Elham Yousry Mahfouz

Chief Executive Officer – Commercial Bank of Kuwait (Al-Tijari)

Elham Yousry Mahfouz is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait, one of Kuwait’s longest-established and most dynamic financial institutions. With a career spanning more than three decades in the banking and finance sector, she has earned a reputation for strategic leadership, operational excellence and pioneering women’s leadership in the region.

Professional Journey
Elham began her banking career in Kuwait and swiftly rose through the ranks, gaining deep experience across credit, international banking, corporate banking and retail services. In 2000 she joined the Commercial Bank of Kuwait as Manager of International Banking and over the following years held senior executive roles including General Manager of the New York branch, Acting General Manager of International Banking and ultimately General Manager – International Banking. In April 2012 she was appointed Deputy CEO and in November 2014 she took up the role of CEO.

Leadership & Strategic Focus
Under Elham’s leadership the bank has strengthened its presence in Kuwait and internationally, expanded its corporate banking portfolio, deepened its retail-banking offering and embraced digital transformation as a core pillar. She places strong emphasis on governance, risk management and sustainability, ensuring that the bank aligns with Kuwait’s economic diversification agenda and the broader regional move towards more technologically-enabled finance. Elham has also championed the bank’s participation in major infrastructure and energy-sector financing projects, reflecting the institution’s commitment to national-development priorities while maintaining prudent fiscal discipline.

Vision & Influence
Elham is known for her inclusive leadership style, her advocacy for mentoring and empowering women in finance, and her strategic mindset that balances growth with resilience. She consistently appears among the Middle East’s most influential businesswomen and serves as a role model for the next generation of financial-sector leaders.

Education & Personal Profile
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo and has completed numerous executive-education programmes in leadership, strategy and banking. Elham combines her global outlook with in-depth knowledge of the Kuwaiti market, enabling her to lead the Commercial Bank of Kuwait into a future of innovation, adaptation and expansion.