Sharjah Islamic Bank appoints Sahara as media consultant

According to the terms of the agreement, Sahara will provide SIB with public relations services, including media coverage across the GCC covering the bank's activities and latest updates.

Mr. Saad said:

"Islamic Banking is currently one of the most competitive economic sectors. With the global financial crisis, there has been an increased interest in Islamic banking principles and understanding Islamic financing and how it contributes to the growth of capital. It contrasts with other systems that are based on high risk financial tools and derivatives that have contributed to the negative impact of the crisis."

Mr Al Deeb commented: "With experts predicting that Islamic banking within the UAE will grow by 100 percent over the next three years, complementing the media structure of Sharjah Islamic Bank with media consultancies and public relations services is a very important step, particularly since the Islamic banking market is one of the important sectors targeted by investors looking for low-risk investments, especially in the Gulf region."

Since its successful transition from commercial to Islamic banking in 2002, Sharjah Islamic Bank has offered a variety of Sharia-compliant products that cater for the needs of individuals, companies, institutions, and investment and international banking services. As a result of well-thought out strategies and careful planning based on risk management and cost control, SIB has seen unprecedented growth rates, and today the bank has expanded to 23 branches located across the UAE, in addition to 100 ATM and deposit machines installed at residential districts and other vital areas, such as shopping malls and entertainment centers.

Sahara Communications is one of the region's leading public relations and media consultancy companies, offering media, marketing and consultancy services to companies in the UAE and GCC. Sahara's clients include such leading market players as Nakheel, Dana Gas, Al Mazaya Holding, Arabtec, Burooj Properties, Citadel Capital, and a number of government institutions and organisations. Sahara has over 10 branches across the world, and aims to firm up its position in the region through cooperation with government institutions and offering various media and marketing services.