Speaker > Biography

Biography of Yaseen Anwar, W’72

Mr. Anwar is the Deputy Governor, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). A senior global banker, Mr. Anwar brings 33 years of international banking experience to his new assignment. Prior to taking over as SBP Deputy Governor in March 2007, Mr. Anwar was associated with M/s. Kraken Financial Group, London as its Executive Vice-president since 2003. He has worked closely with various financial institutions and brokerage firms in Pakistan over the past three years and developed an in depth understanding of the financial services sector and the economic reforms in the country.

Mr. Anwar, with deep corporate business relationships in U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, has established a broad range of hands-on experience in managing rapidly growing business units of renowned global financial institutions with detailed knowledge and oversight of the regulatory environment, operations, payments and credit related matters. As a Non-Executive Director on the Board of United National Bank Ltd. (U.K.) over the past six years, he has developed strong expertise in the U.K. financial services regulatory framework on corporate governance as well as senior level ties with the U.K. Financial Services Authority.

He was Director-Private Banking, Riggs & Co., London from 2001 to 2003. Mr. Anwar spent nine years with Merrill Lynch & Co., New York/London as its Vice- President from 1992 to 2001. He also served Bank of America for 15 years from 1976 to 1991 in various responsible capacities such as Vice-President & Section Head for the Global Export Finance Group & concurrently the Middle East (1984- 1991), Assistant Vice-President, New York (1982-84), Assistant Manager, Cairo, Egypt (1979 – 1981) and Assistant Manager, Paris/London (1976-1979). He was trained at JPMorgan Chase, New York from 1973 to 1975.

Mr. Anwar was the Founder and President of the Pakistan Bankers Association, U.K. from 1997 to 1999. In New York, Mr. Anwar had served as an Executive Director on the American Turkish Society, Director on the US-Pakistan Economic Council, Director on the American Middle East Business Association, and Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mr. Anwar received his Bachelors of Science degree at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, together with a Bachelor’s in Political Science.