Bader Al-Kharafi

Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, born 17 August 1977, is a Kuwaiti businessman and the Vice Chairman and Group CEO of Zain Group, according to Forbes Middle East (March 2026). He became Zain Group CEO in 2017, replacing Scott Gegenheimer, after being appointed vice chairman of Zain KSA in 2014. He is the son of Nasser Al-Kharafi, who founded Zain as MTC.

He holds a mechanical engineering degree from Kuwait University (2002) and an MBA from London Business School (2016). He joined M. A. Al-Kharafi group as a coordination engineer in 2002 and became director of its executive committee in 2012 after his father's death. He holds senior positions at Gulf Bank of Kuwait, Foulath Holding, Diamond International Motors and Gulf Cable and Electrical Industries; in 2019 he acquired a controlling interest in Gulf Cable (29% of shares, about US$500 million) and his BNK Automotive became the exclusive Volvo Cars importer in Kuwait. He chairs the executive committee of Boursa Kuwait since February 2019.

• 2002 · Coordination Engineer · M. A. Al-Kharafi group
• 2012 · Director, executive committee of the Al Kharafi groups · Al Kharafi groups
• 2014 · Vice Chairman · Zain KSA
• 2014 · Member, Middle East Advisory Board · Coutts
• 2017 · Group Chief Executive Officer · Zain Group
• 2019 · Chairman of the Board Executive Committee (February) · Boursa Kuwait
• 2019 · BNK Automotive becomes exclusive Volvo Cars importer in Kuwait (September) · BNK Automotive
• 2019 · Acquires controlling interest in Gulf Cable (November) · Gulf Cable and Electrical Industries
• Senior management positions · Gulf Bank of Kuwait, Foulath Holding, Diamond International Motors

• BSc Mechanical Engineering, Kuwait University (2002)
• MBA, London Business School (2016)

• Gulf Business 100 Most Powerful Arabs (2014)
• Arabian Business Most Powerful Young Arabs Under 40 (2015)
• Arabian Business 100 Most Influential Arabs (2017 and 2018)
• Founded the We Able disability inclusion programme (2019)