BNY Mellon’s Treasury Services business has realigned its leadership team in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to focus on its different market segments across the region. Daniel Verbruggen and Bana Akkad Azhari have both been promoted to the business leadership team. Verbruggen will continue to be responsible for relationship management in Europe, and Akkad Azhari for the Middle East, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Previously BNY Mellon had a Head of Relationship Management for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). This role will no longer exist.
Verbruggen, based in Brussels and Akkad Azhari, based in Beirut, will both report to Alan Verschoyle-King, Global Head of Relationship Management and Business Development for Treasury Services. “Daniel and Bana are exceptionally experienced and capable individuals and I welcome the counsel they will bring to our leadership team,” said Verschoyle-King. “The realignment will ensure that we can bring specialization to two distinct market segments, with Daniel focusing mainly on sophisticated liquidity and cash management solutions for clients and Bana on more traditional cash management and trade solutions. Bana’s new role further underlines our commitment to both trade and to the Middle East region where BNY Mellon has been serving clients for nearly 100 years.”
Verbruggen started his career in retail banking, and then assumed various roles in corporate cash management, trade and currency clearing at Citibank. Before joining BNY Mellon in 2007, he worked in network management and operations at ABN-Amro. Verbruggen is a member of the European Council for the Banker’s Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT).
Akkad Azhari is also BNY Mellon’s Regional Executive for the Levant and North Africa. She joined BNY Mellon 11 years ago after nine years with Citigroup where she was vice president and a member of the credit committee. Akkad Azhari is a board member of the American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, where she chairs the Banking and Finance Committee. In addition to this, she is a member of BAFT’s Council for the Middle East and North Africa, and sits on the Foreign Banks Committee of the Association of Banks in Lebanon.