top of page
bg_edited.jpg
Mahmoud-Darwish.jpg

Hashim Shawa

Influential Palestinian banking sector leader

QUICK FACTS

Date of Birth

1976

Gaza, Palestine

Place of Birth

Why Featured?

Hashim Shawa is recognized for his significant contributions to the Palestinian banking sector, particularly through his leadership at the Bank of Palestine. Under his guidance, the bank has become a key financial institution in the region, demonstrating resilience and growth despite challenging circumstances.

BRIEF BIO
Hashim Shawa is a prominent Palestinian banker who has played a pivotal role in the development and expansion of the Bank of Palestine. His leadership has been instrumental in navigating the bank through political and economic challenges, fostering growth, and supporting Palestinian enterprises.
LAST UPDATED

DATE

Monday, January 26, 2026

MAJOR MILESTONES
Key dates & turning points
  • Took over the Bank of Palestine in 2007 at age 31

  • Grew the bank's branch network to 60 branches

  • Launched a $200 million loan campaign for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)

  • Set up the Ibtikar venture capital fund for start-ups

  • Introduced mobile banking via a specific mobile application provided by PalPay

CONTRIBUTIONS
What they did, and why it matters
  • Maintaining a low nonperforming loan ratio of 1.7% in 2015

  • Increasing the bank’s loan portfolio to $1.38 billion in 2015

  • Expanding deposit base to $2.24 billion by the end of 2015

  • Opening a representative office at the Dubai International Financial Centre

  • Supporting women entrepreneurs through a partnership with the IFC and a mini-MBA program

Anchor 1
Disclaimer: This chat uses AI to generate responses inspired by the profile content and publicly available information. It does not represent the real person.
Last updated
Jan 26, 2026

DISCOVER

Profiles from the Same Path

A rotating spotlight on voices that shaped Palestine’s culture, thought, and history.

bottom of page