Bank Audi sal, one of Lebanon's most prominent banks, elected Sherine R. Audi as Chair of its Board of Directors on 13 January 2026, following the resignation of Samir Hanna, who brought to a close a career at the institution spanning more than six decades. The leadership transition at board level marks one of the most significant changes in the bank's governance in a generation and arrives as Lebanon's banking sector remains under acute pressure from a protracted financial and economic crisis.
Hanna's resignation closes a chapter that encompassed decades of expansion, regional ambition, and ultimately the severe dislocation that has gripped Lebanese banking since the financial system came under strain in 2019. His tenure as Chairman saw Bank Audi grow into a regionally significant institution with operations across the Arab world, though the bank's recent years, like those of all Lebanese lenders, have been defined by the crisis rather than by growth. His departure is understood to be on his own initiative after a career of remarkable longevity at a single institution.
FOUNDING FAMILY RETURNS TO THE CHAIRMANSHIP
The election of Sherine R. Audi as Chair restores direct representation of the founding family to the leadership of the board. The Audi family's association with the bank predates the institution's modern corporate form, and her appointment carries symbolic weight that extends well beyond the routine mechanics of a board election. At a time when Bank Audi needs to project stability and continuity to its depositors, creditors, and regulatory counterparts, the return of family leadership at the board level is a considered signal of enduring institutional commitment.
The board election took place on 13 January 2026, and the announcement confirmed her role without providing additional detail on changes to the board's broader composition. Sherine R. Audi takes up the chairmanship against a backdrop that demands both financial acumen and institutional authority: Lebanese banks remain subject to restrictions on depositor access to funds, and the sector has yet to navigate a definitive restructuring framework that would allow normal banking operations to resume at scale.
CEO KHALIL EL DEBS CONTINUES IN POST
On the executive side, Khalil El Debs remains in position as General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, a role to which he was appointed in May 2024. His continuation provides a layer of operational continuity that complements the board-level change, ensuring that the bank's day-to-day management functions are handled by an executive already familiar with the institution's challenges and ongoing priorities. The combination of a newly elected chair from the founding family and a settled CEO who has been in post for the better part of a year creates a stable dual-leadership structure.
El Debs has been navigating Bank Audi through one of the most demanding operating environments faced by any bank in the region, managing the tension between the bank's obligations to its depositors, its regulatory requirements, and its need to maintain viable ongoing operations. The governance change at the top of the board does not alter the fundamental challenges the institution faces, but it clarifies the lines of leadership authority as Bank Audi continues to work towards a resolution of Lebanon's broader banking sector difficulties.