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Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a leading Islamic financial institution, has announced the appointment of Pedro Uria-Recio as its new Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. The strategic hire reinforces the bank's leadership capabilities and its commitment to integrating artificial intelligence across its operations as a core pillar of its "ADIB Vision 2035".

In his new role, Uria-Recio will spearhead the next phase of ADIB's AI strategy. His mandate includes accelerating the responsible deployment of AI technologies to enhance customer experiences, optimize risk management, improve operational efficiency, and equip the workforce with advanced analytical tools. Furthermore, he will oversee the development of governance frameworks and infrastructure necessary for bank-wide AI integration.

Executive Profile and Digital Performance

The table below highlights the new Chief AI Officer's professional background alongside ADIB's current digital performance metrics:

Executive Profile & Bank MetricsDetails

Pedro Uria-Recio's BackgroundOver 20 years of experience in tech, data, and AI. Former Chief Data & AI Officer at CIMB Bank (Malaysia); previously held leadership roles at True Corporation, Axiata Group, and McKinsey & Company.

Academic CredentialsMBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business; BSc in Telecommunications Engineering.

ADIB Digital AdoptionOver 94% of all banking transactions are currently executed via digital channels.

Customer Base ExpansionTotal customer base exceeds 2.7 million, with 125,000 new customers onboarded during the first half of 2026.

Strategic Goal (Vision 2035)To firmly position ADIB as the most innovative Islamic bank globally.

Leadership Perspectives on AI Integration

Mohamed Abdelbary, Group CEO of ADIB, emphasized that AI is not merely an isolated technological initiative, but a fundamental driver of the bank's holistic transformation strategy. He noted that Uria-Recio's extensive track record in deploying AI to achieve tangible business outcomes will accelerate the bank's adoption of these technologies responsibly, maintaining human trust and accountability as core banking principles.

Commenting on his appointment, Pedro Uria-Recio expressed his enthusiasm for joining ADIB during a pivotal transformational phase. He aims to translate AI capabilities into concrete benefits for customers and employees by scaling advanced internal infrastructure and innovating solutions that make banking smarter, more efficient, and highly personalized.

This leadership appointment builds upon ADIB's robust digital foundation, which is highlighted by its award-winning mobile banking app, seamless digital onboarding ecosystem, and advanced open banking infrastructure, further solidifying its position as a pioneer in digital Islamic banking.