Who we are

Mr. Paolo Vivona joined ALEXBANK in October 2024 as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.

Mr. Vivona's career in banking and business development spans over three decades, with 33 years of experience, including 28 years in management roles. Throughout his tenure with the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, he has held diverse positions across business, governance, and control functions. Mr. Vivona's expertise ranges from operational to senior and top management, overseeing projects of various scales from routine business operations to strategic initiatives and from groundbreaking to transformational endeavors in different market environments. Vivona entered the Italian banking sector in 1989, initially working in operational and back-office areas before progressing to corporate responsibilities. In 1996, he advanced to the role of area manager for the Middle East and China. From 2009 until present, he covered several positions within the top management and the management boards within the foreign perimeter of the international subsidiary banks of Intesa Sanpaolo: Vice President, Responsible Risk Management in Bank of Qingdao (China), Chief Risk Officer in Bank of Alexandria (Egypt), Chief Financial Officer in CIB Bank (Hungary), Chief Financial Officer, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at VUB Bank (Slovakia). 

In 2019, he was appointed, within the Chief Lending Officer Area of Intesa Sanpaolo, Head of International Subsidiaries Banks Credit Department, with responsibilities for the underwriting and monitoring of the quality of credit portfolio of the international subsidiary banks division that comprises eleven subsidiary banks present in twelve countries. 

Before his assignment at ALEXBANK, Mr. Vivona was the General Manager & CEO and Chairman of the Management Committee of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Romania.

Mr. Antonio Bergalio was appointed to the ALEXBANK Board of Directors as an executive board member representing ISP and as Deputy CEO in October 2024.

Mr. Bergalio has more than 30 years experience in the banking area, out of which 20 years at managerial positions in Intesa Sanpaolo. Throughout his tenure with the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, Mr. Bergalio has held diverse positions within the group as Chief Financial Officer and member of the management board at VUB Banka (Slovakia) from 2014 to 2020. He also served as the Chief Financial Officer at PRAVEX Bank (Ukraine) from 2008 to 2014. Mr. Bergalio was heading Tableau de Board within the planning and control department of Banca Intesa. 

Before his assignment at ALEXBANK, Mr. Bergalio was the CFO and Member of the Management Board of Privredna banka Zagreb (Croatia). 

Mr. Bergalio has a Business and Managerial Economics Degree from the University of Genoa.

Dr. Ziad Bahaa Eldin joined ALEXBANK effective 19^th February 2019 as Non-Executive Chairman representing ISP.

Dr. Bahaa El-Din has occupied a number of high-level political and economic appointments, most notably as Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Cooperation, Executive Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), Executive Chairman of the Egyptian General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the Legal Advisor to Egypt’s former Minister of Economy and board member in the Central Bank of Egypt. Dr. Bahaa El-Din, is currently the Managing Partner of Bahaa-Eldin Law Office (in Cooperation with BonelliErede) and the Managing Partner of Thebes Consultancy and has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of legal consultancy, compliance and governance of financial institutions.

Dr. Bahaa El-Din currently holds the positions of non-executive Board Member at AXA Egypt, MTI, Samcrete for Industrial Development, Arabian Cement Company, NBE-UK, Saray Capital - DIFC, El Baqara Banking Group – Bahrain and Hassan Allam Holding.

In the field of volunteer work, Dr. Bahaa El-Din is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, a Member of the Board of Trustees of the American University in Cairo, board of directors of El Salam Hospital Mohandessin,  25^th of January Hospital Foundation, Modern English School Cairo and Chairman of the Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Cultural Foundation in Assiut.

Dr. Bahaa El-Din earned his PhD in Financial Law from the London School of Economics in 1997, and his master’s degree in International Business Law from the University of London in 1989. He earned his undergraduate degrees in law from Cairo University in 1986 and in economics from the American University in Cairo in 1987.

Mr. Carlo Persico joined ALEXBANK as of July 2022 as Non-Executive Board Member representing Intesa Sanpaolo Group. On 25th October 2023, Mr. Persico has been appointed as Non-executive Deputy Chairman.

Mr. Carlo Persico joined Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino (SANPAOLO Bank) in 1979 after earning his diploma in accounting. While working with SANPAOLO Bank in its retail banking division, he continued his education at the University of Milan where he received his degree in Political Science and Economics in 1984. In 1988 he completed a post-degree course in Finance and International Markets.

In 1992 Mr. Persico was transferred to London as Head of Corporate Banking and Syndications. 
In 1996, he was posted in the U.S.A. as Deputy General Manager of the New York Branch, where in 2000 he assumed the position of General Manager. After two years he was promoted to CEO for the Americas also becoming Chairman of Banca IMI Securities Corporation, the US subsidiary of Banca IMI Spa, the Group’s Investment Banking arm. 

