Author Archives: Mohammed Abdelkareem

Egypt Banks

With a belief that Egypt’s welfare lies in the quality of its human resources, and that Egyptians deserve the best health and education, We Owe it to Egypt foundation was established in January 2007, being the first to be established by a bank in Egypt: Arab African International Bank. The foundation’s vision is to be the national drive for significant impact and sustainable development in Egypt’s health and education sectors.

Towards this end, the foundation seeks pooling patriotic resources to establish centers of excellence in health and education.

We Owe it to Egypt foundation is distinguished in various ways:

* The first Operational foundation versus traditional Grant giving foundations, as it believes in hands-on experience in managing its projects. We Owe it to Egypt focuses on sustainability through building structures and processes and instilling full ownership across its projects.

* We Owe it to Egypt leverages a track record; prior to its establishment as a foundation in 2007, it owns a track record of serious achievements in Abou Reesh hospital since 2004 when it was an initiative launched by AAIB.

* All donations and contributions go in full to recipients as AAIB covers all administrative and overhead costs.

The foundation is set on building centers of excellence in two of Egypt’s largest public sector educational medical centers:

Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital (Abou El Reesh): Egypt’s oldest and biggest specialized pediatrics hospital that provides treatment for more than 1 million poor children each year. It is the only in the Middle East that offers free help to children at all ages and in all specialties.

Since 2004, the foundation has been holding the vision of turning Abou El Reesh as a center of excellence through upgrading the hospital’s infrastructure, providing training for nurses, inaugurating new specialized medical units, upgrading facilities. Recently, the foundation in cooperation with Cairo University has mandated the Joint Commission an international accreditation institute to provide an assessment and a roadmap to prepare the hospital for accreditation; a serious endeavor that requires pooling patriotic resources. In addition, the foundation has purchased a land to help establish a new annex hospital to be funded by JAICA (Japanese Aid).

The National Cancer Institute: Egypt’s largest cancer treating institution, We Owe it to Egypt is continuing its vision through establishing two centers of excellence; the operating rooms and the intensive care unit, which will help in cutting the waiting lists to half and improve the quality of medical services.

“We Owe it to Egypt” is a call for collective action; an invitation for corporations and individuals nationwide to join and seize the opportunity to build our generation’s legacy and have a chapter of history written about our incessant and sincere attempts as organizations to “make a difference”.

According to Dar Al Efta’a Fatwa number 534/164; we owe it to Egypt is eligible for receiving Sadaqa donations for buildings, infrastructure, and maintenance projects. While Zakat donations can go for purchasing of equipments, medications, treatment, accommodation and food.

Want to find out more about Private Egyptian banks, then visit Arab African International Bank’s site on how to choose the best Financial groups Egypt for your needs.

Egypt Banks

Egypt’s transformation into one of the emerging economic powerhouses of the twenty-first century has been powered by a combination of smart, reformist economic policies and the hard work and innovation of the private sector. To business leaders here, success is about more than just profits.

“For the country’s growing population to have a brighter future, Egypt needs to create over 700,000 new jobs every single year, which will require average economic growth of 7% per annum,” says Hassan Abdalla, vice chairman and managing director of Arab African International Bank (AAIB), one of the nation’s leading private-sector financial institutions.

With a pro-business government now implementing long-term economic reforms,www.aaib.com the time is right for banks such as AAIB to kick-start an exciting new phase of economic history. Abdalla sees much potential in the future of banking in Egypt and believes in market dynamics and the automatic evolution of financial systems. Given the depth of the Egyptian market, he stresses the need to broaden the financial system beyond banking to include other forms of financing such as private equity funds, consumer finance companies, especially mortgage finance, leasing and venture capital. Empowering SMEs is another crucial area for invigorating the financial system. To a considerable extent, these developments are in the process, but they need to have the proper regulations to have them work effectively. This is perceived as increasingly the role to be played by the private sector and NGOs with the government role tilting towards becoming the regulator.

Arab African International Bank is well-equipped to lead change in the Egyptian financial market. Abdalla is the CEO who leveraged the bank to become a forerunner in the Egyptian market in a record time. A visionary banker with a piercing insight partly attributed to his long experience in international financial markets in Europe and the U.S, a deep feel of the potentials of the local market and the inherent competitiveness of AAIB. “It is our deep knowledge of the market, our ability to move fast, our ability to face less risk in innovative ways, and to serve our clients with deep understanding of their needs”, he says.

Established as the first private sector bank in Egypt in 1964, AAIB has placed itself at the centre of an exciting emerging economy through a long, successful history that has combined innovation and trusted partnerships with its customers – from individual account holders to industrial conglomerates. AAIB has posted the industry’s top growth figures for five years running as the Egyptian economy liberalizes and expands. From being the first bank to introduce a foreign currency trading desk in the 1960s to the introduction of credit cards in the 1980s and smart cards in 2003, AAIB has always ensured that its clients enjoy innovative services from a trusted local partner. The bank’s status as the leading private-sector player in Egypt has been affirmed by awards from international observers including Euromoney (“Best Bank in Egypt” for 2007) and the Financial Times, whose banking publication The Banker named AAIB Egypt’s “Bank of the Year” in 2006. International ratings agency Moody’s, in recognizing the bank’s solid prospects moving forward, upgraded its credit rating for the bank in 2006, moving it from an “A” with a positive outlook to “A+” with a stable outlook.

