Dubai Islamic Bank Group CEO recognized as the leading avant-garde visionary at the 2015 Indian Innovator Awards

Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), has received the accolade for “Banking Innovation” at the 2015 Indian Innovator Awards. The award was accepted by Dr. Chilwan in the presence of the region’s leading business luminaries at a ceremony held recently in Dubai.

Organised by BNC Publishing, as part of the Entrepreneur MENA franchise, the awards recognise the individuals that have established themselves as industry leaders and have made significant contributions to their respective sectors, in addition to setting the benchmark for others to follow in the region.

Since taking over as Group CEO of DIB in 2013, Dr. Chilwan has steered the bank to deliver record quarter-on-quarter growth across all key financial metrics amidst an increasingly challenging market environment, most recently posting an industry leading 36% net profit growth in the first nine months of 2015. In this time, he has also overseen DIB’s growing position as one of the most technologically advanced banks in the market, and has established the entity as a cornerstone of Dubai’s initiative to become the capital of the Islamic economy.

Commenting on the award, Dr. Chilwan said: “The outstanding growth of the Islamic Economy has been the interplay of certain integral premises, and undoubtedly Innovation is one of them. This is particularly reflective in the unique business environment of UAE that helps nurture a culture of innovativeness and progression.

“On a personal note, innovation for me, is the differentiator of the future. It breaks complacency and fuels growth, forcing organizations to deliver excellence or be left behind. It is not just essential to maintain the current competitive edge, but effectively ensure stability and survival in the long term. I know it may sound strange, but the fact is that unless you innovate and remain progressive, you will never know stability and consistency.

“I feel deeply honoured to receive this award as innovation is an attribute that both DIB and I strongly believe in, and is a value that has continually been at the core of all that we do. Looking ahead, we will endure to promote the development of the Islamic finance industry by building on our achievements so far and continue the progression of Islamic economy under the guidance of the leadership of Dubai and the UAE.”

Heading the largest Islamic bank in the UAE, with a balance sheet footing nearly USD 40 billion, a market capitalization of USD 7 billion, and a workforce of 8,000 employees, Dr. Chilwan has spearheaded the expansion of the Dubai Islamic Bank Group globally across key markets in Asia, Middle East and Africa. With a professional career spanning nearly two decades in Banking, Dr. Adnan Chilwan has gained a solid reputation in the region for his innovative and exemplary feats in driving the globalization of Islamic Finance.

Recognized by notable international organizations for his unrivalled leadership, Dr. Adnan Chilwan has been honoured with numerous accolades including being ranked among the top five best performing CEOs in 2015 in the Top 100 CEO Awards in the GCC region. For a second year running, Forbes ranked him highly in their Top Indian Leaders in the Arab World listing; Banker Middle East awarded him with the coveted “Outstanding contribution to the Islamic Economy” prize and he was proclaimed the “Banking CEO of the year” at the Indian CEO Awards 2014.