Services Head Kuwait, Qatar and Oman- Director

About the Role
The company Services is a world-leading provider of cash management, trade services, and custody products to Financial Institutions, Public Sector, Corporate, and Commercial clients across more than 100 countries. This position offers a rare opportunity to lead the company's Services business across three high-growth GCC markets — Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. As a senior member of both the MEP Services subcluster leadership team and the Country Management teams for all three markets, you will shape and execute a cross-border strategy that drives market share growth, deepens client relationships, and reinforces the company's position as the leading global transaction banking provider in the region.

As the Services Head, you will serve as the senior strategic leader and primary client engagement head for the Services business across Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman — directly influencing revenue outcomes, talent strategy, regulatory relationships, and the digital innovation agenda. This role serves as a platform for leaders aiming for broader MEA or global leadership roles within the company.

Key Responsibilities
Responsibilities are organized across six core leadership pillars:

1. Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute short- and long-term Services strategy aligned to MEA cluster and global objectives
• Expand market and client wallet share; broaden the client solutions portfolio across all segments
• Navigate a complex matrix environment, aligning stakeholders across competing priorities
• Drive the digital transformation and innovation agenda in response to GCC market trends and fintech disruption
• Develop strategic responses to macroeconomic shifts, crisis scenarios, and evolving risk profiles
• Ensure the overall business strategy is clearly articulated to all key stakeholders including CCOs, Banking, Services teams, Operations, Technology and second- and third-line partners

2. Business & Revenue Growth

• Deliver on Revenue, EBIT, Expenses, and all agreed financial KPIs across Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman
• Lead client acquisition, retention, and wallet-share expansion strategy across all Services business lines
• Oversee the end-to-end Services business, including sales, product, operations, and technology teams
• Work closely with the Services Operations Head to advance the business agenda
• Identify, develop, and prioritize technology business cases, obtaining cluster and global buy-in
• Compete effectively against traditional global and local banks and non-bank transactional service providers through superior client propositions and innovative solutions

3. Client Engagement

• Serve as the primary client engagement head for all Services business across the three markets
• Generate active, senior-level client interactions and build strategic, long-term client relationships
• Deploy optimal service solutions tailored to client needs across all segments and business lines
• Provide leadership to the Services team in advancing advice, insights, and solutions to the client base
• Drive execution of client experience initiatives aligned to the company's "Be the Best for our Clients" vision
• Partner with Banking and Markets colleagues to deliver a balanced, country-wide client strategy

4. Risk & Governance

• Maintain full responsibility for credit, operational, conduct, and compliance risk management across all three markets
• Ensure regulatory and statutory compliance at all times; foster a strong control culture within the team
• Actively participate in Internal Audit and External (Regulatory) audit processes, ensuring timely deliverables and representation of risk mitigants for optimum results
• Engage in Legal Vehicle Governance processes and proactively escalate potential franchise-level issues
• Develop deep Balance Sheet expertise; act as a strong partner in negotiating with Treasury and Markets, balancing Services priorities with franchise-wide considerations
• Participate actively in Country governance forums, ensuring decision-making inclusion across all critical elements that impact the franchise

5. Stakeholder & External Engagement

• Articulate business strategy clearly to CCOs, Banking, Operations, Technology, and all control partners
• Build productive, trust-based working relationships with regulatory bodies, supervisors, and policymakers across Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman
• Represent the company externally at industry associations, forums, congresses, conferences, and committees
• Drive Regulatory Advocacy to achieve business objectives and support the company's franchise positioning in the three markets
• Maintain strong internal alignment across MEP subcluster leadership, global Services heads, and Country Management teams

6. People & Culture

• Build and lead a high-performing, diverse, and inclusive Services team across Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman
• Drive an effective talent strategy, ensuring appropriately skilled and experienced individuals are in critical roles
• Develop the next generation of Services leadership within the organization
• Promote an ethical, inclusive culture embedded in the company's highest standards of conduct
• Engage employees meaningfully in the broader business strategy and organizational direction
• Foster a strong control environment and risk-aware culture at all levels of the team

What We're Looking For
Essential Requirements
Candidates must be able to demonstrate the following:

• 15+ years of work experience in the financial services industry, including 10+ years at a senior managerial level
• Deep transaction banking expertise — cash management, trade services, and/or custody products
• Proven success leading multi-country or cluster-level business strategy and delivering financial results (Revenue, EBIT, P&L)
• Strong risk and governance track record — credit, operational, conduct, and compliance risk management
• Excellent financial acumen, including experience preparing business plans and financial cases
• Strong Balance Sheet understanding and familiarity with risk and finance frameworks at a legal entity level
• Experience managing dynamic, diverse and cross-functional teams across geographies
• Demonstrated ability to align global strategy with local execution, balancing front, middle, and back-office resources
• Executive-level communication skills — written and verbal, for internal and external audiences including regulators, clients, and senior management
• Fluency in English (both written and verbal)
• University degree (Bachelor's minimum required)

Preferred & Advantageous Experience
The following experience would strengthen a candidate's profile:

• Prior GCC or broader MEA market experience in a senior Services or transaction banking leadership role
• Master's degree in Business, Finance, or a related field
• Arabic language proficiency (spoken and/or written)
• Digital transformation and fintech engagement experience within a financial institution
• Established regulatory relationships with GCC central banks, supervisors, or government institutions
• Legal Vehicle governance experience and familiarity with managing a banking legal entity
• Track record of gaining Senior Management buy-in for and executing country-level growth strategies

Skills & Competencies

Why This Role? Development & Career Value
This position provides unparalleled exposure to one of the most strategically important banking clusters in the MEA region. As a C15/Director, you will be positioned at the intersection of regional strategy, global influence, and client impact.

What you will gain:

• Multi-market franchise leadership — Full accountability for the Services business across three GCC markets, as part of MEA's largest company franchise
• Regulatory & governance expertise — Direct engagement with central banks, supervisors, and policymakers in Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, building rare regulatory advocacy competencies
• Innovation & digital agenda — Lead the company's digital transformation and fintech response in one of the world's most progressive banking markets
• Senior leadership network — Build relationships across the company's MEP leadership, global Services heads, country CCOs, and senior external stakeholders at the highest levels
• Integrative thinking development — Navigate complex, multi-dimensional challenges that develop capabilities suited to the most senior global financial leadership roles
• Career acceleration — A C15/Director role spanning three markets positions you for accelerated progression toward broader MEA or global Services leadership within the company

Location flexibility:
This role may be based in Kuwait City or Doha. The final location will be agreed through mutual discussion with the appointed candidate, reflecting the company's commitment to attracting the very best talent for this leadership position. The role requires regular travel across all three markets.