Presidency

The MENAFATF Plenary elects from amongst its members the President and Vice President with expertise in combating money laundering and terrorist financing. They remain in position for one year, provided that the President and Vice President are not from the same country.

H.E Hamid Saif Al Zaabi

Current President

UAE

Nominating jurisdiction

May Bint Mohamed AlKhalifa

Vice-President

Bahrain

Nominating jurisdiction

President

H.E. Hamid Saif Al Zaabi

H.E. Hamid Saif Al Zaabi assumed the Presidency of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force on 1 January 2026, following his tenure as Vice President in 2025.

He leads MENAFATF at a defining juncture for the region — the launch of the third round of mutual evaluations — with a presidential vision centred on readiness, governance, and innovation to advance effectiveness and strengthen regional integration with the FATF Global Network.

A highly respected leader with over two decades of experience in financial integrity, institutional governance, and international cooperation, H.E. Al Zaabi has been instrumental in positioning the United Arab Emirates as a trusted, effective, and forward-looking jurisdiction in the global fight against financial crime.

National leadership

He led the UAE National AML/CFT Team through the FATF mutual evaluation process, overseeing the successful implementation of the FATF Action Plan and demonstrating the UAE’s effectiveness and sustained compliance. H.E. Al Zaabi currently chairs the National Team for the upcoming mutual evaluation, continuing to guide the country’s comprehensive preparedness efforts and institutional alignment with global standards.

Nationally, he serves as Secretary General and Vice-Chair of the National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and Countering the Financing of Proliferation, Head of the UAE National AML/CFT Team, and Member of the Higher Committee for Overseeing the National Strategy. He also oversees the implementation of the UAE’s National AML/CFT/CPF Strategy 2024–2027.

International role

Internationally, H.E. Al Zaabi participates in FATF meetings in his capacity as President of MENAFATF, representing the MENA region within the FATF Global Network. In this role, he contributes to strengthening coordination among the regional bodies and promoting the exchange of expertise and policy alignment in the global AML/CFT framework.

He also works with several FATF-Style Regional Bodies, including the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, the Eurasian Group, and the GCC AML/CFT Working Group, strengthening global cooperation and policy coherence within the FATF network.

Education and recognition

H.E. Al Zaabi holds a Master’s degree in Leadership Development from Bangor University in the United Kingdom, a Master’s in Human Resources Management from Abu Dhabi University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Legal and Police Sciences from the Police College in Abu Dhabi.

In 2024, he was awarded the Order of Zayed II, First Class, by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to financial security and international cooperation. He was also listed among the Top 100 Most Influential Arabs 2024 by JobX Dubai and Arabian Business.

With a strategic vision rooted in effectiveness, innovation, and partnership, H.E. Al Zaabi continues to guide the UAE and the MENAFATF region toward a new era of excellence and leadership in global financial integrity.

Vice President

May Bint Mohamed AlKhalifa

Financial Intelligence National Center, Chief Executive Ministry of Interior Kingdom of Bahrain

AML\CFT Committee Chair

May bint Mohamed AlKhalifa currently serves as the Chief Executive of the Financial Intelligence National Center at the Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Bahrain. With more than eighteen years of public service experience, she has held a range of leadership and security-sensitive positions across the Ministry of Interior and, earlier in her career, at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Information and eGovernment Authority.

Since January 2026, May has served as Vice-President of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), while continuing to head the Kingdom of Bahrain’s delegation to MENAFATF. Her appointment reflects a sustained regional role in advancing cooperation and effectiveness in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.

In December 2025, May was awarded the National Action Medal by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. She previously received the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Distinguished Security Service Medal in December 2022 and Prince Salman bin Hamad’s Medical Merit in May 2023 in recognition of her volunteer service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From 2023 to 2025, May served as Vice-Chair of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, while also serving as the Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa Regional Group from 2021 to 2025. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and has participated as part of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s delegation to the Counter ISIS Finance Group (CIFG).

At the national level, May was appointed Chair of Bahrain’s AML/CFT Committee in September 2023, leading cross-government coordination involving more than 18 authorities. In January 2023, she was appointed Chief Executive of the Financial Intelligence National Center to oversee its expansion, following her service as Director of the Financial Intelligence Directorate since 2012. Her appointment as Director made her the first Arab woman in the Middle East and North Africa to hold such a position. Since 2020 she is a member on the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Bahrain, becoming the first Bahraini woman to receive this appointment.

May holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance. She also earned a Civil Supervisory Diploma from the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration with a focus on leadership, and completed the International Commanders Programme at the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) in the United Kingdom.

Throughout her career, May has remained committed to public service, institutional development and the rule of law. She places particular importance on advancing women’s education and leadership, supporting children’s rights and cancer research, and encouraging creativity and modern design. Her professional approach is grounded in integrity, collaboration and the principle that no authority stands above the law.