Head of Card Credit Lending
About the job
Term: 12 months
Client location: Dubai, UAE
Division: Consumer
Reports to: Group CEO
Relevant experience: Minimum 15 years in retail banking, with 8+ years of credit card business leadership. Proven success in launching and scaling card portfolios in the Middle East.
Mandatory requirements
Deep expertise in credit card product lifecycle management
Experience launching standalone or co-branded card programmes
Familiarity with GCC regulatory frameworks (e.g. UAE Central Bank)
Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
Fluent in English; Arabic is a plus
Purpose of the project
To lead the strategic setup and operational launch of a new, independent credit card business. The role will define the product vision, build and lead the team, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive market penetration and profitability.
Key activities
Core responsibilities and accountabilities
Strategic leadership: Shape the credit card business model, aligning with the bank’s broader retail strategy and segment-specific goals (mass, affluent, SME).
Product development: Design and launch a suite of credit card products with differentiated value propositions, including digital-first and premium offerings.
Risk & compliance: Establish robust credit risk frameworks, underwriting policies, and ensure adherence to local and international regulations.
P&L ownership: Manage the full P&L of the credit card business, including revenue, cost, and profitability levers.
Team building: Recruit, structure, and mentor a high-performing team across product, analytics, operations, and sales.
Stakeholder engagement: Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders including regulators, fintechs, payment networks, and loyalty partners.
Innovation & digitalisation: Leverage AI/ML tools for credit scoring, fraud detection, and personalised offers. Drive digital onboarding and omnichannel customer experiences.
Regional coordination: Align with regional hubs and support regional product innovation and compliance.
Vendor & partner management: Oversee selection and integration of processing platforms, loyalty engines, and collections partners.
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
Time-to-market for product launch
Customer acquisition and activation rates
Portfolio profitability (NIM, fee income, cost of risk)
Credit loss ratios and delinquency metrics
Digital origination and usage rates
Customer satisfaction and NPS
Knowledge and experience
15+ years in cards management with 8+ years in a Head of/EVP level
Education: Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, business, or related field. A master’s degree (e.g., MBA or MSc in Finance) is highly preferred
End-to-end cards expertise: Proven experience managing the full lifecycle of card products including credit and virtual, issuing and acquiring businesses
Strategic market insight: Deep understanding of regional and global cards market trends, including competitor analysis, pricing strategies, and product positioning
Digital channel integration: Demonstrated ability to leverage digital platforms (e.g. mobile banking, internet banking, e-wallets) to drive card acquisition, activation, and usage
E-commerce & omni-channel fluency: Strong grasp of e-commerce ecosystems and omni-channel strategies to enhance customer experience and card penetration
Product innovation & development: Track record of launching differentiated card products and value propositions tailored to mass, affluent, and SME segments
Risk & compliance acumen: Familiarity with credit risk frameworks, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance across GCC jurisdictions
P&L ownership: Experience managing the cards business P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, and profitability optimisation
Customer lifecycle management: Expertise in designing and executing activation, usage, rewards, and retention programmes to boost engagement and reduce churn
Cross-functional leadership: Ability to collaborate with IT, operations, marketing, and third-party vendors to deliver seamless card experiences
Mandatory skills
Strategic planning and execution
Product innovation and lifecycle management
Credit risk and portfolio analytics
Regulatory compliance and governance
Cross-functional leadership and communication
Agile project delivery and digital transformation