Executive Management
Najla Al Shirawi
Chief Executive Officer
Najla Al Shirawi has more than 24 years of investment banking experience. Having been
part of SICO since 1997, she was appointed CEO
in 2014, following her appointment as deputy
CEO in 2013. Najla served with Geneva-based Dar Al-Maal Al-Islami Trust, where she established private banking operations for the Group in the Gulf region. Najla is a Board member at the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB); a Chairperson on the Board of Directors for two SICO subsidiaries, SICO Funds Services Company (SFS) in Bahrain and SICO Financial Brokerage in Abu Dhabi, UAE; and the Vice Chairperson of SICO Capital in Riyadh, KSA. She is also an Independent Board Member of Eskan Bank BSC(c), Bahrain, and a Board Member of the Deposit Protection Scheme, Bahrain; the Future Generations Reserve Council; the Bahrain Associations of Banks; and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance. She
holds a Master of Business Administration and
Finance from the American College in London and a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Bahrain.
Fadhel Makhlooq
Board Member and Managing Director
With over 39 years of professional experience,
Fadhel Makhlooq joined SICO in 2004 as Head of Brokerage before being appointed Head of Investments and Treasury in 2008. He was re-appointed Head of Brokerage in 2010 and then assumed the position of Chief Capital Markets Officer in 2018.
Prior to joining SICO, he worked for a number of
leading financial institutions, including Investcorp and Chemical Bank (now JPM Morgan Chase). He currently also serves as a Board Member of SICO Financial Brokerage in UAE and SICO Capital in KSA. Fadhel holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Glamorgan, UK.
K. Shyam Krishnan
Chief Financial Officer
K. Shyam Krishnan has 31 years of experience in finance, accounting, audit, investments, and risk management, with the majority of his career spent in conventional and Sharia-compliant banking. Shyam currently also serves as a Board Member at SICO Financial Brokerage, UAE. Prior to joining SICO in 2015, he was Group Head of Finance at Al Salam Bank-Bahrain. Before this, he was Head of Hedge Funds’ Operational Risk Management at Investcorp, Bahrain, and Audit Supervisor at the Bahrain office of Ernst & Young. He is a Chartered Accountant and Management Accountant from India and a Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Internal Auditor, and a Certified Information Systems Auditor. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Madras University, India.
Anantha Narayanan
Chief Operating Officer
With over 31 years of diversified experience in the areas of operations, audit, and risk in the banking industry, Anantha joined SICO in 2008. Prior to joining SICO, he worked for Credit Agricole, BBK, Commercial Bank of Oman/Bank Muscat, and Pricewaterhouse-Coopers. He is currently the Vice Chairman of SICO Financial Brokerage, UAE, and a Board Member at SFS. Anantha is a Chartered Accountant and Cost Accountant (India), a Certified Information Systems Auditor (USA), Financial Risk Manager (USA), and an Associate Member of the Institute of Financial Studies (UK). He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Manchester, UK.
Owen Vallis
Chief Risk Officer
Owen Vallis entered his role as Chief Risk Officer at SICO with 18 years of experience in risk management under his belt. Prior to joining SICO, Owen was the UK Head of Asset Management Risk at Credit Suisse Group in London for 10 years, where he played a critical role in the investment businesses of the group. He additionally held the position of Vice President at JP Morgan for two years, strategically designing and developing a new Risk function. Owen also previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Kleinwort Benson. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Disaster Risk Management from the University of Portsmouth, UK.
Shakeel Sarwar
Head of Equities Asset Management
Shakeel Sarwar joined SICO in 2004 and, over
the length of his career, has accumulated over 27 years of investment industry experience in the UK, Pakistan, and the Middle East. Prior to joining SICO, he worked with Riyad Bank’s Asset Management Division and was part of a team that managed over USD 3 billion in Saudi equities. He has also held positions with ABN Amro Asia Securities in the UK and Pakistan. Shakeel holds a Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance from IBA, Karachi, Pakistan.
Ali Marshad
Head of Fixed Income Asset Management
Ali Marshad has over 12 years of experience in asset
management, investments, treasury and brokerage. Joining SICO in 2008 as an
Analyst in the Investments & Treasury division, Ali then headed up the
newly established Fixed Income Desk in 2012 before being promoted to Head of
Fixed Income in 2015. Prior to joining SICO, he worked in the UK as an Analyst
with Mercer Investment Consulting and as a Performance Analyst with UBS Global
Asset Management - London. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Ali holds a BSc
(Honours) in Banking, Finance & Management from Loughborough University,
UK.
Wissam Haddad
Head of Investment Banking and Real Estate
Wissam Haddad has 20 years of experience in
investment banking, private equity, and corporate finance. Prior to joining SICO in 2014, he was a Director with Gate Capital in Dubai and had previously held senior positions with UAE-based Najd Investments, Unicorn Capital, Emirates NBD’s NBD Sana Capital, Saudi National Commercial Bank’s NCB Capital, and Eastgate Capital, among others. Wissam holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, Canada.
