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| Gul Khan, managing director of Alternative Bank Limited. File photograph. |
Former I&M Bank Kenya chief executive Gul Khan has taken over as managing director of Alternative Bank Limited, succeeding Hassan Yusuf, who retired after completing his tenure.
Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, the bank’s parent company, said Khan’s appointment took effect on 5 November 2026, a day after Yusuf’s retirement. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the appointment.
The group disclosed the succession in a notification to the Nigerian Exchange Limited dated 10 November and signed by its company secretary, Sunny Kanabe. Its board also acknowledged Yusuf’s contribution to the subsidiary during his tenure.
Khan joins the Nigerian non-interest lender with more than 25 years’ experience in financial services. His career spans Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East, covering banking, financial technology and payments.
Sterling linked his appointment to Alternative Bank’s plans to develop its digital non-interest banking business. The group cited his experience in expanding financial services, developing products and overseeing changes to banking operations across different markets.
At I&M Bank Limited in Kenya, Khan held responsibility for the lender as chief executive officer. Sterling credited his tenure with increases in revenue, profitability and market share.
His earlier work included heading products at Airtel Money Africa. According to the notification, his responsibilities there included expanding the platform’s active customer base, increasing revenue and supporting equity investment initiatives.
Khan also held senior positions at HSBC, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Gulf Bank and Doha Bank. Those roles covered retail banking, wealth management, strategic planning and the introduction of digital services. His professional background includes product development and programmes to change how financial institutions organise and deliver their services.
Alternative Bank traces its origins to a non-interest banking operation within Sterling Bank. According to its corporate history, that operation received provisional approval in January 2014 before the CBN issued a banking licence in July 2023, enabling it to operate as a separate bank.
Its financing arrangements include partnerships, leasing and purchase-and-resale contracts. The bank maintains an Advisory Committee of Experts responsible for reviewing its products and processes for compliance with non-interest banking principles.