The Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), Abena Amoah, has been named as one of the 20 distinguished and influential women leaders in 2023.
The World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) and central counterparties (CCPs) named Amoah in the group’s top 20 talented existing and future leaders list that was released yesterday.
A statement from the WFE indicated that the list included the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the London Stock Exchange Group (LCH Ltd,), Isabelle Girolami; the Executive President & CEO, Latin American Stock Exchange (Taltenix), Olga Cantillo; the Co-Chief Operating Officer of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, Bonnie Y Chan; and the Chief Executive Officer of the JSE Clear and Director, Post Trade Services of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Alicia Greenwood.
Amoah is the only person from Ghana on the list. She was appointed MD of the GSE in November, making her the first female to occupy that position in the more than three-decade life of the exchange.
Women’s day
The list was released to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, which is celebrated across the world o every March.
The annual publication of the top 50 women leaders forms part of the association’s Women Leadership Initiative, it said in the statement published don its website.
2023 List
A global industry association for exchanges and clearing houses, the WFE said in the statement that its Women Leaders initiative aimed to shine the spotlight on some of the talented and gifted women in its industry of operation.
The industry initiative drew more than 50 senior nominations from every corner of the world as the WFE’s global membership put forward their talented existing, and future, leaders.
“From the total pool of nominations, 20 women were chosen by the WFE Selection Committee, themselves a distinguished group of industry leaders,” the statement said.
The Chief Executive Officer of the WFE, Nandini Sukumar, said all the nominees were tremendous leaders who were inspirational, intelligent, and hardworking with perseverance and grit.
They reflect lives of substance. To those who made the list this year, well done. The choices were the toughest ones yet, and those who did not make the final cut – do not be deterred.
“Come forward again next year,” she said.
She said all women carried a message of hope for those who were rising now and those who will come after them.
“And all carry a message of gratitude for their mentors, often male as well as female, that should inspire those who have already made it,” the CEO of the WFE said.
Profile of Ms Amoah
Amoah, who joined the exchange as Deputy Managing Director on August 1, 2020, has been in the capital market industry over the past 24 years and is highly respected for her technical knowledge, business acumen, outstanding professionalism and integrity.
Her experience covers stock market listings and trading, mergers and acquisitions advisory, investment research, asset management, private placement of equity, debt and hybrid instruments, large infrastructure project development, business start-ups and incubation, public education on investment and financial matters, and capital markets development.
She has previously worked with the BlackIvy Group LLC; Renaissance Group, where she was CEO of NewWorld 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 Business School.
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.
