Ali Fares is the Managing Director and CEO of National Bank of Canada MENA, where he leads the Bank’s office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). He is responsible for establishing and growing the Bank’s presence in the region, marking a strategic milestone as the only Canadian bank with an established platform in the Gulf. In his role, Ali focuses on building relationships with sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and institutional investors, while facilitating cross-border investment between Canada and the GCC. He works closely with clients to deliver capital markets solutions across fixed income, debt and equity capital markets, and investment banking, supporting investments in sectors including energy transition, infrastructure, mining, technology, and food security. He has over 17+ years of experience in financial services spanning roles in Capital Markets and Wealth management. Prior to his banking career, Ali worked at McKinsey & Company and PepsiCo. Ali holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, and a GMP, and is an alumnus of McGill University and Harvard Business School. He is a board member of the UAE- Canada Business Council.