Bader has over 28 years experience in regional investment banking and is currently the Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait Investment Company ("KIC"). Prior to joining KIC in 2000, Bader served as the General Manager of Operations at the Kuwait Investment Authority ("KIA") from 1993, during this time he was responsible for driving the goals and ambitions of the company as well as developing its business strategies and managing its budget. Previously, Bader served as the Vice President of the Accounts Department for Kuwait Foreign Trading Contracting Investment Co., as well as the Kuwait Commercial Markets Complex Company, Mix Speed Ltd. (London) and at the Ministry of Communications in Kuwait.

Bader became Chairman of the Board for Instrata Capital in 2007 and is responsible for responsible for guiding the business in the execution of its overall strategy. He is also a Board Member of several other organizations including the Kuwait Clearing Company (Kuwait), Gulf Finance House (Bahrain) and Union of Investment Companies (Kuwait).

Graduating from Cairo University, Egypt, in 1980 with a degree in Accounting, Bader then went on to receive his MBA in Finance from American International College in Massachusetts, USA in 1983. He was awarded his CPA license from Kuwait in 1989.

Redha Abdulla Faraj
Board Member

Redha has been involved in Bahrain’s economy for over 40 years. The Founder of Al Faraj Consulting W.L.L., a Bahrain-based management consultancy group specialising in providing business advice to companies on issues of strategy, organization and technology, Redha is the professional advisor to some of the region’s largest corporations. He has a wealth of commercial and accounting experience and his client portfolio covers a variety of industries including banks, insurance companies, retail, manufacturing and airlines. During his longstanding career, Redha was a Partner at Ernst and Young from 1991 to 2001. Whilst in this position he was responsible for the audits of a number Offshore Investments, Commercial and Special Purpose Banks in Bahrain. He also advised a number of Islamic Banks such as Housing Bank and Bahrain Development Bank on the strategies of their formation. Other work experience includes Deputy General Manager of ASRY (Arab Shipping and Repair Yard Company). He joined the company in 1976 and remained there for 15 years. In his role as DGM, Redha was responsible for Financial Administration, Personnel and Procurement.

A chartered accountant and a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA), Redha was one of the first Bahrainis to receive this qualification. In addition, he is an active founder and member of various social and professional organizations in the region including the Organization for GCC Countries, The Bahrain Accounts Association and the Arab Society of Certified Accountants.

Abdul Samad has over 28 years experience in private equity transactions, including setting objectives, monitoring, reviewing and managing a diverse range of investments. After graduating from university, Abdul Samad joined the Direct Investment Department of the Foreign Trading Contracting Investment Co. (“KFTCIC”), where he worked as a Trainee in the Direct Investment Department. Whilst in this position Abdul gained valuable experience in reviewing and monitoring private equity transactions covering a wide range of sectors and geographies. He remained at KFTCIC until 1997 when the company merged with Kuwait Investment Company (“KIC”). Post merger, Abdul Samad was hired as the Assistant Manager of KIC’s Direct Investment Division. Over the years, while accruing vast experience in the selection, monitoring and management of private equity transactions, Abdul Samad gradually rose to the post of Senior Manager of the Direct Investments Division in 2007, where he currently manages a portfolio of USD 250 million.

In addition to his position as Board Director for Instrata Capital, Abdul Samad is also a Board Member of the India Private Equity Fund and the Maritime Tankers and Shipping Company, Kuwait, where he helps direct its policies and strategies.

Abdul Samad gradutated from Kuwait University in 1986 with a Bachelors degree in Economics & Political Science.

Jagdish Arjan Thadani
Board Director

Jagdish has over 12 years of work experience with trans-national corporations and has acquired a keen sense for new business opportunities. With significant experience in finance, management, international trade, and business development, Jagdish has a developed set of leadership skills that have allowed him to lead and train teams of specialist financial advisors during his career as a financial service expert. His experience also includes over 8 years of lecturing on and teaching world-renowned professional and academic qualifications. Currently the Assistant Vice President of Financial Services for Sage Capital Management Group, Jagdish’s core responsibilities are to provide financial and business support, as well as analyze and challenge existing operations and business development activities. Jagdish has also worked for Ernst and Young in the position of Manager of the Business Advisory and Business Community Training. Whilst in this position, Jagdish over saw the training of over 700 Bahrainis as part of a Tamkeen (Bahrain’s Labour Fund) project and taught the CMA, CFA, ACCA and PRM Programmes.

Jagdish has held lecturing and consulting positions in several educational organizations in Sri Lanka including the Academy of Business Studies, the Institute of Information Technology, Base2 School of Computing and the Jayasekera Management Centre.

Jagdish attended the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom, where he obtained his MBA. He continued to further his education successfully completing all levels of the Certified Management Accountant examination, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and is currently in the process of completing his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification.

Suhail Hajee
CEO

Suhail has more than 21 years of investment experience internationally and regionally. Prior to founding Instrata Capital, Suhail worked for the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) as its UAE Country Manager, where he was involved with the origination, structuring and credit allocation of BBK’s USD300 million UAE corporate debt portfolio. Previously, Suhail was BBK’s Head of Investment Banking for seven years, leading a team of twenty investment professionals and held responsibility for regional and international capital market investments of more than USD500 million. Suhail also developed private label funds and structured products including joint ventures for BBK with international and regional institutions.

Suhail is actively involved in the leadership and management of Instrata Capital and sits on the Board of Directors.

Suhail holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada and an MBA from McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Suhail also attended the Darden Gulf Executive Development Program and JP Morgan Risk Management Program. He is a past member of the Vancouver Society of Financial Analysts and a member of the CFA Institute.

Suhail served on a number of committees and boards whilst at BBK. He currently holds a seat on the board of the regional insurance company, Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company.

Khalid Alshakrani
Managing Director

Khalid, has 15 years regional investment banking experience and is responsible for Instrata Capital’s business development. Khalid has extensive experience of successfully establishing and growing investment businesses in the Middle East and North Africa region. Prior to Instrata Capital, Khalid was responsible for running the Asset Management Department of Gulf Finance House and was a driving force of GFH’s early fund raisings, placing GFH’s investment instruments with ultra high net worth individuals and institutional investors across the region. Whilst at GFH, Khalid also represented the bank’s interests as a board member on several investee companies. Before joining GFH, Khalid worked in the Investment Services Department of the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait.

Khalid sits on Instrata Capital’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

Khalid holds a Bachelor of International Affairs from Northern Illinois University, USA, and has also attended the Program for Executive Development at IMD Lausanne, Switzerland.