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hamdy Abdelrashid 

Hisham Ezz Al-Arab stands as one of the most prominent banking figures in Egypt and the Middle East, boasting an exceptional career that spans over four decades. Throughout his journey, he has successfully established new benchmarks for the banking industry, seamlessly blending international expertise with strategic vision and a unique ability to lead major transformations within the financial sector.

Since November 2024, Ezz Al-Arab has served as the Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of the Commercial International Bank - Egypt (CIB), following his tenure as Chairman of the Board which began in March 2023. Prior to rejoining CIB's board as a non-executive member, he served as an advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, a testament to the immense trust he commands within the Egyptian banking ecosystem.

In 2020, he founded HE Advisory, a financial consulting firm offering specialized services in growth strategies, resource mobilization, risk management, and support for emerging fintech startups. The firm leveraged his extensive international experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The period from 2002 to 2020 remains the most defining chapter of his professional career. Leading CIB as Chairman and Managing Director, Ezz Al-Arab orchestrated a series of qualitative leaps that transformed the institution into Egypt’s largest private-sector bank. Under his stewardship, the bank's market capitalization skyrocketed from approximately EGP 1 billion to over EGP 300 billion. CIB's stock became a powerhouse component of the Egyptian Exchange's main index, and its global depository receipts (GDRs) were listed on the New York and London stock exchanges, cementing the bank as a role model in emerging markets.

During his leadership, Ezz Al-Arab anchored a culture of innovation, robust corporate governance, and world-class risk management. He was a pioneering advocate for sustainability and financial inclusion. In 2013, he launched comprehensive initiatives for sustainability and gender equality, making CIB the first bank in Egypt to issue a sustainability report and sign the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking. He also spearheaded the bank’s digital transformation, establishing the Egyptian banking sector's first specialized data analytics unit, which later provided technical data analytics support to the Egyptian government.

Today, Ezz Al-Arab continues to steer CIB toward a new phase of growth through an ambitious strategy extending to 2030. This roadmap aims to achieve sustainable growth, bolster the bank's resilience against economic fluctuations, and capitalize on promising local and regional opportunities. He has also played a pivotal role in the bank’s regional expansion, leading the establishment of CIB Kenya to support Egyptian corporate expansion into African markets—particularly in East Africa—while championing fintech and youth initiatives across the continent.

Ezz Al-Arab has garnered numerous global awards and accolades reflecting the magnitude of his achievements. He was named "Best CEO in Egypt and Africa" in 2014, and in 2016, Euromoney honored him for his outstanding contributions to the Middle East's financial services. He received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from African Banker magazine in 2023, followed by a similar honor from Global Finance in March 2025. Most recently, MEED magazine named him "CEO of the Year" in June 2025 in recognition of his exceptional leadership and impactful industry achievements.

Beyond the boardroom, his influence extends heavily into community service. Since its inception in 2010, he has chaired the Board of Trustees of the CIB Foundation, which has successfully enhanced healthcare services for approximately eight million children across Egypt's governorates, making it a leading champion of pediatric healthcare.

Furthermore, he has held and continues to hold board memberships in various prestigious regional and international financial institutions. These include the Gulf Insurance Group (GIG), the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in Washington, the Emerging Markets Advisory Council, and the Board of Trustees of the American University in Cairo (AUC). He also previously served as the Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Banks.

Before initially joining CIB in 1999, Hisham Ezz Al-Arab honed his global banking expertise by working at premier international financial institutions in London, including Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and JP Morgan. These foundational experiences shaped his banking vision, molding him into a transformative leader who has left an indelible mark on the Egyptian banking sector and elevated its standing on both regional and global stages.