Smaragda Rigakou from the Athens Stock Exchange Among the Top 20 Women Leaders of the World Federation of Exchanges

Smaragda Rigakou, Director of Legal, Regulatory Services & Compliance, and Legal Counsel of the ATHEXGROUP, has been recognized as one of the top 20 Women Leaders by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) for 2024, as announced on Friday, March 8, 2024, on International Women's Day.

The Women Leaders initiative by the WFE aims to highlight the role and leadership skills of women in the industry.

For yet another year, this initiative gathered significant nominations from senior executives across the exchange infrastructure sector worldwide.

Among these distinguished leaders was Smaragda Rigakou, the Greek representative of the Athens Stock Exchange, who assumed the role of Legal Counsel for the Group in March 2022 and is Head of the Legal, Regulatory Services & Compliance Division of the Group.

For more information, you can visit the following link:

https://focus.world-exchanges.org/articles/women-leaders-aex

About the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE

Founded in 1961, the WFE is a global association of exchanges and clearing houses. Based in London, it represents over 250 market infrastructure providers, including autonomous central counterparties not owned by exchange groups. Of its members, 34% are in the Asia-Pacific region, 45% in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, and 21% in the Americas. The WFE's 57 central counterparties collectively ensure that risk-taking entities place around $1.3 trillion (equivalent) in resources to cover their positions, in the form of initial margin and default fund requirements. The exchanges within the WFE host 50,000 listed companies, with a combined market capitalization of over $100 trillion, and approximately $140 trillion in annual transactions flow through its members (as of the end of 2022).

The WFE is the primary source of statistical data for exchange transactions, publishing over 350 market data indices. Its free statistical database spans more than 40 years, providing insights into global exchanges' developments. The WFE collaborates with standard-setting bodies, policymakers, regulators, and government organizations worldwide to support and promote the development of fair, transparent, stable, and efficient markets. The WFE shares the regulatory authorities' goals of ensuring the safety and resilience of the global financial system.