Bahrain

Christiane El Habre brings over two decades of experience in the MENA financial services industry. She joined Apex Group from international management consultancy Elkho Group where she was a Partner, Chair of the Board and CEO of Middle East operations. Prior to this, Christiane was CEO and executive board member at FFA Private Bank (Dubai) a specialized investment bank in Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC). Christiane held senior positions in Gap Corp in Dubai, and she spent 5 years at FFA Private Bank in Lebanon as the Head of Treasury and Operations. She is a member of the GCC business community, serving on the boards of several non-profits, where she is committed to mentoring and coaching young professionals in the finance industry. Christiane graduated from St Joseph University (USJ) in Beirut with a degree in Finance, she completed further education from IE Business School in High Impact Leadership, and from Oxford University in advanced Fintech.

Dean brings over 25 years of senior international experience in financial services, treasury operations, and fund operations to his role as Head of Bahrain. His career includes leadership roles at global investment firms, most recently as Head of Treasury Operations and Accounts Receivable at Investcorp Bahrain. Prior to this, he served as the Country Manager for the Investcorp Cayman Islands office for a period of four years, and he also spent a decade prior to that as Head of Hedge Fund Operations at the Investcorp Bahrain office. Earlier in his career, he was based in London as the Head of European Operations at fund administrator Fortis Prime Fund Solutions. Dean's extensive background across multiple jurisdictions has equipped him with deep technical expertise, strong operational oversight, and a practical, results-driven approach to complex financial and regulatory environments. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting science from the University of South Africa.