First Female Deputy Managing Director For Ghana Stock Exchange

The Council of the Ghana Stock Exchange has appointed a new Deputy Managing Director of the Exchange.

Abena Amoah, the new Deputy Managing Director, will commence official administrative work on August 1, 2020.

The Deputy Managing Director is responsible for the operational activities of the Exchange which includes: Trading and Surveillance, Listings and New Products, the Ghana Fixed Income Market and the IT systems of the Exchange.

Miss Amoah will assist the Managing Director in defining and executing the Exchange’s corporate strategies and plans, among other responsibilities.

She has been in the Ghanaian capital markets for over 20 years. She has the record of being an accomplished investment banker and capital markets expert who has led on many landmark transactions.

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 strategies, across diverse sectors of the Ghanaian environment.

She has also served on boards of companies from public institutions to private and non-governmental organizations such as Access Bank PLC, African Women’s Development Fund, Ghana Stock Exchange, Ghana Petroleum Funds, Kosmos Energy Ghana HC Advisory Council, The Foschini Group Ghana Ltd, University of Ghana Council, Venture Capital Trust Fund and Wapic Insurance Ghana Ltd.

Miss Amoah has been an advisor to the Government of Ghana and financial sector regulators in West Africa on expanding financial markets and is highly respected in her industry for her unresolved professionalism and integrity. 

At the beginning of her career, Abena started as an investment analyst and stockbroker then growing to build and lead top investment banks in Ghana.

She has previously worked with the BlackIvy Group LLC, where she led the development of the 400-acre WestPark Industrial Park at Shama in the Western Region; 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 the Executive Director of the company.

Mr. Albert Essien, the out-going Chairman of the Exchange, expressed excitement on the appointment of Abena Amoah.

“Her rich and diverse experience covering all constituents of Ghana’s capital markets is just the energy we need to take the Exchange to the next level of relevance – providing the needed capital for our private and public institutions, and vibrant and rewarding investment experience for the public.”

The Managing Director of the Exchange, Ekow Afedzie, also said he is thrilled to work with his new deputy and indicated that the Exchange is on the path to empowering women.

“This is a critical time for the Exchange and I’m thrilled to welcome Abena and work with her closely as we modernise and transition from a frontier market to an emerging market, in alignment with Government’s plan to make Ghana the financial hub of the West African sub-region. Abena is the first female executive director of the Exchange, further proof of our commitment to championing outstanding women.”

Abena is an alumna of the University of Ghana Business School and 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, all in the USA.

She was a founding executive of the Ghana Securities Industry Association, an Authorised Dealing Officer of the Ghana Stock Exchange and an Assessor (Capital Markets Expert) of the Commercial Division of the High Court of Ghana.