KPMG Middle East announced on May 15, 2026, the appointment of Islam Ahmad Al Bayaa as Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2026. Al Bayaa will succeed Dr. Abdullah Al Fozan, whose term ends on September 30, 2026, and who will remain in post through the transition. The appointment follows a selection process led by the firm's governance bodies, supported by external advisors, and concluded through a partner vote.
Al Bayaa currently serves as Head of Advisory for KPMG Middle East, a role in which he oversees more than 2,400 professionals and 100 partners across the region. In his statement, Dr. Al Fozan said the appointment "reflects the strength of our leadership pipeline and the confidence our partners have in the firm's direction," noting that Al Bayaa "has been instrumental in driving the growth of our advisory business and enhancing our presence across key markets in the region." Al Bayaa said he looks forward to "working closely with our partners, colleagues, and clients to continue strengthening our culture, our position and delivering long-term value."
Al Bayaa brings over 30 years of leadership experience spanning advisory, transactions, and enterprise transformation. He has been a member of KPMG Middle East's Executive Committee for the past 13 years and has built deep relationships with governments, sovereign entities, and major institutional clients across the Middle East while leading cross-border growth initiatives, market integration efforts, and large-scale transformation projects. The KPMG Saudi Arabia website notes he previously held the title of Head of Deal Advisory and began his career with KPMG in the UK before working for investment banks including Salomon Smith Barney (now Citigroup), Hawkpoint, and Kessler for over a decade in London. His education includes study at London Business School.
KPMG Middle East was formed in 2024 through the integration of the group's Saudi Levant and Lower Gulf member firms, creating a regional business of over 5,000 employees across six countries: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. The entity represents KPMG's largest business in the Middle East and provides audit, tax, and advisory services across the region's public and private sectors. Globally, KPMG operates in 138 countries with more than 276,000 partners and employees.
Al Bayaa's appointment signals internal promotion and continuity rather than external recruitment. The appointment fits KPMG Middle East's recent strategic direction toward greater regional integration and unified governance, following the 2024 merger of its two largest regional member firms. As an internal candidate with 13 years on the firm's Executive Committee and proven track record growing the advisory division, Al Bayaa's elevation appears designed to maintain momentum in the region's expanding professional services market, where advisory capabilities have emerged as a key competitive differentiator among the Big Four firms in the Middle East.
