Standard Chartered appoints new Head of Distribution

In his new role, Ali, 36, will lead the repositioning of SCB's UAE network, following the successful amalgamation with Grindlays Bank, completed late last year.

Ray Ferguson, Standard Chartered Bank's Chief Executive Officer, said: "Ali's experience and readiness for this role speaks for itself. He has an exemplary career path with Grindlays Bank and now with Standard Chartered Bank that others should aspire to follow."

During the integration of Standard Chartered Grindlays and Standard Chartered Bank, Ali took over as Branch Manager, Dubai and Jebel Ali, playing a key role in the amalgamation.

Married with two sons and a daughter, Al Abedin joined the bank in 1990 as a customer services officer. Since that time, he has worked his way up through the various divisions and departments of the bank. He is currently undertaking an International Business MBA at the University of Wollongong, Dubai.

"This is a very exciting time for me and for SCB," said Al Abedin, "I intend to help make SCB the top foreign bank in the UAE, while it strives to become the UAE's benchmark for customer service and quality."

SCB in the UAE aims to make all department managers UAE nationals by 2005, and has a 30% Emiratisation target for the end of 2003.

As part of this emiratisation drive, His Excellency Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, UAE Minister of Transport and Head of the Human Resources Development Committee for the Financial Sector, recently inaugurated 'Intelaq', a two-month long SCB induction course involving 50 Emiratis from all emirates and diverse backgrounds.

Standard Chartered Bank this year celebrates its 150th anniversary as an international institution. The bank has been operating in the UAE for 45 years.

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