Group Data Head (Kuwait)

Our client is a leading financial institution and a pioneer in Islamic Finance and Shari’a-compliant banking, with a strong focus on digital transformation, data-driven decision-making and innovation.

The ideal candidate will be a senior Data, Analytics or Data Transformation leader who has successfully built or transformed enterprise-wide data capabilities within a banking or financial services environment, combining strategic leadership with strong knowledge of AI, analytics, governance and data management.

The role will work closely with senior stakeholders across Technology, Risk, Compliance and business functions to maximise the value of data, improve decision-making and support revenue growth, operational efficiency and risk management

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Group-wide Data Strategy, Data Management and Analytics roadmap.
• Establish and strengthen Data Governance, Data Quality and Data Management frameworks, policies and standards.
• Lead the adoption of advanced analytics, AI and machine learning to generate actionable business insights.
• Identify opportunities to use data to increase revenue, reduce costs and risks, and improve customer experience.
• Oversee data and analytics technologies, vendors, budgets and strategic initiatives.
• Partner with business leaders to translate business requirements into effective analytics and data solutions.
• Promote advanced analytical techniques across structured and unstructured data, including predictive analytics, NLP and machine learning.
• Drive data monetisation initiatives and establish measurable KPIs for data and analytics investments.
• Ensure appropriate data access, privacy, security and regulatory compliance across the organisation.
• Improve enterprise-wide data quality and establish effective processes for resolving data-related issues.
• Build a strong data-driven culture, including data literacy and adoption initiatives across the organisation.
• Lead and develop high-performing data, analytics and governance teams.
• Drive continuous improvement and transformation of data-related processes, systems and practices.
• Work with senior leadership and relevant governance committees to ensure alignment with corporate strategy and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, Computer Engineering, AI, Machine Learning or a related field.
• Master’s degree in Data Science, Analytics, AI, Machine Learning or a related discipline is preferred.
• 12+ years of relevant experience, preferably within banking or financial services.
• At least 5 years of leadership experience across Data Science, AI, Machine Learning or Advanced Analytics.
• Strong experience developing and implementing enterprise Data Strategy and Data Governance.
• Strong knowledge of banking products, services and data environments.
• Hands-on understanding of analytics technologies such as Python, R, SQL, SAS or MATLAB.
• Experience with data visualisation tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Knowledge of cloud and big-data technologies, particularly Azure.
• Strong understanding of AI, machine learning, predictive analytics and statistical modelling.
• Experience with data privacy, regulatory requirements and industry data governance standards.
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts to senior non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, project management and negotiation skills.
• Experience managing data teams, budgets, vendors and large-scale transformation initiatives.
• Arabic and English proficiency is preferred.