KUALA LUMPUR: HSBC Amanah Malaysia Bhd has appointed Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed as its chief executive officer (CEO), effective Oct 17.

In a statement yesterday, HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd said as the CEO of HSBC Amanah, Arsalaan will be leading the Islamic banking businesses for retail, commercial and wholesale banking, and reporting to HSBC Bank CEO Mukhtar Hussain.

Prior to joining HSBC Amanah, Arsalaan was appointed as the head of capital financing and financial institutions of Barwa Bank in Doha, Qatar, where he led the development of the Islamic debt capital market and wholesale banking platform, it said.

The bank said with 15 years of experience, Arsalaan had distinguished himself as a thought leader in Islamic and ethical finance and an expert in syariah-compliant retail, corporate and investment banking.

He has held a number of senior management roles with international exposure in the UK, the Middle East and Malaysia, the statement read.

Commenting on his appointment, Mukhtar said Arsalaan brings a wealth of experience vital to the growth of the bank’s amanah business in Malaysia.

“As Malaysia strengthens its role as the Islamic finance hub of Asia, it is crucial that we aid the progress with the right leadership, innovation, and world-class syariah-compliant products and services,” he said.