Ameena Saiyid

Ms Ameena Saiyid, OBE, is Managing Director, Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan - the first woman in the country to head a multinational company. She joined OUP in 1979 and worked in various capacities – sales, marketing, editing, etc. In April 2010, she was elected as President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) for 2010-2011 – again the first woman President in OICCI’s 150 years’ history.

Queen Elizabeth honored her with OBE in 2005 for her commendable services for the promotion of Anglo-Pakistan relations, democracy, women’s rights, education, and intellectual property rights.

Ms Saiyid left the OUP in 1986 to set up her own publishing house - Saiyid Books which grew into a successful business. In 1988, she rejoined OUP to head it. The organization under her dynamic leadership grew to such a remarkable extent that it began publishing a book per week from a book per year. Today, there is no school in the private sector in Pakistan which is not using an OUP book.

Ms Saiyid is serving the boards of various organizations in different capacities - Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government Girls High School; Welfare Committee, INFAQ Foundation for Writers, Journalists & Performing Artists; Jinnah Society, Karachi; Vice Chairperson Pakistan-India Citizens Friend Forum; Chairman, Anti-copyright Infringement Forum (ACIF); Trustee, Board of Governors, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme; Trustee, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA); Trustee, Iqbal International Institute for Research, Education and Dialogue (IRED).

Ms Saiyid received her primary education in the US where her father was a diplomat, followed by the Karachi Grammar School and the Karachi University. She received training in Advanced Management from Templeton College, Oxford University, and the Ashridge School of Management, UK.

Ms Saiyid joined LEAD Board in June 2006. She is proving a valuable input while serving the Nomination Committee of the Board.