Al Etihad Payments appoints Aref Al Ramli as CEO

Al Etihad Payments (AEP), a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), has appointed Aref Al Ramli as its Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2, 2026.

Al Ramli brings more than 24 years of experience in financial services, with a background spanning digital banking, payments and financial technology. He joins AEP from Al Hilal Bank, where he served as Chief Digital Officer.

Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Digital Wallet, where he led a payments initiative involving 16 banks to advance financial inclusion and support the UAE’s transition towards a cashless economy.

During his tenure at Mashreq, Al Ramli led Digital Banking and Innovation, overseeing the launch of Mashreq Neo and Mashreq NeoBiz. He also chaired the UAE Banks Federation’s Digital Committee from 2017 to 2020, working with member banks, the Central Bank and government entities on industry-wide digital initiatives.

In his new role, Al Ramli will lead AEP’s efforts to develop the UAE’s national payment infrastructure and expand the adoption of its payment platforms. He will work with financial institutions and payment service providers to strengthen payment services supporting the country’s digital economy.

AEP’s national payment platforms have recorded growing adoption. In 2026, its instant payment platform Aani had 14.7 million enrolled users and processed more than 192 million transactions worth AED 545 billion. The company also commenced issuing Jaywan cards through financial institutions across the UAE earlier this year and announced partnerships with Mastercard and UnionPay International to support the expansion of the national payments infrastructure.

Commenting on the appointment, His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Board of Managers at Al Etihad Payments, said Al Ramli’s experience across digital banking and payment services would position him to lead the organisation through its next phase of development.

“The UAE’s economic ambitions require payment infrastructure that institutions, businesses, and individuals can depend on. AEP has a central responsibility in delivering that infrastructure and ensuring it meets the country’s requirements now and in the future,” Al Dhaheri said.

Al Ramli said his priority would be to expand the adoption of AEP’s payment platforms and strengthen partnerships with financial institutions to make them part of everyday transactions across the UAE.

“My ambition is for AEP’s platforms to become a natural part of how people and businesses across the UAE pay every day. That requires reliable infrastructure, strong partnerships with financial institutions, and services that give customers a clear reason to use them,” he said.

AEP will continue working with financial institutions, payment service providers, merchants and other partners to expand its national payment infrastructure and support the growth of the UAE’s digital economy.