Mazin Khoury: The Bahraini Leader Revolutionizing Financial Services in MENA

Khoury currently stands at the helm as CEO, leading American Express (AMEX) for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). As such, Khoury has led AMEX to drive operations across 18 vastly different markets. Bringing almost four decades of expertise under the financial services umbrella, combined with the pursuit of putting people-first solutions, Khoury continues to be a beaconing force in the fintech universe.

With a career exceeding 30 years in the financial services industry, Mazin Khoury brings a broad wealth of leadership experience across the spectrum. Joining AMEX marked a clear ambition towards making financial services more accessible and adapted to meet the needs of the marketplace. As AMEX operations lead in MENA, Mazin heads strategies encompassing 18 unique markets, harmonizing global best practices with the local imperative. This leader has not only consolidated AMEX’s position in the region but also built a solid foundation for growth and innovation in the future.

Khoury’s work is not limited to business numbers. He realized the state of the global economy and brought in a customer support and relief program in 2020 for financially distressed cardholders. The flexible options included reduced monthly payments and waived late fees. This is a testament to AMEX’s commitment to customers during trying times.

Mazin Khoury is a Bahraini national, but his influence is beyond his corporate life. He is also an active member in the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), which is an international leadership community that values learning and developing leadership and contributing to innovation and collaboration between its members worldwide. This engagement underlines his interest in stimulating innovation and collaboration through a global business community network. He is also active on Bahrain’s international board with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) as a member. The BIC stages the world-famous Formula One Grand Prix, thus cementing Bahrain’s position as a global sports destination. His association with BIC also reflects his efforts to increase Bahrain’s economic and cultural presence on the world map.

During his tenure, AMEX in MENA has focused on innovation as a key strategy. Through fintech, the company has been able to expand its portfolio to a wider customer base. From digital payment solutions to custom credit offerings, Khoury keeps AMEX at the helm of the financial services industry. The financial landscape in the MENA region is characterized by a dynamism that has both opportunities and challenges. Such complexity has been demonstrated through AMEX’s growth under Khoury. Focusing on customer experience, product diversification, and market adaptability has helped Khoury position AMEX as a leading financial services provider in the region.

Khoury has an empathetic personality. His customer support campaign while COVID-19 was plaguing the world not only assisted many cardholders in this era of financial stress but also maintained a good reputation for a responsible corporate citizen. Outside work, Khoury is busy volunteering in activities that could better the economic and culture fronts of the MENA region.

He is also a leader in mentoring and empowering the younger generation of professionals in the financial industry. His advocacy on leadership development is consistent with his overall vision of developing a resilient and innovative financial ecosystem in the MENA region.