Dr. Ateeq has over 25 years’ experience in banking, finance, auditing and accounting. Prior to joining VCBank he was Executive Director of Banking Supervision at the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), where he was responsible for the licensing, inspection and supervision of financial institutions, ensuring that all banks and financial institutions, either operating or incorporated in Bahrain, complied with promulgated laws and regulations. Before joining the CBB, he was Assistant Professor at the University of Bahrain. In addition, through his diversified exposure, Dr. Ateeq served in senior posts with a number of reputable firms. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Accounting from the UK.

Mr. Santosh Jacob Karipat is an Executive Director in Financial Control. Mr. Karipat comes with extensive experience in accounting, auditing (internal and external), internal controls and general management advisory services, gained from working for over 20 years with ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms in the UK and the Middle East. Prior to joining VCBank, he was Director, Audit & Advisory Services, with KPMG Bahrain. Previously, he worked with Deloitte & Touche at the firm’s offices in Riyadh and Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and for Cooper’s & Lybrand in the UK.

A Chartered Accountant (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales), Mr. Karipat holds a M.Sc. degree in Management Science (specializing in Business Finance) from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), UK.

Mrs. Najwa Mohanna is the Director of Human Resources & Support. Prior to joining VCBank, Mrs. Mohanna held a senior management position with Bahrain Petroleum Company - Bapco (formerly the Bahrain National Oil Company). She was responsible for Reporting & Profit Analysis, Cost & Budget and International Sales. Also at Bapco, she was a co-leader of the Strategic and Business Planning Project, and a key contributor to various major projects and activities related to the merger process. Mrs. Mohanna is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from the Oregon State Board of Accountancy, USA.

Mr. Ahmed Sultan is the Director of Treasury. He has over 14 years of extensive experience in Treasury and Investment activities from working with several leading financial institutions in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Sultan was Head of Investments in the Treasury and Investment Services Division at Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK). Previously, he worked in the Treasury and Investment departments at National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) and TAIB Bank.

Mr. Sultan holds a B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Bahrain and he is a graduate of the Gulf Executive Development Program (GEDP) from Darden School of Business (Virginia, USA) which is sponsored by the Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance (BIBF).

Ms. Shaima Akbari is a principal in Financial Control. Her main duties include daily operations, internal reporting to the management committee and external reporting to the CBB. Prior to joining VCBank, she spent three years at the National Audit Court as a Performance Audit Manager with substantial involvement in all audit phases: planning, field work, and reporting by carrying out examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which any government department or other relevant body has used its resources in discharging its functions. Ms. Akbari has also worked as an auditor for Ernst & Young where her main responsibilities included several audit assignments representing several sizes and types of industries and businesses in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Ms. Akbari holds a CPA from the State of Michigan - USA and a Bachelors degree in Accounting from University of Bahrain

Mrs. Kubra Mirza is a Principal – Head of Compliance of VCBank, with over ten years of experience in Investment Banking and regulations. Mrs. Mirza has a wide experience in regulation and investment banking. Prior to joining VCBank, Mrs. Mirza was the Head of Policy and member of the Regulatory Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Bahrain. Mrs. Mirza holds an Executive MBA from the University of Bahrain, and is a Certified Compliance Officer and a Member of the American Academy of Financial Management.

Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Monfaradi was with Kuwait Finance House Bahrain, where he was Head of the Group’s Private Equity and Direct Corporate Investment Department. Prior to that, he was Director of the Merchant Banking Group at Bahrain International Bank (BIB). Mr. Monfaradi worked for over 5 years at BIB’s New York and London Offices, where he gained considerable experience in international private equity, structured finance, and high-yield debt markets. During his career, he has concluded a number of private equity, direct corporate and structured finance transactions in the US, Europe, Middle East and Australasia. Mr. Monfaradi holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Honours) in Computer and Control Systems from the UK.

Mr. Faisal Al Abbasi is an Executive Director in the Private Equity & Financial Advisory Division, focusing on sourcing, negotiating and structuring private equity investments. Mr. Al Abbasi has gained extensive experience in private equity and investment banking from working with several leading financial institutions in the Middle East. Prior to joining VCBank, he was a senior member of the Middle East Private Equity team at Unicorn Investment Bank (UIB). Previously, he worked in the direct investment group at Kuwait Finance House Bahrain (KFH), and the investment department of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK). Mr. Al-Abbasi holds a B.Sc. degree in Accounting from the University of Bahrain.

Mr. Sohail Malik is a Director in the Private Equity & Financial Advisory Division. He has over 12 years of experience in providing advisory and assurance services to the finance, private equity, corporate and investment banking industries in the Middle East and the UK. Prior to joining VCBank, he was an Executive Manager in Ernst & Young (E&Y), in charge of Bahrain’s Business Risk Services Group where he helped enhance the operational, risk and corporate governance frameworks of several leading financial institutions and corporations operating in the Middle East, UK and USA.

