Shamsa Al Falasi

Shamsa Al-Falasi was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Citibank, N.A. UAE Onshore Branch in April 2023, marking a significant milestone for the UAE banking industry. She will also assume the role of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) UAE across all Citi entities operating onshore & offshore in the country. She is the first Emirati woman to lead Citi's UAE onshore businesses and operations.

Al-Falasi is a seasoned banker with almost two decades of experience at Citi. She joined the bank as a graduate in 2004 and has since worked across many geographies including Dublin, London and Sao Paulo, before being appointed as Senior Business and Relationship Manager for the MENA and Turkey region based in the UAE. In 2015, Al-Falasi was appointed as Head of the Global Subsidiaries Group (GSG) for the UAE and Iraq, a role that was expanded in 2018 to include regional responsibilities as Head of GSG in GCC and Iraq based in the UAE. Since the beginning of 2023, Shamsa has served as interim Citi Country Officer (CCO) and interim CEO of Citibank, N.A. UAE Onshore Branch.

Shamsa started her career at Citi as a fresh graduate on July 4th, 2004. Other short-term experiences prior to Citi include Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates Bank International, National Bank of Dubai, Emirates Airlines and Dubai Horse Racing Club. She was awarded by Citi CEO and His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah for being the best UAE national female banker in the UAE in 2013.

Shamsa is a certified professional coach and participates actively as a mentor/coach. She participated as a mentor at the AccelerateHer programme organized by DIFC Fintech Hive for a few years. She is also the Co-Chair of Citi Women's Network in the UAE and Citi Women Leadership and Development Program Community Ambassador. She is a Board Member and Vice President for memberships at AMCHAM Dubai since 2018. She is fluent in Arabic and English, conversational in Spanish and a beginner in Brazilian Portuguese.

Career history

• 2023–Present: Chief Executive Officer of Citibank, N.A. UAE Onshore Branch; Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) UAE
• 2023: Interim Citi Country Officer (CCO) and interim CEO of Citibank, N.A. UAE Onshore Branch
• 2018–2023: Head of Global Subsidiaries Group (GSG) in GCC and Iraq, based in UAE
• 2015–2018: Head of the Global Subsidiaries Group (GSG) for the UAE and Iraq
• Senior Business and Relationship Manager for MENA and Turkey region based in UAE

What Shamsa Al Falasi could bring to Chief Executive Officer, UAE Onshore Branch at Citibank: Al Falasi's two decades of international banking experience across Dublin, London, and São Paulo, combined with her deep expertise in managing the bank's largest multinational corporate business cluster across the Middle East and Africa region, positions her to drive strategic growth and operational excellence for Citi's UAE onshore operations. Her track record of client-centric leadership, mentorship commitment, and advocacy for diversity and inclusion within the institution provides a strong foundation for elevating the franchise's competitive position in the regional financial services landscape while continuing to develop emerging banking talent in the UAE.