Zeti gets Wharton Dean's medal for being 'a leader of amazing accomplishments'

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Mac -- Gabenor Bank Negara Malaysia Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz bersama Dekan Wharton School Geoffrey Garrett selepas menerima penghargaan Wharton Deans Medal atas pencapaian dan kejayaan beliau mengemudi ekonomi Malaysia.Deans Medal itu merupakan penghargaan tertinggi kepada alumni Penn, yang membawa impak besar kepada ekonomi Asia dan global.--fotoBERNAMA (2015) HAKCIPTA TERPELIHARA

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who has successfully navigated Malaysia’s economy through more than one financial crisis, has been awarded the Wharton Dean’s Medal.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania said this was its highest honour, to a Penn alumna who had had a tremendous economic impact on the Asia region and beyond.

In a statement issued in Bangkok on Friday, Wharton dean Geoffrey Garrett described Zeti – who received her PhD in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 – as “a leader of amazing accomplishments”.

“She is dedicated to good governance and has been a trailblazer with her widely recognised work in both regional financial integration and internationalisation of Islamic finance.

“Zeti is an incredible policymaker, central banker and person, and we are proud to count her as a friend of the Wharton School. It is an honour to present her with the Dean’s Medal.”

The Dean’s Medal was created in 1983 to recognise outstanding leaders of private enterprise, public service and academia.

Wharton School said that Zeti, who was appointed Bank Negara governor in 2000, had had an important role in successfully managing the economy during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s and more recently on the effects of the global financial crisis.

During both episodes, a strong rapid recovery was achieved. The policy approach, the financial and economic reforms and the courage to break new ground has drawn significant international attention.

Additionally, the wide-ranging financial reforms and the development of the financial markets and infrastructure have resulted in a financial sector that is more diversified, sound and resilient to face the challenges of the changing global financial landscape.

Awardees are chosen for their contributions to the enlargement of the global economy and to improvement in the lives of people worldwide. The Dean selects a small number of individuals who, through excellence in management, have truly made a difference in the creation of wealth and value, and in the promotion of a peaceful and prosperous world.

Previous recipients of Wharton Dean’s Medal include Lewis E. Platt, former chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co in 2000, Geoffery T. Boisi, CEO of JP Morgan Chase and Co in 2003, Alan Greenspan, former chairman of US Fed Reserve in 2005, Leonard A. Lauder, chairman Estee Lauder Companies in 2006, Ronald S. Lauder, chairman, Clinique Laboratories in 2006, Bong-Suh Lee, former minister of trade and industry, South Korea in 2010 and Jay H. Baker, former president and director of Kohl’s Corp.