Muscat, 25 April 2018: Oman Arab Bank (OAB) has announced its sponsorship of the Omani Entrepreneurs’ Charity Exhibition, organised by the Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped Children, in the Kempinski Hotel at Al Mouj, Muscat. This, the second edition of the event, taking place from April 26 to 28  will host entrepreneurs from across the Sultanate and the GCC. All proceeds from the exhibition will go towards the rehabilitation and training programs for children with disabilities.

The opening ceremony will be held on Thursday, headed by Her Highness Sayyida Hajija Bint Jafer Al Said, Chairman of the Association. The exhibition provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services.

Commenting on the importance of participating in and sponsoring such events, Dalal Al Rahma, Head of Internal and External Communications at OAB, said, “At OAB, we recognise that part of our role as a leading banking institution operating in the Sultanate, we must continue to strive towards achieving our corporate social responsibility obligations. Our sponsorship of this event, is in line with the vision of the Bank and is aimed at contributing towards the success of the event. We aim to support activities organised by community institutions such as Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped Children to enhance their financial revenues; in turn ensuring their sustainability and providing them with better opportunities to develop the services they provide to children in need.”

“The exhibition is also an opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business owners to introduce their products directly to consumers; which is another area of the community in which we are focused on and aim to play an active role in serving. We are delighted to participate as a sponsor of this exhibition and we hope to participate in other events organized by the Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped Children, as well as those organized by other charitable organisations,” she added.

The Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped Children was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Al-Azaiba, Muscat. The association aims to coordinate efforts and create capacities for the development of special and advanced services, activities, and events for handicapped children in order to provide them with a better life and enable them to adapt and integrate socially, psychologically, and culturally into society. It also aims to encourage research and special studies that concern the disabled, especially children.

Oman Arab Bank is one of the first banks to start operations in Oman and has a long history of achievements. Today, the bank operates a wide network of 65 branches and representative offices, as well as a wide network of ATMs with 148 units across the Sultanate. Oman Arab Bank also offers a wide range of banking products and services to its customers, individuals, companies and investors alike.

Muscat, April 18, 2018: As part of its commitment to community, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) recently organised an internal Health Day and Staff Blood Donation Drive, titled ‘Save a life, give blood’, at its head office in Ghubra. The event, which was held on April 16, was organised by the Social Committee of OAB in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The drive was a grand success with a large number of OAB employees volunteering to donate blood.

Commenting on the Blood Donation Drive, Hilal O. Al Siyabi, Head of CSR at OAB said, “At OAB we believe that we have a responsibility towards the local community. Donating blood is amongst the simplest form of Corporate Social Responsibility, yet is amongst the most valuable ways of contributing to our community. This is primarily because of the ever-growing demand for all blood types and constantly need for stocks to be replenished. As a result, every little bit helps save lives. Through events like this we aim to raise awareness on this cause whilst also helping promote a healthy lifestyle amongst our staff.”

In addition to the Blood Donation Drive, the event was also intended to promote a healthy lifestyle. In order to do so, the Bank also partnered with a number of private clinics who participated in the vent to showcase their various offers and facilities. Healthy snacks and drinks were also served to all visiting staff at the event.

“Even today, despite drastic advances in medical sciences, blood cannot properly be artificially created. That’s why blood donations are amongst the most precious thing in the world. In fact donated blood saves millions of lives every year,” added Hilal. “As such, on behalf of OAB, I would like to thank each and every employee who donated blood on the day as well as the staff at the Ministry of Health and members of our Social Committee who helped in hosting such a successful event.”

OAB is engaged in various initiatives, such as this Blood donation drive, throughout the year; each of which is intended to enhance the social wellbeing of the community in which it operates. In line with its CSR objectives, a significant number of these initiatives and projects involve the direct support and participation of its employees, through invaluable work done by the Social Committee at OAB.

Oman Arab Bank is one of the first banks to be established in Oman, with a rich and proud history. Today, the bank operates a nationwide network of 57 branches and 8 representative offices across and over 150 ATMs spread across the Sultanate. OAB provides the complete range of financial products and services for personal banking, corporate and investment clients.

