Al Masraf, Moody’s sign strategic agreement to strengthen risk intelligence and credit capabilities

A signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi formalised a partnership under which Moody’s will supply data, analytics and technology to bolster Al Masraf’s risk management and corporate lending processes.

Partnership to sharpen credit decisioning

Al Masraf has signed a strategic agreement with Moody’s to strengthen the bank’s risk management and credit capabilities through enhanced data, intelligence and technology. The signing took place at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi attended by senior leaders from both organisations.

The collaboration is designed to give Al Masraf access to Moody’s data sets and risk expertise, as well as tools that can increase automation and efficiency across the credit lifecycle. Moody’s said the tie-up will modernise the bank’s corporate lending operations, enabling faster, better-informed lending decisions while reinforcing governance and risk controls.

Leadership perspective

Fuad Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of Al Masraf, said the partnership underlines the bank’s commitment to build resilience and make data-driven decisions that support sustainable growth. He described the agreement as an important step in advancing the institution’s risk and credit capabilities through deeper intelligence, data and technology.

Representing Moody’s, Wael Jadallah, Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific and Middle East, emphasised the firm’s role in bringing greater automation, efficiency and insight to the credit journey. He said Moody’s support would help Al Masraf develop a future-ready operating model for lending, strengthening governance and enhancing risk management.

Operational and strategic implications

As risks become more interconnected and the regional financial landscape evolves, access to timely and actionable intelligence has grown more important for banks. The agreement signals Al Masraf’s intention to reinforce its risk framework and credit decisioning with third-party data and analytic capabilities, while aiming to make processes more forward-looking and resilient.

The ceremony was attended by senior representatives from both organisations. From Al Masraf: Fuad Mohamed (Chief Executive Officer); Moataz Khalil (Chief Wholesale Banking Officer); Safeya Almarzooqi (Chief Credit Officer); Mirel Baila (Acting Chief Operating Officer); and Rohit Kumar (Chief Risk Officer). Representing Moody’s were Wael Jadallah (Managing Director, Head of Asia Pacific and Middle East); Brendan Gavaghan (Senior Director, Middle East); and several regional directors and senior directors for the UAE and Middle East.

By combining Moody’s risk intelligence and technology with Al Masraf’s commercial operations, the partners aim to enhance credit governance, reduce friction in lending processes and support the bank’s ambition for sustainable expansion.

Source: WAM