Homam Hashem

• Homam Hashem: serves as the CEO and a board member of Kafalah, the Saudi National SME Loan Guarantee Program. With over three decades of experience in finance and consulting, Mr. Hashem has been instrumental in transforming the organization. His leadership has led to a significant restructuring of Kafalah's operations, the introduction of seventeen new products, an expansion of the business network by over 700%, and an enhancement of the workforce with a focus on increasing female participation.

• In recent years, Kafalah has substantially grown its market share in SME financing from 4% to nearly 12%, even as the market size tripled. During this period, the organization supported over a million jobs by issuing more than 60,000 guarantees, with a total lending value exceeding $27 billion.

• Mr. Hashem has demonstrated a successful track record in managing high-risk portfolios and translating opportunities into tangible business outcomes across consumer and SME sectors. He has spearheaded several strategic initiatives, notably in AI and scoring modeling, which have significantly shortened the credit decision cycle.

• An active contributor to the public discourse on finance, Mr. Hashem has authored various articles and frequently appears on media platforms such as TV, radio, and podcasts. He also holds a position on the board of the Global SME Finance Forum and serves on several other committees and corporate boards.

• Currently, Mr. Hashem is pursuing a Doctorate (DPP) at Thunderbird, focusing on leveraging his expertise to help Saudi SMEs achieve ESG compliance through AI technology. His research is part of a comprehensive digital transformation strategy, aligning closely with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.