In the recently concluded Global Business Outlook (GBO) Awards, GIB Capital got recognised as the “Most Innovative Asset Management Company – Saudi Arabia 2025” and “Best ESG Integration in Asset Management – Saudi Arabia 2025.”
The company has built a client-centric, research-driven asset management platform aligned with global best practices, is actively adopting emerging, cutting-edge technologies such as data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance investment research, operational efficiency, and decision-making capabilities.
The driving force behind the firm’s aggressive digital-first transformation is its CEO, Osamah Mohammed Shaker. He brings extensive experience across banking and investment, and previously held the position of Director General of Banking Control, where he oversaw and regulated all commercial banks in Saudi Arabia. Osamah was also the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Governor for Supervision at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA). He had also worked with the Saudi British Bank and HSBC Saudi Arabia. During his tenure at HSBC Saudi Arabia, Osamah served in executive roles, including Managing Director and Head of Investments, and later Managing Director and Head of Financial Markets.
In an exclusive interview with the GBO, GIB Capital CEO shares his views on the company’s ongoing digital transformation efforts as it seeks to remain operationally agile while responding swiftly to evolving market conditions, regulatory developments, and shifting investor expectations.
GIB Capital has been recognised as the “Most Innovative Asset Management Company – Saudi Arabia 2025” and “Best ESG Integration in Asset Management – Saudi Arabia 2025.” What do you believe sets GIB Capital apart from competitors to earn these prestigious accolades?
Our recent accolades reflect a combination of strategic clarity, disciplined execution and a strong culture of innovation. Our differentiation lies in how we integrate investment excellence, technology and sustainability rather than treating them as standalone initiatives.
We have built an asset management platform that is client-centric and research-driven, while maintaining global best practices. Innovation for us is not about novelty, it is about delivering consistent performance, transparency and long-term value for our clients. These awards are a validation of that philosophy.
Can you share some of the groundbreaking strategies or technologies that contributed to GIB Capital’s success?
We are actively adopting emerging technologies, including data analytics and AI-enabled tools, to enhance investment research, operational efficiency, and decision-making capabilities. Our strategies are designed to remain agile, allowing us to respond swiftly to evolving market conditions, regulatory developments, and shifting investor expectations. We continuously assess new asset classes, market opportunities, and partnership models to expand our product suite and strengthen institutional relevance.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) integration is becoming increasingly important. How has GIB Capital successfully embedded ESG principles into its asset management strategies, and what impact do you expect these initiatives to have in the long term?
GIB Capital has adopted a targeted and intentional approach to ESG, focusing on launching dedicated strategies where sustainability considerations can be applied in a meaningful and measurable way. A defining milestone was GIB Capital becoming the first Capital Market Institution in the Kingdom to launch a public ESG-focused fund, the GIB MENA ESG Equity Fund.
In addition, GIB Capital has extended sustainability principles into private markets through the launch of a private real estate fund designed with sustainability at its core. This strategy incorporates eco-conscious construction practices, renewable energy integration and a strong focus on preserving the natural landscape, demonstrating how ESG considerations can be embedded at the asset design and development stage.
Looking ahead, we expect these initiatives to deliver stronger risk-adjusted returns, enhanced asset resilience, and long-term value creation, while supporting broader environmental and social objectives. Our approach reflects our belief that ESG is most effective when applied deliberately, where it aligns with asset characteristics and investor objectives, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
As the CEO of GIB Capital, what are your main priorities in terms of company growth and development over the next 3-5 years?
From a business perspective, this includes expanding our asset management capabilities across public and private markets, strengthening alternative investment offerings, and leveraging technology and data to enhance investment insight, efficiency, and scalability.
Equally important is investing in our people and organisational culture. We are focused on building a high-performance, future-ready organisation by attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, promoting continuous learning, and creating clear pathways for professional growth.
Empowering our teams with accountability, collaboration, and ownership is essential to driving long-term success.
Alongside growth, strong governance, risk management, and ethical standards will remain central to our strategy. By balancing commercial ambition with people development and institutional discipline, we aim to build a resilient organisation that consistently delivers value to clients, employees, and stakeholders as well as regulators over the long term.
