Senior Vice President Head of Asset Management
United Gulf Bank
Total years of experience :26 years, 2 Months
-Enhance UGB’s Asset Management activity
Integrating UGB’s top down asset allocation approach
Provide framework to improve the management of UGB’s assets leading to effective management and control of portfolios under its management.
Implementation of a new asset management system with the support of expert advisors
Enhance risk management
Enhance reporting
Support the top management in refining UGB’s Asset management mission for its proprietary book and its clients across all asset classes.
Contribute in the review and development of UGB’s asset allocation policy leading to:
Enhanced Portfolio monitoring and rebalancing
Reducing overall risk
Generating income growth and optimizing risk-adjusted returns
Support UGB in growing its Asset Management Footprint
Due Diligence and assessment of potential acquisitions of regional Asset Management Companies
-Support in integrating and aligning acquired asset management companies objectives, products, assets and human capital into UGB’s strategy
Enhance Asset Management fees earning potential
Develop asset management advisory capabilities for institutional clients in the region and international investors investing in the region in fixed income and equities
Offer Risk management services to institutional and HNWI
Enhance product development activity through existing relationships with global and regional financial institutions
Create better opportunities for product development to cater for UGB’s Wealth Management aspirations by providing short term solutions such as white labeling and co-management using international asset managers’ expertise.
Support UGB in Building product development capabilities to cater for the growing demand for local and international products and funds.
Founder & Managing Director—Fortuna Consulting Limited, Dubai, UAE
Advise Governments, international institutions and private clients on company and management restructuring, expansion strategies, shareholder value maximisation, fundraising, business development, and Key Performance Indicators enforcement. Counsel Chairman and senior leadership of businesses in MENA region. Formulate finance and business development strategies for clean energy projects including bid preparation surpassing 300MW power capacity. Assist corporate groups and third-party targets on M&A, valuation on investment opportunities, synergies and effects on cash flow, merging entities and the development of business relationships. Aid start-ups on generating seed funding through angel investors.
Senior Financial Adviser GIZ/ICON EPL (Employment Promotion Lebanon)
• Project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, primarily focused on enhancing employment opportunities in Lebanon. This project aims to support Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region, particularly focusing on the enhancement of Human Resource processes and the development of financial literacy.
Advisor to the Chairman and to the Boards of major regional groups with businesses spanning the MENA; with
presence in the GCC, Europe, India and the US.
• Sectors covered Telecom, Oil & Gas, Alternative Energy, Energy Storage, Healthcare, IT, Cloud Computing, Software Development, Contracting.
• Merger and Acquisition Advisory, management and company restructuring, growth strategy, business development, Key Performance Indicators tailoring and implementation, enhancement of Return on Investment and to the shareholders, financing structure advisory, Fund Raising and Private Placement. Sectors covered: Real Estate, IT, Telecom, Industrial, Retail and F&B.
• Advisor on Financial restructuring and valuation for a leading wellness and healthcare provider in Qatar.
• Strategic Advisor to Petraco Oil Group facilitating and expanding the company's relationship with the Lebanese government. Provide insights and guidance on navigating local regulations and cultural dynamics to strengthen partnerships. Advising on strategies for effectively bidding on projects, ensuring compliance with local laws, and aligning offerings with the government's energy and infrastructure needs.
• Strategic Advisor to Powerchina for the MENA (fortune 200 company) the leader in Power, power distribution and Infrastructure projects; project sourcing, project financing, contract negotiations with governments Conventional/Alternative Energy projects and infrastructure.
• Spearheaded the BoonArabia crowdfunding platform project in Lebanon and Egypt from concept to Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage.
• Conducted comprehensive market research to identify unique opportunities and challenges in the MENA crowdfunding landscape.
• Led a cross-functional team of developers, marketers, and financial analysts to develop and implement the platform.
• Successfully attracted initial seed funding and established key partnerships for platform growth and sustainability.
• Oversaw the development of platform features, prioritizing user experience and security.
Interim Chief Investment Officer CIO Al Fetooh Holding Kuwait, UK 2020 - 2022
Overseeing the strategic direction and operational execution of a company specializing in investments in fintech and tech startups.
• Identify and evaluate potential investment opportunities, focusing on innovation and market potential.
