Primary Job Title Chairman & Founder Primary Organization First Iraqi Bank
Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Asia Regions Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Middle East Gender Male Also Known As Kawa (Junad) Rekani, Kawa Rekani
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Kawa Junad is an award-winning corporate chair, government advisor and renowned philanthropist. As the Founder and Chairman of First Iraqi Bank (FIB), Iraq’s first digital bank, and Fastlink, the first advanced 4G network in Kurdistan, Kawa has significantly helped build Iraq and Kurdistan’s digital infrastructure and transformed the lives of both
Iraqis and Kurdistanis. His achievements include rebuilding Iraq’s telecom network after the war in 2003, helping to modernize the country’s communication networks.
Kawa ventured into the fintech industry in 2016, when his team developed an e-wallet app called FastPay that addresses the needs of a cash-based country like Iraq. The app officially went live in 2020 and became the country’s fastest, most convenient, and safest mobile wallet. Spurred by FastPay's success in the region, and the rise of digital banking globally, Kawa established First Iraqi Bank (FIB), the nation’s first digital bank, in 2022. To make that a reality, Kawa liaised with and lobbied the local government and Central Bank, as no existing regulations for Internet banking, including using blockchain technology to process local and cross-border transactions, existed. This has opened up an entirely new ecosystem for how individuals and businesses conduct financial transactions in Iraq, creating a new generation of digital entrepreneurs, attracting FDI and stimulating the nation’s economy.
Today, Kawa is known as one of the most influential business leaders in the region. He is currently a member of a select group of executives who provide advice to the Regional Government of Kurdistan on matters of economic development and planning. Throughout his career, Kawa's main goal has always been to improve his home country and life for the Iraqi people by providing them with innovative technologies. Whether it’s telecom or fintech, Kawa’s vision for the future revolves around bringing innovations to the people who need them throughout the MENA region and beyond.
A graduate of Pakistan’s Greenwich University, Kawa believes nothing is impossible when you draw on the power of technology. Unlike Silicon Valley’s mantra to “move fast and break things,” he also believes that transformative change works best when done in concert with government entities to expand the scope of viable solutions and minimize potential harm. He is a noted philanthropist dedicated to improving Kurdistan’s education system.
To schedule a media interview or speaking engagement with Kawa, please contact his Brand Manager Karen Lobo at karen@prestidgegroup.com.
