Mohammed Al Awami

Strategic Country Director & Business Transformation Executive
Riyadh, SA.

About

A highly accomplished Senior Business Executive with over 20 years of experience driving transformative growth and market expansion across Banking, Financial Technology, IT Services, and GRC sectors. Proven expertise in establishing new operations, securing major clients, and delivering substantial revenue growth, including a 60% increase and SAR 30M in new revenue. Leverages strong C-level executive relationships and strategic leadership to build high-performing teams and implement innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency and market leadership.

Work

Eastnets
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Country Director

Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Led the establishment and expansion of Eastnets' Saudi Arabia operations, driving business development, team building, and market entry strategies to achieve significant growth and regional presence.

Highlights

Spearheaded the successful establishment of Eastnets' Saudi operations, including setting up a fully functional office and building a high-performing team, which significantly enhanced regional presence and operational efficiency.

Drove aggressive market expansion, acquiring 14 new logos and securing 3 major clients, contributing to a 60% growth rate within key sectors.

Launched Saudi Arabia's first SWIFT service bureau, expanding market presence and strengthening critical reseller and technology partnerships.

Implemented Eastnets' anti-financial crime solutions to ensure client compliance and mitigate risks, directly enhancing operational efficiency for clients and meeting regulatory requirements.

Developed and implemented payment hub systems to optimize client operations, achieving enhanced efficiency and cost reductions.

Engaged with regulators and industry stakeholders to drive strategic alignment, delivering tailored solutions and reporting directly to the Deputy CEO to maximize operational efficiency.

Cognizant
|

Client Partner

Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Orchestrated the relaunch of Cognizant's BFSI sector practice in Saudi Arabia, providing strategic oversight and driving business development to achieve company objectives.

Highlights

Successfully re-established Cognizant's BFSI sector practice in Saudi Arabia, including team building and activity relaunch, culminating in a major data privacy consultation deal with a leading Islamic institution.

Developed and executed strategic business development and retention strategies, expanding Cognizant's client base within BFSI by identifying market opportunities and driving technological modernization.

Managed a portfolio with full P&L responsibility, ensuring client retention, acquisition, and enhanced market growth across BFSI.

Cultivated strategic relationships with regulators and the Middle East President, gaining critical insights into new frameworks and validating investment feasibility.

Led client relationships, focusing on business-driven opportunities and delivering tailored solutions to generate new revenue streams within retail banking and other sectors.

Mentored and led sales teams, aligning efforts to address client needs, mitigate risks, and build long-term relationships for sustained growth.

London Stock Exchange
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Business Director & Senior Site Representative

Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Directed company operations, focusing on business development, sales growth, and client relationships to meet and exceed revenue targets for London Stock Exchange (formerly Refinitiv & Thomson Reuters).

Highlights

Exceeded sales targets by 300%, generating SAR 30M in new revenue and doubling personal portfolio in Saudi Arabia.

Spearheaded the introduction and implementation of advanced electronic trading systems across three large banks in KSA, enhancing operational efficiency, reducing transaction times, and improving client satisfaction.

Ranked among the top 20 globally in sales and led a prominent Saudi AML event for three consecutive years, enhancing market presence and thought leadership.

Drove sales of market data, transactional systems, and compliance services, aligning solutions with client needs to secure significant growth.

Maintained high-level leadership and provided strategic guidance to senior clients, leading to the adoption of recommended strategies that improved operations and expanded business opportunities.

Oversaw high-value client portfolios, driving growth through relationship-building and delivering tailored solutions.

London Stock Exchange
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Business Director

Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Managed key business initiatives and client relationships, contributing to significant sales growth and operational excellence for London Stock Exchange (formerly Refinitiv & Thomson Reuters).

Highlights

Executed strategic business initiatives and built strong client relationships, contributing to overall sales growth and market expansion.

Monitored KPIs and supported the team, ensuring timely delivery and enhancing performance to meet organizational goals.

Steered and executed projects with BFS clients, optimizing operations and automating outcomes to drive business growth.

Drove sales of market data and introduced electronic trading systems, contributing to significant growth.

Thomson Reuters
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Account Director

Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Drove strategic account management, fostered stakeholder collaboration, and led market-focused initiatives to maximize growth and profitability for Thomson Reuters.

Highlights

Spearheaded strategic initiatives to eliminate silos and implemented a unified sales mechanism, developing targeted sales strategies that drove revenue growth and market expansion.

Successfully introduced Thomson Reuters' legal and regulatory services to the Saudi market, closing deals and establishing market leadership in the sector.

Provided compliance-related data to Saudi financial institutions, enabling system implementations that streamlined operations and enhanced regulatory adherence, improving efficiency and accuracy.

Prepared and managed budgets for multiple business accounts, integrating account planning strategies and evaluating performance metrics.

Served as a key focal point for stakeholders, guiding the portfolio and reporting to sponsors and senior executives.

Education

Bayes Business School
London, England, UK

Master's Degree

Business Administration

Institute of Public Administration
Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Degree

Sales & Marketing

Languages

English
Arabic

Certificates

Certified Officer in Compliance Anti Money Laundering

Issued By

Global Academy of Finance & Management

International Certificate in Wealth Management

Issued By

Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment

CME

Issued By

Capital Market Authority

Design Thinking for Innovation

Issued By

Darden School of Business

Successful Negotiation

Issued By

University of Michigan

CME Level 1 & 2

Issued By

Al Khaleej Center

Introduction to International Investment

Issued By

CISI

Problem Solving & Design Making

Issued By

Institute of Banking

Supervisory & Coaching Skills

Issued By

Institute of Banking

Anti Money Laundering

Issued By

BNP PARIBAS

Anti-Money Laundering

Issued By

Capivest

Management Development: People Side of Business, HR

Issued By

HR

Commitment to Service Excellence

Issued By

SAMBA

Skills

Strategic Business Development

Market Entry Strategy, Go-to-Market Strategy, Partnership Development, New Logo Acquisition, Revenue Generation, Business Transformation.

Stakeholder Management

C-Level Engagement, Regulatory Relations, Client Relationship Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Negotiation, Strategic Partnerships.

Market Expansion & Growth

Sales Growth, Market Penetration, Account Planning, Regional Expansion, New Product Launch, Competitive Positioning.

Financial Management

P&L Management, Budgeting, Fintech Solutions, Anti-Financial Crime (AFC), Payment Hub Systems.

Leadership & Team Building

Strategic Leadership, High-Performing Team Development, Mentorship, Performance Management, Operational Oversight, Business Insight.

Process Optimization & Compliance

Business Process Re-engineering, Operational Efficiency, Risk Mitigation, Regulatory Compliance (AML), Automation.

Industry Expertise

Banking, Financial Services, GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance), IT Services, SWIFT Services, Electronic Trading Systems.