KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Rakyat has appointed Ahmad Shahril Mohd Shariff as acting chief executive officer(CEO) effective November 9.

It said Ahmad Shahril, who was deputy CEO (business), takes over from Datuk Dr Mohammad Hanis Osman, who decided to step down to pursue new opportunities after 15 years of service at the Islamic cooperative bank.

"Ahmad Shahril's appointment is aimed at ensuring leadership continuity and the smooth operation of Bank Rakyat.

"The transition plan demonstrates Bank Rakyat's commitment to continue providing value to its customers and stakeholders. We are confident that the appointment will take Bank Rakyat forward as we achieve our strategic objectives," the bank said in a statement today.

Bank Rakyat said it is also formulating a succession plan for filling the CEO position, which will be announced later.

On Ahmad Shahril, it said he has more than 26 years of experience in the banking and financial industry as well as a wide range of academic qualifications.

"He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and accounting from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, and is a certified member of the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance," the bank added.