Riyadh, June 19, 2022, SPA -- GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI), in collaboration with The Financial Academy, today celebrated the graduation of 132 trainees who successfully completed the GCC BDI Certificate and Diploma in Board Directorship and Board Secretary Certification Programmes. Of the 132 graduates, there were 100 Certified Board Directors, 23 Certified Board Secretaries, and 10 Directors who received the Diploma award. “The partnership between GCC BDI and the Financial Academy has been a successful and crucial one. Now, board directors and board secretaries no longer need to travel abroad to be qualified to an international standard.”, said His Excellency Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, Chairman of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), KSA. He added that “I know we have more trainees who will be certified in the coming months and years as there are currently another 250 participants working their way towards certification. They are creating a great pool of talent and expertise for listed companies.” El-Kuwaiz also mentioned that CMA aims to create an appropriate investment environment, boost confidence, reinforce transparency and disclosure standards in all listed companies, and to protect the investors and key stakeholders in the capital markets. He highlighted that the graduation of the trainees is a real example of how the Kingdom is increasing its global competitiveness and strengthening its economic sustainability and prosperity.” For his part, Mana Alkhamsan, Director Generalof The Financial Academy, said: “This event not only highlights the close relationship between GCC BDI and the Financial Academy, but it also shows the commitment of many Board Directors and Board Secretaries willing to improve their personal development in order to make a difference in the Kingdom and the region.”  He added, “The Financial Academy aspires to empower the Saudi financial sector by providing a unique blend of diverse knowledge and professional development, encouraging efficiency and effectiveness through highly distinguished training programs, and with a focus on measuring the expected impact in the coming years.” Commenting on the graduation ceremony and the milestone event, Jane Valls, Executive Director at GCC BDI, said: “The evolving business landscape, especially in the aftermath of the global pandemic, has put increased emphasis on professional development – particularly in leadership roles such as Board Directors and Board Secretaries. The changing landscape requires increased agility and the need to upskill and keep current has become extremely critical. We congratulate and commend all our graduates in board directorship and board secretary certification programmes here in Riyadh today. Each successful graduate has been assessed in accordance with the requirements of their respective programmes and to international standards.” “The pivotal role played by board members in the direction and strategic planning of the organisation has never been more important, and we are happy to be collaborating with The Financial Academy in Saudi Arabia in developing a generation of professional board directors and board secretaries who are fast tracking their professional careers and, at the same time, leading the way by demonstrating their commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance.” This is the second cohort of graduates in the board directorship and board secretary certificate programmes and the first in-person graduation ceremony since the programmes got under way in 2019. The Financial Academy is the awarding body for all GCC BDI certification programmes GCC Board Directors Institute [GCC BDI], a not-for-profit organization that guides board directors of organizations in acquiring the know-how and tools to reach and sustain effective corporate governance. --SPA 21:14 LOCAL TIME 18:14 GMT 0028 www.spa.gov.sa/w1748384