Govt Set to Appoint CEO PSEB After 2-Year Gap

The government of Pakistan is preparing to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), ending a leadership gap that has persisted since August 2022. A panel of three candidates has been submitted to the federal government for final approval after a thorough selection process.

According to the IT Ministry document, the post was re-advertised on April 7, 2024. A total of 234 applications were received, and after a preliminary evaluation, 16 candidates were shortlisted. Following further interviews, six candidates were selected for final consideration by the PSEB Board of Directors during its 59th meeting on June 3, 2024.

According to MoITT, the names of the top three candidates have been forwarded to the federal government for final approval, with necessary due diligence and clearances pending. The new CEO will be appointed for a term of three years.

The leadership vacuum has been in place since the former Managing Director’s tenure ended in August 2022. Although the post was re-designated from Managing Director to CEO in August 2022, delays in the recruitment process have prolonged the vacancy.

A previous attempt to appoint Ali Raza Khan as CEO in 2023 was derailed after he failed to obtain security clearance from a government agency. The position was then re-advertised in 2024 to fill the critical role needed to steer the PSEB’s operations.