Sterling Financial Holdings appoints Gul Khan as managing director of Alternative Bank

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has appointed Gul Khan as managing director of Alternative Bank Limited, its non-interest banking subsidiary, effective 5 November.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approved the appointment, according to a regulatory filing made on Wednesday.

According to the group, the appointment is a strategic step towards advancing Alternative Bank’s ambition to become Nigeria’s leading innovative digital non-interest bank.

Mr Khan was appointed following the retirement of Hassan Yusuf, effective 4 November, after the latter completed his tenure.

The board expressed its appreciation to Mr Yusuf for his dedication, leadership and valuable contribution to the growth of Alternative Bank.

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About Khan

Mr Khan is a seasoned financial services executive with over 25 years of experience across Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

He is recognised for driving business growth, transformation, and innovation across the banking, fintech, and payments sectors, with expertise spanning retail banking, digital financial services, product development, and large-scale transformation initiatives.

Before his appointment, Mr Khan served as chief executive officer of I&M Bank Limited in Kenya, where he led a period of accelerated growth and transformation, delivering great improvements in revenue, profitability and market share.

Before joining I&M Bank, he served as the head of products at Airtel Money Africa. In that role, he drove substantial revenue growth, expanded the platform’s active customer base and supported major equity investment initiatives.

Mr Khan has also held senior leadership positions at leading financial institutions including HSBC, ADIB, Gulf Bank, and Doha Bank, with responsibilities spanning retail banking, wealth management, digital transformation and strategic planning across multiple regions.

Mr Khan’s extensive experience scaling digital financial services, developing innovative products, and driving business transformation across multiple markets is expected to boost the Alternative Bank’s growth drive.