NEPSE CEO Appointment Delayed as Selection Committee Yet to Finalize Shortlist

Nepal’s capital market continues to face leadership uncertainty as the selection process for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) remains incomplete. The Nepal Insurance Authority is facing a similar delay, while CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC) has not yet formed a selection committee for its permanent CEO appointment.

The delays have raised concerns among investors and market participants because NEPSE, CDSC and the Nepal Insurance Authority are critical institutions for Nepal’s financial and capital-market infrastructure.

The development comes despite the directive from the parliamentary Finance Committee to immediately move forward with appointments to vacant leadership positions. However, the selection process has yet to reach the shortlisting stage for NEPSE and the Nepal Insurance Authority.

NEPSE CEO Appointment Still Awaiting Shortlist

NEPSE has been operating without a permanent CEO following the resignation of former CEO Chudamani Chapagain on Ashadh 22.

The selection committee subsequently invited applications for the vacant CEO position on Shrawan 12. By the application deadline on Shrawan 26, a total of eight candidates had applied.

However, more than two months later, the initial shortlist has still not been finalized.

Mahesh Acharya, coordinator of the selection and recommendation committee, said that recent heavy rainfall, floods and landslides contributed to delays in the process. He indicated that the selection process would now be moved forward.

Once the shortlist is prepared, candidates will have to go through business-plan or work-plan presentations followed by interviews before the final recommendation is made.

Nepal Insurance Authority Chairman Selection Also Delayed

The appointment process for the chairperson of the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA) has also remained stalled.

The Ministry of Finance had published a notice on Jestha 13 inviting applications for the vacant chairperson position, with applications accepted until Jestha 19.

More than four months after applications were collected, the process had still not progressed beyond the initial application stage.

According to Dr. Fatta Bahadur KC, a member of the recommendation committee, the shortlist has not yet been prepared. Candidate shortlisting, work-plan presentations and interviews are still pending.

CDSC CEO Selection Committee Has Not Even Been Formed

The situation at CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC) is even more uncertain.

Kanchan Sapkota has been serving as acting CEO of CDSC since Baisakh 14. However, the Ministry of Finance has not yet formed a recommendation committee for appointing a permanent CEO.

Because the selection committee itself has not been established, the process of inviting applications and evaluating candidates has not started.

Why NEPSE Leadership Matters to Share Market Investors

NEPSE is one of the most important institutions in Nepal's capital market. Its leadership has a direct role in the exchange's operational efficiency, technology development, market infrastructure and implementation of capital-market reforms.

A prolonged absence of permanent leadership can create uncertainty around:

• NEPSE's institutional reforms
• Trading-system development
• Market infrastructure upgrades
• Product diversification
• Investor services
• Coordination with regulators
• Development of new capital-market instruments
• Long-term strategic planning

For investors learning NEPSE analysis and share market trading in Nepal, understanding these institutional developments is important because regulatory and infrastructure decisions can influence overall market sentiment.

Parliamentary Finance Committee Pushes for Faster Appointments

The parliamentary Finance Committee had instructed the Ministry of Finance to immediately proceed with filling vacant leadership positions.

Despite the directive, the appointment process at NEPSE and the Nepal Insurance Authority has not yet reached the shortlist stage, while CDSC's selection committee remains unformed.

The absence of a clear completion deadline has added to uncertainty among capital-market participants.

What Could Delayed Leadership Mean for Nepal's Stock Market?

The prolonged leadership vacancies do not automatically mean that the NEPSE index will rise or fall.

However, investors closely watch institutional developments because permanent leadership can influence the speed and direction of reforms.

Market participants are particularly interested in improvements involving trading infrastructure, settlement systems, new market products, investor protection and regulatory coordination.

Therefore, investors should consider leadership appointments as one of several fundamental factors affecting market sentiment, rather than treating them as a standalone signal to buy or sell shares.

Learn NEPSE Fundamental and Technical Analysis

Following Nepal's stock market requires more than watching the NEPSE index every day.

Investors should understand:

• Fundamental analysis
• Technical analysis
• Support and resistance
• Market trends
• Volume and turnover
• RSI and MACD
• Moving averages
• Risk management
• Portfolio management
• Investor psychology
• IPO and secondary-market investing

If you want structured education, explore Sarbaguna's Share Market Training in Nepal and learn how fundamental and technical analysis can be combined for better investment decisions.

You can also explore the Complete Share Market Learning Course in Nepal for a more comprehensive learning path.

Forex Trading Course in Nepal

For traders interested beyond the Nepalese stock market, Sarbaguna also provides education focused on Forex trading in Nepal, including technical analysis, trading psychology, risk management and market analysis.

Learn more about the Forex Trading Course in Nepal and develop a structured approach to financial-market trading.

Frequently Asked Questions About NEPSE CEO Appointment

1. Why has the NEPSE CEO appointment been delayed?

The NEPSE CEO selection process has been delayed because the selection committee has not yet finalized the initial shortlist of candidates. Eight candidates applied for the position, but the shortlist was still pending as of October 4, 2026.

2. Who is the current NEPSE CEO?

NEPSE has been without a permanent CEO following the resignation of former CEO Chudamani Chapagain. The appointment of a new permanent CEO remains pending.

3. How many candidates applied for the NEPSE CEO position?

Eight candidates had submitted applications by the application deadline.

4. What happens after the NEPSE CEO shortlist is prepared?

After shortlisting, candidates are expected to proceed through work-plan presentations and interviews before the selection and recommendation process is completed.

5. Has the Nepal Insurance Authority chairman been appointed?

As of October 4, 2026, the selection process had not progressed beyond the application stage, and a shortlist had not yet been prepared.

6. Has the CDSC CEO selection process started?

The CDSC process has not properly started because the Ministry of Finance has yet to form the recommendation committee for selecting a permanent CEO.

7. Can the NEPSE CEO appointment affect the stock market?

The appointment itself does not guarantee that NEPSE will rise or fall. However, permanent leadership may influence the pace of market reforms, infrastructure development, technology upgrades and other initiatives that can affect investor confidence.

8. Should investors buy or sell shares because of the appointment delay?

Investors should not make buy or sell decisions based solely on the CEO appointment issue. Investment decisions should consider company fundamentals, technical indicators, valuation, market trend, risk and portfolio objectives.

Conclusion

The continued delay in appointing permanent leadership at NEPSE and the Nepal Insurance Authority, combined with the absence of a selection committee at CDSC, highlights the need for faster decision-making in Nepal's financial-market institutions.

For Nepal's capital market to develop efficiently, investors need not only better policies but also stable institutional leadership capable of implementing reforms and improving market infrastructure.

Market participants will now be watching the Ministry of Finance and the respective selection committees for concrete progress on the pending appointments.

For professional guidance on Nepal's share market, NEPSE technical analysis, stock-market training and Forex trading education, contact Deep Thapa.

Call / WhatsApp: 9849290806