Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has appointed Pedro Uria-Recio as Chief AI Officer, strengthening its leadership as it advances its Vision 2035 strategy.

In the role, Uria-Recio will lead the next phase of ADIB’s AI strategy, working to enhance customer experiences, strengthen risk management and improve operational efficiency across the bank.

His mandate also covers building the capabilities, governance and infrastructure needed to scale AI responsibly across the group, as ADIB works toward its Vision 2035 goal of becoming the world’s most innovative Islamic bank.

Uria-Recio brings more than 20 years of experience across technology, data and AI.

He joins ADIB from CIMB Bank in Malaysia, where he served as Chief Data & Artificial Intelligence Officer and led the deployment of generative AI, agentic AI and advanced analytics across Southeast Asia.

He has also held senior roles at True Corporation, Axiata Group and McKinsey & Company, and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

“Artificial intelligence is not simply a technology initiative, it is one of the principal transformation enablers of our strategy,” said Mohamed Abdelbary, Group CEO of ADIB. “Pedro brings deep expertise and a proven track record of translating AI, data and technology into measurable business and customer outcomes.”

“Vision 2035 sets a clear and ambitious direction for the bank, and AI will be one of the key enablers of delivering that ambition,” said Uria-Recio. “My focus will be on turning that potential into tangible outcomes for customers, colleagues, and the bank.”

ADIB says more than 94% of its transactions now run through digital channels, supported by its mobile banking platform, digital onboarding and open banking ecosystem.

The bank serves more than 2.7 million customers and added 125,000 new customers in the first half of 2026.

ADIB holds AED 304 billion in assets and operates across five markets, including Egypt, the United Kingdom, Qatar and Iraq.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News UAE based on an image by Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) via its Press Release.