Muscat, March 23^rd 2016 – As part of its steadfast commitment to protecting the environment, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) recently turned off all non-essential lighting at its Head Office in Ghubra to mark Earth Hour 2016. In addition, the Bank also encouraged all its employees across its nation-wide footprint to do their part and help save the environment for the Hour.

OAB’s Head Office is essentially an environmentally friendly building. It is fully equipped with auto sensors throughout all offices and corridors, which means that lights are only used when necessary and a considerable amount of power is saved on a regular basis.

Mutassim bin Hamoud Al Zadjali, Head of Corporate Communications at Oman Arab Bank,  commented, “We believe that safeguarding our eco-system and limited natural resources is the responsibility of each and every single person living on this planet. Oman Arab Bank has been observing Earth Hour for many years now and has successfully and proudly adopted a wealth of measures that aim to enhance energy efficiency, minimize waste, and of course, protect our precious planet.”

OAB has always encouraged its staff to conserve when possible and strongly advocates a paperless working environment. The Bank has also introduced a number of technology driven initiatives that aim to protect the environment while interacting with its customers including e-statements and SMS notifications among others.

Muscat, 30^th March 2016 – Oman Arab Bank (OAB) recently brought its official social media channels online to ensure customers and members of the public can stay connected to the Bank at all times at their own convenience. Within the first month since launch, OAB attracted over 5,000 followers on Facebook and over 500 on Instagram.

OAB can now be reached directly through popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Customers can benefit from the Bank’s enhanced presence, engage through many digital channels and learn about its latest developments on the go including new products and services as well as network updates.

“I am confident that our recently introduced social media channels will prove invaluable to customers as they can now reach out to us in real-time wherever they may be at a click of a button,” said Amin Al Husseini, Oman Arab Bank’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are also finalizing the Bank’s new corporate website which we plan on launching very soon to enrich the OAB digital experience further.”

Since its inception, OAB has consistently expanded its reach to meet customers’ various requirements in the best way possible. Today, the Bank has a comprehensive online footprint that is supported by over 65 strategically located branches and 123 ATMs and CDMs.

Muscat, April 5^th 2016 – Oman Arab Bank (OAB) has announced the launch of Electronic Loans (E-Loans) application system as part of its efforts to significantly reduce personal loan processing time. E-Loans is a service that allows the Bank to replace paper loan applications with electronic ones.

The digital applications are collected in the Bank branch, and receive timely approvals from relevant departments within OAB in a quick and efficient manner. The hassle-free and eco-friendly service reduces the amount of paperwork used by both customers and employees of the Bank, boosting environmental sustainability in the process. The application process begins with the customer ID information automatically captured by a reader and ends with a digital signature on a pad. The customer remains up to date with SMS texts for each step of the decision including at the time of final loan disbursement. The new system has been developed in-house and is on offer to customers across all OAB branches.

Fahd Amjad, General Manager Retail banking at Oman Arab Bank, said, “With E-loans, our aim is to first and foremost provide customers with a time efficient seamless experience at our branches. Thanks to this new service, branch employees can simply complete the application on our servers digitally, slashing processing time, increasing customer convenience and saving paper along the way.”

Since opening its doors over three decades ago, the Bank has developed an array of electronic banking solutions aimed at extending the digital lifestyle of its customers into banking. Today, the Bank stands at the forefront of e-banking in the Sultanate, harnessing the power of innovation to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Muscat, 25^th April 2016 – Demonstrating its steadfast commitment to protecting the environment, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) commemorated Earth Day 2016 with the launch of Electronic Statements (E-Statements), enabling customers to receive their monthly accounts and credit card statements online via email. Seamless and hassle-free, the eco-friendly service is part and parcel of the Bank’s efforts to utilize technology to best serve its constantly growing customer base and enhance its business proposition.

E-Statements promise to deliver greater levels of convenience to OAB’s customers as they no longer have to wait to obtain their respective printed banking statements through traditional postal facilities. Instead, customers will receive their E-Statements as soon as they are issued and view them at their own leisure on any internet enabled device wherever they may be and at any time. E-Statements will also reduce the amount of paper being used, contributing positively to the environment, a cause held dearly by OAB.

Over the years, the Bank has worked diligently to launch various on line and offline banking solutions to meet its customers’ evolving needs. Today, OAB operates over 65 strategically situated branches in high footfall locations and provides customers in Oman with a wealth of innovative products and services in Retail banking, Corporate and Project Finance, Investment Banking, Trade Finance and most recently, Islamic Banking.

Muscat, May 9^th 2016 – As part of its efforts to grant businesses of all sizes greater control and convenience when making work related payments, Oman Arab Bank (OAB) recently introduced the OAB Visa SMART Commercial Card. Efficient and secure, the cards are designed to reduce administrative costs and simplify the purchase-to-pay process while giving companies enhanced capabilities when managing their business transactions.

The SMART Commercial Card, which can be used at any location in the Sultanate, also allows companies to easily monitor costs and set spending restrictions with certain suppliers of their choice. Limits can be set on a per transaction, daily, or monthly basis while cash advances and restrictions on authorizations can be fixed with utmost ease. Furthermore, the OAB Visa SMART Commercial Cards utilize the Verified-by-Visa service for added online security and are equipped with EMV chip technology, preventing unauthorised use.

Fahd Amjad, General Manager Retail Banking at Oman Arab Bank, said, “The new OAB Visa SMART Commercial Card are secure, efficient and uncomplicated, providing organizations with the perfect tool to streamline their purchasing and procurement practices. Companies can choose to restrict payments to any merchant they choose, whether online or offline, by implementing a variety of controls as well as having the ability to monitor the cardholder’s activity.”

He added, “The introduction of this service is part and parcel of Oman Arab Bank’s commitment to offer innovative products and solutions that empower customers to manage and enhance their finances.”

Ahmed Gaber, Visa General Manager for Oman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, said, “We are delighted to partner with Oman Arab Bank in launching the OAB Visa SMART Commercial Card and bringing innovative digital payment services to cardholders in Oman. As a global payments technology company, Visa is committed to leading the development of online payment options at a time when more and more consumers in Oman and other parts of the Middle East are switching to cards from cash, both while purchasing online and in person. The partnership with Oman Arab Bank reinforces Visa’s commitment to create a safe payment network that enhances cardholder security while giving consumers an easy and efficient way to manage their finances.”

Oman Arab Bank pioneered the electronic payments business for paying government fees in the Sultanate of Oman when it launched the OAB SmartCard in 2002. The SmartCard, which was used exclusively to pay government fees, remains a favourite amongst corporates until this day and complements the Bank’s newly revealed Visa SMART Commercial Card, which offers enhanced convenience, flexibility, reliability, acceptance and security.