Hashim Shawa

Hashim Shawa joined Bank of Palestine as Chairman and General Manager in 2007, spearheading the bank’s growth through institutionalization, financial inclusion, and digitization. Under his leadership, Bank of Palestine has become the country’s leading financial institution, with total assets reaching USD 6.5 billion. The bank is internationally recognized for its values-based approach, emphasizing sustainability and ESG principles, and is the first bank in the MENA region to achieve a 50/50 gender balance, including at the Board of Directors level.

The Bank of Palestine Group includes Arab Islamic Bank, PalPay, AlWasata Brokerage, and Qudra Renewable Energy, providing integrated services across retail, corporate, SME, and digital banking. With 100 branches across Palestine and representative offices in Dubai and Santiago, Chile, the bank plays a pivotal role in the region’s financial landscape.

In 2016, as Founder and Chairman of Ibtikar Fund, Mr. Shawa launched Palestine’s first venture capital fund, raising over $40 million to invest in tech startups, positioning Digital Palestine on the global map. More recently, the bank established Intersect Innovation Hub, the largest network of safe, modern incubation and co-working spaces in Palestine.

Mr. Shawa holds a degree from University College London and began his banking career at Citigroup in 1997, holding various corporate and private banking management roles in the UK, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the GCC. In 2005, he joined HSBC Switzerland as Director of the Middle East and North Africa business.

He is a member of the Emerging Markets Advisory Council at the International Institute of Finance (Washington, D.C.), the World Bank Advisory Council on Gender Development, and the World Economic Forum. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Trustees of Bethlehem University and the boards of Pharmacare and APIC.