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Business / Qatar Business

QIB named as ‘Best Managed Bank’ and ‘Best Bank CEO Response’ during COVID-19 in Qatar

Published: 18 Oct 2020 - 08:41 am | Last Updated: 04 Nov 2021 - 11:29 am
Peninsula

The Peninsula

Doha: The Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has announced the recognition of QIB’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bassel Gamal, as the winner of the “Best Bank CEO Response to COVID-19 in Qatar” award by The Asian Banker Leadership Achievement Awards 2020. QIB was also named the “Best Managed Bank during COVID-19 in Qatar”. 

This top recognition reflects QIB’s outstanding response to the COVID-19 pandemic delivered through the guidance of its Board of Directors and Gamal’s leadership in navigating the Bank to deliver the safest, most trusted, and effective banking services to both retail and corporate customers since March.

Attended by top executives and senior bankers from across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, Gamal received the two prestigious awards via a virtual awards ceremony recently. 

Speaking during the event, Gamal said: “I am honoured to receive those awards today on behalf of QIB’s Board of Directors and all my colleagues. From the outbreak of the pandemic, the safety of both our employees and customers was and still is our absolute number one priority. Within the framework of our business continuity plans and thanks to our recent investments in digital transformation, we have succeeded to impeccably continue offering the fastest, safest and most convenient banking services to all our retail and corporate customers, allowing them to fulfill all their banking needs safely and remotely”. 

He added: “During this last period, we have further accelerated the introduction of new digital products and services to our mobile and online platforms. We have added more features that allow retail and corporate customers to manage holistically their accounts and relationship with the Bank. We have also introduced new functionality to allow previously “unbanked” segments of the society, such as Domestic Workers, to open a bank account digitally and fulfil all their banking needs, such as fast remittances and payments through the mobile app. We have also increased the capabilities of our Call Center to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of our customers under any circumstances.”

Gamal also reiterated that the Bank has extended its support to corporate and individual customers during the pandemic by deferring financial installments for the sectors most hit by the crisis, in line with the governmental and Qatar Central Bank’s directives. 

“We are actively participating in the COVID-19  response programmes initiated by the government and the Qatar Central Bank. These two awards are also a recognition of QIB’s contribution to the nation-wide efforts led by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, the Ministry of Public Health and other entities that continue to play a key role in keeping the community safe. We are sincerely thankful to all of them for their great efforts.” he added.