Al Rayan Bank Group has hired Ali Bennani as group head for its global trade finance department, based in Qatar.

Bennani, who makes the switch from Mashreq Bank, joined the bank’s Doha office in late March.

He holds various responsibilities in the post, including the origination and execution of transactions, developing a trade strategy, managing financial institution relationships, designing products and services, and offering technical assistance and advisory services.

The new hire will also work to grow the bank’s commodity and structured finance offering and create tailored trade and cash solutions.

Bennani leaves his role as Mashreq’s head of global transaction banking sales for Qatar and Oman, having joined the lender in late 2022.

He has about two decades of industry experience in the Middle East and North Africa, having also held senior roles at QNB Group, Banque Centrale Populaire and Bank of Africa.

Al Rayan Bank Group has over a dozen branches in Qatar and a presence in the UK, France and UAE markets, with about 20 employees in trade finance serving corporates in all sectors, Bennani tells GTR.