Al Salam Bank-Bahrain, a leading Islamic bank in the Kingdom, said its new board has elected Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa as the new chairperson for a term of three years.

The decision was announced at the board's first meeting held at the bank's premises to discuss the agenda.

The directors also elected Hamad Tariq Al Humaizi as the vice-chairman for a term of three years.

At the annual general meeting held on March 20, the bank's shareholders elected a new board comprising of 11 members for the next term of three years.

Shaikha Hessa gained her Bachelor's degree in Management (1998), and her Masters degree in Social Policy and Planning (2002) both from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Subsequently, she gained a master's degree in Development Finance in 2010 from the University of London.

She joined the Supreme Council for Women in 2001 as a member of the Social Committee and has been a permanent member of the Council's board since 2004.

In 2005, she founded "inJAz Bahrain", an international organisation to inspire and prepare young Bahrainis to succeed in a global economy and is presently its chief executive.

With her experience and active role in enterprise education and developing skills of young women, she has been invited as speaker and panelist at various occasions including at the UN, and the World Economic Forum.

Al Salam Bank-Bahrain operates under Sharia principles in accordance with regulatory requirements for Islamic banks set by the Central Bank of Bahrain.

The bank was listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange in April 2006, and subsequently on the Dubai Financial Market in 2008.-TradeArabia News Service