Principle: The stronger the connection the more succesful the business

BLME Board of Directors


Board Directors


Yacob Yousef Al-Muzaini – Chairman


Yacob is non-executive Chairman of the Board of BLME. Previously Yacob was Chairman and Managing Director of Boubyan Bank, with 24 years of leadership experience in private and public sector financial institutions. Prior to this, Yacob was Chairman and Managing Director of a leading private sector financial services company.



Sheikh Abdullah Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah – Vice Chairman


Abdullah is non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board of BLME. He is Deputy Director of General Investments at the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS), Chairman of Housing Finance Company (ISKAN), Board member at Global Investment House, Chairman of Kuwait Financing Services Company and Vice Chairman of Bank of Kuwait and Middle East.


Executive Directors


Humphrey Richard Percy – CEO


Humphrey joined BLME as Chief Executive Officer. Humphrey has more than 30 years of banking experience focusing on treasury and global markets. During his career to date he has worked at J. Henry Schroder Wagg, Barclays Merchant Bank (later Barclays de Zoete Wedd/BZW) and WestLB where he held positions including CEO, Managing Director, General Manager, and Head of Global Financial Markets. Humphrey is experienced in building new functions and product areas, and has managed start-up businesses within both BZW and WestLB as well as founding his own business in 2002.


Richard Radway Williams – Finance Director


Richard joined BLME as Finance Director and Company Secretary. Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in 1980, Richard’s early career in Investment Banking was spent with Chase Manhattan, Credit Agricole and Bankers Trust. Richard then spent 10 years at Robert Fleming & Co, setting up their Global Equities Derivatives business, and three years in Hong Kong with Jardine Fleming. Richard also has experience with start-up companies and in private equity with Legal & General Ventures.


Nigel Brodie Denison – Head of Markets


Nigel joined BLME as Director and Head of Markets Division. Prior to this Nigel was Head of European Sales for WestLB’s Global Markets unit which included Treasury, Capital Markets and Emerging Markets. Nigel began his career at Barclays Merchant Bank (later BZW), where he became Head of Trading for Barclays Swaps and Options European business, based in London. He then spent some time in New York where he took over the derivatives trading operations for Barclays.

Non-Executive Directors


Ibrahim Al Qadhi


Ibrahim is a non-executive member of the Board of BLME. He is the Chairman of Boubyan Bank and General Manager of Kuwait Clearing Company. He is also a member of the Kuwait Stock Exchange Committees since 1998 till now. Prior to this Ibrahim was Executive Director of Supervision Sector in the Central Bank of Kuwait. Ibrahim has more than 28 years in international banking and during his career to date he has worked for Kuwait Investment Company and National commercial Bank in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) where he held a variety of senior positions. He was a representative for the Central Bank of Kuwait in the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in Washington for eight years until 2008 and from 2003 to 2008 was a member of the Technical Committee of The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) in Kuala Lumpur.


Neil Jonathan Holden


Neil is Chairman of BLME's Board Risk and Remuneration Committees. He is a mathematician and Chartered Accountant with more than 25 years’ experience in international banking, focusing on financial control and risk management. His recent executive roles include Head of Corporate and Investment Banking Credit for Standard Bank Group, Head of Risk for Standard Bank Plc, and previously, various senior roles at WestLB and Hambros Bank covering all risk, finance and operational disciplines.


Frank Willem Vermeulen


Frank is Chairman of BLME’s Audit Committee. He has a master’s degree in Dutch Law and he has spent more than 20 years in banking, mostly for ABN Bank NV in a variety of roles. These included Head of Corporate Banking, Syndications & International for Saudi Hollandi Bank, Riyadh, before joining Olayan Financing Company, Riyadh in 1992, until his retirement at the end of 2006 where he held the position of Treasurer and CFO. Frank currently also holds Board positions with LeasePlan Corporation NV, Optitune plc and Aurelio Resource Corporation, and advisory positions with Jarir Marketing Company and Mitsubishi Chemical Company.


Masood Akbar


Masood is a qualified actuary and is a Director at the Member Investment Advisory Board, EURX Property Fund, as well as at AREF Investment Group in Kuwait, where he is responsible for Sharia’a compliant investments in real estate and private equity. Masood has previously worked as a Director at Genesis Emerging Market Fund, a Guernsey-based offshore fund. Prior to that, Masood held a number of positions: Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Investment Bank in Pakistan; the first Managing Director of Jardine Fleming Pakistan; Director, Investment Department at HH The Rulers Office Abu Dhabi and Portfolio Manager Special Situations Fund, for the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.