A member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the UK, and holder of the Certified Information Systems Auditor, USA qualification, Mr. Malik also possesses a Bachelor of Accounting & Finance degree from the University of Wales, UK.

Mr. Jose Paul Martin is a Principal in the Private Equity & Financial Advisory Division. He is responsible for deal origination, evaluation, due diligence and post acquisition monitoring. Mr. Martin has over seven years of experience covering areas of strategy and business development, primarily in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region.

Prior to joining VCBank, he was with the big five audit and consulting firms such as BDO, Ernst & Young and erstwhile Arthur Andersen. During his tenure as a Management Consultant, he focused on advising clients on strategy, growth and organization development for a variety of industries such as oil and gas, contracting and public procurement, construction, private equity, hospitality, healthcare, information technology and shared services. This focus has allowed him to acquire a wide range of professional experience whilst specializing in business plan development and business model evaluation, feasibilities and review of financial projections as well as company valuation. Mr. Martin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Kerala, as well as a Masters in Business Administration in Finance from ICFAI Business School.

Prior to joining VCBank, Dr. Al-Jawhary was with International Investment Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic investment bank, where he was Director of the International Investment Division, responsible for originating, negotiating and structuring private equity and real estate investments. Prior to that, he was a freelance investment advisor providing business and investment consultancy to domestic and regional financial institutions and corporate clients. He was also involved in originating, screening and structuring private equity investments globally. Dr. Al-Jawhary was also Director of Parallel Program, and an Assistant Professor at University of Bahrain, during which time he advised on major government and private projects. He holds an MBA in Financial Services from the UK, and a Ph.D. in Strategies for Foreign Investment & Multinational Corporations in Emerging Markets.

Mr. Saeed Haji is a Director in Venture Capital & Business Development Division. He has over 20 years of international industrial experience, including 17 years at various senior management positions, which include operation management, strategy development, company turn-around and restructuring, and M&A.

Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Haji was the General Manager of Business Development with the international industrial fabricator Lefebvre Gulf. This was preceded by six years as General Manager Marketing & Sales with the international aluminium rod, wire and conductor manufacturer Midal Cables Limited based in Bahrain and United Kingdom. Prior to that, he spent ten years as Capital Investment Manager and Corporate Strategy Manager with the international chemical company Albright & Wilson based in United Kingdom. Mr. Haji also has seven years of marine industry experience.

Mr. Haji holds an MBA from Durham University Business School (DUBS) in United Kingdom. He is a registered Chartered Engineer with the Engineering Council, and member of The Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) in the United Kingdom.

Mrs. Elham Al-Koohiji is a Director in Venture Capital & Business Development Division. She has over 8 years experience in investment and commercial banking. Prior to joining Venture Capital Bank, Mrs. Al-Koohiji held the post of Manager, Business Development Division at the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait. Her responsibilities included forging and managing strategic alliances for the Bank, developing new products and services, developing new and complimentary lines of business, and monitoring the Bank’s performance and market perception vis-à-vis its competitors. Prior to that, Mrs. Al-Koohiji was an Investment Officer at Taib Bank in the Corporate Finance Division. Her responsibilities included post-acquisition monitoring of the Bank’s portfolio of investments in unquoted companies. Mrs. Al-Koohiji holds a B.Sc. degree in Accounting from the University of Bahrain.

Mr. Abdul Karim has over 15 years’ experience in real estate, private equity, strategic management, and audit. Prior to joining VCBank, he was Executive Director – Private Equity at Gulf Finance House. Before that, he was Managing Director of Gulf Arab Investment Company, and the Chairman and Managing Director of Egyptian European Real Estate Company. During his career, he has participated in a number of mergers and acquisitions, and direction setting and strategic management for numerous growth businesses and turnarounds. A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the UK, Mr. Abdul Karim holds a Bachelor of Accounting & Computer Science degree from the University of Wales, UK.

Mr. Saad Alkhan is a Director in the Real Estate Division. He has over 10 years experience in the field of Islamic Banking. Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Alkhan was a member of AlBaraka Islamic Bank’s (AIB) Senior Management team. He was the Senior Manager of Investments & Marketing. During his time at AIB, he gained knowledge in Islamic investment banking activities and was successful in establishing a broad network of relationships particularly in the UAE. Mr. Alkhan holds a B.Sc. degree in Accounting from the University of Bahrain.

Mr. Bagaeen is currently holding the position of a Director in the Real Estate Division of VCBank, mainly concentrating on post acquisition and the project management of the bank’s real estate developments.

Mr. Bagaeen has worked in the construction industry for 17 years on projects in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, with International Construction and Project Management Firms on projects covering all sectors of the industry, hotel and leisure, residential, retail, education and industrial. Prior to joining VCBank, he held the position of Assistant Vice President and Operations Manger of Projacs International, Bahrain Operations, where he was involved in formulating the short and long-term strategy for the company, ensuring the smooth execution of operational matters in Bahrain. Mr. Bagaeen holds a BS.C in Civil Engineering with a major in Project Management and is a member of PMI (Project Management Institute).