Muscat, April 11, 2018: Oman Arab Bank (OAB), one of the leading Banks in the country, has participated in the Branch Transformation Conference that took place recently in Singapore. The conference was focused on the ‘human-centred design and digital technologies for future branches’ and presented OAB’s ongoing bank transformation efforts as a case study. OAB was also the only bank from the Sultanate to attend the conference.

Commenting on their participation in the conference, Fahd Amjad, the GM of the Retail Banking Group at OAB said, “For any bank, its branches are its core channel of interaction with its customers. As a result it is usually the first point of contact between a prospective customer and a bank. It is therefore, of vital importance that anyone who walks through the doors of our branches is treated to the best possible banking experience in the country. In fact, our vision for this transformation strategy was to be the leading retail bank in Oman in terms of customer experience.”

The conference was held over the course of three days at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore and saw the attendance of over 150 of business leaders and directors of key divisions within various banks, insurance companies, credit unions, and telecommunication companies from across the Asia-Pacific Region. Attending the event on behalf of OAB and participating as one of 14 speakers at the conference was Ibrahim Gailani, Head of Branch Transformation at OAB.

The event was primarily focused on four key topics – ‘increasing customer footprint through a human-centred design’, ‘transforming the traditional branch to serve complex financial needs and provide a personalised experience’, ‘automating branch processes through self-service and smart ATMs’, and ‘developing digital capabilities for a seamless omni-channel experience’. The conference also included two in-depth workshops, six interactive roundtable discussions, and ten case studies; of which OAB was one.

“It was an honour for us to be treated as a case study as such a prestigious conference. It provided an opportunity for us to share our experience and success story with business leaders from across the region. In fact, the success of our strategy coupled with the positive feedback we have consistently received from customers, has gotten us selected by several international conference bodies to be showcased as a “example of excellence” at expos across Europe and Asia throughout 2018,” added Fahd Amjad.

Over the course of the past three years OAB has been going through a dramatic transformative journey, shifting its focus from more traditional corporate business towards a truly modern retail-oriented bank; one that utilises an advanced digital banking platform to compete at the highest level and become a leading bank in the sector.

The journey has so far been a tremendous success for the Bank thanks in large part to the ongoing branch transformations that see its existing branches being updated to feature an enhanced brand identity with a refreshed look and feel. This sleek, modern, and streamlined look is augmented by a number of advanced features and systems. These include a new digital meet and greet facility with a streamlined queuing system, private advisory spaces with moving monitors for more personal interaction, together with digital signature pads and ID card readers within the advisory station design. All flagship branches also feature a separate ‘Elite’ reception, lounge, and offices, in order to provide premium customers with an elegant and private experience that remains memorable. The branch transformation combines elements of design, form, and function and aims to elevate the customer experience as a whole resulting in better service. Last year alone we managed to complete six branch transformations and we have eight more planned for this year; one of which has already been launched.

Oman Arab Bank is one of the first banks to be established in Oman, with a rich and proud history. Today, the bank operates a nationwide network of 65 branches and representative offices across and 148 ATMs spread across the Sultanate. OAB provides the complete range of financial products and services for personal banking, corporate and investment clients.

Muscat, March 9^th 2016 – Oman Arab Bank (OAB) announced its audited financial results for the year ended 31^st December 2015. The Bank posted a net profit of RO 29.01 million for the year 2015 compared to RO 28.40 million reported in 2014. The Bank registered strong income and balance sheet growth in 2015 while strategic investments were made to upgrade the Bank’s infrastructure and build sustainable business momentum.

Net interest income rose by 12% for the year ended 2015 to reach RO 49.13 million while non-interest income stood at RO 30.62 million, a 9% rise compared to the previous year. The increase in top line income was largely due to a robust growth in balance sheet during the year. OAB’s net loans and advances increased by 21% to reach RO 1.52 Billion while customer deposits also rose by 9 % to reach RO 1.60 Billion as of 31^st December 2015. Operating expenses for the year ended 31^st December 2015 were higher at RO 43.523 million compared to RO 37.416 million for the same period in 2014. The capital adequacy ratio of the Bank is 14.28% as at 31^st December 2015, which is well above the regulatory requirement of 12.625%.

