Forbes Middle East has named Romany Hafez, Head of Corporate Communications at Commercial International Bank (CIB) – Egypt, to its “The Middle East’s Most Influential CMOs 2026” list, a ranking led by 21 Egyptian executives.
The selection recognised his role in directing marketing strategies and reinforcing the bank’s brand positioning. Romany Hafez was also cited for his contribution to adopting the latest digital solutions and artificial intelligence technologies to support growth, drive innovation, and enhance the customer experience.
The 2026 ranking includes 101 individuals holding leadership roles in marketing across 100 companies, representing 23 different nationalities.
Egyptians hold the highest number of spots on the list with 21 executives, followed by 13 from the United Arab Emirates and 12 from Saudi Arabia.
The corporate headquarters of the listed executives’ companies are distributed across eight countries in the region. The UAE hosts 49 of the companies, Saudi Arabia accounts for 17, and Egypt has 16, with the remaining companies based in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.
