Raheel Ahmed

Biography

Raheel Ahmed was appointed Group CEO of RAKBANK in January 2022 to lead the Bank’s transformation and next phase of growth, shaping its vision of Digital with a Human Touch and guiding its evolution into a diversified financial conglomerate. Since taking the helm, Raheel has reignited growth and momentum across the organization. Under his leadership, RAKBANK has tripled its profit, surpassing AED 2 billion in profit before tax, the highest in its history. Through this journey, Raheel has defined what Digital with a Human Touch truly means by creating the best of both worlds, where cutting-edge digital technology meets genuine human connection. His focus has always been on striking the right balance between innovation and empathy, ensuring that even in a digital world, banking remains deeply human. As part of building RAKBANK’s future-ready ecosystem, Raheel has championed key moonshots that expand the Bank’s reach and reimagine customer journeys. This includes the Microfinance initiative to support underserved communities, the relaunch of Skiply as a super app for all school-related payments, and the launch of Protego, an insurance aggregator that allows customers to compare and purchase coverage with ease. Under his leadership, RAKBANK became one of the first conventional banks in the UAE to introduce regulated crypto brokerage access directly within its mobile app, positioning the Bank at the forefront of responsible digital asset innovation. Before joining RAKBANK, he served on the Executive Committee of Barclays UK as Chief Product and Analytics Officer, where he spearheaded the Bank’s digital and analytics transformation, developed strategic partnerships with global fintech and big tech firms, and delivered personalized, frictionless experiences for over 20 million customers. He previously held key senior executive roles at Standard Chartered and Citigroup. A passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and leadership development, Raheel continues to embed these values into RAKBANK’s culture as he leads the Bank into its next era of growth, defined by innovation, trust, and human connection.