 — the longest tenure since the position was created in 1934. Upon his departure, he received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the Department's highest honor. He also received the Honor Award from the Secret Service. Before being named Treasury General Counsel, Knight served as Executive Secretary and Senior Advisor to Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen. He also served as a member of the Obama Transition Team at the U.S. Treasury Department in 2008-2009.

Prior, he was a partner with the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld in Washington, D.C. A Texas native, Knight received his Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law.

Asadej  Kongsiri

President , The Stock Exchange of Thailand

Mr. Asadej Kongsiri has been the President of The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) since September 19, 2024. He currently serves as a Director of the Capital Market Development Fund and Vice Chairman of the Sem Pringpuangkeo Foundation.

Mr. Kongsiri’s past experiences include serving as Lead Partner for Financial Advisory at Deloitte Thailand, Managing Director of Investment Bangkok at Finansa Securities Limited, Head of Thailand at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Vice President of Investment Banking at JP Morgan in Thailand. He has also worked as a Financial Management Officer and Insurance Secretary at Trans Thai-Malaysia (Thailand) Limited. Earlier in his career, he served as a Project Engineer at the PTT Gas Business Unit of PTT Public Company Limited.

Mr. Kongsiri holds a Master of Business Administration in Financial Management from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK. He has also completed the Director Certification Program from the Thai Institute of Directors Association.

Boon Chye Loh

Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Exchange, & Chairman, The World Federation of Exchanges

Over the years, Mr Loh has played a key role in the development of Southeast Asia’s capital markets, having held a number of senior advisory positions. Apart from his directorship on the SGX Board from 2003 to 2012, he has been on the Boards of GIC Pte Ltd since November 2012, Economic Development Board Singapore since February 2017 and the World Federation of Exchanges since September 2017. He is also Chairman of the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Council for Board Diversity.

With a career in the financial industry that spans three decades, Mr Loh was most recently Deputy President and Head of Asia Pacific Global Markets at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch from December 2012 to May 2015. He was also the bank’s Country Executive for Singapore and Southeast Asia and a member of its Asia Pacific Executive Committee. From 1995 to 2012, Mr Loh was with Deutsche Bank AG, where he held various leadership roles including Head of Corporate & Investment Banking for Asia Pacific and Head of Global Markets for Asia.

Mr Loh is a council member and Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Banking & Finance Singapore and a council member at the Singapore Business Federation. He was also previously Chairman of the Singapore Foreign Exchange Market Committee, as well as Deputy President of ACI Singapore.

Mr Loh holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the National University of Singapore.

Astrid Ludin

Deputy Commissioner, Financial Sector Conduct Authority of South Africa

Astrid Ludin is a Deputy Commissioner at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority of South Africa since June 2021. Her responsibilities include oversight over financial market and retirement fund supervision. She has more than 25 years of experience in public policy and regulation, and led major law reforms, including the reform of company, consumer protection and credit legislation in South Africa between 2002 and 2007. In her capacity as Deputy Director-General at the dtic, she had policy responsibility for competition, company, intellectual property, consumer protection, credit, gambling, lotteries, and liquor legislation and exercised oversight over the associated regulatory agencies.

Astrid spent 3 years at the Competition Commission (1999 to 2002), responsible for stakeholder relations, communications, education and voluntary compliance, and was involved in a number of major mergers and investigations. She served as the first Commissioner of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) between 2011 and 2015, where she oversaw the modernisation of the office and its transformation into a regulatory institution. 

In various consulting capacities, Astrid has provided research and policy advice to the dtic, the National Treasury, the Prudential Authority, Strate, a range of South African financial services firms, and financial sector regulators in Africa. Her areas of expertise include consumer protection, market conduct and financial market regulation, financial inclusion, financial education and innovation.

John McKenzie

Chief Executive Officer, TMX Group, & Chair, WFE Working Committee

Mr. McKenzie is a member of the TMX Group Board of Directors and also a member of the Board of Directors of several TMX Group subsidiaries.

Mr. McKenzie has worked for TMX for over 20 years; prior to his appointment as CEO on August 17, 2020, he served as Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for corporate strategy, corporate development, investor relations and the financial management of the company as well as for the administrative oversight of TMX Group’s Capital Formation business. He has led various TMX acquisitions, including the Maple transaction, and the acquisitions of Montréal Exchange and Trayport.

From July 2015 to August 2016, Mr. McKenzie served as President of CDS, Canada’s equity and fixed income clearing house and a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group. Prior to that he was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and CFO of CDS.

Mr. McKenzie is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) and has an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University and an Honours BA from Wilfrid Laurier University. He has served on a number of boards, and is currently the Working Committee Chairman of the World Federation of Exchanges, and a Board Member and Treasurer for the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.

Ramon Monzon

President & Chief Executive Officer, The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc.

