Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a leading financial institution, has been recognised for its efforts in recruiting and promoting UAE national employees at the HR Excellence Awards 2017. The Awards acknowledge HR teams in the Middle East who are making outstanding contributions in terms of engaging and developing high performing employees. The winners were announced during a gala dinner held at the Park Hyatt Dubai Hotel in November 2017.
ADIB was singled out for its continuing emphasis on developing Emirati talent across all levels and divisions of the bank. The 'Nationalisation Initiative of the Year' category rewards organisations that manage a concerted programme to recruit and develop regional talent in order to prepare the next generation of leadership across the GCC's public and private sectors. Today, over 40 percent of ADIB's 2,000 employees are Emirati and participating in the bank's professional development programme.
Commenting on receiving the award, Waheeb Al Khazraji, Head of HR at ADIB, said: "We are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to develop our local talent. ADIB is committed to providing a culture which allows UAE nationals to flourish across the entire bank. We are investing heavily in developing UAE nationals into future banking leaders through a successful training and leadership programs."
He continued: "Developing a thriving culture which engages and promotes talent remains a key objective for ADIB and the bank invests heavily in all employees to support this goal. While the bank is undoubtedly on the right path, with one of the highest levels of national talent of any bank in the GCC, we will continue to introduce new employee engagement programmes which can advance our efforts in the coming years."
ADIB currently runs three distinct training programmes dedicated to supporting UAE nationals. The Retail Banking programme hires young Emiratis based on the bank's anticipated needs, enrolls them in a full time training schedule to develop their skills, preparing them to take on senior roles within the bank. Qiyadat is a leadership initiative designed to give emerging ADIB Emirati staff first-hand management experience. Similarly, the Tamkeen Women's programme is a leadership training programme dedicated to empowering ADIB's female Emirati employees.
Over the last 12 months, ADIB has received numerous awards for its Emiratisation efforts, including Human Resource Development Award from the Emirates Institute of Banking and Financial Studies.