On Leadership: Sarah Jammaz Al-Suhaimi, Chairperson, Tadawul

Name: Sarah Jammaz Al-Suhaimi

Title: Chairperson, Saudi Stock Exchange - Tadawul

1. The Role: 

As the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Tadawul – I am responsible for ensuring the company cements its global positioning by aligning platform operations and the governing regulations with global best practice to meet and exceed our clients expectations.

2. The Bio:

I have served as the CEO of NCB Capital (NCBC) from 2014 to 2021 and was a member of the Board of Directors, growing AUMs by over four times during my tenure. I also served a two-year term as Vice-Chairperson of the Advisory Committee of the Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) Board of Directors (2013 to 2015).
Prior to that, I led the asset and wealth management division at Jadwa Investment Company, where I also became CIO from 2007 to 2014, and a member of the firms’ Management Committee.

I started my career in asset management at Samba Capital, and I am currently a trustee of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation and a We-Fi Leadership Champion. I have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting (Honors) from King Saud University.

3. What were your professional highlights and challenges of 2020 

My challenges are similar to the challenges faced by any investment professional – instability and uncertainty. Market behaviour and volatility were unprecedented; it has forced us to think differently and act quickly. We have all become increasingly aware of the impact of digitization and agility. Companies that made the switch to digital and adopted remote and flexible working policies, fared better than others that did not. I believe the more agile business leaders are, the faster they can adapt to a world that is now seemingly borderless and unpredictable. With this in mind, at Tadawul, we have strived to further expand our innovative culture and are now planning a major investment in technology that would considerably enhance our end users, and the wider ecosystems experience.

4. What advice do you have for other women who aspire to be in leadership positions:

Be yourself.

Do not be afraid of trying things.

If you get an opportunity, try it. Don’t shy away from taking risks and living life.

We must view failure differently. You need to accept that things will happen different to your expectations. There is no clear path to success – your path to success will differ to mine, and anybody else’s. Our individual journeys and our mistakes shape us. Never shy away from asking and seeking help, that is one of the keys to learning and developing.