The Saudi Stock Exchange has appointed Sarah Al-Suhaimi, Chief Executive of investment bank NCB Capital, as its chair on Thursday. Suhaimi is the first woman to chair a major government financial institution in the Kingdom, and was also the first female chief executive of a Saudi investment bank when she took that post at NCB Capital in 2014. Her father, Jammaz, headed the Capital Market Authority between 2004 and 2006. The appointment is in line with the government's reform programme announced last year, which includes increasing women's participation in the workforce to 30% from 22% in the coming years. While heading the exchange, Suhaimi will keep her post at NCB Capital, an arm of National Commercial Bank, Saudi Arabia's largest listed bank, an NCB Capital official said. (Reuters)