KUALA LUMPUR (March 21): Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia has appointed seasoned international banker John Roger Winfield as its independent and non-executive chairman, as well as two other individuals onto its board.

The appointments came a month after the group announced its new chief executive officer (CEO), Arsalaan Ahmed, better known as Oz.

In a statement, the bank said Winfield brings with him a wealth of experience in commercial banking, trade finance, project finance, financial institutions, wholesale market risk and private banking.

He has served Deutsche Bank and HSBC as country CEO, as well as in other senior roles including as regional head, private banking for the Southern Gulf region for HSBC, and as CEO of HSBC Kuwait.

Meanwhile, Al Rajhi Bank said it has also appointed Zulkilfee Hashim – former Deutsche Bank Malaysia deputy managing director of corporate banking, international trade finance, operations and transaction banking services – as an independent and non-executive director.

Zulkiflee is also presently on the boards of SME Bank Bhd, Hong Leong MSIG Takaful Bhd and Guocoland (Malaysia) Bhd.

Current Al Rajhi Bank's group chief financial officer based in Riyadh, Abdulrahman Al Fadda, has also joined the board as a non-independent, non-executive director.

He is presently also a member of the Board Investment Committee of Al Rajhi Company for Cooperative Insurance, chairman of Al Rajhi Financial Markets Board and sits on various other boards, namely Emkan Finance Company, Al Rajhi Development Company and Al Rajhi Company for Management Services, said the bank.

“The addition of the three new board members adds to the existing strength of the board and provides highly advantageous skills for the Malaysian business.  

“Additional international experience and standards, deep local knowledge and complex transformation know-how at the board level will position our new business strategy very well for success,” said Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia CEO Arsalaan.

“The appointments reflect the ongoing commitment of Al Rajhi Group to Malaysia, and also support for our ambitions to become the number one foreign Islamic bank in Malaysia,” he added.