Aref Al Ramli

Aref Al Ramli joined Al Hilal Bank as Chief Digital Officer in 2022, where he was responsible for driving the development and implementation of digital banking initiatives. On November 2, 2026, Al Ramli was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE. In his new role, Al Ramli will lead AEP's efforts to develop the UAE's national payment infrastructure and expand the adoption of its payment platforms.

Al Ramli brings more than 24 years of experience in financial services. He holds an MBA from Hult International Business School. As a seasoned digital banking strategist, Al Ramli is known for his expertise in formulating strategy, overseeing product roadmaps, and designing innovative customer experiences.

Career History

• Chief Executive Officer, Al Etihad Payments (November 2026–present)
• Chief Digital Officer, Al Hilal Bank (2022–2026)
• Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Digital Wallet (2020–2022), where he led a payments initiative involving 16 banks focused on financial inclusion and transition to a cashless economy
• Senior Vice President, Head of Digital Banking and Innovation, Mashreq Bank, overseeing the launch of Mashreq Neo and Mashreq NeoBiz
• Chairman, Digital Committee, UAE Banks Federation (2017–2020), working with member banks, the Central Bank, and government entities on industry-wide digital initiatives

What Aref Al Ramli could bring to his role as CEO of Al Etihad Payments: Drawing on his extensive background launching market-leading digital banking platforms such as Mashreq Neo and NeoBiz, and his leadership of Emirates Digital Wallet's multi-bank payments ecosystem, Al Ramli is well-positioned to accelerate AEP's national payment infrastructure development and drive broader adoption of digital payment platforms across UAE financial institutions.