Jithesh K. Gopi
Head of Strategy and Proprietary Investments
Jithesh Gopi has over 27 years of experience in investment management, research, and analytics. Since 2013, he has worked with Al Rajhi Capital in Riyadh as Head of Research, Head of Asset Management, Director of Research and Financial Institutions, and
Director of Corporate Development and Proprietary Investments. In 2006, he joined SICO as Senior Analyst and as Head of Research, covering over 50 companies in major sectors, and he is currently a Board Member at SICO Capital, KSA. Jithesh holds a Bachelor
of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India, and a Master of Business Administration from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, Philippines. He is also a CFA charterholder, and he has completed the Asian International Executive Program at INSEAD Singapore.
Mariam Isa
Head of Brokerage
Mariam Isa has 17 years of experience in regional equity trading and sales. She joined SICO in 2005. Before becoming the Head of Brokerage, she held the position of Chief Broker. Mariam has also worked as a Senior Officer in the Placement Department at Gulf Finance House. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Islamic Finance from the University College of Bahrain, an Associate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Bahrain, and a Treasury and Capital Market Diploma from BIBF. She has also completed the Leadership Development Program at the University of Virginia, USA.
Salman Al Sairafi
Head of Global Markets
With more than 19 years of experience in financial services and technology, Salman Al Sairafi joined SICO in 2020 as the Head of the newly established Global Markets division. Prior to joining SICO, he held the role of Chief Investment Officer and Board Member at Capital Growth Management in Bahrain and was a Senior Investment Advisor at United Consulting Group in KSA. Prior to that, he headed the Fixed Income and Money Markets desk at NCB Capital in KSA. Salman has also held various other positions in Bahrain and the UK in the fields of consulting and R&D. Salman is Chairman of the Board at Dar Al Ma’rifa in Bahrain and is both a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst. A former Chevening Scholar, Salman holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Systems Engineering and a Master of Science in Advanced Computing from Imperial College London.
Shaikha Mohammed Kamal
Head of Market Making
Shaikha Kamal has over 18 years of professional experience in Treasury at SICO, which she leverages in her current role as Head of Market Making.
Shaikha joined SICO in 2004 as a Senior Dealer
with the Treasury Department before being
appointed Portfolio Manager in 2011. Her responsibilities include proprietary investment, where she specialized in various asset classes, such as equities and fixed income in addition to the Market Making function, managing various mandates and proposed services to several clients across the GCC region. She holds a Master of Science in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Business Information System from the University of Bahrain.
Nishit Lakhotia
Head of Research
Nishit Lakhotia has nearly 18 years of experience in the fields of investment research, risk management, hedge funds, and private equity. He has been involved in sell side Research in SICO since 2009, actively covering sectors such as telecommunications, consumers, aviation, and construction across the GCC. Previously, Nishit worked for an Iceland-based private equity firm focusing on India’s infrastructure sector and a US-based global hedge fund. Nishit is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, and a Financial Risk Manager from the Global Association of Risk Professionals. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, India.
Hussain Najati
Head of Treasury
Husain Najati has over 17 years of experience in financial control, fixed income, and foreign exchange trading. Husain joined SICO in 2006 as a Financial Controller, a role in which he was responsible for accounting support for operational management. In 2008, Husain became a Senior Dealer in the Investment and Treasury Department, responsible for money market, FX, and fixed income management and monitoring investments across primary and secondary markets. Husain holds a Dealing Certificate from the ACI Financial Markets Association in addition to a Treasury and Capital Markets Diploma from the Bahrain Institute for Banking and Finance. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Banking and Finance form the University of Bahrain.
Nimita Nazer
Head of Middle Office
Nimita Nazer is coming into her position as the Head of Middle Office as a seasoned investment banking professional with over 15 years’ experience within international conventional banks and financial services in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Nimita joined SICO in 2018 as Portfolio Administrator of the Asset Management Equities Department and was responsible for managing the non-investment activities of the department. She previously held the position of Client Services Manager with HSBC Securities Services in Bahrain for 7 years. She is a chartered accountant and member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), UK.
Nadeen Oweis
Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications
Nadeen Oweis joined SICO in 2008 and has accumulated over 21 years of professional experience. Prior to joining SICO, Nadeen oversaw corporate communications and public relations for Microsoft in Bahrain. Before this, she handled regional accounts for Lowe Contexture. She also held posts at Procter and Gamble in Jordan and managed the advertising and promotions account for Radio Fann FM in Jordan. Nadeen holds a Master’s Degree in Diplomatic Studies from the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy, a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Jordan, and a Certificate of Digital Marketing from Columbia Business School.
