ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday formally appointed Ashraf Mahmood Wathra as Governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

Wathra was formally given charge as SBP governor, a position he had held as interim SBP chief after his predecessor Yasin Anwar had resigned in January.

Anwar had stepped down as central bank chief citing personal reasons, with some officials pointing to policy differences between the governor and the finance minister.

Wathra was given charge of the office of Deputy Governor (DG), State Bank of Pakistan on March 11, 2013.

He has 35 years of commercial and investment banking experience and has worked at Emirates Bank International, American Express and ANZ Grindlays Bank.

Prior to joining SBP, Wathra was serving the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) as its Senior Executive Vice President and Group Chief.