BoDs decide to restructure Smeda, appoint new CEO

ISLAMABAD: The Board of Directors (BoD) of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) has decided to restructure the organization, establish new regional offices and initiate the process for appointing a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization at the earliest.

The decisions were taken here on Friday during the 31st BoD meeting, which was held under the chairmanship of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Industries and Production Saif Anjum, SMEDA CEO Soqrat Aman Rana and other senior officials.

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Welcoming the new members of the Board, Haroon highlighted that under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, SMEDA’s new structure has been finalized, with a strong focus on an outsourcing model as well as policy and program design.

He further said that as per the Prime Minister’s guidance, Smeda will now prioritize initiatives targeting SMEs, micro-enterprises, women entrepreneurs, and climate-related challenges. He also announced that Smeda’s regional offices will be established in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

A key agenda point was the appointment of Smeda’s new CEO. The Board decided that the human resource committee will be nominated to finalize the appointment, in line with the Prime Minister’s instructions for an immediate and transparent process.

Speaking at the meeting, Haroon emphasized that the Smeda is a vital institution for Pakistan with immense potential. He reaffirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has a clear vision for strengthening Smeda and is personally committed to its success.

“The appointment of the CEO will strictly be on merit. There will be no compromise on transparency and fairness,” the SAPM stated. He reiterated that Smeda’s role in empowering women, supporting micro-enterprises, and driving SME growth will have a transformative impact on the economy and society.

“SMEs are thriving and expanding every day, and the Smeda has a crucial role to play in shaping this growth,” Haroon concluded.