Leila Fourie drives digital transformation, regulatory reform, and sustainable market growth as CEO of one of Africa’s leading stock exchanges.
Dr Leila Fourie leads the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) as Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), steering one of Africa’s largest stock exchanges through a period defined by technological transition, regulatory reform, and SA’s shifting economic landscape. Her tenure unfolds against a backdrop of changing market dynamics, the global pandemic, and the ongoing push to modernise the exchange.
Her relationship with the JSE began in 2012, when she joined as an Executive Director responsible for post-trade and information services. Before returning as CEO in 2019, she held senior roles across South Africa and Australia, including leadership positions at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Australian Payments Network.
With over 30 years of experience spanning consulting, investment banking, retail banking, and capital markets, she has built a career rooted in consumer finance, risk management, and payment systems. Her PhD in Economic and Financial Sciences further enhances her analytical and data-led approach to leading in an increasingly digital market environment.
She also serves on the boards of the UN Global Compact and the UN Global Investors for Sustainable Development (UN GISD), placing her within global discussions on sustainability, investment, and responsible growth.
Under her leadership, the JSE pursues several strategic initiatives aimed at diversifying and strengthening its market offering. These include the introduction of sustainability-focused and actively managed exchange-traded funds, the development of a private markets platform, and the creation of a voluntary carbon market; all in response to the global rise of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. Regulatory refinement remains a priority, as the exchange adjusts its listing requirements to align more closely with international standards, thereby enhancing transparency and remaining competitive amid South Africa’s economic pressures.
Technological modernisation defines much of Fourie’s approach. The JSE invests in infrastructure upgrades, from enhanced data capabilities to cloud-based systems, designed to boost resilience, operational stability, and responsiveness to client expectations. These systems help reduce downtime and support the exchange’s transition into a digitally driven era.
Leila Fourie also contributes to collaborations between the public and private sectors, supporting capital market initiatives that strengthen investor confidence and enhance South Africa’s financial reputation. Through these efforts, the JSE positions itself not just as a trading platform but as a stabilising force in an economy facing slow growth and credit-rating challenges.
Within the organisation, she promotes a collaborative culture built on shared responsibility and transparency. Her emphasis on teamwork supports the JSE’s need for cohesion and clarity during ongoing transformation. Both challenge and opportunity mark her leadership as she introduces new market segments, advances regulatory improvements, and guides technological upgrades while navigating a complex financial environment.
As she continues to lead the JSE, the foundations she is laying are expected to shape the direction of the exchange well into the future as the exchange preps for new leadership come 2026.
