Page 66 - AAE PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2025

strategies. In the last year, AlFaras has expanded Janus Henderson’s physical and operational
presence in the region. This includes opening a second regional office in Abu Dhabi Global Market
(ADGM) as well as championing the recruitment of key regional talent. Under his leadership, Janus
Henderson has increased its AUM in the Middle East by 121% from January 2022 to March 2025.
Janus Henderson now serves more than 50 institutional clients in the Gulf and these collective
client relationships account for around 5% of the firm’s global AUM.
Rising star of the year – Christoph Koster, ruya

ruya has emerged as a trailblazer in Middle East finance with a series of extraordinary achievements
over the past year under CEO Christoph Koster’s leadership. Launched in 2024 as the UAE’s first
digital-first, Shariah-compliant bank, ruya set new benchmarks for Islamic banking in the digital
age. Within its first year, the bank welcomed over 60,000 new customers, processing over 2.2 billion
AED in transactions. Additionally, ruya’s mobile app attracted over 240,000 downloads, while
maintaining a stellar 4.7-star Google user rating. ruya made history by becoming the first Islamic
bank globally to offer in-app virtual asset trading services, allowing customers to buy and sell
cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin within a fully Shariah-compliant, regulated banking framework.
Woman in finance – Dr Saeeda Jaffar, Visa
Salima Gutieva, Country Manager of Visa UAE
Dr. Saeeda Jaffar is leading Visa’s strategic direction in the GCC. As Senior Vice President and
Group Country Manager for over three years, she has remained focused on ensuring Visa stays
aligned with national agendas, staying ahead of shifting consumer expectations, and reinforcing
Visa’s role as a long-term partner to governments, regulators, and financial institutions. She brings
more than 20 years of experience in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, to her role.
What makes Dr. Jaffar stand out is her ability to combine strategic thinking, operational focus, and
international experience with cultural fluency and market insight. As an Emirati leader, and one of
the most senior women in the regional payments industry, she brings both cultural understanding
and local credibility to a role that demands trust, nuance, and deep market insight.
M&A advisor of the year – Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered has played a defining role in shaping the Middle East’s M&A landscape over the
past year, advising on landmark transactions across petrochemicals, logistics, infrastructure, and
healthcare. Additionally, the company has delivered cross-border excellence with transactions
spanning Europe, the US, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. These deals contributed
approximately 40% of the mandated pipeline in the Middle East. The bank had strong performance
in key markets, like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as repeat mandates on high-profile
transactions, including those with Emaar, PIF, and Aramco. This can be attributed to the company’s
trusted advisor model where clients are supported from early-stage valuation and strategic fit
analysis to commercial structuring.
Banking executive of the year – Raheel Ahmed, RAKBANK

Under Raheel Ahmed’s leadership as Group CEO, RAKBANK’s last few years have been marked by
transformation, growth, and innovation. In 2024 and 2025, Ahmed executed a strategy that
delivered record-breaking performance and increased customer trust. RAKBANK delivered its
highest-ever net profit in FY 2024 and maintained momentum into H1 2025 with strong growth
across core income streams. With Ahmed’s guidance, RAKBANK has record profits, 90% digital
adoption, and product innovation. He leads RAKBANK into new frontiers with a focus on safety,
strategy, compliance, and regulation. Ahmed launched one of the UAE’s first embedded finance

https://www.financemiddleeast.com/features/finance-middle-east-awards-2025-winners/