Abdul Wahid Sethi has assumed charge as acting President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bank of Pakistan, ensuring leadership continuity at the state-owned lender.
The appointment took effect on August 21, 2026, after Rehmat Ali Hasnie completed his tenure as NBP president and CEO. A separate NBP filing with the Pakistan Stock Exchange confirmed that Hasnie’s tenure expired on the same date.
Government approves interim arrangement
The Finance Division assigned Sethi the acting charge in line with the Corporate Governance Regulatory Framework. Its notification authorises him to manage NBP’s day-to-day affairs for three months. The arrangement will end sooner if the government appoints a permanent president and CEO before that period expires.
The official appointment notice submitted to the PSX confirms the interim arrangement.
NBP said: “Mr. Sethi’s assumption of the acting charge provides leadership continuity at NBP as the government proceeds with the process of appointing a permanent President & CEO.”
More than three decades of experience
Sethi brings more than three decades of public and private sector experience to the position. His core areas include financial management, audit, risk, governance and internal controls.
He joined NBP in November 2009 and has since held several senior leadership roles. Alongside his acting assignment, he serves as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He has held the CFO position since September 2017.
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Earlier, Sethi led NBP’s Audit and Inspection Group as SEVP and group chief. He also worked as secretary to the Board Audit and Compliance Committee. Those assignments gave him experience across the bank’s financial, operational and governance functions.
Before joining NBP, Sethi served as an internal audit specialist with the Punjab Government’s Education Department. The position formed part of a World Bank initiative focused on public financial management and internal control.
He later headed Business Risk Services at Grant Thornton AASR. His earlier career also included roles at Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, New Allied Electronics, associated with LG, and Harvest Smartend Securities.
Governance role at a major state-owned bank
Sethi has been a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan since 2001. He also holds an MBA in Finance from Imperial College of Business Studies in Lahore, completed in 1995.
NBP’s official management page now identifies Sethi as its acting president and CEO. The bank operates under the National Bank of Pakistan Ordinance, 1949. It provides commercial banking services and handles government treasury transactions as an agent of the State Bank of Pakistan.
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The leadership transition follows a strong financial year for NBP. PSX data shows the bank reported profit after tax of Rs85.9 billion for 2025, while earnings per share reached Rs40.38.
Sethi will oversee continuing operations, financial management and sound governance during the interim period. The government, meanwhile, will proceed with the appointment of a permanent president and CEO.
