Mubasher: The board of KPMG Middle East, South Asia, and Caspian (MESAC) region appointed Rasheed Al Qenae as its Chairman effective January 2023.

In this capacity, Al Qenae will also represent the MESAC region on the KPMG Global Council and the KPMG Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMA) region’s board, according to a press release.

This is the first time in KPMG’s history that a Senior Partner from Kuwait has been appointed to this role which covers the entire GCC region, parts of South Asia, and the Caspian countries.

Al Qenae is presently the Managing Partner of the KPMG member firm in Kuwait, a role which he has been holding since 2010. The official holds a PhD in Accounting from the UK’s University of Essex, a Master's Degree in Professional Accounting from the University of Miami in Florida, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Kuwait University.

Commenting on the appointment, Al Qenae said: “My predecessors have helped the MESAC region tremendously in its growth journey and I intend to continue this momentum. Our focus remains on clients’ priorities, recruiting and nurturing talent, investing in relevant technology, strengthening our alliance and corridor ecosystem, and making a meaningful impact on our communities.”

In fiscal year (FY) 2021, KPMG member firms in the MESAC region witnessed an increase in aggregate revenue, doubling to 18.30% in local currency terms for FY22, while its talent pool exceeded 10,000 people for the first time.   

The KPMG MESAC region is one of the largest and fastest-growing sub-regions within the KPMG network of member firms and covers more than 30 office locations across 21 countries and territories.