David Ngai

Alternate Chief Executive, Hong Kong, State Street Bank and Trust Company

David Ngai - David is currently the Managing Director of State Street Bank and Trust Company, responsible for the managing of the Compliance practice for Global Market’s businesses in Apac. David is also serving as the Alternate Chief Executive for our Hong Kong Branch. On top of governance, David is also responsible for the managing of the relationships with the Regulators and Central Banks in the region from Market Infrastructure, and Supervisory perspective.

Previously Managing director, Asia Pacific for Global Financial Markets Association’s Global FX Division, David had been working with a group of 25 major international banks engaged in the discussions with the Regulators and Central Banks in multiple jurisdictions around clearing, execution, trade reporting, Code of Conduct, and Business Practice Rules, and has been taking a proactive role in ensuring the industry meets enhanced transparency requirements driven by the G-20 from the FX perspective, including the FX Global Code.

David is accountant by profession graduated from the University of Birmingham with Master degree in Public Administration and Development, and qualified with Arthur Andersen. David had since then being a Regulator with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission’s Enforcement Division, and followed by various regional compliance management positions with major financial institutions including Macquarie and J.P. Morgan.

Other than Compliance, David has also been advising Global Markets Business Units and participating in various committees with the Regulators, and Markets Associations in the region, including being the co-convenor of the conduct and disciplinary committee, and examinations committee for the Hong Kong regulatory body.

Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar

Chairman, Bursa Malaysia

Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar is currently the Chairman of Bursa Malaysia Berhad. He is regarded as one of the most accomplished corporate leaders in Malaysia having successfully led as CEO three major organisations in infrastructure development (UEM Group 2001 - 2004), telecommunications (Telekom Malaysia 2004 - 2008) and financial services (Maybank 2008 - 2013). He served as Group Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) from August 2016 to June 2018 following completion of his term as a Senator and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Economic Planning from June 2013 to June 2016.

He also currently serves as the Chairman of WWF-Malaysia and MySDG Foundation, Professor of Practice at INCEIF University and as the Sultan bin Abdulaziz Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, UK. Tan Sri Abdul Wahid is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA).

Mark Peterson

Chief Executive Officer, NZX Limited

Mark joined NZX in May 2015 and became Chief Executive in April 2017. He has 30 years’ experience in financial services covering the capital markets, private wealth, institutional and retail banking, and insurance. Mark previously worked as the Managing Principal of ANZ Securities, and before that held senior management roles with First NZ Capital, ANZ and The National Bank of NZ.

Mark Peterson holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University of Wellington, has completed executive training at Mt Eliza business school, and was an accredited NZX Advisor and Authorised Financial Adviser.

Joseph Portelli

Executive Chairman, Malta Stock Exchange

Joseph has over 38 years of experience employed in various capacities within the financial industry in the U.S and in Malta. He has experience as a portfolio manager, currency, and futures trader, and has worked with Bank of America, Nomura Securities, Goldman Sachs, Millburn Ridgefield, and Liongate Capital Management. He was also chief investment officer and managing director of FMG Funds, an emerging markets specialist.

He is currently the Executive Chairman of the Malta Stock Exchange and sits on its Audit Committee. Between April 2013 and April 2015 he sat on its board and chaired its Risk Management Committee. In 2015 he was named executive chair of the Malta Stock Exchange PLC and has founded and chairs various MSE-owned subsidiaries such as the Malta Stock Exchange Institute amongst others. He also offers risk management consulting, and sits on the boards and investment committees of numerous asset management and financial service companies domiciled in Malta. Joseph also sits on the Malta Financial Services Advisory Council a board, constituted by the Finance Ministry of Malta and is chairman of the World Federation of Exchanges, Governance and Nominations Committee.

Joseph was also a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta and has taught courses at the Malta Institute of Accounting, and other institutions. He was a regular contributor to the Times of Malta, writing about investor education. Joseph graduated with a BA from Baruch College, City University of New York.

Iman Rachman

President Director, Indonesia Stock Exchange

Tarik  Senhaji

Chief Executive Officer, Bourse de Casablanca

Mr. Tarik SENHAJI is the Chief Executive Officer of Bourse de Casablanca (Casablanca stock exchange). He graduated from Ecole Polytechnique de Paris and the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE) in Paris. He began his career as a Financial Officer at the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) in Washington DC, before moving to London where he held various management positions in capital markets at Société Générale, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, Calyon CIB and Natixis CIB.

Mr. Tarik SENHAJI has accumulated over 25 years of experience in the financial sector on the Moroccan and international markets. Before his new position as CEO of Bourse de Casablanca, he was Managing Director of Ithmar Capital, the Moroccan strategic investment fund.

