Sadeq Sayeed
Sadeq Sayeed | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 Karachi, Pakistan |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Known for | Leading Nomura's purchase of Lehman Brothers' EMEA operations; CEO of Nomura International plc |
Sadeq Sayeed (born 1953) is a British banker and entrepreneur originally from Pakistan, noted for spearheading Nomura's purchase of Lehman Brothers' operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) in October 2008.
Following the acquisition, he held the position of CEO for the integrated Lehman EMEA businesses from November 2008 until February 2009, subsequently becoming CEO of Nomura International plc until his retirement in June 2010. Throughout this period, he managed the consolidation and growth of Nomura’s EMEA division.
Until March 2019, Sayeed chaired Metage Capital Limited, a hedge fund based in London. Additionally, he has been a board member at JS Investments Ltd as well as Silk Bank Ltd.
Early life and education
Born in Karachi in 1953, Sayeed attended Karachi Grammar School. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in economics with a focus on electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), followed by a master's degree in finance from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Initial phase: 1976 to 2000
Sayeed's professional journey began in 1976 at the World Bank, where he worked as a research associate and internal consultant for five years. In 1985, he joined the London branch of Credit Swiss First Boston (CSFB) as an associate within the cross markets arbitrage team. Between 1989 and 1999, he advanced to managing director roles covering arbitrage, fixed income, and leverage funds sectors. In 1993, he also contributed as an investment banking instructor at MIT.
Tenure at Nomura: 2000 to 2010
In 2000, Sayeed became part of the Management Committee at Nomura Group. He was instrumental in a consortium—including entities such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), BankMuscat, Nomura Holdings, and Sinthos Capital—that secured an 86.55% controlling interest in Saudi Pak Commercial Bank (which later became Silk Bank Limited) in March 2008.
Sayeed rose to prominence as Nomura’s lead negotiator during its takeover of Lehman Brothers' EMEA assets in October 2008. From November 2008 through February 2009, he served as executive vice-chairman and CEO overseeing the merged Nomura-Lehman EMEA operations. On 2 February 2009, he was named CEO of Nomura International plc, a subsidiary under Nomura Europe Holdings plc, a role he maintained until his retirement on 25 June 2010. Reports suggest that his departure involved a severance payment amounting to $34 million.
Post-Nomura career: 2010 to present
Sayeed currently chairs Metage Capital Limited, a hedge fund headquartered in London. He also holds board memberships with JS Investments Ltd and Silk Bank Limited.
In connection with the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena accounts controversy, Sayeed was convicted in 2021; however, on 6 May 2022, Milan’s Court of Appeal acquitted both him and Nomura entirely regarding all allegations related to a transaction conducted with Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena in 2009.