Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held separate meetings with senior executives of Barclays, JPMorgan, Citi, BlackRock and Rothschild & Co in London during his visit to the United Kingdom.
The meetings focused on Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, economic stability, the investment climate and expanding cooperation with the global financial sector.
During a meeting with Muhammad Kamal Syed, Head of Private Bank and Wealth Management UK at Barclays, the prime minister welcomed the bank’s interest in Pakistan.
Shehbaz briefed him on government measures aimed at ensuring economic stability and invited Barclays to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s financial sector and other business areas.
In a separate meeting with a high-level JPMorgan delegation led by Co-Chief Executive Mathieu Wiltz, discussions focused on expanding cooperation in capital markets, trade financing and investment banking.
The prime minister invited JPMorgan to further expand its activities and presence in Pakistan.
The delegation expressed interest in Pakistan’s sovereign debt capital markets and corporate banking sectors.
During a meeting with Citi officials led by Chief Client Officer David Livingstone, Shehbaz appreciated the bank’s long-standing presence in Pakistan and encouraged further expansion of its corporate and institutional banking services.
The prime minister also met a BlackRock delegation comprising Gordon Fraser and Sam Vetch, Co-Heads of Emerging Markets and Frontiers, and Emily Fletcher, Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst.
He invited BlackRock to increase investment in Pakistani equities and fixed-income securities under its frontier markets strategy.
Both sides stressed the importance of policy continuity in strengthening investor confidence.
In a meeting with Lord Mark Sedwill, Chair of Geostrategic Advisory at Rothschild & Co, and Majeed Ishaq, Head of UK Investment Banking, discussions focused on Pakistan’s geo-economic priorities and possible advisory cooperation in capital markets and investment strategies.
Senior officials from the global financial institutions expressed confidence in the progress of Pakistan’s economic reform process and reiterated their commitment to further strengthening cooperation with the country’s financial sector.
Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Privatization and Chairman Privatization Commission Muhammad Ali were also present during the meetings.
