Youssef Abdo al-Kuraimi

Position: Managing director, Alkuraimi Islamic Microfinance Bank

Biography: Youssef Abdo al-Kuraimi is a founding board member and chairman of Alkuraimi Islamic Microfinance Bank, Yemen’s first private-sector microfinance institution.

The bank was set up in 2010 as part of attempts by the Al-Kuraimi family to diversify beyond their existing Alkuraimi Express business, the biggest money transfer and exchange service firm in Yemen. Alkuraimi works with the Social Fund for Development on micro-payments to poor Yemenis, who do not have the funds to access the formal banking system. Only 4 per cent of Yemenis have a relationship with a bank, and just 0.6 per cent have access to credit.

Microfinance and loans to small and medium-sized enterprises are a key part of international institutions’ strategy to get Yemen’s economy working. Al-Kuraimi has a master’s degree in business administration from Sudan’s University of Gezira.

Contact Tel: (+967) 1 269 399