Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE’s federal export credit agency, has named Bernar Kari as interim chief executive officer, marking a leadership transition as the organisation pursues an expanded role in supporting the country’s non-oil exports.
The appointment comes as ECI advances a strategy approved by its board of directors on 4 November, aimed at strengthening export credit protection, facilitating international trade and improving access to financing for businesses seeking overseas markets.
The agency’s leadership arrangements are particularly significant because its operations connect government trade priorities with the commercial requirements of exporters, banks and financial institutions. Its insurance and guarantee products are intended to reduce exposure to payment defaults and other risks associated with cross-border transactions.
The appointment follows a period during which Raja Al Mazrouei served as chief executive. She was identified in official communications earlier this year as leading ECI’s efforts to broaden its services and strengthen cooperation with financial institutions. Details concerning the duration of Kari’s interim appointment and arrangements for selecting a permanent chief executive have not been established.
ECI’s board, chaired by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, approved its new strategy during its third meeting of 2026. The decision places greater emphasis on expanding export and re-export opportunities while improving the international competitiveness of UAE products.
Board members examined the implementation of strategic initiatives and assessed their alignment with national economic priorities. Discussions covered financing and insurance solutions, institutional partnerships and measures designed to help companies manage risks when entering international markets.
The strategy also envisages closer cooperation with banks, financial institutions and export credit agencies. Such partnerships can help exporters obtain financing against insured transactions, particularly where buyers operate in markets presenting elevated commercial or political risks.
For smaller businesses, export credit insurance can provide protection against non-payment while helping establish relationships with lenders. The availability of guarantees may influence financing decisions, although individual lending arrangements remain subject to financial institutions’ assessments and applicable requirements.
ECI’s mandate includes supporting UAE companies seeking to diversify their customer bases beyond domestic markets. Its activities are linked to broader government efforts to increase non-oil foreign trade and encourage manufacturers and service providers to compete internationally.
The board’s November meeting followed a restructuring approved in June by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The restructuring placed Al Zeyoudi at the head of a board comprising representatives from banking, insurance, investment and government institutions.
Members include Ahmed Al Naqbi, chief executive of Emirates Development Bank, and Khalil Fadel Al Mansoori, acting director-general of the Abu Dhabi Exports Office. Their participation reflects the institutional connections between export insurance, development financing and trade promotion.
Other board representatives come from financial institutions and economic development bodies across the Emirates. The composition provides ECI with access to expertise covering commercial banking, investment, insurance underwriting and the requirements of businesses operating in international markets.
At the board’s first meeting under its revised structure in July, directors considered priorities for developing products and services, improving exporter engagement and expanding partnerships. The discussions also addressed opportunities to strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Al Mazrouei said at that meeting that ECI would translate the board’s strategic directions into programmes supporting exporters and investors. She identified trade financing, risk management, institutional cooperation and digital transformation among the organisation’s operational priorities.
The agency’s insurance arrangements address commercial risks such as buyer insolvency and failure to pay, alongside specified political risks affecting international transactions. Coverage depends on the terms of individual policies and the nature of the underlying trade.
Its cooperation with government entities also supports initiatives intended to improve the competitiveness of UAE manufacturing. Export credit protection can complement financing programmes by helping businesses manage payment uncertainty when supplying customers abroad.
ECI has worked with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology on financial support arrangements connected to industrial development and export growth. These initiatives seek to improve access to trade-related financial services for manufacturers.
The organisation’s November strategy also calls for stronger relationships with international export credit agencies, providing another channel through which UAE businesses may obtain support for transactions involving overseas buyers and financial counterparties.
The board reviewed progress on existing projects alongside the strategy’s approval, with attention to aligning insurance services, financing partnerships and export development programmes with the country’s trade objectives.
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