Frank Schwab
I bridge the gap between Visionary
Technology and Balance Sheet Profitability.
Currently Non-Executive Director
Gulf International Bank 🇧🇭 I Addiko Bank 🇦🇹
PIF 🇸🇦 I Hauck & Aufhäuser Innovative Capital 🇩🇪
In a financial world divided between legacy institutions struggling to modernize and FinTechs struggling to monetize, I operate as the strategic link. I am a Non-Executive Director, Strategic Advisor, and former CEO who specializes in technology-driven turnarounds and institutional growth across the DACH region and the Middle East.
My approach is not just about digital transformation; it is about Technological Sovereignty. I believe—and the data proves—that banks must own their core technology to control their margins and their destiny.
► THE TRACK RECORD: FROM LOSS TO PROFIT
I don't just advise on trends; I execute financial turnarounds.
Gulf International Bank (Bahrain/KSA): As a Board Member and Chair of the Innovation Committee, I helped steer a strategic turnaround from a $227m net loss (2018) to a $134.8m net profit (2024).
Addiko Bank (Vienna): As a Supervisory Board Member, I guided the transformation of a loss-making, branch-heavy universal bank into a focused, profitable, digital-driven consumer & SME specialist.
PayU (Global): Served on the Risk Advisory Board during a period culminating in a $610m exit for the Eastern Europe/Africa/Latam division.
► GOVERNANCE & CAPITAL
I serve on the boards of institutions that define the future of finance, acting as a bridge between European engineering and Middle Eastern capital (Vision 2030):
Board Member: Gulf International Bank (Bahrain) and Tawrid (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).
Board Representative: Public Investment Fund (PIF), Riyadh.
Supervisory Board: Addiko Bank AG (Vienna) and Hauck & Aufhäuser Innovative Capital (Frankfurt).
► OPERATIONAL ROOTS
My board perspective is grounded in deep operational reality.
The Challenger: As CEO of Fidor (2013-2015), I led the world's first Neobank, winning Celent's "Model Bank of the Year" and pioneering open banking APIs.
The Incumbent: Spent 20 years at Deutsche Bank, rising to Director of Strategy & Innovation, preparing billion-euro IT transformations.
The Futurist: Author of "Tomorrow's Money" and "42 Megatrends," and creator of Germany's first Bitcoin and mixed Crypto funds.
► MY FOCUS
I partner with shareholders and CEOs to:
1. De-risk Innovation: translating "hype" (AI, Web3) into governed, profitable business lines.
2. Restore Margins: replacing vendor dependency with proprietary IP.
3. Bridge Regions: connecting the DACH financial ecosystem with MENA growth opportunities.
📧 Frank@FrankSchwab.de
🌐 FrankSchwab.de
My former work at GIZS (Sparkasse/paydirekt) was focussed on the launch and growth of paydirekt. paydirekt established the online payment platform of Germany's Sparkassen and banks.
In 2013 Samarth Shekhar and me founded FinTech Forum - the first German FinTech event focused on Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Central Europe with the mission to identify innovators and disruptors in the Financial Services sector and bring them together with high-calibre investors. For further information about FinTech Forum click here.
As former CEO of Fidor I helped to implement Fidor Bank's technology strategy. Fidor enables disruptive digital banking by reshaping the customer relationship through technology. The core product is the banking platform fidorOS that seamlessly bridges traditional banking (account, payment, deposit, loan) and new banking (P2P, Crowd, Crypto, Realtime). fidorOS is the first open API banking platform of its kind and multiple award winning. See also: Fidor: Model Bank of the Year 2015 - awarded by Celent.
As a chairman I helped to build Hufsy between 2015 and 2019. Hufsy is reinventing how businesses handle money and do banking. It offered integrated account, accounting & tax for freelancers and SMEs.
Previously, I worked for Deutsche Bank for 20 years, amongst others as Divisional Director Internet & New Media and Director of Innovation. During this time, I was also allowed to teach creativity and innovation management at the Mannheim Business School for several years.
© Frank Schwab 2025