Want to find out more about Egypt banks , then visit Arab African International Bank’s site on how to choose the best Banks in Egypt for your needs.

categories: Banks in Egypt,Top banks in Egypt,Best banks in Egypt,Private Egyptian banks,Corporate banking in Egypt,Wealth management,Corporate social responsibility,CSR,Certificates of Deposit,Financial groups Egypt

Superbrands 2010 Profile

Arab African International Bank

Along a history of solid banking tradition since its establishment in 1964, AAIB is Egypt’s fastest growing bank in terms of size and profitability. Its compounded average growth rate for deposit and loan portfolio has consistently outperformed market norms.

Arab African international Bank providing innovative services with a strong regional presence, being the gateway for international business into the region.

AAIB Achievements

Arab African International Bank holds the record for being Egypt’s first in various banking achievements

1. The First to have an International foreign exchange dealing room.

2- AAIB introduce credit cards in the 1980s, opening the world of credit to its clients and merchants across Egypt.

3. The First to launch mid and long term foreign time deposits (Green Pearls)

4. The First to launch Smart technology in credit cards- awarded by Visa International as a pioneer in introducing the latest generation of Smart Cards.

5. The First to launch a competition for undergraduate students “AAIB Award”.

6. The First to extend its working hours at all branches, providing clients with full services from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

7. The First to establish a foundation for social development “We Owe it to Egypt”.

8. The First to introduce Visa Mini credit cards, Egypt’s smallest credit card.8. The First to introduce Visa Mini credit cards, Egypt’s smallest credit card.

9. The First to introduce Merchant Loans (Details at Retail-Products section).

10. The First to introduce social and environmental risk in corporate finance.

AAIB History

the first Arab multinational bank in Egypt, Arab African International Bank was established by Special Law as a joint venture between the Central Bank of Egypt and Kuwait Investment Authority. Since its inception, AAIB has been known as one of the most distinguished corporate and investment banks in the region. Each holding a 49.37% stake, the Central Bank of Egypt and the Kuwait Investment Authority form the core of AAIB’s shareholder base.

Since its establishment, and throughout the mid 1970s, AAIB grew to be one of the most important financial institutions in the region, with international branches spreading all over the world (London, Lebanon, New York, Tunisia, Oman, Bahrain, The UAE…etc.), the bank was thriving with a booming middle eastern economy at the time. In the 1980s (which was named the lost decade), and with the Latin American debt crisis that resounded all over the globe, AAIB faced hard times till mid 1990s.

AAIB is maintaining its core competence as a corporate bank. It is also taking breakthrough strides in retail activities through expanding its innovative product range and geographic presence in the most commercially strategic locations.

Financial Group

AAIB offers an ever-broadening range of services to the entire region, the AAIB grop has developed new business arms.

Arab African Investment Holding (AAIH), Arab African Investment Management (AAIM) and Arab African International Securities (AAIS).

AAIM and AAIS. In addition to becoming one of Egypt’s leading investment institutions, AAIH is now targeting the entire Middle East region as a potential field of activity.

Established in late 2006, AAIM currently manages three funds together with investment portfolios on behalf of organisations and private individuals. In 2009, the Egyptian Investment Association recognized the group’s (Shield) Equity Fund as the best performing open end equity fund for achieving 33 per cent annual growth. In April 2009, the group launched (Juman) Money Market Fund, it was oversubscribed in less than a week from its launch. The company ended 2009 by managing the SMEs money market fund which the bank launched in cooperation with the Industrialized Modernization Centre (IMC).

The firm offers a full range of brokerage activities including same-day trading, online trading and margin lending, offering its customers secure instant and integrated trading via the internet at a competitive rate. AAIS is widely acknowledged as having one of the best award-winning teams of technical analysts in the region. Recently, the group acquired Real-estate Mortgage House (RMH), a company previously owned by Global Investment House .

Arab African International Bank Products and Services

Corporate

Arab African International Bank is a major contributor to the Egyptian debt capital market with a powerful role in structuring, managing, book-running and successfully closing syndicated loans. This has further consolidated AAIB’s core competency in investment and corporate banking, and bond markets positioning the bank as a high-end service provider of innovative and customized solutions to leading local and regional corporates and international investors.

the bank led a number of major syndications in the fields of infrastructure and construction, which has further strengthened its position as a leading investment bank in the region. Enjoying a strong customer base and an active corporate strategy, AAIB’s branches in the Emirates are considered the launching point for expansion into the Gulf.

Retail

AAIB sees retail as a viable growth area and a fertile field for introducing innovative products and services to the market.