How does GIB Capital manage the balance between achieving strong financial returns and maintaining a commitment to ethical and sustainable investments?
At GIB Capital, our primary responsibility is to deliver strong, risk-adjusted returns in line with each strategy’s investment mandate. We manage the balance between financial performance and ethical considerations by ensuring sustainability principles are applied where they are most relevant and value-enhancing, rather than uniformly across all products. In dedicated ESG and sustainability-focused strategies, ethical considerations and governance standards are embedded directly into investment decision-making, portfolio construction and ongoing oversight. In other strategies, we maintain robust governance, risk management and compliance frameworks to ensure responsible investing practices, transparency and alignment with client expectations.
This disciplined approach allows us to pursue attractive returns while managing long-term risks, preserving investor trust and maintaining flexibility across different asset classes and client objectives. We believe that ethical investing and financial performance are complementary when applied with clarity of purpose and strong governance, supporting sustainable value creation over the long term.
As the asset management landscape is evolving rapidly, how do you stay ahead of industry trends and ensure GIB Capital remains a leader in innovation and performance?
Staying ahead requires a commitment to continuous learning, adaptability and innovation. We closely monitor global and regional market trends, regulatory developments and technological advancements while maintaining strong feedback loops with clients.
Another essential cornerstone is our organisational culture, which is built around adaptability and collaboration. We actively encourage open idea generation, structured brainstorming, and cross-functional dialogue, enabling our teams to challenge conventional thinking and identify new opportunities. Continuous learning and knowledge sharing are embedded into how we operate, ensuring our people remain well-equipped to respond to changing market dynamics.
By nurturing a culture that encourages innovation, collaboration, and accountability, GIB Capital remains well-positioned to anticipate change rather than react to it. Our focus is not only on today’s performance, but on building an institution that continues to lead in innovation, resilience and excellence over the long term.
What challenges have you encountered in leading GIB Capital, and how have you addressed them while keeping the company’s vision intact?
One of the key challenges has been navigating a rapidly evolving market environment while continuing to build a differentiated, high-quality asset management platform. This includes managing periods of market volatility, evolving regulatory expectations and increasing client demand for innovation and transparency, all while ensuring operational resilience and risk discipline.
Another important challenge has been attracting and retaining high-quality talent in an increasingly competitive industry. Sustaining performance requires teams with deep investment expertise, strong regional insight, and the ability to adapt to technological and market change. We have addressed this by investing in our people, enabling a performance-driven and collaborative culture, and aligning incentives with long-term outcomes to ensure continuity, accountability, and institutional strength.
By staying anchored to our core principles while remaining agile in execution, we have been able to manage complexity, sustain momentum and continue building an institution positioned for long-term success.
What role do you see GIB Capital playing in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and how do you plan to contribute to the country’s economic and sustainability goals?
GIB Capital plays a strategic role in aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and fostering its long term transformation agenda. As the first institution in Saudi Arabia to offer Independent Financial Advisory (IFA) services, we have been actively involved in a wide range of equity capital markets, debt capital markets and M&A transactions, supporting corporate growth and private sector participation. Through our investment banking platform, we advise clients on strategic transactions, capital raising and balance sheet optimisation, helping businesses scale, consolidate and access public and private capital markets and increase institutional participation.
From an asset management perspective, we support the Financial Sector Development Program (FSDP) and the broader citizens’ savings agenda by expanding access to professionally managed investment solutions.
We are launching systematic investment plans and developing products that are accessible through low entry amounts and regular contributions, enabling a wider segment of investors to participate in capital markets. At the same time, we focus on customising portfolios to align with individual risk appetites and long-term financial goals, reinforcing disciplined and sustainable wealth accumulation.
Together, our investment banking and asset management capabilities allow GIB Capital to play a comprehensive role in promoting financial inclusion, strengthening governance standards and supporting sustainable economic growth. Through these efforts, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom’s transformation while delivering long-term value for our clients and stakeholders.