Guest bio
- CEO of Emirates Development Bank, the UAE's only development bank, which he has led since 2021.
- Headed digital banking at National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Abu Dhabi Bank, building what became the first innovation lab in a bank.
- Member of the UAE Industry Development Council and an alumnus of Harvard Business School and Virginia Tech.
Ahmed Al Naqbi is CEO of Emirates Development Bank, the UAE's only development bank, which he has led since 2021. EDB supports large, medium and small businesses in five national priority sectors, healthcare, advanced technology, manufacturing, renewables and food security, with patient debt, flexible pricing and tailored finance that close lending gaps, especially for SMEs. He is a member of the UAE Industry Development Council, sits on the CEO advisory committee of the UAE Banks Federation, and serves on the board advisory committee of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa). Earlier he was a managing director across retail, corporate and investment banking at National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Abu Dhabi Bank, where he headed digital banking and built early electronic banking services that grew into the first innovation lab in a bank. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and Virginia Tech.
Show notes
In this episode, H. E. Ahmed Al Naqbi, CEO of Emirates Development Bank, explains the key differences between a commercial bank and a development bank, and argues that social objectives make a banker's life more enriching.
How does a development bank carry out financial underwriting to optimize approval decisions? How are employees measured? Does social impact trump profit objectives?
In an intimate conversation between two ex-colleagues, Ahmed Al Naqbi and Suvo Sarkar discuss how new joiners can create a lasting impact, the ideal career path for aspiring CEOs and the secret to a perfect work-life balance.
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