Mohammad junaid Essa

Head of Governance and Sustainability Section

Securities and Commodities Authority

Mohammad Junaid serves as the Head of the Corporate Governance and Sustainability Section at the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), where he has been an integral part of the organization for the past 15 years. He plays a key role in identifying and addressing weaknesses in corporate governance practices and in examining and recommending methods to enhance public companies’ compliance with SCA regulations. Mohammad is a recognized expert in promoting robust corporate governance practices among public companies in the UAE. Beyond his role at the SCA, Mohammad has significantly contributed to improving the UAE's ranking in the 'Protecting Minority Investors' of the World Bank's Doing Business index. He also led the transition from physical to virtual general assembly meetings for listed companies during COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he is an active member of the UAE Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) representing SCA, including all financial regulators in the UAE and he leads the Disclosure Working Stream. This group is dedicated to developing a sustainable finance ecosystem in the UAE. Mohammad holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Finance and Banking from the University of Wollongong and is an alumnus of the Government Leaders Programme - Future Leaders, administered by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of the UAE..