Chief Operating Officer, HSBC Bank Egypt

Role Purpose

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Egypt is accountable for leading the end-to-end operational management of the business, ensuring a robust control environment, efficient execution, and scalable growth. The role partners closely with the CEO/Head of Banking, Product, Partners, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Finance, Technology, Global Service Center (GSC) Cairo and HR to deliver a safe, well-controlled, and client-focused franchise.

This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for driving operational excellence, regulatory readiness, and strategic change—balancing pace with prudence in a highly regulated banking environment.

Key Responsibilities

Business Management & Strategy Execution

• Translate business strategy into executable operating plans, KPIs, and governance routines; track delivery and remove blockers.
• Lead business management disciplines: performance management, pipeline/portfolio rhythm, resource planning, and prioritisation.
• Drive productivity and cost discipline, ensuring investments are aligned to client outcomes and risk appetite.

Operating Model, Process & Controls

• Own and continuously improve the business operating model across front-to-back processes (origination to servicing).
• Strengthen the control environment: operational risk, conduct, data quality, record keeping, and issue management.
• Ensure effective governance forums, decision rights, and management information (MI) to support timely, evidence-based decisions.

Regulatory & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a key senior point of contact for internal governance and, where appropriate, external stakeholders (e.g., regulators, auditors) in partnership with Compliance/Risk.
• Ensure ongoing readiness for regulatory change, audits, and reviews; drive remediation plans to closure.

Change Delivery & Transformation

• Sponsor and govern strategic change initiatives (process digitisation, client onboarding improvements, service model enhancements, controls automation).
• Partner with Technology and Operations to deliver resilient, secure, and scalable solutions; ensure benefits realisation.
• Deliver on Simplification – the colleagues and clients should feel benefits and key journeys and processes are measurably more simple

Client Experience & Service Management

• Improve client journeys and service performance (onboarding, KYC refresh, credit execution, trade/transactional servicing).
• Monitor service metrics and root-cause issues; drive cross-functional fixes that stick.

People Leadership & Culture

• Build a high-performing, inclusive team culture aligned to HSBC values.
• Develop talent, succession plans, and capability uplift across business management, controls, and transformation disciplines.

Governance & Control Accountabilities

• Maintain strong oversight of operational risk, issues, incidents, and control testing outcomes.
• Ensure adherence to HSBC policies, local regulatory requirements, and CIB standards (including financial crime, sanctions, and conduct expectations).
• Promote a culture of accountability, timely escalation, and “fix it once, fix it properly”.

Key Stakeholders

• CEO/Head of Banking Egypt; Regional COO, Functional and Product Heads
• Operations, Technology, Finance, HR
• Risk, Compliance, Financial Crime Compliance, Internal Audit
• Regional/Global COO community and functional partners
• Regulator

Candidate Profile (Essential)

• Proven track record running complex operating models and delivering measurable improvements in controls, efficiency, and client outcomes.
• Significant senior leadership experience in banking, with strong exposure to the business eg. Corporate & Institutional Banking (coverage, products, or Corporater & Institutional Banking operations/business management).
• Deep understanding of banking risk and control frameworks (operational risk, conduct, regulatory compliance, financial crime, data/records).
• Strong change leadership experience—able to mobilise cross-functional teams and deliver transformation at pace.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including influencing at ExCo/senior leadership level across functions.
• Strong analytical capability and comfort with MI, KPIs, and governance routines.
• Arabic Speaking

Desirable

• Experience in emerging markets and/or working with regional/global matrix organisations.
• Exposure to transaction banking, trade, payments, lending operations, or client onboarding/KYC transformation.
• Familiarity with local regulatory expectations in Egypt (or comparable jurisdictions).
• Experience working in Egypt or similar Middle East markets

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; postgraduate qualification (MBA/Finance/Management) preferred.
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., risk, compliance, project/change) are an advantage.

What Success Looks Like (First 12–18 Months)

• Clear operating rhythm and governance in place with improved execution discipline.
• Measurable simplification progress in key client journeys.
• Stronger control environment with reduced aged issues and improved audit/regulatory outcomes.
• Tangible improvements in client onboarding/service performance and operational efficiency.
• Delivery of priority change initiatives with measurable benefits and sustainable adoption.