CBI celebrates one year on the launch of its new corporate identity

Committed to growing its banking expertise, CBI is positioned to become the largest banking institution operating in the UAE.

The year's success demonstrates the quality and diversity of the business CBI has, and the commitment of the people to realizing the bank's vision of moving banking to another level, and having the customers first, through excelling in customer service, facing the challenges of the severe competition, and rising above the noise.

Investing in growth initiatives which will help to underwrite the bank's future profit escalation, CBI identified its priorities to lift the business performance and growth, maintaining its product differentiation strategy through coupling the most affordable and highly personalized services.

Taking major steps to gain greater visibility in the UAE market, CBI established a new vibrant corporate identity, a profound customer centric approach, keeping the customer at the core of the business, maintaining flexibility in answering queries and, through keeping an eye on the market trends, regularly touching base with customers to thoroughly understand the needs, hence ensure more customer satisfaction, the bank's primary guideline and aspiration.

This new corporate identity capitalizes on CBI's history and heritage, a step into a new chapter in its progressive change. Alongside, CBI has put into action a five year strategy plan, as the bank is poised to conquer the market in a strong and aggressive manner, as well as is geared up to boost its financial capital strength to AED 1 Billion by the end of 2007. This five year plan is set to strengthen the bank's long term relationship with customers, considered to be the main streamline of the bank's vision of future developments and consistent growth.

The accuracy, accessibility, and consistency of data and information are critical business drivers for any bank's retail division. The complexity and pace of change in financial products and regulatory requirements whilst improving cost versus income ratios present continual challenges. Having extensive industry knowledge and expertise in simplifying complexity, CBI offers a broad range of services to retail banking clients, delivering solutions meeting with the unique challenges they face, focusing on understanding any business, considering all possible angles and presenting a solution that provides real value.

Varying between Personal Accounts, Credit Cards, Car Finance, Personal Loans, Housing Loans, to Commercial, Real Estate and Project Finance Loans in addition to Trade Finance, CBI delivers its services to customers though a widely spread network, but most importantly, a very personalized way.

Restructuring the business to better align with the needs of the customers, CBI developed and improved initiatives to improve the banking footprints. These initiatives include subsidiaries and affiliates of the bank, varying from a brokerage arm, to a real estate arm and an investment arm.

IFB, International Financial Brokerage, is CBI's brokerage arm, offering clients financial and share brokerage services in both Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Market. Real Estate wise, comes TRE, Takamul Real Estate, which its operations encompass possessing all of CBI's properties and renting them back to CBI's headquarters and branches. Affiliating with Al Na'eem Investments, all asset, and portfolio management are well covered and handled.

Along with investing in people and products, CBI has also invested in new technology to make it easier to customers to deal with the bank, restructuring several initiatives to deliver greater efficiency and to increase the bank's competitive leverage through innovative process and systems. Progress to date includes Silverlake for the new core banking IT system and Avaya Technology for the new Contact Centre CBI Link, operating 24/7.

Amongst the major refurbished structures are the CBI branches, as the new internal branding translates CBI's new banking experience. Moreover, diversifying the channels through new branches is another structural tactic, as throughout the coming 6 months, 7 new branches will be opened all over the country starting with Fujairah branch, followed by Um Al Quwain, Sharjah (2nd branch), Ajman, Dubai (4th branch), Abu Dhabi (2nd branch) and RAK (third branch), and reaching a total number of 15 all over.

The commitment, engagement, and enthusiasm of CBI's employees go to the heart of the bank's success and their ability to deliver on the organization's strategies. Throughout this year, CBI has increased the focus on the people with the introduction of several well being initiatives. A new training and development department was established to offer the latest in the industry trainings, aiming to enhance CBI's skills, expertise, competencies, and knowledgeable output.

On the administration front as well, CBI's Emiratization Programme reflects the true Emirati spirit of the organization, creating local opportunities as well as establishing a national comfort factor at every branch, as CBI has increased the percentage of Emiratis working with the bank by 33%.

Pursuing the organization's clear goal in regular dialogues with customers, CBI's pure mission is by far trespassing all the traditional banking solutions and services, maximizing Shareholder's equity, in addition to nurturing a motivated workforce maintaining quality and efficiency standards.

After the launch of its new identity, CBI was ranked 6 out of 25 leading brands in terms of strength, and 10 out of 25 in terms of value. CBI is striving to accomplish major developments accomplishing its five-year strategic plan, revolving around major expansions, ensuring the highest profits of the bank's shareholders, and achieving the best in growth in various business related to its valued customers.

On the long term, CBI will remain committed to executing a growth-oriented business plan that focuses on profitability, superior customer service, and ever-increasing stockholder value.