Chitra Ramkrishna – Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE)

Chitra Ramkrishna – Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE)

Chitra Ramkrishna is the chief executive officer and managing director of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), and she is the first woman to serve those positions. Chitra is also a member of Derivatives Panel of the Securities and Exchange Board of India. 

EARLY LIFE 

Chitra Ramkrishna was born in Mumbai, India. She completed her education in Mumbai and holds a degree in law and a master’s degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai. After completing her education, she began her career as a legal consultant in the financial sector. She later worked with the Industrial Development Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where she gained valuable experience in the regulatory aspects of the financial industry. In 1994, Ramkrishna joined the National Stock Exchange (NSE), a newly formed exchange at the time, and played a key role in its growth and development over the years. She rose through the ranks and was appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of NSE in 2013, becoming the first woman to hold the position. 

CAREER 

Chitra began her career as a legal consultant in the financial sector, providing legal advice and services to various financial institutions. After working as a legal consultant for a few years, Chitra joined IDBI, a government-owned development finance institution. Here, she worked at the treasury and fixed income departments. Her work was always complemented as it made a way of bonding the issue of success. R H Patil, who was the executive director of IDBI was impressed by her extraordinary work. 

Afterwards, Chitra joined SEBI, which oversees the Indian securities industry. At SEBI, she was responsible for regulating the many aspects of the securities market, including stock exchanges, mutual funds, and international institutional investors. 

After that Chitra joined the newly-established National Stock Exchange (NSE) as a founding member. At NSE, she played a key role in the development of the exchange’s regulatory framework and product offerings. Her deliberations made her create a modern stock exchange with a national presence. She was a part of leadership team which provides a fully automated trading system. She had a strong leadership qualities and a zeal that had created an institution which has stood a pride in terms of international arena. 

She was actively involved in committees like CII’s National Council on Financial Sector Development, FICCI’s National Executive Committee and Capital Markets Committee. In 2013, she became the first woman to hold the position of Managing Director and CEO of NSE after moving up the corporate ladder. 

In the region of Asia-Pacific she is the third women to head as Exchange. She was responsible for several key initiatives at the NSE. The NSE was a transparent market ecosystem that reaches out to more than 1,500 locations in the country. Under her leadership, NSE has launched exchange traded funds, global indices like S&P 500. For retail investors, she introduced a combination of products that are easy and simple to use. She is one of the four Indians on the Fortune list of 50 most powerful business women in the world. Her achievements have drawn appreciation from India and abroad. Various organizations have recognized her with her contributions. 

PHILANTHROPIST 

• Chitra Ramkrishna is a trustee of the Kasturi & Sons Educational Trust, which supports education and research in India. The trust was established by the family that owns The Hindu newspaper. 
• She was involved in the establishment of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, a think-tank under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The institute aims to promote good corporate governance practices and provide training and education to corporate professionals. 
• Chitra is an advocate for women’s empowerment and has spoken on various platforms about the need for gender equality in the workplace. She has supported programs that aim to increase women’s participation in the workforce and promote their economic independence. 
• She has supported various educational initiatives, including scholarships and grants for underprivileged students. She has also been involved in the development of educational infrastructure and facilities. 
• She has also supported healthcare initiatives, including funding for medical research and treatment. She has also been involved in initiatives that aim to improve healthcare access and outcomes in underprivileged communities. 

CHITRA RAMKRISHNA’S PATH To Success 

Her educational qualifications helped her gain a strong foundation in finance and legal matters. Chitra Ramkrishna’s work experience in the financial sector, including her time at IDBI and SEBI, helped her gain a deep understanding of the capital markets and regulatory frameworks. When she joined the NSE, her background in regulatory issues proved to be useful because she was instrumental in creating the regulatory framework for the exchange. 

Chitra’s leadership skills and ability to work well with others helped her rise through the ranks at NSE. She was able to lead the organization through various challenges and steer it towards continued growth and success. She was instrumental in introducing innovative products and technologies at NSE, such as the introduction of algorithmic trading and the development of new index products. Her innovative thinking helped NSE stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly-evolving market. The NSE is now ranked as the world’s largest exchange reforming the capital market in India. Her endeavors have taken the NSE to greater heights. 

NETWORTH

As of 2022, Chitra Ramkrishna has an estimated net worth of $6 million. 

INTERESTING FACTS About CHITRA RAMKRISHNA 

• She is the first woman to have headed a national-level stock exchange in India. 
• She is an advocate for women’s empowerment and has spoken on various platforms about the need for gender equality in the workplace. 

ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS 

• In 2013, she was recognized as Forbes’ Women Leader of the year. 
• She was ranked 17th in the list of top global women business leaders by Fortune magazine, USA. She is the second most powerful businesswoman in India in this list. 

• In 2016, she was named as one of Forbes Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen for her leadership and contributions to the Indian financial sector. 
• In 2015, she was honored with the Woman Leadership Achievement Award by the World Women Leadership Congress for her contributions to the financial sector. 
• She was included in Forbes Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen list in 2015 and 2016. 
• She was also awarded the NDTV Women of Worth Award in 2015 in the business category. 
• She was awarded the Economic Times Businesswoman of the Year Award in 2016 in the financial services category. 
• Chitra Ramkrishna was awarded the Padma Shri, in 2020 for her contributions to trade and industry.