Fatima Akhtarzada

Fatima Akhtarzada is the Director of Licensing and Regulatory Policy at the Central Bank of Bahrain, where she oversees the development and implementation of licensing and regulatory policy frameworks across the financial sector. She has nearly 20 years of experience in financial regulation, supervision, and policy development, with a focus on strengthening market integrity, governance, and sustainable growth.

She has held several senior leadership roles at the Central Bank of Bahrain, including Head of Licensing of the Non-Banking Sector and Head of Mutual Funds Authorization and Supervision, where she led the authorization and oversight of collective investment undertakings and investment fund structures, as well as related regulatory activities.

Earlier in her career, she gained over five years of private-sector experience in asset management, financial planning, and banking through roles at HSBC Bank Middle East and TAIB Bank B.S.C. (c), which continues to inform her practical, market-aware approach to regulation and policy.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree (Honors) in Banking and Finance from the University of Bahrain and is currently completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at DePaul University. She also holds an Advanced Diploma in Islamic Commercial Jurisprudence, an International Diploma in Compliance, and an Investment Representative Certification, and has passed Level I of the CFA Program. Her professional interests include sustainable finance, regulatory reform, institutional governance, and leadership in financial services.