Arab Banking Corporation (ABC), the Bahrain-headquartered multinational bank, has announced that Group Chief Executive Officer Sael Al Waary will retire effective 31 January 2026. The bank's Board of Directors has appointed Brendon Hopkins, currently Group Chief Financial Officer, as Acting Group CEO from 1 February 2026.
The leadership change was announced in December 2025.
AL WAARY'S RETIREMENT
ABC is majority-owned by the Central Bank of Libya and operates a network spanning the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The Board's announcement of Al Waary's retirement did not specify the reasons for his departure beyond describing it as a retirement effective at the end of January 2026. The announcement followed the 14 December Board meeting.
ACTING GROUP CEO
ABC has not indicated a definitive timeline for confirming a permanent Group CEO appointment. Hopkins will assume the acting role on 1 February 2026, the day after Al Waary's retirement takes effect.