H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Sultan Bin Salem Al Qassimi
Chairman of UAB
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Founder of United Arab Bank, H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Sultan Bin Salem Al Qassimi has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors since the Bank’s inception in 1975 and has since then remained the largest single individual shareholder of the Bank.
Beyond his instrumental role at UAB, H.E. Sheikh Faisal is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of a number of private companies. He also formerly served as the Chairman of the Board of Arab Organization of Industries and Establishment.
H.E. Served in the UAE Armed Forces in different capacities prior to retiring at the rank of Major General including Under Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Chief of Staff, and Chairman of the Court of Crown Prince at the time – H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Sultan Bin Salem Al Qassimi graduated from Jordanian Officer Cadet School and Mons Officer Cadet School in UK.
External Board Appointments:
Mr. Omar Hussain Alfardan
Vice Chairman of UAB
Chairman – Board Governance & Renumeration Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Mr. Alfardan is serving as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and represents The Commercial Bank (P.S.Q.C.), the largest corporate shareholder of United Arab Bank.
Mr. Alfardan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Finance from Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland.
External Board Appointments:
Chairman of the Board of Directors at Alternatif Bank in Turkey
Managing Director – The Commercial Bank (P.S.Q.C.)
President and CEO – Alfardan Group and its subsidiaries (Automotive, Property, Hospitality, Jewellery, Investment and Marine Services)
Board Member – Qatar Red Crescent
Advisory Board Member – Qatar Financial Centre Authority
H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani
Director
Chairman – Board Risk Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Sheikh Abdullah has served on the Board of Directors of United Arab Bank since February 2008 as a representative of The Commercial Bank (P.S.Q.C.), the largest corporate shareholder of UAB. He was re-appointed in 2011,2015 and 2018 by the Annual General Assembly.
He holds a BA in Social Science from Qatar University.
External Board Appointments:
Chairman – The Commercial Bank (P.S.Q.C.)
Deputy Chairman – National Bank of Oman
Other External Appointments:
Owner – Vista Trading Company, Qatar
Partner – Integrated Intelligence Services, Qatar
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi
Director
Chairman – Board Credit Committee
Member - Board Governance and Remuneration Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi is the founder of MANAFA LLC, a holding company with diversified activities in the fields of hospitality, real estate, private equity and Equity investment.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi graduated from Webster University in Business Administration and Accounting.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi holds key directorships and senior positions at various business groups and associations including the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the UAE and the GCC and Faisal Holding Co LLC.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed is a member of CMA and the Society of Technical Analysts of UK.
Ms. Najla Al Midfa
Director
Chairperson – Board Audit Committee
Member – Board Governance and Remuneration Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Najla Al-Midfa is Chief Executive Officer of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), a government supported entity with a mandate to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Sharjah, and support the next generation of entrepreneurs as they build and grow innovative startups that will contribute positively to the region’s economy.
Launched in January 2016, under the chairmanship of HE Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Sheraa has become the foundation of Sharjah’s startup ecosystem. Having helped conceive the vision for Sheraa, Najla has been involved from inception: forming a prominent advisory board, building a high performing team, and structuring partnerships with key corporates and government entities in the ecosystem to support startups.
Today, Sheraa has a loyal community of over seven thousand entrepreneurs and ecosystem pla ers, and offers a full-stack program ranging from ideation and incubation through to acceleration and growth. To date, over 300 ideas have been validated and over 70 startups have graduated from Sheraa’s programs. Having raised over $14m in seed investment, these startups continue to generate over $19m in recurring sales.
The first Sheraa Hub was inaugurated at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), and the second hub at the University of Sharjah (UOS) was inaugurated in September 2018.
In 2017, Najla spearheaded the creation of the annual Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SharjahEF).
The event brings together over 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and ecosystem supporters to celebrate the power of entrepreneurship and inspire further innovation.
Najla is also founder of Khayarat, a platform that empowers young, high-potential Emiratis to make informed career choices, and enables them to succeed in the private sector. With a community of over one thousand young Emiratis, and over 70 placements in leading international private sector companies, the platform is influencing the next generation of Emiratis to raise their ambitions and fulfill their potential.
In her previous role as Senior Manager at Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Najla led a team of business counselors through the due diligence process of selecting ventures for financing.
She also set up and operated the Northern Emirate branch of Khalifa Fund, covering Ajman, Dubai, and Sharjah. Prior to joining Khalifa Fund, Najla was a senior associate at McKinsey and Company’s New York once, primarily serving clients across the financial institutions sector. Her experience also includes roles within PricewaterhouseCoopers and Shell.
Najla is a board member of United Arab Bank, where she also chairs the Board Audit Committee and is a member of the Board Risk Committee. She is Vice-Chairperson of Young Arab Leaders, and a fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Middle East Leadership Initiative. Najla holds an MBA from Stanford University.
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Mr. Ahmed Mohamad Bakheet Khalfan
Director
Member – Board Credit Committee
Member - Board Governance and Remuneration Committee
Member - Board Risk Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Mr. Khalfan previously served as the Deputy General Manager of Emirates Industrial Bank and was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Emirates Modern Poultry Company and Vice Chairman of Emirates Rawabi. He also served as Board Member for various companies in the UAE including ALICO, Gulf Glass, and Takaful Re.
Mr. Khalfan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics with honor from the North Eastern University, Boston.
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Mr. Joseph Abraham
Director
Member - Board Governance and Remuneration Committee
Member - Board Audit Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Mr. Abraham has extensive banking experience across both developed and emerging markets. Before joining Commercial Bank in June 2016, he was CEO of ANZ Indonesia (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group) based in Jakarta, a position he served in from 2008 to 2016.
Mr. Abraham has an MBA from the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, California and has worked in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ghana, UK and India in various country and regional banking roles with a successful track record covering general management, corporate banking, strategy, product management as well as acquisitions and integrations.
Other External Appointments:
Mr. Fahad Abdulrahman Badar
Director
Member - Board Credit Committee
Member - Board Risk Committee
Re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a term of 3 years
Mr. Fahad Badar is a member of the Bank’s Board of Directors and joined in July 2016.
Mr. Badar’s career at The Commercial Bank (P.S.Q.C.) spans over 18 years. Prior to his current role as Executive General Manager, International Banking, Mr. Badar held a number of key roles in the International Banking, the Government and Public Sector Relations and the Wholesale Banking Divisions.
Mr. Badar holds an MBA from Durham University, United Kingdom and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Banking & Finance from the University of Wales.
Other External Appointments:
