Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, has been named ‘Bank of the Year – UAE 2015’, and as a first for a UAE-based bank, ‘Bank of the Year – Middle East 2015’ by The Banker, a leading banking industry publication.

The awards, considered among the most prestigious by the global banking community, recognise Emirates NBD’s strong financials and pioneering approach to innovation in digital banking.

In awarding the top regional and UAE titles to Emirates NBD, The Banker stated that “Emirates NBD has pursued an almost peerless approach to digital and technological innovation over the past 18 months. This strategy has positioned the bank not only as regional leader but as one of a handful of lenders globally that can lay claim to being a pioneer in the development of new technology.”

Shayne Nelson, Group CEO, Emirates NBD said: “We are honoured to be recognised by a prestigious institution such as The Banker as the best bank in the UAE as well as being the first in the UAE to win best bank in the Middle East. Over the years, we have made smart investments in technology innovation and operations to transform the customer experience across retail and corporate divisions as well as introduce banking solutions that have put us at par with some of the most advanced banks globally. We are pleased that our efforts have yielded in industry-wide recognition as we continue to set benchmarks amongst our peers.”

Emirates NBD is now in its third year of a successful multichannel transformation strategy, with the number of customers using digital channels rising by 106 per cent over this period, while digital transactions jumped by 175 per cent. The bank has introduced a series of first to market innovations including mobile cheque deposit technology, mePay (mobile-to-mobile money transfer) and DirectRemit, a toll-free cross-border funds remittances platform, available via online and mobile banking channels.

Beyond these developments, Emirates NBD is emerging as a regional banking leader through an increased physical footprint, especially following its acquisition of BNP Paribas’ Egyptian unit, completed in 2013. The bank is now the eighth largest private lender in the country. Emirates NBD’s investment banking business has also enjoyed notable success with Emirates Capital standing out as the highest ranked Middle East bank on the International Sukuk league tables. – TradeArabia News Service