Chief Wealth Management Officer

Location Bahrain
Discipline: Global Markets
Job type: Permanent
Contact name: David Poirier

Contact email: david.poirier@venturesearch.com
Job ref: 3990
Published: about 1 month ago

Group Chief Wealth Management Officer

Location: Bahrain Reporting Line: Chief Executive Officer Direct Reports: 4 Regional Market Heads (UAE & Oman | Qatar & Bahrain | Kuwait | KSA)

About the Role

A leading GCC financial institution is seeking a senior, strategic leader to take ownership of its Wealth Management and Placement function — driving the distribution of sophisticated investment solutions to High-Net-Worth individuals and institutional clients across the region.

This is a genuine leadership build, not a maintenance mandate. The successful candidate will shape the strategic direction of the wealth management business at Group level, bringing structure, vision, and commercial discipline to a rapidly evolving regional franchise, with direct influence over how the platform scales next.

Key Responsibilities

  • Define and lead the Group's overarching Wealth Management strategy, aligned with the CEO's vision and broader business objectives
  • Oversee the Placement function, ensuring effective marketing and distribution of investment products to HNW and institutional clients
  • Provide strategic oversight and direction to four regional Market Heads covering UAE & Oman, Qatar & Bahrain, Kuwait, and KSA
  • Act as the senior point of synthesis between regional market activity and Group leadership — distilling complex, cross-market dynamics into clear strategic recommendations for the CEO
  • Champion innovation and technology adoption within the wealth management proposition, in line with the Group's forward-looking culture
  • Build and strengthen relationships with key HNW clients, institutional partners, and internal stakeholders across the Group
  • Identify new product, market, and growth opportunities, bringing fresh thinking and new ideas to the leadership table
  • Ensure robust governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance across the wealth management function

Candidate Profile

  • Proven track record at a senior/Chief level within a top-tier financial institution (e.g., Investcorp, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, or comparable)
  • Deep expertise in wealth management, private banking, or institutional placement, with a strong understanding of HNW and institutional client needs
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and align multi-market teams, ideally across the GCC
  • A strategic, entrepreneurial mindset with genuine comfort operating in a fast-moving, innovation- and technology-forward environment
  • Strong executive presence and the ability to synthesize and communicate complex strategic matters clearly to CEO and Board-level stakeholders
  • Regional (GCC) experience strongly preferred; candidates with strong European wealth management backgrounds are also of genuine interest
  • Fluent English required; Arabic language skills advantageous

What's on Offer

  • A rare Group-level leadership seat with direct CEO reporting line and genuine strategic influence
  • The opportunity to build and shape a wealth management franchise from a position of real authority, in one of the region's most dynamic financial hubs