Head of Mal Private

Role overview

Strategy and business building

• Set strategy, priority segments, and launch sequence, from demand validation through anchor clients and a scalable proposition.
• Own the business case, AUM targets, and growth plan; report progress to the CEO and board.
• Decide what capabilities to build or obtain through partners, and select and manage investment and custody partners.
• Shape a Sharia wealth offering with private markets access, managed investments, and consolidated visibility across family holdings.
• Work with the Sharia board to structure and approve products.
• Define a relationship model with a named family lead and AI-supported preparation, analysis, and servicing.
• Originate and lead relationships with initial anchor families and family offices; build relationships across generations.
• Set service standards and hire and lead the team as the business scales.
• Work with product, engineering, and data teams to integrate the business into the core platform, keeping accounts and treasury within the bank.
• Coordinate with Risk, Compliance, and Legal within the bank's regulatory and conduct framework.

Must-have qualifications

• Significant senior experience in private banking, wealth management, or family office advisory, serving GCC UHNW families.
• Credible GCC family and family-office network and ability to win principal-level relationships.
• Deep understanding of Islamic finance and Sharia-compliant investment structures, including private markets.
• Experience building a business, desk, or proposition from an early stage and owning outcomes amid ambiguity.
• Commercial judgment around AUM growth, economics, and partner arrangements.
• Clear point of view on technology and AI in the wealth client experience.
• Exceptional integrity, discretion, and judgment.

Nice to have

• Fintech or digital banking experience; familiarity with AI in financial services.
• Multilingual skills, particularly Arabic or other relevant languages.
• Islamic finance certification or related qualifications.
• Startup experience.

First 60-day deliverables

• Understand Mal's core banking platform, product roadmap, and AI capabilities; identify what can be used immediately and what must be built.
• Agree priority client segments and pursuit order with the Founder and CEO.
• Complete at least 10 structured conversations with target families and family offices to test proposition, pricing, and service expectations.
• Produce an initial proposition covering private markets access, managed investment solutions, consolidated wealth visibility, and the relationship model.
• Begin Sharia board engagement on compliant product structures, particularly private markets access.
• Recommend build-versus-partner choices, potential investment and custody partners, and selection criteria.
• Present an initial business case with AUM ambition, economics, assumptions, and launch sequence.
• Outline the launch team and how it will work with product, engineering, Risk, and Compliance.