From June 2009 he relocated to Italy as Head of International Network at the Corporate & Investment Banking Division of Intesa Sanpaolo, moving to London in the same position from June 2011 to November 2014. In December 2014 Mr. Persico returned to the HQ in Italy as Head of International Support & Subsidiaries, taking over in August 2016 the helm of Operational Support at the newly established International Department.

From July 2019 until June 2020 was part of the Work Transformation Unit of the HR Department, Corporate & Investment Banking Division.
Between 2016 and 2020 he was Board Member and vice Chairman of Intesa Sanpaolo Brasil and Board Member of Intesa Sanpaolo Ireland and Exelia Srl - Romania (Intesa Sanpaolo Group).

July 2022
 

Mrs. Lobna Hilal joined ALEXBANK as of 17th March 2024 as Non-Executive Independent Board Member.

Mrs. Lobna Hilal is the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (2011-2013, 2015-2019)

responsible for Monetary Stability, becoming the first female to assume this position in the history of the Central Bank of Egypt. Her responsibilities covered Monetary Policy, Reserve Management and Markets, External Relations, Research, Information Technology and Payment Systems, Banking Operation and Banking Sector Reform.

In 2016, Mrs. Hilal spearheaded the efforts of developing and implementing the comprehensive, ambitious Homegrown Monetary and Economic Reform program which was successfully concluded in June 2019. This program consisted of front-loaded fiscal and monetary policy adjustments along with structural reforms aimed at putting the Egyptian economy on a sustainable path. At the epicentre of the program was the liberalization of the foreign exchange regime and the beginning of the transition to an inflation targeting regime by modernizing Central Bank of Egypt’s tools and framework.

Mrs. Hilal first joined the Central Bank in 2004 to develop and execute a full-fledged two phased Banking Sector Reform Program that was instrumental in safeguarding the Egyptian banking sector and the economy from the negative impact of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008.

Prior to joining the Central Bank Mrs. Hilal was the Executive Director at EFG - Hermes Investment Banking responsible for M&A transactions and fixed income instruments.

Aside from representing the Central Bank of Egypt in several local and international institutions in her capacity as Deputy Governor, Mrs. Hilal was chosen as an independent expert non-executive Chairman of the Credit Guarantee Company as well as expert non-executive Board Member of Nasser Social Bank, National Investment Bank, the Mortgage Subsidy and Guarantee Fund and the Social Housing Fund. She was also non-executive Chairman of the Egyptian Mortgage Refinance Company.

Currently, she is the non-executive Chairman of City Edge Developments Company and sits on the Board of Directors of Telecom Egypt, NBE-UK Bank (London), Independent non-executive board member of the Egyptian Sovereign Fund and sits on the board of one of its sub funds “The Pre- IPO fund, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Womenovation Foundation and Member of the Board of Trustees of El-Nidaa Foundation

Mrs. Hilal held the position of the Vice Chair of the Gender and Women Financial Inclusion Committee and represented the Central Bank of Egypt in its capacity as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI). She was awarded the AFI Advocacy Champion Gender Award and was appointed as Gender Ambassador.

In 2016 Mrs. Hilal was chosen among the Top 50 Most Influential Women of the Egyptian Economy. She was also named the second most powerful woman in Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in the Middle East and North Africa Region for the years 2016 and 2017, and in 2018 she was ranked by Forbes as the third Most Influential Woman Heading Government Department.

Mr. Hilal holds a Master of Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Mrs. Alessandra Alcesi joined ALEXBANK effective 11^th of July 2021 as Non-Executive  Deputy Chairman till 25^th October 2023. Currently, Mrs. Alcesi is a Non-Executive Board Member representing Intesa Sanpaolo Group.

During Mrs. Alessandra’s banking career, she undertook various responsibilities within the Corporate and Investment Banking Division, starting as Relationship Manager and subsequently joining the Marketing Department. From 2012 to 2020 she had been Head of Relationship Unit & Data Warehouse in the Planning & Control Department of C&IB Division and, since September 2020, Head of Capital Management & Value Governance in the Planning & Control Department of International Subsidiary Banks Division.
She was nominated Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ISP Brazil (from February 2019 to January 2021).

Ms. Alessandra graduated in Economics at "Luigi Bocconi” University in Milan. After an experience in IBM Italia S.p.A. (from 1990 to 1995) covering different roles in the Finance and Treasury Areas and a period in Telepiù S.p.A. (now Sky Italia S.p.A.) as Head of Group Treasury, in 1998 she joined Banco Ambrosiano Veneto (now Intesa Sanpaolo).

Mr. Gianfranco joined ALEXBANK effective 22^nd September 2021 as a non-Executive Board member representing Intesa Sanpaolo Group.

