MANAMA: Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB), the leading provider of innovative Islamic financial solutions for simplifying money matters in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has announced the appointment of Fatema AlAlawi as its new Chief Executive Officer. The decision follows her role as Acting Chief Executive Officer, a position she has held since August 2024, where she demonstrated exemplary leadership and guided the Bank through a crucial period of growth and transformation.
This appointment marks a new milestone for both Bahrain and BisB, as it makes AlAlawi the first female CEO of an Islamic Bank in the Kingdom as well as BisB’s first female CEO in the Bank’s history.
AlAlawi’s appointment comes as a natural progression following her significant efforts as the Chief Retail Banking Officer, where she played a pivotal part in strengthening BisB’s retail operations and spearheading digital transformation initiatives. During her tenure, she led the development of innovative solutions, enhanced customer engagement, and expanded the Bank’s digital footprint to position it as a progressive Islamic banking institution in the Kingdom.
“We are delighted to announce Fatema AlAlawi as Chief Executive Officer. Her appointment underscores our unyielding focus on ensuring that BisB remains at the forefront of Islamic banking excellence. Fatema AlAlawi’s expertise, dedication, and proven ability to implement transformative strategies will drive BisB into a new era of growth and innovation. We are confident that she will be instrumental in accelerating the Bank’s objectives to be a foremost institution championing the Kingdom’s economic progress,” Zaid Khalid Abdulrahman, Chairman of BisB, said.
“It is a profound honour to be entrusted with this role and I extend my sincere gratitude to the Board of Directors for their support. I remain steadfast as ever in my commitment to reinforcing BisB’s stature as a leading organisation driving sustainable growth. Together with our extraordinary team, we look forward to achieving new milestones for our clients, the Bank, and the Kingdom,” Fatema AlAlawi, the Chief Executive Officer of BisB, said.
With extensive experience spanning private and retail banking, Ms. AlAlawi has led critical functions including product development, marketing, and business growth. She has also lent her industry acumen and expertise to Bahrain’s fintech ecosystem by supporting the launch of Islamic banking platforms.
AlAlawi’s educational background includes an Executive MBA and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Bahrain. As a Hubert Humphrey Fellow, she earned a PMP certification from Boston University in Massachusetts and completed advanced leadership programmes at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.
Recognised for her outstanding contributions to the Kingdom’s banking industry, AlAlawi was also honoured in 2015 by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Women. Additionally, she was also bestowed with the Future Leader Excellence Award from the Middle East Awards Institute in Dubai in 2016, solidifying her reputation as a trailblazer in her field.
BisB remains committed to building upon its legacy of exceeding customer expectations, nurturing Bahraini talent, maximising stakeholder value, and delivering positive social change. With AlAlawi as CEO, the Bank is well-positioned to drive the future of Islamic banking in Bahrain with purpose and impact.
