Sector: Retail banking

UAE government attempts to paper cracks in banking system

With liquidity locking up and financial recruitment showing signs of cooling, the UAE government has been quick to ensure the trickle of pessimism in the markets doesn’t turn into a flood. It has implemented a series of measures designed to shore up confidence in the region’s banking sector. President Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan [...]

By Paul Clarke, 13 October 2008 • 0 comments

More opportunities in retail banking

Lloyd’s TSB, the UK bank, is planning to open a full-scale branch network in the GCC, in a sign that more international banks are going to make efforts to break the branch restrictions currently placed on them by regulatory authorities. Local banks in the GCC offer far more job opportunities at the moment. They currently [...]

By Paul Clarke, 24 July 2008 • 15 comments

Bahrain is back

With healthy profits last year, and plans for up to 20% rise in assets, the Bahraini banking sector is suddenly looking like a more attractive place to work. The liberalisation of Bahrain’s investment laws has seen the assets of Bahrain’s banks rise by over 30% in 2007 to $285bn, according to a report by Securities [...]

By Paul Clarke, 30 May 2008 • 7 comments

Demand for bankers set to sky-rocket in the GCC

Financial services firms in the GCC are set to increase their headcount by 30% in the next few years, and up to 50,000 more jobs could be created. A study by Hewitt Associates shows that banks in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Jordan are laggards when it comes to recruiting enough people to cope [...]

By Paul Clarke, 28 May 2008 • 3 comments

Are UAE nationals paid too much?

As banks scrabble to meet their Emiratisation targets, wages for UAE nationals are going through the roof. Is this really fair? Inside the cosy freezone of the Dubai International Financial Centre, financial institutions can take on who they like, even though they’ll tell you they encourage localisation initiatives. Outside, however, it’s a whole different story. [...]

By Paul Clarke, 23 May 2008 • 4 comments

The rush for retail staff

It might not be the most glamorous facet of the financial sector, but if you want a job in a retail bank, employers are falling over themselves to take you on. The Middle East is a land of new banks and mergers among existing ones. The establishment of Noor Islamic Bank kick-started 2007, for instance, [...]

By Paul Clarke, 18 April 2008 • 3 comments