Bank ABC, a leading player in the region’s banking industry, has appointed Alex Leenen, a financial industry veteran, as the Group Chief Operating Officer based at its head office in Bahrain.

 

In support of the Group Strategy, Alex will be responsible for the delivery of the key support areas across the Group, including Group Operations, Group IT, Corporate Communications, and Digital Banking and Retail, said a statement from the bank.   

 

In addition, he will oversee the Functional  (currently COO Treasury and COO WB) and Country COO’s, who will each have a direct reporting line to Alex, next to their reporting line to their respective Functional Heads and local CEOs.

 

Leenen is an experienced international banker, having served with Deutsche Bank for more than 25 years, variously in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands and the Middle-East.

 

During his tenure his roles have included those of Head of Global Transaction Banking (MEA), Country CEO Netherlands, Global Chief Operating Officer Transaction Banking as well as Chairman of the Sub-Sahara Africa Business Forum.

 

Leenen will be a member of the Group ManCom, and will directly report into the Deputy Group CEO.

 

On the appointment, Sael Al Waary, the Deputy Group CEO said: "Leenen is, first and foremost, a banker who is passionate about providing top quality services and support to external and internal customers alike and I am confident that the experience that he brings will be an asset to the entire group."

 

Group CEO Dr Khaled Kawan said: “I look forward to working closely with Leenen in reinforcing our franchise across our core geographies and enhancing the service delivery for our expanding client base."

 

His directly relevant experience will prove invaluable as we continue our strategic transformation, he added.

 

Bank ABC is a leading player in the region’s banking industry and provides innovative wholesale financial products and services that include corporate banking, trade finance, project and structured finance, syndications, treasury and financial markets products and Islamic banking. 

 

It also provides retail-banking services through its network of retail banks in Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria.-TradeArabia News Service