The rebranded Ahlibank will have small and medium enterprises (SMEs) top on its priority and will design and launch many tailor-made products for the SMEs, CEO Salah Murad has said.
"We want to be more active in the SME segment; it is in our strategy for 2015," Murad said in an interview with Gulf Times here yesterday.
He said the bank would start working on the platforms and products that catered to the needs of the SME segment.
Shortly, Ahlibank, with some partners, will launch a range of products that suit its growing customer base.
"Investment products are among these. We are also working on helping our clients who seek prime properties in key places abroad. Our partner can provide the 'A to Z' solution on this, even as we meet their financing requirements, locally," Murad said.
Asked whether the asset-liability mismatch was a concern for Ahlibank, Murad said, "We are aware of it; we will address the issue in the second half of this year."
The CEO said Ahlibank would focus more on "card business" in future.
Already, the bank has launched 'Ahlibank Visa Signature' credit card, designed to provide a host of benefits and rewards for its customers.
Aimed at more affluent customers and frequent travellers, the Visa Signature credit card offers free access to more than 700 airport lounges across the world, a concierge service with dedicated phone lines seven days a week and a higher loyalty points earn rate of one Pearl Points for every QR3 spent. It also offers no foreign exchange mark up on overseas transactions.
He said the bank would go in a significant expansion of its electronic banking channels in line with the modern banking trends.
Murad said Ahlibank wished to do more on project finance in Qatar. "We are already in it; we are involved with the Doha Metro project. We wish to do more, not just on a syndicate basis, but even on private club deals."
"Ahlibank is Qatari-owned, something we are incredibly proud of. In the next 12 months, we will be rolling out a series of new products that are aimed to provide even more effective banking solutions across all of our divisions to showcase the innovation, efficiency and skills that the Qatar banking sector has to offer," Murad added.
© Gulf Times 2014
