Head of Mal Private

Mal; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 1,100,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Mal Private is being built as Mal's private wealth arm for GCC families and UHNW clients. The Head will define offerings, target anchor families, and scale to a broader client base while aligning with Sharia-compliant investment structures.

You’ll lead strategy, partner selection and risk governance, establishing a scalable platform and an enduring family-based wealth proposition within the bank.

Qualifications

• Significant senior experience in private banking, wealth management or family office advisory.
• Network across GCC families and family offices with principal-level access.
• Deep understanding of Islamic finance and Sharia-compliant investment structures.
• Experience building a business or proposition from early stage.
• Strong commercial judgement around AUM growth and partner economics.
• Clear point of view on how technology and AI should transform wealth client experience.
• Exceptional integrity, discretion and judgement.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategy, segment priorities and launch sequence for Mal Private from demand validation to anchor clients.
• Own the business case, AUM targets and growth plan, and report progress to the CEO and board.
• Decide what to build and what to partner for; manage investment and custody partners where appropriate.
• Shape a Sharia wealth offering spanning private markets access and consolidated family wealth visibility.
• Work with Mal's Sharia board to structure and approve products.
• Define a relationship model with named leads and AI-assisted servicing.
• Origin and lead relationships with Mal Private's first anchor families and family offices.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships across generations with future wealth holders.
• Set service standards to define Mal Private's growth trajectory.
• Partner with product, engineering and data teams to bring Mal Private onto the core platform.
• Collaborate with Risk, Compliance and Legal to grow within the regulatory framework.
• Hire and lead the Mal Private team as the business scales.

Skills

Senior private banking

GCC UHNW networks

Islamic finance expertise

Entrepreneurial build-from-scratch

Commercial judgment

Technology & AI perspective

Discretion and integrity

Job description

Job Description

Mal Private is Mal's private wealth business for GCC families, family offices and the next generation of those families. It doesn't exist yet. As Head of Mal Private, you'll build it from the ground up and then run it as a core business line of the bank.

You’ll define who Mal Private serves first, what we offer and the order in which we build it. That includes deciding where Mal builds its own capability and where it partners, then getting the first anchor families live. From there, you’ll turn early proof into a scalable proposition, grow assets under management and open Mal Private to a broader client base.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the strategy, segment priorities and launch sequence for Mal Private, from demand validation through to anchor clients and a scalable proposition.
• Own the business case, AUM targets and growth plan, and report progress to the CEO and board.
• Decide what to build, what to partner for and in what order. Select and manage investment and custody partners where that's the right call.
• Shape a Sharia wealth offering spanning private markets access, managed investment solutions and consolidated visibility across a family's holdings.
• Work with Mal's Sharia board to get products structured and approved.
• Define a relationship model where every family has a named relationship lead and AI handles preparation, analysis and servicing.
• Personally originate and lead relationships with Mal Private's first anchor families and family offices.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships across generations, including the next generation of wealth holders.
• Set the service standards that will define Mal Private as it grows.
• Partner with product, engineering and data teams to bring Mal Private onto the core platform, keeping accounts and treasury within the bank.
• Work closely with Risk, Compliance and Legal so the business grows within Mal's regulatory and conduct framework.
• Hire and lead the Mal Private team as the business scales.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Significant senior experience in private banking, wealth management or family office advisory, with a strong track record serving GCC UHNW families.
• A credible network across GCC families and family offices, and the ability to open and win relationships at principal level.
• A deep understanding of Islamic finance and Sharia-compliant investment structures, including private markets.
• Experience building a business, desk or proposition from early stage. You're comfortable with ambiguity and with owning the outcome.
• Commercial judgement around AUM growth, economics and partner arrangements.
• A clear point of view on how technology and AI should change the wealth client experience.
• Exceptional integrity, discretion and judgement.

Nice to Have

• Experience in fintech or digital banking sectors.
• Familiarity with AI technologies and their application in financial services.
• Multilingual skills, particularly in Arabic or other relevant languages.
• Certification in Islamic finance or related qualifications.
• Previous experience working in a startup environment.

60-Day Deliverables

• Understand the platform. Get a clear view of Mal's core banking platform, product roadmap and AI capabilities, and identify what Mal Private can use from day one versus what needs to be built.
• Define the target segments. Agree the priority client segments and the order Mal Private will pursue them with the Founder & CEO.
• Validate demand. Complete at least 10 structured conversations with target families and family offices to test the proposition, pricing and service expectations.
• Shape the proposition. Produce a first version of the Mal Private proposition, covering private markets access, managed investment solutions, consolidated wealth visibility and the relationship model.
• Engage the Sharia board. Open early engagement with Mal's Sharia board on how core products, particularly private markets access, will be structured compliantly.
• Set the partner strategy. Recommend the build versus partner approach, with a shortlist of potential investment and custody partners and clear selection criteria.
• Build the business case. Present an initial business case to the Founder & CEO, including AUM ambition, economics, key assumptions and the launch sequence.
• Plan the team. Outline the team Mal Private needs for launch, and how it will work alongside Mal's product, engineering, Risk and Compliance teams.