The Board of Directors of Askari Bank Limited (PSX: AKBL) has appointed Zia Ijaz as the new President and CEO of the bank for a three-year term. The decision, made during a board meeting on Friday, January 24, 2025, is subject to the clearance of his Fit and Proper Test (FPT) by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

The announcement was shared in a stock filing issued by the bank at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) today.

The Board also expressed its gratitude to Saleem Anwar for his contributions as Acting President and CEO. Anwar will continue to serve in this role until Zia Ijaz formally assumes office, the filing added.

Zia Ijaz brings over 30 years of extensive banking experience to his new role. He previously served as Deputy CEO of UBL Limited, where he also led the Branch Banking and International Business Groups. At Allied Bank (ABL), he held several key leadership positions, including CFO, Group Chief of Commercial & Retail Banking, and Group Chief of Operations. Additionally, he has worked as Financial Controller at Riyadh Bank in Saudi Arabia and as CFO at Askari Bank.

Before entering the banking sector, Ijaz was associated with Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder & Co., a member firm of Ernst & Young.

Ijaz is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP). He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), USA.