Mr. Ahmed Al-Abbasi is a Principal in the Real Estate Division with over eight years of experience in direct and indirect investments. Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Al-Abbasi was the Group Head of Direct Investments and a member of the Executive Management of Bahrain National Holding. He was previously responsible for managing a multi-million dollar portfolio of equities, bonds and other hybrid securities. Mr. Al-Abbasi has worked on several acquisitions and start-up transactions, mainly in the Middle East.

Mr. Al-Abbasi holds a B.Sc. in Business Management from the University of Bahrain and a Masters degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Exeter in the UK. He is also a Certified Financial Risk Manager and a Fellow Member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals in the USA.

Mr. Abdulla Nooruddin is a Principal in the Real Estate Division. Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Nooruddin worked with Gulf International Bank (GIB), Bahrain as an Assistant Manager within the Bank’s Treasury Department.

Mr. Nooruddin has a Bachelors degree in Economics from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, and a Masters Degree with Commendation in Business Information Technology (BIT) from Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK. Mr. Nooruddin is also a CFA level II candidate.

Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Al-Bastaki was Head of the Islamic Banking Division at BankMuscat International, with a mandate to establish an Islamic banking subsidiary. Before that, he was with JPMorgan Chase Bank for 6 years where he was Head of the GCC Client Management, responsible for the bank’s business with financial institutions, government agencies, and large corporates. Previously, he spent 5 years with Arab Banking Corporation as a Client Relationship Manager in the Islamic banking subsidiary, covering various regions including the GCC, Far East and the Americas, and responsible for syndication finance, and originating and structuring deals. He started his banking career with BBK where he spent more than 7 years in the field of corporate and project finance, investment, and financial institutions. Mr. Al-Bastaki holds a Post Graduate Diploma and a B.Sc. In Business Administration from the University of Bahrain.

Mr. Jehad Qamber is a Director in the Investment Placement Division. Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Qamber worked for the General Organisation for Youth & Sport (GOYS), and Civil Service Bureau (CSB), in the Kingdom of Bahrain. At GOYS, he held the positions of Director, HR & Finance, and Acting Director, Technical Affairs; while at the CSB, he was Head of Quality Systems Development. During this time, he successfully established a broad network of relationships with businessmen and companies across Bahrain. Mr. Qamber holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Glamorgan, UK.

Mr. Mohamed Abdullah is a Director in the Investment Placement Division, and was previously Head of Corporate Communications at VCBank, having completed the introduction of the Bank’s brand into the market. Prior to that, he worked for ABQ ZAWYA as a Sales and Marketing Manager – Bahrain, Qatar and Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Abdullah was also Sales and Customer Support Manager at Money Line Telerate for Bahrain/Qatar, and previously, was the Sales Manager at Reuters in Bahrain/Riyadh where he was responsible for prospecting and identifying new clients for the organization while maintaining existing customers. Prior to joining the financial industry, Mr. Abdullah was a first officer (Pilot) with Gulf Air on the Booing 737 fleet.

Mr. Abdulla holds an Aviation degree for commercial pilot from the University of North Dakota, USA.

Mr. Mohamed Al Shaikh is a Director in the Investment Placement Division. Prior to joining VCBank, Mr. Al Shaikh was the Placement Senior Supervisor for the Saudi Market in Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain. Previously, he was with Taib Bank (Bahrain) in the Private Banking Department which involved marketing a broad range of investment products, mainly concentrating on the market of Saudi Arabia. He also worked with Al Shaikh Group as a Sales Manager. Mr. Al Shaikh holds a BS in Business Administration majoring in Finance and Economics from the University of South Florida.

Abdulrahim Mahmood Al Saeedi is a Director in the Investment Placement Division. Mr. Al Saeedi has over 20 years of experience in Accounting and Commerce. Prior to joining VCBank, he was an Assistant Undersecretary for Recourses and Services in the Ministry of Industry & Commerce (MOI&C). Previously, he was the Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) to Bahrain Exhibition & Conviction Authority. Prior to that, Mr. Al Saeedi was a Director of Technical Services, and a Director of Commerce and Company Licensing. He also spent more than twelve years working with Bahrain Center for Studies & Research (BCSR), as Chief of Accounts & Budgeting.

Mr. Al Saeedi is a graduate of the Gulf Executive Development Program (GEDP) from Darden School of Business (Virginia, USA). He holds a B.Sc degree in Accounting and Auditing from the University of Cairo in Egypt.

Mr. Al Hussaini is a Principal in the Investment Placement Division. He has over 22 years of Sales and Marketing experience in the GCC Market. Prior to joining VCBank, he was the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel. Previously, he held the position of Finance and Credit Manager when he was rewarded as the Best Credit Manager in the Chain of Hotels (International) of Forte Grand and Meridian. His experience with Radisson and continuous participation in international and regional exhibitions gave him great exposure in his field. Mr. Al Hussaini holds a Diploma in Sales Management Success, Business Planning, Business Management and Finance.