NBAD honoured for Emiratisation success

H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidency Affairs, honoured National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) recently for its commitment and successes in recruiting UAE nationals and contributing to Emiratisation goals.

Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS) organised the event to honour financial institutions that played vital roles in increasing Emiratisation. 

NBAD was recognised for its strategies to search, identify and hire UAE nationals who seek careers in financially services and proved their motivation through academic achievements.

“NBAD is proud of association with the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies because it contributes greatly to the development of the financial services industry in the UAE by producing bankers who advance this country’s reputation as a global hub,” said Ehab Anis Hassan, the Group Chief Human Resources Officer of NBAD.

“Emiratisation as a national strategy is achieved through cooperation between various sectors, such as employers and educational institutions. Since NBAD firmly supports Emiratisation as a means to advance our nation, we are partners with institutes such as EIBFS.”

NBAD has a number of partnerships with governmental and non-governmental agencies to advance Emiratisation goals.

NBAD is a founding member of Higher Colleges of Technology Foundation’s 100-club and funded two Deans in Banking and Finance based at HCT’s Abu Dhabi Women’s College and Al Ain Men’s College. Moreover, the Bank launched the Derasatee Programme with Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council (ADTC) and EIBFS to hire and train UAE national job seekers. Under Derasatee, ADTC and NBAD sponsor young UAE nationals to study at EIBFS toward a specialised Banking Diploma. Currently several students in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Sharjah are in the Derasatee programme, who are will work for the Bank upon graduation. The Bank also works closely with the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority (TANMIA).

NBAD also runs its own prestigious training and educational programmes to enhance its Emiratisation strategies. They include AFAQ, in which young talented recruits study toward a Master’s degree in partnership with ifs School of Finance; and the recently launched Tomouh under which NBAD sponsors overseas education of UAE nationals and allows them to intern with the Bank during their education pursuit. NBAD also has a state-of-the-art NBAD Academy in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that serve NBAD’s ‘learning culture.’

“Our successful recruitment and advantageous programmes have made NBAD an employer of choice and helped us to increase our Emiratisation rate to 39% of the total workforce,” Mr. Hassan said.

NBAD has also been a recipient many awards and recognitions for its Emiratisation programmes. The Bank has won the Human Resources Development Award in Banking Sector in 2004 and 2009; and Michael H. Tomalin, the Group Chief Executive of NBAD, has won the Best Emiratisation CEO Award from EIBFS in 2010 and 2012.