The Federal government, with cabinet approval, has appointed Ms. Nadia Jahangir Seth as Chief Executive Officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA). The appointment is effective immediately for a period of three years.

Nadia Jahangir Seth is a seasoned policy professional with a career dedicated to SME development in Pakistan. She joined SMEDA in 2002 and has served for over 19 years. Most recently, she was General Manager of the Policy and Planning Division.

She is known as a public policy professional with extensive experience in evidence-based policy development and advocacy. She played a pivotal role in crafting Pakistan’s first and subsequent National SME Policies. Crafting Pakistan’s first National Women Entrepreneurship Policy & Action Plan is one of her most recent achievements.

Nadia holds a Master’s in Economics from GC University and another degree in Development Management from the University of Turin, Italy. She has attended specialized courses in public policy and SME development in multiple countries. Her commitment to excellence led her to the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, where she received specialized training in Trade Policy and Development.

Nadia’s experience encompasses close insights into diverse development models across emerging and developed economies, including Turkey, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the USA. She has represented Pakistan at numerous national and international conferences and has successfully negotiated and implemented bilateral and multilateral programs to create social impact.

She has also led negotiations with international development partners, multilateral institutions, and governments, such as the UAE–Pakistan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) – SME Chapter, to support cross-border trade and sustainable private-sector growth.