QIB Group CEO Featured Among Forbes Middle East’s Sustainability Leaders 2025

QIB Group CEO, Mr. Bassel Gamal has been recognized in Forbes Middle East’s “Sustainability Leaders 2025,” a list celebrating executives who are advancing sustainability across the region’s largest companies.

This achievement underscores the bank’s dedication to environmental management, robust ESG commitments, and innovative sustainability initiatives, affirming its influential role in promoting positive environmental impact and sustainable practices. QIB’s recognition aligns with the Bank’s ongoing commitment to its ESG strategy, which includes the introduction of innovative, Shari’a-compliant solutions and tools that empower customers and businesses to make more sustainable choices.

This year’s Forbes Middle East list features 126 leaders across 15 industries, underscoring how sustainability is shifting from pledges to measurable action across the region. In the Banks category, QIB’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bassel Gamal, was recognized among the Middle East’s top 10 leading executives within the banking industry, affirming QIB’s leadership in sustainable finance and responsible banking.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Bassel Gamal, Group CEO of QIB, said: “We are pleased to be recognized by Forbes Middle East as a sustainability leader, reaffirming our strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility. This distinction validates our dedication to sustainability through tangible initiatives and recent milestones. Our core strategy integrates sustainability into our business operations, rooted in our Islamic values and heritage. Over the past year, we have accelerated the integration of ESG principles across our organization, aligning closely with Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar Central Bank’s ESG & Sustainability Strategy for the Financial Sector, the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and global best practices. This commitment strengthens our brand and enhances our financial resilience and long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Recent QIB’s milestones include, being the first bank in Qatar to adopt the Equator Principles, which has led the bank to embed a robust ESG Risk Assessment process in its credit review for all new finance requests. The Bank has launched a Sustainable Deposit for institutional and corporate customers, which is in turn tagged to its sustainable asset portfolio. This product is aligned with QIB’s Sustainable Products Framework – guiding green and social financing. QIB has further introduced a Carbon Emissions Tracker in the QIB Mobile App—Qatar’s first of its kind, to help retail customers monitor the carbon footprint of their card transactions and encourage environmentally responsible purchasing behavior through tailored sustainability tips.  Additionally, QIB has collaborated with DHL to help lower its logistics emissions under the GoGreen Plus flagship, introduced a range of eco-friendly cards made from recycled plastic, and accelerated its shift to paperless banking through e-statements, digital onboarding, and smart printing.

QIB’s current sustainability related initiatives are aimed at embedding the assessment of climate risks within its risk management processes, leading to evaluation of the potential impact of climate related physical and transition risks on its wholesale banking portfolio; as per the guidelines laid down in Qatar Central Bank’s ESG Supervisory Principles for Banks.

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its 2025 Sustainability Leaders list, spotlighting organizations across the Middle East that are driving measurable progress toward sustainable business goals. The evaluation considered demonstrable environmental impact, adherence to ESG principles, transparency, collaboration, initiatives delivered over the past year, and credible net-zero roadmaps. Within banking and financial services, the methodology placed particular emphasis on advancing sustainable finance.