H.E. Ahmed Al Naqbi

H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi

Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Development Bank

His Excellency Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi is an influential high impact leader in the banking and finance industry of the UAE. He leads the UAE's only development bank, Emirates Development Bank (EDB), which serves as the key engine of the nation's economic diversification and industrial advancement.

EDB was created to enable large, medium, and small businesses to drive economic impact in five national priority sectors: renewables; manufacturing; food security, advanced technology; and healthcare. The bank has plans to provide AED30 billion in financing support to 13,500 companies within those sectors by 2026. The broad influence of H.E. Al Naqbi as a CEO is a product of the unique nature of EDB's mandate itself, as well as its significant financing scope and capacity to impact the UAE community at economic, social, and environmental levels.

H.E. Al Naqbi spearheads the development of effective strategies and financing solutions that drive investments in the UAE's future. Under his leadership since 2021, the bank has been offering a patient debt approach with flexible pricing and tailored financing solutions to close lending gaps and maximize access to capital, especially for MSMEs.

In addition to leading EDB, H.E. Al Naqbi actively contributes to the UAE's economic future through his involvement in several key councils and committees. He is a member of the UAE’s Industry Development Council (IDC), and serves on the CEO Advisory Committee for the UAE Banks Federation (UBF), and the Board Advisory Committee for the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa).

With two decades working in the financial and banking sectors, H.E. Al Naqbi is a strategic thinker with a track record of financial and economic insight which established his reputation as a respected thought leader and active member of the UAE's business community.

Prior to joining EDB, H.E. Al Naqbi served as managing director across retail, corporate, and investment banking at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

H.E. Al Naqbi is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture and Urban Studies, USA.