• Lead negotiations and close deals with high-profile startups, ensuring profitable and sustainable partnerships.
• Foster a culture of innovation and agility within the organization, leading a diverse investment team to achieve exceptional results.
Supported Geneva in establishing the Beirut Representative office for Union Bancaire Privee; Managed the Beirut representative office, Oversaw regulatory compliance. Worked on business plan and the development of the Bank’s footprint in Lebanon and the LEVANT.
• Investment portfolio management services for newly acquired clients (USD 70 million);
• Advisory on investment strategies for equities, fixed income, foreign exchange as well as hedging strategies and alternative asset classes;
• Managed institutional and private clients’ portfolios;
• Provide Investment planning services to institutions, family offices and high net worth clients;
• Maintain client relationships as well as prospects acquisitions;
• Advised clients on GCC equities and Fixed income (Sukuks);
•Managed the USD 700 Million Proprietary Investment Portfolio
•Established investment Guidelines
•Establish the Investment Policy Statement and Asset Allocation Model
•Developed and managed new products (Listed and Private Equity) and funds across Real estate, Energy, Alternative Energy, Alternative Investments including Hedge Funds, Direct investments
•Created Risk Management Platform to monitor and report Value at risk, liquidity risk and stress testing on managed portfolios
•Enhanced reporting and portfolio performance monitoring
•Managed restructuring of proprietary investments portfolio through active management
•Member of The Investment Committee
•Executed the asset allocation strategy
•Recommend and executed deleveraging through divesting from none core investments
•Created value from the existing portfolio/investments
•Developed further investment and exit procedures and settings
•Successfully structured, placed, launched and managed the Kamco Energy Services Fund, a Cayman Islands based sharia compliant open ended USD 60 Million, alongside Investec Asset Management UK.
•Structured and managed KAMCO’s portfolios of Hedge Funds and Emerging Markets equities.
Managed Portfolio Companies (Chairman of the leading Dairy and Juice Producer in Lebanon)
•Financial restructuring of portfolio companies
•Managed the IPO of the first private company going public (Sadafco) on Tadawul Deal size USD 500 million
•Merger and Acquisitions
•Origination, negotiation and structuring of debt and equity related products (USD 3 billion) for the telecom, power, Oil &Gas and financial services sectors in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
•Legal and financial due diligence for deals in the power sector within the Gulf region.
•Research on major sectors including power, oil and gas, transport and financial services.
•Established and managed a database as well as follow up procedures in order to develop deals origination potential.
•Contributed in preparing the business plan as well as the procedures for starting-up the Global Debt Origination unit.
•Advisor for the Lebanon Holdings Fund (USD50 million close-ended Luxembourg based fund) and the Lebanon Invest Venture Capital Fund (USD 10 million) co-investing with the European Investment Bank.
•Conducted comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis, financial and legal due diligence.
•Origination, structuring and valuation of private and listed equity deals, encompassing financial modeling, industry profiling, merger.
•Geographic exposure includes Levant, North and West Africa.
•Sectors covered: Technology (GIS, Internet), manufacturing, retail, food &beverage, real Estate and financial services.
•Company restructuring including financial, organization and marketing strategy.
•Represented Lebanon Invest and Lebanon Holdings in General Assembly Meetings.
•Board Member in investee companies, SNA (Allianz) the leading Life and property Casualty Insurance Company
•Monitoring an assigned loan portfolio exceeding USD 200 million
•Associated client relationships in accordance with the bank’s credit policy
•Monitoring a loan syndication portfolio including major infrastructure and power projects including Zahrani and Baddawi Power Plants § Formulating repayment strategies/loan restructures/work-out arrangements in conjunction with clients for problem cases, and following through to ensure successful implementation
•Preparing credit reports for presentation to credit committee and board
•Monitored credit risk rating for borrowers using credit risk analysis
•Drafted basic credit proposals for more than 50 corporate client, taking into consideration the applicable corporate banking legal and financial guidelines and requirements for collateral, credit support and/or covenants and client debt-servicing capacity
•Identified prospective corporate clients by obtaining and validating relevant background information from a variety of market sources, and assessing the clients' strategic fit with the organization criteria
