Meet the Authors

Simon Ballard currently works as Managing Director, Chief Economist & Head of the GM Client Outreach & Market Research team at First Abu Dhabi Bank. He joined FAB in January 2018, specialising in global macroeconomic analysis, with a specialisation in the GCC & Egypt macro economies. Simon has over 35 years of experience in financial markets, most of which time has been spent in macro research and strategy positions. Prior to joining FAB, Simon worked for several top-tier financial institutions in London and New York, allowing him to build up a wealth of cross-asset macroeconomic investment strategy insights and expertise. His previous roles include Senior Credit Strategist at BNP Paribas, Managing Director & Head of Macro Credit Strategy at Bear Stearns (New York) and Senior Credit Strategist at RBC (London).

In his role as Chief Economist, Simon focuses on global macroeconomic trends, but with a clear focus on the GCC region in particular. With a passion for economic theory, market economics and the economic, commercial and geopolitical challenges of the GCC region, Simon is an executive-level economic advisor and a first-class communicator who is frequently asked to share his views and analysis on national and international TV and radio (Bloomberg, Asharq, CNBC), as well as in the international and regional written press.

Glenn is a senior banking professional with more than 30 years of Emerging Markets FX trading, sales and research experience. He worked in several of the world’s key trading centres including London, New York, Johannesburg, and Bahrain for the Credit Agricole Group before joining the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (now FAB) in 2013. He holds diplomas in International Financial Management and Computer Programming as well as a certificate in Geopolitical Studies from the GIGS Institute in Switzerland. His primary focus areas within the bank’s Market Insights & Strategy team are geopolitics, the oil market and the macro environment in certain sub-Saharan countries.

Rakesh Sahu brings nearly two decades of expertise in macroeconomics, fixed income, and credit research. He holds a master’s degree in finance and has been a key member of FAB Global Markets since 2011. In his current role, he contributes across the team’s full spectrum of research responsibilities, with a primary focus on GCC fixed income markets. Before joining FAB, Rakesh worked with leading global banking and consulting institutions, including HSBC’s Global Banking & Markets division and KPMG’s Advisory practice in India. His background spans in-depth economic analysis, market strategy, and credit evaluation, enabling him to provide comprehensive insights into regional and global fixed income dynamics.