national bank of abu dhabi appoint new gm for abu dhabi national islamic finance
National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has announced the appointment of Mr Aref Al Khouri as General Manager of Abu Dhabi National Islamic Finance (ADNIF), the Islamic finance subsidiary and the Islamic banking window of NBAD.
Mr. Al Khouri, a UAE national, has a Bachelor in Business Administration from California and an MBA in Finance & Accounting from Colorado, USA. He has a wealth of experience gained from high level positions held during 18 years in one of the top investment companies of the world and a premier Islamic bank in the UAE. He has developed strong business ties with clientele in the banking sector and business circles in the UAE and abroad.
Commenting on Mr. Al Khouri’s appointment, Mr. Michael Tomalin, NBAD’s Chief Executive said, “The rapid growth of the banking and financial services sector in the UAE represents a challenge to the industry. We need to diversify our services, accelerate the development of products, and raise standards to meet the expectations of customers. ADNIF, to be launched soon, will face these challenges and add value to NBAD and the banking industry. Mr Al Khouri has a thorough knowledge and extensive background of Islamic banking, and is well equipped to handle this challenging job. His appointment is also in accordance with NBAD's policy of Emiratisation and its continuous efforts to ensure the progress of UAE national development,” NBAD’s CE concluded.
In his new role as General Manager of ADNIF, Mr. Al Khouri plans to tackle the competition by ensuring a clear positioning strategy for ADNIF launch through his team of young & well experienced Islamic bankers in corporate, retail finance, operations; to offer dedicated personalized services including treasury, investment services, ladies banking, etc.; Structuring & launch of Sharia compliant total banking solutions with ‘real-time’ value for end-users, Islamic product innovation, co branding with preferred business associates would be the area of focus.
Al Khouri commented, “With the continuous growth of the UAE economy, it is imperative to diversify the finance options to meet the high demand for personal and corporate finance. Islamic finance’s competitive market requires us to exert more efforts so as to meet customer demands and offer the best service,” he added.
