Revolut, the global financial super-app, has announced the appointment of Ambareen Musa as its UAE CEO, marking a significant step in its expansion across the Middle East. Recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in the Arab World by Arabian Business and Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by The Entrepreneur magazine, Musa brings a wealth of experience and leadership to spearhead Revolut’s growth in the region.
Originally from Mauritius, Ambareen Musa holds an undergraduate business degree from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. At the age of 21, she launched her first online venture, a property portal for international students in Australia. Her entrepreneurial journey continued in London, where she joined GE Money Bank in 2004, holding key roles in marketing, financial literacy, customer advocacy, and e-commerce. While at GE, Musa led the launch of Moneybasics.co.uk, the UK’s first online financial literacy initiative.
In 2008, Musa moved to the UAE and joined Bain & Company Middle East as a consultant before establishing Mastercard’s Middle East and Africa consulting arm. Her passion for financial literacy and empowerment culminated in the founding of Souqalmal.com in 2012, a pioneering financial comparison platform. Under her leadership, Souqalmal was named one of Forbes Middle East’s Top 10 Most Promising UAE Startups before its acquisition in 2022.
After the acquisition, Musa launched Yabi, an innovative financial education platform designed to close financial literacy gaps in the region. Yabi provided financial education programs in both Arabic and English, catering to corporates, governments, and students. Musa served as CEO of Yabi until her recent move to Revolut.
With an MBA from INSEAD and a career that spans roles at global giants like Bain, Mastercard, and GE Money, Musa’s deep understanding of the MENA market is expected to play a critical role in Revolut’s regional growth. Her leadership and passion for financial empowerment will be key to overcoming the challenges of navigating the highly localized and regulated financial landscape in the Middle East.
Revolut has been making steady progress in its Middle East expansion, building a presence in Dubai with over 140 employees. The fintech has ambitious plans for the region, with ongoing recruitment for key positions such as Head of Product Engineering and opportunities through its Rev-celerator program. However, Musa has acknowledged that securing the necessary licenses for fintech operations in the Middle East remains a complex challenge, given the segmented nature of the market.
As Revolut continues its global growth, Musa’s appointment signals the fintech’s commitment to establishing a strong foothold in the Middle East and unlocking new opportunities for financial innovation in the region.
