Latest news with #BenNaylor
Saraha News
25-06-2025
- Business
- Saraha News
Bank ABC named ‘Best Digital Bank' and ‘Best Bank for Sustainable Finance' in Bahrain at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 202
Sarha news-Bank ABC, one of MENA's leading international banks, was awarded two prestigious awards for groundbreaking innovation in its corporate banking offering and driving impact in the region's sustainable finance landscape in the country Manama, Bahrain: Bank ABC has been recognised as the 'Best Digital Bank' and 'Best Bank for Sustainable Finance' in Bahrain at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025, held in Dubai on 20 May. The accolades highlight the Bank's transformative approach to corporate banking and its growing leadership in the sustainable finance landscape A delegation from Bank ABC received the awards at the high-profile ceremony, which also saw wins for its subsidiaries – Bank ABC Islamic and ila Bank, the Group's digital mobile-only bank, reinforcing the Group's collective innovation and impact With over four decades of experience across frontier and emerging markets, Bank ABC continues to redefine financial services through an ambitious digital transformation and sustainability-led growth strategy. These double wins stand as a testament to the Bank's commitment to delivering cutting-edge financial solutions while accelerating the transition to sustainable operations across its global network Commenting on the recognition, Sael Al Waary, Group CEO of Bank ABC, said: 'We are honoured to be recognised by Euromoney as Bahrain's Best Digital Bank and Best Bank for Sustainable Finance. These awards reaffirm our position as a leader in innovation and underscore our responsibility to shape a more sustainable future. As we empower our clients with innovative digital capabilities, we remain equally committed to enabling their transition to future-proof, purpose-driven businesses. I sincerely thank Euromoney for this recognition and my colleagues across the Bank ABC Group for their dedication to building MENA's international bank of the future' Bank ABC's ongoing digital evolution has redefined the benchmark for wholesale banking in the region. Leveraging deep market insight and tailored financial solutions, the Bank supports clients across strategic sectors including logistics, petrochemicals, and technology, among other sectors With innovation at the core of its strategy, Bank ABC has made significant strides in digital banking, AI-driven automation, and blockchain integration. The Bank's Wholesale Banking Corporate Portal delivers a reimagined corporate banking experience, offering clients a personalised, AI-powered interface that provides a seamless access to products and services – alongside actionable insights for smarter financial decisions. Ben Naylor, Global Head of Research at Euromoney commented, 'Bank ABC's transformative digital strategy and innovative solutions were especially impressive. Its launch of an AI-powered corporate portal and enhanced trade finance platform, added significant efficiencies for clients. It also enhanced its cross-border payments and FX services, and notably upgraded its AI assistant.' On the sustainable finance front, Bank ABC has demonstrated a clear commitment to embedding Environmental, Social and Governance principles across its value chain. The Bank's Sustainability Strategy is driving meaningful progress towards an inclusive, low-carbon economy, while supporting clients in their transition to more responsible business models. Further highlighting the Bank's leadership, Ben Naylor added, 'A comprehensive ESG strategy, executive-driven governance, and impactful initiatives like green sukuk issuance and renewable energy financing saw Bank ABC recognised as Bahrain's leader in sustainable finance. Its workforce training, long-term environmental goals, and commitment to clean energy underscored its commitment to the sector.' The Euromoney Awards for Excellence is one of the industry's most authoritative and respected awards programmes, recognising world-class financial institutions that demonstrate innovation, leadership and meaningful impact in banking.
Biz Bahrain
29-05-2025
- Business
- Biz Bahrain
NBB Named Best Bank in Bahrain at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025
The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has been named Best Bank in Bahrain at the 2025 Euromoney Awards for Excellence for its standout financial performance, digital transformation initiatives and customer centric approach throughout the past year. The Bank was also honoured as Best Bank for ESG and Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility, reaffirming its role as a national leader in responsible banking and meaningful community investments. Commenting on the occasion, Usman Ahmed, Group Chief Executive Officer of NBB stated, 'The recognition as Bahrain's Best Bank is the result of a focused strategy, with execution rooted in robust governance, innovation-led banking, and a pledge to contribute to national development. We continue to build on our legacy by enhancing client offerings through digitalisation, integrating sustainability into our business at every level and expanding regionally. These awards reflect the collective efforts of our team, who remain passionate about pursuing excellence across all aspects of the NBB Group's operations.' For his part, Ben Naylor, Global Head of Research at Euromoney, remarked, 'NBB achieved strong growth with a 7% rise in assets and 11% increase in profits. The Bank advanced its digital transformation agenda, expanded sustainably, and launched Bahrain's first Bitcoin-linked investment product. Strategic execution boosted lending by 16%, while its continued emphasis on sustainability and innovation is helping reshape Bahrain's banking sector. NBB's diverse initiatives encompass CSR, employee engagement, and community support. In 2024, the Bank backed vulnerable groups, supported youth sports and education, launched a donations fund for urgent needs, and led notable environmental efforts. They also inaugurated a LEED Platinum-certified branch, launched a new Sustainable Management Committee, and recorded major energy and emissions reductions, demonstrating a firm commitment to ESG principles. These efforts were complemented with the financing of key social