Prior to his new appointment, Al-Tuwaijri held leading positions with reputable companies in the region. He joined HSBC from J.P. Morgan where he was most recently MD and head of Saudi Arabia. Earlier, he spent 12 years with the Saudi British Bank (SABB) where he served in several senior positions and worked last as head of Treasury.

Simon Cooper, CEO of HSBC MENA, said: "Mohammad (Al-Tuwaijri) has over 17 years of senior banking experience, of which he spent 12 years in Saudi Arabia. He brings an exceptional track record of performance and achievement to the role and we are delighted to welcome him in HSBC in this important capacity."

Cooper added: "Mohammad's (Al-Tuwaijri’s) prime focus will be on the implementation of the business strategy for Global Banking and Markets in the MENA region. While 2009 was a difficult time for the region, there are signs that it is starting to emerge from the downturn. It is more important than ever that we are well positioned for growth as the most successful wholesale banking franchise in the region. Under Mohammad's (Al-Tuwaijri’s) leadership, the MENA region will continue to play a key part in delivering Global Banking and Markets' emerging markets-led and financing-focused strategy."