Dr. Abdulla is a dynamic Emirati leader, serving as Chief Operating Officer at United Arab Bank since 2022. With two decades of cross-functional experience in banking and financial services, he possesses expertise across Operations, Branch Banking, Treasury, Retail, Corporate, Credit Administration, Strategy, and IT.
Previously, he held leadership roles at Al Masraf Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), and Emirates NBD. Throughout his career, he has led major transformation projects, driving sustainable growth through operational excellence and large-scale team management. Under his leadership, Al Masraf’s net profit grew from AED 250 Mn to AED 482 Mn, fueled by initiatives like Core Banking modernization and e2e digitization.
Dr. Abdulla holds an honorary doctorate from Glory International University and various certifications in Leadership & Management, Banking & Finance, and Project Management (PMP). In 2024, he obtained a Strategy Leadership Certificate from Said Business School, Oxford University.
A strong advocate of industry best practices, he actively participates in the Tafawouq Project and serves as Board Secretary of the Swift User Community at the UAE Banking Federation (UBF), contributing to National banking initiatives under the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE). His leadership and contributions continue to enhance the banking sector in the UAE.