The Bank’s Shari’a compliant window, Al Yusr, also showed positive growth with the Bank’s Islamic financing receivables more than doubling to RO 49.9 million as of 31^st December 2015 compared to RO 20.83 million as of 31^st December 2014. Customer deposits in the Islamic Banking segment also increased significantly to RO 49.39 million as of 31^st December 2015 compared to RO 12.49 million in the same period of the previous year. Al Yusr has expanded to a nationwide footprint of seven branches located at Muscat, Al Buraimi, Sohar, Ibra, Nizwa and Salalah.

“Our 2015 financial performance demonstrates Oman Arab Bank’s underlying ability to continue growth while managing risks in challenging conditions within the region,” said Amin Al Husseini, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Arab Bank. “In 2015, we have commenced a transformational journey to enhance customer experience through our delivery channels including brick and mortar branches. We are investing in our franchise, to build on our already strong heritage of trust”.

He added, “Oman Arab Bank has consistently delivered business growth over three decades which has advanced us into a reliable, trusted and accomplished institution that adds value to customers, employees, shareholders and the wider community.”

OAB was established in 1984 following the acquisition of Arab Bank’s branches in the Sultanate. For over 30 years, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) has been an active contributor to the Sultanate’s ongoing growth and development by offering customers and organizations of all sizes innovative solutions complemented by in-depth local and international expertise. Today, OAB provides a comprehensive suite of products and services in Retail banking, Corporate and Project Finance, Investment Banking, Trade Finance and most recently, Islamic Banking. The Bank has provided financing for setting up major projects in Oman that have a wider economic impact including power generation, water desalination, aviation and infrastructure to name but a few.

Currently, the Bank operates more than 65 branches and offices, and more than 123 Automatic Teller Machines and Cash Deposit Machines in high footfall locations across the Sultanate that are supported by Arab Bank’s 600 branches spanning five continents. The Bank’s principal shareholders are Oman International Development and Investment Company SAOG (51%) and Arab Bank PLC (49%).

Muscat, March 2016 – As part of its strategy to support the government’s Omanisation efforts, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) participated in the recently organized Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) Career & Training Opportunities Fair 2016, held under the auspices of His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harrasi, Chairman of the Public Authority for Radio and Television. OAB’s participation, represented by its Human Resources Division, emphasizes the Bank’s dedication to systematically recruit, develop and nurture Omani talent across all functions, departments and branches. The Bank’s Omanization strategy is not about employment only, but also includes various training and development programs that aim to equip recruits with the tools and skillsets for success to take up future leadership roles within the Bank. Oman Arab Bank currently boasts a 94% Omanization rate.

This year, OAB’s participation was marked by allocating a special corner of the pavilion for receiving applications of specific jobs in addition to distributing flyers that outline the Bank’s recruitment and training policies as well as guidelines to apply for available openings. The pavilion also included a visual presentation showcasing OAB’s many achievements since inception.

Commenting on this participation, Adil bin Ali Al Rahbi, [Head of Employee & Organizational Development/], said, “”OAB’s annual participation in this event reflects the Bank’s commitment to recruiting, developing and retaining Omani talent from various disciplines. It also presents a great opportunity for students and graduates to discover the various training and development programs available for different specialties.”

Al Rahbi added, “We are committed towards a strategic Omanization by attracting Omanis and honing their capabilities through specialized scholarship opportunities, digital and on-the-job training courses, professional certification programs as well as leadership training for future senior roles at OAB.”.

Every year, the Bank welcomes a number of students and graduates to the OAB Family from across the Sultanate’s colleges and universities. The Bank also offers its existing employees training and development in addition to scholarships with the College of Banking and Financial Studies to learn about the industry’s latest trends and ensure their full capability to deliver a second to none banking experience. As part of its internal initiatives, the Bank also recently launched “Mukafaati”, an incentive program that revolves around rewarding staff for their achievements and aims to create a positive working environment and promote teamwork and constructive communication between management and the employee.