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ADIB reshuffles top leadership days after new CEO takes charge

Samih Awadhalla has been named acting head of retail banking and Amer Al Ameri has been tapped to lead private banking

Changes are part of the bank's normal succession planning

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC, the second-biggest Sharia compliant lender in the United Arab Emirates, has unveiled a series of changes to its top leadership just over a week after new chief executive Nasser Al Awadhi took the reins. 

The bank’s Global Head of Retail Banking, Private Banking and Brokerage, Philip King, and Chief Human Resources Officer, Fred Carstens, are leaving. King had spent nearly nine years with the lender, and Carstens just under a year, their LinkedIn profiles show. 

Samih Awadhalla has been named acting head of retail banking and Amer Al Ameri has been tapped to lead private banking, a spokesperson said. Bushrah Al Shehi will take over the human resources role in the immediate term. 

The appointments come amid a push by the banking regulator to hire UAE nationals to key posts. All three new appointees are UAE citizens.  

“These changes are a part of our normal succession planning, and we are pleased to already have high caliber UAE national talents to fill these roles,” the bank said in a statement. “Both Samih and Bushra bring strong expertise to these roles, having been at ADIB for a significant time.”

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