infrastructure, leading Bahrain's first sustainability-linked interest rate swap, advancing sustainable finance and governance standards.' The Bank's innovation-driven ethos remained a defining strength throughout the year, with an 84% increase in newly onboarded retail customers via digital channels and a 23% increase in digitally registered users. NBB launched a host of solutions that serve the dynamic needs of its business as well as consumer banking segments. Further expanding its consumer banking proposition to cater to younger customer demographics, the Bank introduced the Yalla Family Account. The product is offered as part of the NBB Digital Banking app to instil responsible spending habits among the youth, while allowing parents to onboard their children and manage their accounts directly through the digital experience. Staying ahead of the trends shaping global financial markets, NBB also introduced the GCC's first Bitcoin-linked structured investment product. The offering is designed for accredited investors and provides them with capital-protected exposure to Bitcoin's performance, thereby marking a pioneering investment solution that combines innovation with risk management. For its business clientele, the Bank delivered DigiCorp, a revamped corporate banking platform that offers secure and efficient financial management. Complementing DigiCorp were DigiConnect, a new host-to-host integration solution designed to streamline payment and reconciliation processes for large corporates, and the Enterprise Liquidity Management Solution (eLMS), which helps clients optimise balances, pool funds from different accounts, and manage daily liquidity. Additionally, NBB Go, Bahrain's first SoftPOS (Software Point-of-Sale) solution, enabled small merchants to use their NFC-enabled Android smartphones to securely accept payments. Together, these three Euromoney Awards for Excellence further reinforce NBB's purpose-driven vision that is redefining modern banking and reinforce its position as Bahrain's leading financial institution.
Daily Tribune
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
NBB Named Best Bank in Bahrain at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025
And Additionally Recognised for Outstanding Leadership in ESG and Corporate Responsibility The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has been named Best Bank in Bahrain at the 2025 Euromoney Awards for Excellence for its standout financial performance, digital transformation initiatives and customer centric approach throughout the past year. The Bank was also honoured as Best Bank for ESG and Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility, reaffirming its role as a national leader in responsible banking and meaningful community investments. Commenting on the occasion, Usman Ahmed, Group Chief Executive Officer of NBB stated, 'The recognition as Bahrain's Best Bank is the result of a focused strategy, with execution rooted in robust governance, innovation-led banking, and a pledge to contribute to national development. We continue to build on our legacy by enhancing client offerings through digitalisation, integrating sustainability into our business at every level and expanding regionally. These awards reflect the collective efforts of our team, who remain passionate about pursuing excellence across all aspects of the NBB Group's operations." For his part, Ben Naylor, Global Head of Research at Euromoney, remarked, 'NBB achieved strong growth with a 7% rise in assets and 11% increase in profits. The Bank advanced its digital transformation agenda, expanded sustainably, and launched Bahrain's first Bitcoin-linked investment product. Strategic execution boosted lending by 16%, while its continued emphasis on sustainability and innovation is helping reshape Bahrain's banking sector. NBB's diverse initiatives encompass CSR, employee engagement, and community support. In 2024, the Bank backed vulnerable groups, supported youth sports and education, launched a donations fund for urgent needs, and led notable environmental efforts. They also inaugurated a LEED Platinum-certified branch, launched a new Sustainable Management Committee, and recorded major energy and emissions reductions, demonstrating a firm commitment to ESG principles. These efforts were complemented with the financing of key social infrastructure, leading Bahrain's first sustainability-linked interest rate swap, advancing sustainable finance and governance standards.' The Bank's innovation-driven ethos remained a defining strength throughout the year, with an 84% increase in newly onboarded retail customers via digital channels and a 23% increase in digitally registered users. NBB launched a host of solutions that serve the dynamic needs of its business as well as consumer banking segments. Further expanding its consumer banking proposition to cater to younger customer demographics, the Bank introduced the Yalla Family Account. The product is offered as part of the NBB Digital Banking app to instil responsible spending habits among the youth, while allowing parents to onboard their children and manage their accounts directly through the digital experience. Staying ahead of the trends shaping global financial markets, NBB also introduced the GCC's first Bitcoin-linked structured investment product. The offering is designed for accredited investors and provides them with capital-protected exposure to Bitcoin's performance, thereby marking a pioneering investment solution that combines innovation with risk management. For its business clientele, the Bank delivered DigiCorp, a revamped corporate banking platform that offers secure and efficient financial management. Complementing DigiCorp were DigiConnect, a new host-to-host integration solution designed to streamline payment and reconciliation processes for large corporates, and the Enterprise Liquidity Management Solution (eLMS), which helps clients optimise balances, pool funds from different accounts, and manage daily liquidity. Additionally, NBB Go, Bahrain's first SoftPOS (Software Point-of-Sale) solution, enabled small merchants to use their NFC-enabled Android smartphones to securely accept payments. Together, these three Euromoney Awards for Excellence further reinforce NBB's purpose-driven vision that is redefining modern banking and reinforce its position as Bahrain's leading financial institution.
