Samer Obaid: Driving Enterprise Transformation Through Technology and Strategic Leadership

Icons Kuwait

Samer Obaid is a senior technology executive and Managing Director with more than 25 years of experience across enterprise IT, digital transformation, technology operations, and wealth management systems within the financial services sector. Based in Kuwait, his career reflects a progression from technical development and project management into senior IT leadership, enterprise transformation, and corporate governance.

From Technology Foundations to Executive Leadership

Obaid began his professional journey in technology, earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology and Computer Systems Technology from Philadelphia University. His early career included experience as a Senior Oracle Application Developer, followed by technical support, database administration, and IT management roles across Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

His progression into leadership accelerated at Kudu Corp in Riyadh, where he served as Head of IT and managed a SAR 10 million technology budget. During this period, he introduced enterprise-wide IT policies that reduced IT costs by 20%, while developing technology solutions to support organizational scalability.

Building Expertise Across Financial Technology

Obaid subsequently developed extensive financial-services technology expertise in Kuwait. At KMEFIC, he served as IT Project Manager, managing the expansion of online trading systems across the Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and Amman stock exchanges. He also delivered white-label trading platforms for regional banks and led integrations involving K-NET, SYBASE, and FIX Gateway.

His long-term experience in investment and financial technology continued through Global Investment House, where he progressed from Assistant Vice President to Vice President and ultimately Senior Vice President of Information Technology. His responsibilities included IT strategy and operations, modernization initiatives, technology deployments, sourcing, budgeting, and business-case development.

Leading Enterprise Modernization at Kamco Invest

As Director of Information Technology at Kamco Invest from 2019 to 2023, Obaid played a central role in technology integration following the merger of Kamco Investment Company and Global Investment House.

He led the implementation of Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP and modernization initiatives designed to strengthen operational efficiency and scalability. The Oracle Fusion implementation contributed to an approximately 30% reduction in IT costs. He also established IT governance and disaster recovery frameworks aligned with global standards.

Establishing IT from the Ground Up at InvestGB

In December 2024, Obaid became Managing Director of Information Technology at InvestGB, following the company’s carve-out from Gulf Bank Kuwait. One of his major responsibilities was establishing the entire IT function from the ground up.

His work included implementing the Avaloq Wealth Management System on Oracle OCI and integrating it with SWIFT Cloud Alliance, Bloomberg, and LSEG. He also deployed Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and the Microsoft 365 E5 suite to support finance, procurement, HR, and broader organizational operations.

Alongside technology implementation, Obaid established cybersecurity and disaster recovery frameworks aligned with Kuwait’s Capital Markets Authority regulatory requirements, reinforcing the importance of governance, security, and resilience within financial-services technology.

Technology as a Driver of Business Growth

Obaid’s leadership extends beyond technology implementation. His expertise encompasses IT strategy, cloud migration across Azure and OCI, ERP, cybersecurity, IT governance, vendor negotiations, and digital banking transformation.

He has also built cross-functional teams, managed multimillion-dollar technology budgets, and focused on ensuring that technology investments contribute to operational efficiency and organizational growth.

Leadership Through Transformation and Governance

Across his career, Obaid has consistently operated at the intersection of technology, business strategy, and organizational transformation. His experience in financial investment, trading systems, wealth management platforms, enterprise applications, and corporate IT has enabled him to approach technology as an integral component of business performance.

His leadership philosophy is reflected in the development of secure, scalable, and well-governed technology environments capable of supporting evolving organizational needs.

Professional Development

Obaid has complemented his technical education with executive and professional development programs, including Organizational and Personal Leadership for Strategy Execution at Harvard Business School and Managing Successful Changes at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

He has also completed PMO management training and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preparation, strengthening his capabilities across leadership, transformation, and project management.

Looking Ahead

With a career spanning more than two decades across the GCC financial-services and technology landscape, Obaid brings a combination of technical depth, executive leadership, transformation expertise, and governance experience.

As he looks toward leveraging his international experience and Canadian permanent residency, his stated goal is to deliver secure, innovative, and scalable IT solutions for financial institutions and investment firms in Canada.

Icons Kuwait Recognition

Samer Obaid is recognized for more than 25 years of technology and IT leadership across the financial services sector, with expertise in enterprise transformation, wealth management systems, cloud migration, cybersecurity, IT governance, and operational modernization. His career reflects a sustained commitment to using technology as a strategic driver of efficiency, resilience, and organizational growth.