Mashreq Pakistan, part of Mashreq, one of the leading financial institutions in the MENA region, has announced the appointment of Muhammad Umar Ilyas as Chief Information Officer, reinforcing the bank’s continued investment in technology, innovation and digital banking capabilities in Pakistan.
Muhammad Umar Ilyas brings more than 22 years of experience in technology leadership, digital transformation, and large-scale IT operations across the telecommunications and financial services sectors. He has a proven track record of driving enterprise-wide transformations, building high-performing teams, and delivering innovative, future-ready technology ecosystems.
In his most recent leadership roles at PTCL Group and Ubank, Umar led data centre strategy, deployment and operations, cloud transformation, and complex core banking transformation programs, including digital banking platforms and allied applications. He has successfully driven large-scale digitalisation initiatives, managed complex technology landscapes, and delivered impactful solutions across both internal operations and customer-facing platforms.
As Chief Information Officer, Umar will play a critical role in advancing Mashreq Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda, strengthening its technology platforms and innovation capabilities, and accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as cloud, AI, and advanced analytics to deliver a truly digital-first banking experience.
Commenting on the appointment, Muhammad Hamayun Sajjad, Chief Executive Officer, Mashreq Pakistan, said, “As Mashreq continues to strengthen its presence in Pakistan, technology will remain central to how we scale responsibly, securely and efficiently. Umar brings strong experience across transformationreflects our long-term commitment to building strong local capabilities while continuing to deliver a banking experience that is modern, dependable and aligned with the expectations of customers in Pakistan.”
Speaking on his appointment, Muhammad Umar Ilyas, Chief Information Officer, Mashreq Pakistan, said, “Mashreq has built a strong reputation for combining innovation with operational discipline across markets. Pakistan’s banking sector is entering an important phase of digital growth and there is considerable opportunity to strengthen the technology foundations that will shape customer experience, operational resilience and future scalability. I look forward to contributing to this journey alongside the team.”
Umar holds a strong academic and professional foundation in technology and leadership, including Certified CTO from UC Berkeley (USA), Certified in CIO Practices from the National University of Singapore, a Master’s degree in Information Security, and a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering.