AAIB is the first to introduce credit cards to Egypt in the eighties and the chip technology in 2003 through its capacity as both issuer and acquirer. In 2007, AAIB launched a variety of innovative products and services. With the Visa Mini Card, it introduced the smallest credit card to the Egyptian market following earlier introduction of smart technology.

The Bank also strengthened its Merchant Program by launching merchant loans availing optimal financing to expand size and scope of their business activities guaranteed by the value of total electronic payment transactions settled between the bank and the merchants, thus eliminating the need for collaterals or personal guarantees. Along with this, Click2Shop complements AAIB’s merchant portfolio, being an internet payment gateway enabling merchants to accept online payments via their websites. The program is securely coded by international MasterCard and an authorized license by Visa (VBV). As for its AutoLoan program, it is still meeting increased customer demand, contributing to the enlarged number of facilities granted.

Arab African International Bank Wealth Management

Arab African International Bank launched its new private banking services under the corporate brand name “Wealth Management “.

Wealth Management created to address the distinctive banking and lifestyle needs of high net worth clients through the pursuit of an active financial advisory process leveraging on the bank’s diversified product range, competency of its affiliated subsidiaries and regional presence.

Throughout the new service AAIB continues its role as an active financial advisor to its clients. That is evident through the comprehensive protocol followed by Wealth Management’s financial advisors with a client, starting with the profiling stage followed with an adequate asset allocation coupled with regular follow ups for reviews and/or rebalancing which guarantees the growth of client’s returns and his trust in a true partnership with AAIB.

Arab African International Bank Wealth Management adopts an active financial advisory approach with its high net worth clients targeting to maximize returns on their investment portfolios within predefined risk levels, building on the bank’s full fledged investment arms, offering their client the best chance to securely invest without the need to risk outside the bank parameter.

Brand Values

Corporate brand is a combination of a strong image, values and culture. The name Arab African International Bank has been associated with characteristics such as confidence, Distinction, Dynamism, Empowerment, Integrity, Passion and Patriotism.

Arab African International Bank internal and external communication emanates from the bank’s slogan of “Confidence…Distinction”. Believing that a strong brand has to address key values of integrity, AAIB’s “Confidence” and “Distinction” signature is becoming inherently imprinted in its brand DNA.

Promotion

This Brand is much evident in the bank’s pioneering edge in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through reconceptualising the concept of connecting the growth of the institution to the growth in society. The bank’s role goes beyond profit-making to include a moral mission to the society. This has been reflected in its strong commitment to embed CSR in all its policies and practices.

AAIB’s mandate to add value to stakeholders was institutionalized through establishing a CSR Unit with the objective of enacting professional adherence to codes of conducts and ethics in dealing with stakeholders. This inclination is enforced through AAIB’s engagement within international organizations that enlighten and substantiate its CSR policies. AAIB is Egypt’s only bank to be a member of the UN Global Compact which focuses on human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. AAIB has also joined London Benchmark Group (LBG), a London-based organization that provides standard parameters measuring the effectiveness of corporate contribution to community development.

In January 2009, AAIB became the first and only Egyptian bank to adopt the Equator Principles, a banking industry framework for addressing environmental and social risks in project financing. AAIB believes that finance – in present times – has to strengthen its role of becoming a force behind positive socio-environmental change around the world. A leader in corporate finance in Egypt’s growing and well diversified economy, AAIB has vested interest in adopting Equator Principles to further substantiate social, environmental, and moral considerations across different sectors of the economy, particularly through its vast network of corporate clients.

Over 8 months, the students go through a structured process of professional training, coaching and guidance. An advisory board of professionals help train them to do presentations, feasibility studies and understand retail, corporate finance as well as treasury services. At the end, we choose three winning groups who receive a financial prize along with non-material benefits. The financial winners are three groups, but the beneficiaries are really everyone who competed and got the exposure and experience testified by the fact that most of those who competed ended with commendable career opportunities.

Arab African International Bank launched its foundation for social development, “We Owe it to Egypt”. Although established by the bank, its scope and objectives extend far beyond the bank’s identity with its primary goal to enact a nation-wide initiative that inspires and mobilizes the corporate sector towards making a fundamental and positive difference in the fields of public health and education in Egypt.

AAIB believes that its “raison d’tre”, growth and success are all ultimately focused on delivering value to clients. It embraced an undertaking to raising the bar of Customer Delight in financial services, pledging not only distinguished products and services but exclusive experience across all contact points. Towards this end, AAIB is mobilizing its resources while seeking continuous engagements with clients.

Arab African International Bank has won the following awards:

2010 Best Financial Group – World Finance

2010 Quality Recognition Award – J.P Morgan Chase

2008 Bank of the Year – The Banker

2008 Best Bank in Egypt – Euromoney

2008 Quality Recognition Award – J.P Morgan Chase

2007 Best Bank in Egypt – Euromoney

2007 Quality Recognition Award – J.P Morgan Chase

2006 Bank of the Year – The Banker

2006 Visa Innovation Award – Visa

Looking to find the best deal on Wealth Management #1, then visit Arab African International Bank’s site on how to choose the best Global Investments Egypt #2 for your needs.

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