BE - September 2026

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a leading Islamic financial institution, has appointed Pedro Uria-Recio as Chief AI Officer, strengthening the bank’s leadership and capabilities as it advances its Vision 2035 strategy. The appointment reflects ADIB’s commitment to embedding Artificial Intelligence across the organisation as one of the principal transformation enablers of Vision 2035. In his new role, Pedro will lead the next phase of ADIB’s AI strategy, accelerating the responsible deployment of AI across the Bank to enhance customer expe- riences, strengthen risk management, improve operational efficiency, and equip colleagues with advanced tools and insights. His mandate will also focus on build- ing the capabilities, governance and infrastructure required to scale AI re- sponsibly across the Group, support- ing ADIB’s Vision 2035 to become the world’s most innovative Islamic bank, while continuing to make banking simpler, faster, and more personalised for customers. Pedro brings more than 20 years of experience across technology, data, and Artificial Intelligence. Prior to joining ADIB, he served as Chief Data & Artificial Intelligence Officer at CIMB Bank in Malaysia, where he led the organisation's AI strategy and spearheaded the deployment of gen- erative AI, agentic AI, and advanced analytics solutions across Southeast Asia. He has also held senior leader- ship roles at True Corporation, Axiata Group and McKinsey & Company, advising leading organisations on technology, digital transformation, and innovation. Pedro holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BSc in Telecommunications Engineering. Mohamed Abdelbary, Group CEO of ADIB, said: “Pedro’s appointment re- inforces our commitment to Vision the BANKING EXECUTIVE 64 ISSUE 213 SEPTEMBER 2026 Career Chronicle