Mr. Pizzutto brings to ALEXBANK an extensive experience where he started his career in Intesa Sanpaolo in 1978, in the domestic network. After several years as Auditor for the international network, in 1996 he began his experience abroad, where he was appointed General Manager of the branches in Munich and Frankfurt. In 2004 he returned to Head Office – International Department to assume the role of Head Of Commercial Coordination and Network Development.

In the years from 2010 to 2018 he headed the subsidiaries in Ireland and Luxembourg and covered the position of Deputy CEO in Ukraine.

He retired at the end of 2018 and currently he is Non Executive Board member in CIB Bank, the Hungarian subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo Group. 

Mr. Stefano Cozzi joined ALEXBANK effective 6^th July 2022 as a Non-Executive Board member representing Intesa Sanpaolo Group.

Mr. Cozzi has a large experience in the Credit area and started his career in the Intesa Sanpaolo Group in 1987. After ten years in local network, in 1997 he began his experience abroad as a Senior Credit Analyst in London and Singapore branches. In 2000 he returned to Head Office – International Credit Department and in 2008 he assumed the role of Head of Underwriting Department in Leasint, the leasing company of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group.

In 2015 he became the Head of the Proactive Credit Management Department for the international subsidiaries Division of the Group, dealing with high-risk customers located in thirteen countries.

He is also Non-Executive Board member in Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Romania, the Rumanian subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo Group.

Dr. Ehab Aboaish is the Vice Minister of Finance for Public Treasury effective June 2018, previously he served as Vice-Dean for Postgraduate Studies, Research and International Affairs, Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University from September 2014 - June 2016, and Dean of Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University June 2016 – June  2018.

Dr. Ehab Aboaish is the Vice-Chairman of Universal Health Insurance Authority & its Ex. Acting Executive Director, Member of Board of Directors of Health Care Authority (Universal Health Insurance System), as well as Member of Board of Directors of Arab Industrial Organization, Member of Board of Directors of Egypt Air Holding Company. In Addition, he is member of National Anti-Money Laundering & Terrorism Financing Committee, Member of National Press Authority, and Chairman of The Governmental Insurance Fund for Guarantees of Employers. Previously he served as Member of National Defense Council General Secretariat, Member of Board of Directors of National Institute of Planning Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Centre of Research and Commercial Studies, Cairo University.

Chairman of the Risk Management Committee of Misr Insurance Company and Member of Board of Directors of Science and Technology Development Fund (Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research). In addition to that he served as a Member of a number of private companies’ Board of Directors. He acted as Managerial Consultant and participated on conducting a large number of institutional reforms and development programs and consultations on different managerial fields for Egyptian and Arabian companies for more than 20 years.

Dr. Aboaish holds a BA degree on Business Administration from Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University, MSc on Financial Management of Financial Institutions and a PhD on Financial Services from Nottingham University Business School (UK) 2001. On 2005 he got the Fulbright visiting scholars and research grant in George Washington University (USA). He is Professor at Business Administration Department, Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University and has a large number of published researches and studies on international journals and conferences.

Mr. Khalid Nofal joined ALEXBANK as of 1^st November 2023 as Non-executive Board Member representing the Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Khalid Nofal is the First Deputy Minister of Finance for Administrative & Technical Reform and served as a Deputy Minister since 2014 until 2022. His focus is on PFM reform, and institutional & organizational structure development, with special emphasis on Gov. Expenditure, Public Procurement policies and institutional modernization. Mr. Nofal, between 2007 – 2012, chaired the General Authority of Governmental Services, an affiliate of MOF. Prior to joining the Government of Egypt on 2007, Mr. Nofal has served as a senior International Contract & Procurement Advisor in various private and overseas government organizations and has led projects across the United States, Middle East, and West Africa serving the ITC, Healthcare, Environment, and Oli & Gas sectors. He is currently a board member of the Egyptian Grand Museum Authority “GEM”, and the National Media Authority (Formally Egyptian Radio and Television Union “ERTU”).

Mr. Paolo Vivona joined ALEXBANK in October 2024 as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.

Mr. Vivona's career in banking and business development spans over three decades, with 35 years of experience, including 27 years in management roles. Throughout his tenure with the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, he has held diverse positions across business, governance, and control functions. Mr. Vivona's expertise ranges from operational to senior and top management, overseeing projects of various scales from routine business operations to strategic initiatives and from groundbreaking to transformational endeavors in different market environments. Vivona entered the Italian banking sector in 1989, initially working in operational and back-office areas before progressing to corporate responsibilities. In 1996, he advanced to the role of area manager for the Middle East and China. From 2009 until present, he covered several positions within the top management and the management boards within the foreign perimeter of the international subsidiary banks of Intesa Sanpaolo: Vice President, Responsible Risk Management in Bank of Qingdao (China), Chief Risk Officer in Bank of Alexandria (Egypt), Chief Financial Officer in CIB Bank (Hungary), Chief Financial Officer, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at VUB Bank (Slovakia). 

