Islam Zekry was appointed to Telecom Egypt's Board of Directors in March 2025, representing the government.

With over 20 years of experience in the banking sector, Zekry serves as Group Chief Financial Officer at Commercial International Bank (CIB), where he leads the bank’s finance and strategy functions. He has a proven track record of enhancing financial performance, driving growth, and fostering innovation, with deep expertise in global markets, regulatory environments, industry developments, and mergers and acquisitions. His leadership continues to support CIB’s long-term strategic objectives and stakeholder value creation.

Previously, Zekry made history as CIB’s first Chief Data Officer in Egypt, spearheading the bank’s data transformation journey. Under his leadership, CIB built advanced capabilities in data warehousing, analytics, and AI-powered customer insights. This pioneering work earned international recognition, with London Business School and Harvard Business School featuring CIB as the first Middle Eastern case study in their curricula.

A thought leader in digital finance and the new economy, Zekry is known for his innovative approach. He contributes to global digital transformation through his roles as a steering committee member of Smart Africa, an active contributor to the EU-AU Digital Economy Task Force, and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Digital Transformation Committee. He was also recently appointed to Egypt’s first AI Council, which is shaping the country’s national AI vision and execution strategy.

With international exposure across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Zekry serves as a Non-Executive Director on several financial and tech company boards across the region. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Managerial Accountants (UK) and the FITCH Quantitative Finance Institute (London).

Zekry holds a Doctorate in Banking Performance Analytics from Westbrook University of Minnesota, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Zagazig University. In addition to his academic credentials, he has earned several professional certifications in finance, data management, and information systems from leading global institutions.