9-months development program for fresh and partially experienced Qatari graduates

Assessment Centers being arranged for al khaliji delegates joining professional development programs

Doha, 6 June 2010: al khaliji, the next generation bank, has introduced its first-of-a-kind professional development program during a launch ceremony held at the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q).

Developed in partnership with CNA-Q, the massar al khaliji development program is designed especially for Qatari university and high school graduates and those with short experience.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by massar al khaliji candidates who were joined by a high-level al khaliji team led by Acting Chief Executive Officer Robin McCall, the Interim President of the College of North Atlantic Ms. Enid Strickland, and executives and senior representatives from both organizations.

"We have created massar al khaliji, a dynamic program for our select new entrants.  This program will accelerate the integration of these graduates into al khaliji with a set of management tools and personal growth skills to provide a foundation to build a long term career with the bank." Said Acting CEO Robin McCall told the CNA-Q audience.

Candidates recruited for the massar al khaliji program were chosen following a highly structured selection process. All candidates now take part in a three course sessions designed and run by al khaliji in partnership with CNA-Q - Introduction to Banking, Developing Business Skills and Banking Skills.

"Our banking training program, in partnership with al khaliji, is the latest high quality CNA-Q course offered to corporations supported by expert instructors and hands-on training," said Interim President Ms. Enid Strickland. "When CNA-Q opened in 2002, it was with a mandate to provide the State of Qatar with the best technical education possible. Today our close ties with business leaders like al khaliji enable us to offer additional courses through our Continuing Education and Corporate Training department." 

massar al khaliji is the latest training partnership between al khaliji and CNA-Q. Between 2008 and 2009 more than 125 al khaliji employees took part in CNA-Q's much respected Banking Induction Program.

Following the introduction of massar al khaliji, the bank will be launching further training programmes to support the career development of its management and executive level employees.

Declan Ball, Group Human Resource Advisor explained: "massar al khaliji is the first of three programmes which together will give employees a framework for career development and allow al khaliji to retain and develop talent. Whereas massar is aimed at graduates, the second of our programmes, mahara, will be a modular development programme for supervisors and managers. We are running an assessment centre this month to shortlist delegates joining mahara in Q4, in the meantime, our executive leadership programme, riyada will be designed".

Commenting on the success of al khaliji's participation in the recent Qatar Career Fair,

Head of Nationalization Mohamad Alkuwari said: "We were delighted with the response we received following our involvement at the 2010 Qatar Career Fair. The Qatari candidates joining massar al khaliji are not just promised another job, but are set to build a career path in banking." 

-Ends-

about al khaliji
The pioneers of 'next generation' banking in the GCC, al khaliji offers a full range of conventional and Islamic banking products and services to retail, corporate and institutional customers in Qatar, the U.A.E. and France.

From our headquarters in Doha, al khaliji is Qatar's second largest retail bank by paid-up capital and a member of the Qatar Exchange 20 Index with approximately QR17.5 billion in total assets, QR9.2 billion in customer deposits.

al khaliji pipeline of talented local and international bankers from 40 countries deliver a bold, fresh approach to banking. This means understanding and responding swiftly to customer needs with expanded branch & ATM networks and innovative banking products such as Fusion, the first 2-in-1 current and savings account in Qatar.

al khaliji 'next generation' banking means a bank where customers and unparalleled levels of service come first. While other banks choose to ignore values and focus on short term profit, al khaliji believe it's not just what, but also how, we do something that's important.

Visit www.alkhaliji.com and discover the latest 'next generation' banking news and product information.

Media Contact:
Abeer Al Kalla
Head of Public Relations & Communications
Telephone: + 974 494 0646
Email: aalkalla@alkhaliji.com

© Press Release 2010