Meet the team
Middle East Team
Gaenor Jones, Regional Director, MEA
Regional Director, Gaenor Jones boasts over 25 years’ experience in Banking, Financial Services and Sales gained in the UK and the UAE. A British national, she has lived and worked in Dubai for over 16 years and has responsibility for launching/developing the Middle East office and raising the profile of the CII, its mission and core values.
Cementing and maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders, including regulators, membership organisations, corporates, training providers, individuals, banks and government entities is a key part of her role. She is also tasked with overseeing delivery and fulfilment of the CII’s education and qualification programmes.
Gaenor’s career has seen her holding senior management positions for leading financial institutions, including Lloyds bank in the UK and UAE where she was a Senior International Wealth Planning Manager, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank where she was Head of Sales, Investment and Takaful. She is a Certified Islamic Banker and holds the Diploma in Financial Planning.
Irina Ginns, Regional Operations Support, MEA
As Operations Assistant, Irina Ginns plays a key role in growing and maintaining membership for the CII in MEA and she is responsible for regular engagement and communications with all corporate and individual members.
Irina has worked in the Middle East for the past 10 years supporting top executives within global multinational companies spearheading complex and effective corporate projects, and is adept in managing and streamlining administrative processes in collaboration with senior stakeholders.
Before moving to the UAE, she worked at Cambridge University where she successfully launched the first in Europe Ukrainian Studies Programme. Irina is an expert organiser of cultural and corporate events in Europe and the UAE, passionate about art, cultural diversity and education. Irina holds a Masters Degree in History of Art and Archaeology from the University of Amsterdam, and is multilingual, with operational command over English, Dutch and Ukrainian.
Ian Mellows, Corporate Development Manager, MEA
Ian Mellows brings almost twenty years’ of comprehensive industry experience to his role as Corporate Development Manager. His financial services career began in 2006 with a prominent global life assurance firm, where he honed his expertise and insight. Throughout his journey, Ian has held multifaceted roles encompassing administration, operations, trading, relationship management, and sales. This diverse background affords him a holistic understanding of financial services from varied perspectives.
Ian is originally from the Isle of Man, and spent the formative years of his career there before relocating to Dubai in 2016, where he has since established his base of operations. In his current capacity with the CII, Ian collaborates closely with Gaenor Jones, Regional Director MEA, and Operations Assistant, Irina Ginns. Together, they are dedicated to advancing the growth and prominence of the MEA region.
Ian's responsibilities include fostering new relationships with senior stakeholders, regulators, membership organisations, corporates, training providers, individuals, banks, and government entities. Additionally, he diligently maintains existing key partnerships, ensuring sustained collaboration and success.