MUZAFFARABAD – Malik Muhammad Babar Ayyaz has assumed charge as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bank of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (BAJK), the bank announced on Tuesday.
A seasoned banking professional with more than 27 years of experience in Pakistan’s financial sector, Ayyaz brings extensive expertise in corporate banking, commercial banking, Islamic banking, SME finance, strategic planning, business transformation and institutional leadership.
Before joining BAJK, Ayyaz served for nearly 17 years at The Bank of Punjab (BOP), where he held various senior leadership roles. During his tenure, he played a key role in restructuring BOP’s Corporate and Investment Banking division and helped establish and strengthen its SME and Commercial Banking operations, contributing to the bank’s growth and transformation.
Ayyaz has also worked with other private sector banks during his career, gaining broad experience across multiple areas of banking and financial services.
He holds an Executive MBA from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), where he graduated with distinction and was recognised on the Dean’s Honour Roll.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary of the Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Chairman BAJK, Khushkal Khan, congratulated the bank’s team on appointing an experienced professional banker.
“I congratulate the BAJK team on having a professional banker with extensive experience in priority sector lending. We look forward to BAJK’s enhanced role in financial inclusion, SME empowerment and taking the bank to the next level,” he said.
He added that Ayyaz’s appointment represented an important step in BAJK’s journey towards obtaining a nationwide commercial banking licence.
Meanwhile, Ayyaz said he was honoured to join BAJK at a crucial stage of its growth and transformation.
“BAJK has earned a distinguished reputation as the premier state-owned financial institution of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, built on the trust of its customers and the dedication of its people,” he said.
He said the bank would focus on strengthening financial performance, accelerating digital transformation, expanding Islamic and SME banking, improving customer experience, enhancing governance and risk management practices, and promoting financial inclusion across the region.
“Our focus will remain on innovation, operational excellence, sustainable growth and creating lasting value for our customers, communities and the economy of Azad Jammu & Kashmir,” Ayyaz added.