Nandini Sukumar

Chief Executive Officer, The World Federation of Exchanges

Nandini Sukumar is the Chief Executive Officer of the World Federation of Exchanges, the global association for exchanges and CCPs. The WFE represents more than 250 exchanges and clearing houses globally, educating stakeholders on the vital role played by market infrastructures in the real economy and as a standard setter, finding the consensus on issues among the global membership. Of its members, 35% are in Asia-Pacific, 45% in EMEA and 20% in the Americas. WFE exchanges are home to 47,919 listed companies, and the market capitalisation of these entities is over $109 trillion; around $137 trillion (EOB) in trading annually passes through WFE members (at end 2020). WFE’s 57 member CCPs collectively ensure that risk takers post some $800bn (equivalent) of resources to back their positions, in the form of initial margin and default fund requirements. Ms. Sukumar is Vice Chair of IOSCO’s Affiliate Members Consultative Committee and Chair of the AMCC’s Sustainability Taskforce.

Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift

Chief Executive Officer, Bursa Malaysia

Muhamad Umar Swift is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bursa Malaysia Berhad, a position he has held since 2019. He serves as the director of all subsidiary companies within the Bursa Malaysia Group and is the Chairman of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad and Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Clearing Berhad, Bursa Malaysia RAM Capital Sdn Bhd and Yayasan Bursa Malaysia. He is also the Chairman of the CEO Action Network (CAN).

As CEO of the Exchange, Umar aspires to play a catalytic role in the economy’s transition to green, as expressed in the Exchange’s vision to become “ASEAN’s leading, sustainable and globally-connected marketplace.” His approach to achieving this is underscored in the Exchange’s mission which is to create opportunities, grow value for stakeholders participating in the ecosystem while improving investability for issuers and investors.

Umar has more than 25 years of leadership experience across multiple industries. Prior to joining the Exchange, he was the CEO/ Group Managing Director of MAA Group Berhad.

Umar currently serves on the Boards of Securities Industry Development Corporation, Capital Development Market Fund and Malaysia Forest Fund. He is also the advisor for the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Councillor of the Overseas Regional Council of Malaysia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Besides being a Chartered Accountant with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, he also holds various fellowships and qualifications in accounting and finance, including Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and CPA Australia, to name a few.

Carlson Tong

Chairman, Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing

Kendal Vroman

Chief Transformation Officer, CME Group

Kendal (Ken) Vroman serves as CME Group’s Chief Transformation Officer. He is responsible for overseeing the company’s migration process as part of its 10-year partnership with Google Cloud to transform global derivatives markets through cloud adoption. He also leads the planning and execution function across the organization. 

Prior to assuming his current role, he most recently served as Senior Managing Director, International and Optimization Services.

Since joining the company in 2001, Vroman has held a variety of senior leadership roles including Managing Director of Planning and Execution, Global Head of Commodity Products and OTC Solutions, and Managing Director and Chief Corporate Development Officer. Vroman played a key leadership role in integration planning associated with the NEX acquisition in 2018, the CME/CBOT merger in 2007, the historic CME/CBOT clearing agreement in 2003-2004 and the company's initial public offering in 2002.

Before joining the company, he worked as Vice President, Corporate Operations/Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer for marchFIRST Inc. from 1999-2001. At marchFIRST, he handled a variety of executive level project management tasks, including integrating staff and operations during the 2000 merger of USWeb/CKS and Whittman-Hart. Prior to the merger, Vroman served as Principal for Whittman-Hart’s

Collaborative Technologies Group from 1995-99. He also worked as a Senior Consultant for Andersen Consulting LLP’s Americas Information Systems Division.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in applied computer science from Illinois State University and a master’s of management degree, with an emphasis in finance and marketing, from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Mazen Wathaifi

Chief Executive Officer, Amman Stock Exchange

Mr. Wathaifi is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) since September 2019. He joined the Amman Financial Market (AFM) in1984 and became the Director of the Research and Studies Department at the AFM in 1997. He was appointed as the Director of the Research and International Affairs Department at the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC) in 1999. Among his main responsibilities were conducting researches on matters related to capital market regulation and activities, and following up the JSC's relations with related international organizations including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), Union of Arab of Securities Authorities (UASA), and International securities regulators. He took part in internal committees that drafted the Securities Law and legislations governing various activities in the national capital market. He headed the committee that drafted the Corporate Governance Code for Shareholding Companies Listed on Amman Stock Exchange. He is a member in several local, Arab, and international working groups and task forces. He was elected as a board member of Arab Financial Capital Markets (AFCM) and the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges (FEAS).   Mr. Wathaifi was appointed as the Executive Director of the JSC in July 2013. In July 2014 he was appointed by the Jordanian Council of Ministers as a commissioner on the JSC's Board of Commissioners in addition to the responsibilities of the Secretary General of the JSC. He holds the BA in Business and Economics in addition to High Diploma in banking studies and the Master's degree in finance/ financial markets. He received training in a number of international institutions and institutes including the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the British Financial Services Authority (FSA), the American University, and the Capital Market Research Center at the George Town University in Washington.  He participated, and represented the JSC in several conferences and seminars on Arab and international levels.