Kuwait City, Kuwait, April 2025 – Karen Gomes has joined Kuwait Financial Centre – Markaz as the new Chief Human Resources Officer, bringing with her over two decades of leadership across HR, talent acquisition, and organizational development in the banking and financial services sector. In this new role, Karen will lead the firm’s strategic human capital agenda across its regional and global operations, strengthening its position as a premier investment and asset management firm in the MENA region.
Prior to joining Markaz, Karen served for over 17 years at NBK Capital, most recently as Director of Human Resources, where she led end-to-end talent management initiatives, including acquisition, learning and development, and performance management. Her leadership helped build a robust people strategy that supported NBK Capital’s growth across the region.
Earlier, Karen held the position of Assistant Vice President – Staffing and Recruitment at Mashreqbank in Dubai, where she led global recruitment efforts across multiple geographies including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Egypt, while also providing HR support to operations in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. She was recognized for successfully executing annual recruitment drives of up to 300 hires while driving Emiratization and enhancing organizational structures.
Karen’s earlier roles included leadership tenures at GulfBankers Executive Search and PSS – Ray & Berndtson, where she specialized in executive search for banks and financial institutions. She began her career with nearly 7 years at Ford Credit India, where she progressed from payroll and accounting roles to become a Treasury Analyst, managing funding strategies, cash flows, and bank negotiations.
About Kuwait Financial Centre – Markaz:
Founded in 1974 and listed on Boursa Kuwait since 1997, Markaz is one of the region’s most respected investment banking and asset management institutions. With over 150 employees and offices across the Middle East, US, and India, Markaz serves a wide range of clients—from government entities to high-net-worth individuals—through a suite of innovative services in Investment Banking, Asset Management, Real Estate, Wealth Management, and Economic Research. Markaz is known for pioneering first-of-its-kind financial products in the GCC, such as the Mumtaz Fund and GCC Momentum Fund.
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