In 2019, he was appointed, within the Chief Lending Officer Area of Intesa Sanpaolo, Head of International Subsidiaries Banks Credit Department, with responsibilities for the underwriting and monitoring of the quality of credit portfolio of the international subsidiary banks division that comprises eleven subsidiary banks present in twelve countries. 

Before his assignment at ALEXBANK, Mr. Vivona was the General Manager & CEO and Chairman of the Management Committee of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Romania.

Mr. Antonio Bergalio was appointed to the ALEXBANK Board of Directors as an executive board member representing ISP and as Deputy CEO in October 2024.

Mr. Bergalio has more than 30 years experience in the banking area, out of which 22 years at managerial positions in Intesa Sanpaolo. Throughout his tenure with the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, Mr. Bergalio has held diverse positions within the group as Chief Financial Officer and member of the management board at VUB Banka (Slovakia) from 2014 to 2020. He also served as the Chief Financial Officer at PRAVEX Bank (Ukraine) from 2008 to 2014. 

Before his assignment at ALEXBANK, Mr. Bergalio was the CFO and Member of the Management Board of Privredna banka Zagreb (Croatia). 

Mr. Bergalio has a Business and Managerial Economics Degree from the University of Genoa.

Ramy Taha is the Deputy CEO Retail, MSMEs & Digital Banking.

Ramy Taha joined ALEXBANK in 2010 as Head of Consumer Marketing expanding subsequently his role to take over additional responsibilities including Digital Banking and Financial Inclusion. He is a member of ALEXBANK Executive Committee and has been a key driver in his various roles during the past years, supporting the repositioning of ALEXBANK in the Egyptian market while driving its digital transformation to become one of the leading banks in this area.

Taha oversees the Retail and SMEs Division, as well as the Digital Banking and Marketing activities, driving our bank towards the best multi-channel synergic approach aimed at delivering the best customer experience and satisfaction, to the entire Alexbank customers’ base. 

Ahmed Magdy is the Chief Risk Officer at ALEXBANK and an executive committee member. He joined ALEXBANK in 2010.

Magdy has over 20 years of experience in the banking sector. He started his career at Arab International Bank in 1998 passing through Commercial International Bank, Barclays and National Bank of Egypt. Throughout his experience, he worked in several areas such as branches network, operations, SMEs, large corporate, non-performing loans, retail credit and project finance.

Magdy has been with ALEXBANK since 2010, starting as Head of Specialized Lending Office and in 2017 as Head of Underwriting Department until he became Chief Risk Officer in 2020.

Tarek Salah is the Head of Retail and Executive Committee Member at ALEXBANK. He joined ALEXBANK in November 2011.

Salah has more than 20 years of experience in the Banking Sector. Salah’s career started in 1991, prior to joining the banking sector he worked in different fields such as tourism and fast-moving consumer goods in multinationals, where during this period he was entitled to different positions & roles. Salah then joined the Banking Sector in 1999 passing through CITI bank, Mashreq Bank and Barclays Bank. Throughout his experience he was entitled to different positions such as Branches Sales Manager, Head of Auto Loans and Head of National Sales.

Salah has been with ALEXBANK since 2011, starting as Head of Segments Management moving on to his appointment in 2014 as Head of Branches Network Management and has held this position till he has been appointed in 2022 as Head of Retail & SME Division.

Mariam El Gammal is the Head of Human Resources & Organization at ALEXBANK. She joined ALEXBANK in 2008.

Mariam Elgammal has over two decades of experience in human resources, employee relations, and organization, leading teams that act as strategic business partners and change agents in the banking sector. Throughout her career at ALEXBANK, Mariam has progressively taken on roles within the human resources structure, including establishing the activities of recruitment, performance management, talent acquisition and talent management, learning and development, internal communications, and employer branding. Her previous experience includes roles at Arab Bank and Al Ahram Beverages Company.

In her current role, Mariam leads initiatives to maximize value creation for both employer and employee, manage organizational change, and foster a positive work environment, aligning to the Central Bank of Egypt rules and policies and adopting the Intesa Sanpaolo Group People Strategies and programs.

Tamim el Saady is the Head of Corporate and Investment Banking. 
 
Mr. Tamim joined ALEXBANK back in January 2016 and assumed various managerial positions, starting his journey as Head of Investment Banking in the Corporate and Investment Banking Division. He transitioned from the business teams to the CRO teams, where he assumed the leading role in proactive credit management activities.
 
In January 2020, Mr. Tamim was assigned to lead the newly set change Management Department, with the primary task of overseeing the activities related to transformation, mainly the core banking system upgrade project, which went live in July 2022. He also participated in the establishment of the project management activities at ALEXBANK.
 
He received his nomination to return to the corporate business as Head of Corporate and Investment Banking and was approved by the Central Bank of Egypt in May 2023.