Yaser Alsharifi

Yaser Alsharifi was appointed Group Chief Executive of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait on August 18, 2024, replacing Dr. AbdulRahman Saif who retired after four years in the role. Alsharifi brings close to 30 years of experience in the financial services and banking sector, having held numerous senior executive positions in major financial institutions in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

His career includes serving as Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Islamic Bank and as a member of the executive management of the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), in addition to holding key roles at Al Rajhi Holdings, and Ernst & Young. Alsharifi is known for building what he calls a 'customer-obsessed' culture and has focused on eliminating operational inefficiencies while emphasizing that 'happy employees create happy customers.' He completed the prestigious Harvard Business School Presidents' Program in Leadership through the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), of which he has been a member since 2013.

Alsharifi holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA. On the board level, Mr. Alsharifi currently serves as Chairman of Danat Bahrain and has previously served on the boards of several leading organizations, including Bahrain Bourse, BENEFIT Company, and Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company (Edamah). He is Chairman of CrediMax and The Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB), and held board seats at Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company (BCFC), The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bahrain (FCCIB) and Injaz Bahrain.

Career History

• Group Chief Executive, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) – August 2024 to present
• Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Islamic Bank – October 2022 to 2024
• Group Chief Strategy Officer, National Bank of Bahrain – 2020 to 2022
• Chief Strategy Officer, National Bank of Bahrain – 2017 to 2020
• Deputy CEO, Al Rajhi Holdings and Partner, Ernst & Young

What Yaser Alsharifi could bring to BBK: With his proven track record in transforming both traditional and Islamic banking institutions, Alsharifi is well-positioned to drive BBK's customer-centric strategy and digital innovation agenda. His experience as Group Chief Strategy Officer at NBB and CEO of Bahrain Islamic Bank, combined with his expertise across investment management and corporate finance, positions him to navigate BBK through potential merger discussions with National Bank of Bahrain and manage strategic growth initiatives across the bank's expanding regional footprint.