Doha, Qatar — As part of its annual Executive Fraud Risk Management Briefing, Al Rayan Bank brought together senior management to review evolving fraud risks and industry trends. This briefing forms a key component of the Bank’s established annual Fraud Risk Management cycle, ensuring consistent executive oversight of fraud risks, controls, and emerging developments.
The briefing addressed the changing fraud landscape affecting banks in the region and globally, including social engineering scams, misuse of digital banking channels, account takeover attempts, and document manipulation. Discussions highlighted that external fraud risks increasingly arise from patterns of activity across channels, rather than isolated events.
The briefing was organized by Al Rayan Bank’s Fraud Risk Management Department in collaboration with KPMG Qatar. Many senior executives attended the event, including representative from Qatar Central Bank (QCB) among them Mr. Salem Ali Al Kawari , Director of Financial Crime Compliance Department as well as representatives from KPMG.
Imad Dakik, Partner at KPMG and the key presenter, delivered an in‑depth overview of the wider fraud landscape and emerging trends. He stated:
“Fraudsters are increasingly using technologies such as AI and deepfakes to exploit vulnerabilities in real time. As organizations continue to digitize, staying ahead requires a proactive approach that combines advanced detection capabilities with ongoing employee awareness. Fraud prevention is not only a strategy but a cultural imperative to protect trust and integrity.”
Commenting on the briefing,
Mr. Alexis Neeson, Group Chief Risk Officer, stated:
“Fraud risk management is a core governance priority for Al Rayan Bank, with increasing focus on leveraging technology and data to strengthen oversight, accountability, and timely escalation.”
Mr. Abdulla Yousef Al Sherawi, Head of Fraud Risk Management, added:
“Strong governance must remain the foundation of banks’ fraud risk management, supported by integrated data and the effective use of advanced analytics and AI to keep pace with emerging fraud risks, while remaining aligned with rapid digital transformation initiatives and regulatory expectations.”
Executives also discussed the importance of strong integration across systems, clear accountability, and disciplined escalation to ensure effective fraud prevention and detection. The session emphasized that modern fraud risk management requires a coordinated response across business, risk, and technology functions.
Topics covered included global and regional fraud trends, insights from major international fraud incidents illustrating the consequences of weak controls, and the role of advanced fraud prevention and detection technologies such as behavioral analytics, artificial intelligence, and enterprise fraud risk management systems. The importance of strong board oversight, clear accountability, and a culture that encourages early escalation of fraud risks was also emphasized.
Participants concluded the briefing by reaffirming the importance of continuous collaboration and coordination between leadership, frontline teams, and fraud risk management to strengthen fraud resilience and safeguard the integrity of the Bank’s operations.