Mohamed Alabbas
Head of Distribution and Business Development
Mohamed Alabbas has more than 15 years of experience in the banking sector across the region. He joined SICO in 2015 as Senior Research Manager before becoming Head of Distribution. Prior to joining SICO, Mohamed served as Head of Client Relationship Management at Tamkeen. He also held positions at several established institutions, including Director of Business Development at Clearview M&A Advisors, Private Banker (Head of Qatar Market) at Oasis Capital Bank, and Branch Manager at BBK, among others. Mohamed holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Economics and a minor in Human Relations from St. Cloud State University, Minnesota. He also holds the International Wealth Manager certification from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, as well as a CFA Level II certificate.
.jpg)
Fatima Mansoor
Head of Client Relations
With more than 16 years of experience in regional equity trading and client relations, Fatima Mansoor joined SICO in 2006 as a Broker, assuming the role of Senior Broker in 2008. She moved to the Client Relations Department in 2017 and was appointed Head of the department in 2019. Fatima holds a Bachelor of Science in Banking and Finance from the University of Bahrain and a Master of Business and Administration in Finance from the New York Institute of Technology.
Haifa Ajlan
Head of Human Resources & Admin
Haifa has more than 20 years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She first joined SICO in 2004, holding the position of Assistant Vice President before now being appointed as Head of Human Resources and Administration. Haifa holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow, UK and a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems from University of Bahrain.
.jpg)
Husain Ahmed
Head of Operations
Husain has 16 years of banking experience, having joined SICO in 2006. Before becoming Acting Head of Operations in 2019, he held the position of Vice President of Operations at SICO. Husain holds a Master of Business Administration from Arabian Gulf University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Informatics from AMA University. Husain has also received numerous anti-money laundering and back office operation training certifications.
Mohammed Ibrahim
Head of Information Technology
Mohammed Ibrahim has over 21 years of experience in the field of information technology (IT), including IT project management, business analysis, complex system builds and interfaces, business continuity planning, and information security. Prior to joining SICO in 2007, he was Training Head and Technical Consultants Team Lead at the Bahrain Institute of Technology and Technical and Training Manager at YAT Group, Egypt.
Mohammed is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSIP), a Master Certified Internet Web Professional (MCIW), a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert, and a Microsoft Certified Trainer. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Education degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science and Education from Alexandria University, Egypt.
Simone Del Nevo
Head of Legal and Board Secretary
Simone Del Nevo has 14 years of experience in
law, and he joined SICO as Head of Legal in 2018. Before joining SICO, Simone was an Associate with international law firm Baker & McKenzie in Europe and Japan where he specialized in banking, finance, and securities law. In 2012, he practiced as in-house Finance Counsel to a major European gas infrastructure company in an award-winning multi-billion-Euro refinancing. Simone relocated to Bahrain in 2014 working as Senior Associate in the leading regional firm ASAR - Al Ruwayeh and Partners. He received his Law Degree from Bocconi University of Milan in 2004 and was admitted to the Milan Bar Association as a qualified lawyer in 2007.
Mohammed Juma
Head of Compliance and MLRO
Mohammed Juma has over 18 years of experience in compliance, investment, and operations management. Mohammed joined SICO in 2016 as Head of Compliance and MLRO, assuming responsibility for monitoring SICO Group’s operational adherence with the guidelines of regulatory authorities. Previously, Mohammed was Head of Compliance and MLRO with the International Investment Bank and JS Bank Limited in Bahrain. Mohammed holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Bahrain and has completed the Leadership Grooming Executive Program with the Ivy Business School in Canada and Hong Kong. He is a Certified Compliance Professional and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.
Joseph Thomas
Head of Internal Audit
Joseph Thomas has over 19 years of experience in internal audits, assurance engagements, and other financial advisory services. Joseph joined SICO in 2015 after having been Head of Internal Audit at Global Banking Corporation and holding a post with the Risk Consulting division of KPMG Bahrain.
He began his career with Bharat Overseas Bank in India, followed by an internal audit role at the South Indian Bank. He later served as Audit Manager and Partner at a Dubai-based auditing firm. Joseph is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Mahatma Gandhi University, India.
Bassam A. Khoury
General Manager, SICO Financial Brokerage LLC, UAE
Bassam has over 37 years of international experience in brokerage, investments, and financial consultancy. He joined SICO in 2008 as Head of Brokerage before leaving in 2010 to join QInvest, Qatar, as Head of Regional Brokerage. Prior to re-joining SICO in 2013 as General Manager of SICO Financial Brokerage in UAE, Bassam was Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain-based ABC Securities. Previously, he worked with Banque Saudi Fransi in KSA, BMB Investment Bank and Lehman Brothers in Bahrain, a private family office in Paris, and M Sternberg & Company in the USA. Bassam holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Economics from King’s College, New York, USA.