Emirates Islamic Bank signals 'aggressive' expansion



Emirates Islamic Bank expects to resume "aggressive" lending and expansion this year, hoping to shrug off the effects of a loss-making first quarter as well as recent regulations on banks.

The Sharia-compliant lender expects to open five branches throughout the Emirates this year, said Faisal Aqil, the bank's deputy chief executive.

"This year, we've hired around 80 new staff, 60 of which were UAE nationals," he said.

"The plan is to add another 90 [staff]."

The new recruits will be hired "across the UAE" for the retail and small business lending divisions. The increased hiring comes as a number of banks reduce staff numbers in the UAE.

In spite of the Emirates Islamic Bank's expansion plans, a proposed tie with the UAE's Roads and Transport Authority has been delayed until at least next month, Mr Aqil added.

The plan would have allowed customers in Dubai to use a debit or credit card in place of their existing Metro cards.

The card, linked to a bank account with Emirates Islamic Bank or Emirates NBD, would have been automatically topped up and could have been used for payments for Metro, water taxis and parking tickets.

The launch of the so-called combi-card was initially scheduled for April.

The expansion drive comes after a change of management at Emirates Islamic Bank last month with Abdullah Showaiter taking over from the former chief executive Ebrahim Fayez al Shamsi. The bank, which is owned by Emirates NBD, hopes to turn around a loss of Dh20 million (US$5.4m) in the first quarter of this year, largely a result of provisions on bad debts totalling Dh108.5m.

The bank's new strategy aims to pare down lending to the troubled property sector and concentrate instead on sectors including oil and gas, tourism, retail andmanufacturing, Mr Aqil said.

"We've started lending and being aggressive again, and focusing on areas that we believe have good potential for growth," he said. New regulation by the Central Bank has limited the growth prospects for retail lending, but lending to small and medium-sized businesses looked attractive, said Mr Aqil.

However, the Central Bank has also stipulated that banks lower their corporate lending rates to help to bolster the domestic economy, creating another potential threat to bank margins.

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
  • Brentford v Arsenal
  • Burnley v Brighton
  • Chelsea v Crystal Palace
  • Everton v Southampton
  • Leicester City v Wolves
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