Emirates Islamic Bank wins the prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum Business Award for the finance category

The awards ceremony was held yesterday the 4th of March 2008 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

EIB was chosen over a number of contenders, including some of the biggest regional and global financial houses. The award was given by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Group to EIB chairman Mr. Saeed Mohamed Al Sharid. The Finance Award is one of the most sought-after categories within the MRM Business Awards, and has been a part of the awards since its inception.

The awards follow a stringent criterion for assessing the applications received, and every aspect of the applicant's performance that has lead to its outstanding business achievement is reviewed before the winner is chosen.

The primary aim of the awards is to recognise the most successful companies in the region and honour them for the role they have played in setting new financial and economic parameters for others to emulate. Banking institutions as well as non-banking financial entities such as insurance firms, finance companies and investment houses that are a part of the development of the UAE are taken into consideration for the award.

'Winning the MRM Business Award for the finance category is a great honour for Emirates Islamic Bank' said Mr. Ibrahim Fayez Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Islamic Bank. 'It is a reflection of our commitment towards excellence, the passion we have for being the best financial services organization for our customers and the confidence our shareholders have in our strategic vision. Equally importantly, it is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our greatest asset, our employees, and I would like to thank each and every one of them for their stellar efforts' he added.

What makes the achievement even more significant is that EIB is the only bank to have won the award within just three years of its existence, indicating the rapid strides the bank has made to be up there with the best. Al Shamsi praised the role played by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum business awards in the success of improving and rewarding top performers in various sectors of the economy.