Farhat Omar Ben Gdara

Farhat Omar Ben Gdara serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Al Masraf Arab Bank For Investment & Foreign Trade and sits on the Board of Directors at the Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development. Born September 27, 1965 in Benghazi, Libya, Ben Gdara is a seasoned banker with over three decades of experience in government and financial services.

He served as Governor of the Central Bank of Libya from March 2006 until February 2011, when he defected to the opposition during the Libyan Civil War. Prior to that role, he held positions as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, chairman and General Manager of the Public Furniture Company in Libya, and Deputy Chairman of Wahda Bank.

Career History

• Chairman, Al Masraf Arab Bank For Investment & Foreign Trade
• Vice Chairman, UniCredit SpA
• Chairman, ABC International Bank Plc
• Governor, Central Bank of Libya (2006-2011)
• Trustee, Libyan Investment Authority

Ben Gdara holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Garyounis and a graduate degree from The University of Sheffield. His academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Master of Arts degree in Economics of Money, Banking and Finance. During his tenure as Central Bank Governor, he led the development of Libya's national banking system and strengthened the country's inward investment conditions.

What Farhat Omar Ben Gdara could bring to Al Masraf: Ben Gdara's extensive experience reforming and strengthening financial institutions combined with his three decades navigating complex government relationships positions him to provide strategic oversight during a period of leadership transitions at Al Masraf, particularly in institutional transformation and stakeholder management across regional markets.