Maher Al Kaabi
Independent board member, Al Serkal Group
Maher Al Kaabi is a visionary leader and an experienced banker with more than three decades of experience in the Banking, Digital industry, and Family Business sectors. His vast knowledge spans across Board Membership, Islamic Banking, Wholesales & Consumer Banking, Risk Management, Finance, Operation & Technology, Sales & Distribution, and Business Development. Additionally, he possesses a deep understanding of innovation, data sets generation and utilization, as well as new technologies. Mr. Al Kaabi is actively involved in various startup companies, serves as the Chairman of the Board of Governance at a Star International School, and is a co-founder of Blink.
He collaborates extensively with different ministries on future technologies, circular economy, and the sustainability of family businesses by educating the NextGen through the Venture Studio Module.
Mr. Al Kaabi is on the Advisory Board of:
UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment – Circular Economy Council
Middle East Energy
MENA Power Projects
MIT Sloan CIO Council
Cybersecurity – CYSEC Global
A highly sought-after keynote speaker. Mr. Al Kaabi imparts his knowledge and insights on a wide range of topics at events covering FinTech, Building Digital Economy (AI, metaverse, blockchain, web3, etc.), Circular Economy, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Sustainability of Family Businesses, Banking & Finance, Corporate Governance, and Investments.
He acts as an advisor to the Group Chairman of Al Serkal Group of Companies (165+ year old family), and serves as an Independent Board Member. His expertise is instrumental in developing a more structured governance model, refining the group's structure, and transitioning businesses digitally to enhance flexibility, robustness, and efficiency in responding to future business opportunities.
Alserkal Group, a co-founder of various entities including Etisalat, Emirates NBD, DEWA, SEWA, CBD, Dubai Insurance, Pepsi (DRC), and Blue Biofuel, continues to thrive under Mr. Al Kaabi's guidance.
He commenced his professional journey at New Era Computers, where he served as one of the Co-founders.
Subsequently, he transitioned to Citigroup, where he dedicated 15 years to advancing his career. During his tenure, he held various esteemed positions both domestically and internationally.
Following his time at Citigroup, he assumed the role of Chief Risk Officer at Dubai Bank. In this capacity, he successfully established the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework, which encompassed all facets of risk, including Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, and Fraud Risk. Furthermore, he devised and implemented a comprehensive risk strategy that prioritized crucial areas such as Business Continuity, Regulatory Compliance, Quality Assurance, and Governance.
Later, he joined Emirates National Bank of Dubai as the Group Head of Islamic Banking. In this influential role, he spearheaded the growth and development of the Islamic Banking business across ENBD's local, regional, and international branches. He actively participated in the Islamic Banking Committee and collaborated with local regulatory authorities to introduce innovative Shari’ah compliant products and services for clients. Additionally, he also assumed the dual responsibility of Group Head Chief Operating Officer for Wholesale Banking.
Maher possesses a diverse range of expertise stemming from his professional experience in Strategy, Human Capital Development, Digital & Circular Economy, Engineering, among others. These skills are complemented by his soft skills, including being a Leadership, Multiplier, passionate, self-starter, team builder, innovative, and executive coach. In addition, he has been honored with numerous Global Awards.
He is currently pursuing his doctorate in the field of AI driven sustainability.