Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the largest Islamic Bank in the UAE, has emerged triumphant at the 10thIslamic Business & Finance Awards 2015 by winning a total of eight accolades. Recognised for its accomplishments across all business lines including Consumer, Wholesale and Capital markets, the bank was named the “Best Islamic Bank”, “Best Retail Bank Middle East”, “Best Corporate Bank ME”, “Best Commercial Bank ME”, “Best Sukuk Arranger ME”, and “Best Sukuk Deal”.
Dar Al Sharia, DIB’s subsidiary, was also awarded the accolade for “Best Consultancy Service”, further cementing the Group’s position as the leading provider of financial services in the Islamic banking industry. Topping it all, Dr. Adnan Chilwan, DIB’s Group Chief Executive Officer, received the platform’s most prestigious accolade, - “Outstanding Contribution to the Islamic Economy”- for his revolutionary leadership and visionary thinking in the progression of not just the entity he heads, but also for the evolution and promotion of the larger industry and Islamic finance sector as a whole. Additionally, other key officials from DIB also received accolades at the exclusive gala dinner held at the Emirates Towers on December 10, which was attended by senior leaders from the banking industry.
Organised by publisher CPI Financial, the Islamic Business & Finance Awards recognise the best and the most innovative organisations driving the development of the sector globally. Institutions are nominated by a panel of industry experts and the winners are selected through an extensive online voting process. With over 40,000 votes being cast by Islamic finance practitioners across the world, as well as users of CPI Financial products, the annual awards ceremony is widely recognised as one of the most prestigious industry events.
Since its inception in 1975, DIB has been renowned for driving the industry forward by continuously building on its coveted position as the pioneer behind the concept of Islamic banking. Its focus on service and product innovation across all its products and business lines has played a key role in incubating, nurturing and spearheading the development of many businesses, as well as spurring economic growth in the region and beyond. Additionally, DIB has also repeatedly been celebrated for its leading role in supporting Dubai’s long-term ambition of becoming the global capital of Islamic Economy, as well as the global hub for Sukuks as it continues to lead the development of the Islamic capital markets. The bank’s legal and financial consultancy subsidiary, Dar Al Sharia, was recognised for the second consecutive time for providing expert advisory services for all types of Islamic finance transactions across different jurisdictions and regulations, and has become one of the most trusted institutions in the industry globally.
Commenting on the awards, Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Islamic Bank, said: “We are extremely proud of the industry’s trust in DIB and their endorsement of our achievements. We stand as the industry’s undisputed leader today. Given the responsibility of evolving, promoting, progressing and leading Islamic banking across the UAE and the Middle East, we are committed to expanding the scope of our business across all customer segments and industry sectors. We believe that Islamic finance is fast gaining acceptance beyond traditional markets and, in light of that, we remain resolute in our efforts to drive the international appeal of Islamic finance whilst supporting the government’s ambition to establish Dubai as the global capital of Islamic economy.”
“I am also very honoured to receive the personal recognition from industry peers. This award truly means a lot to me as it reinforces my belief in the direction I have charted out for the bank that I lead and the Islamic finance industry here and in other regions around the world. The accolades bestowed on us today are a result of our team’s utmost dedication to maintaining the highest level of service and product excellence that is synonymous with DIB today. Looking ahead, our efforts will be focused on supporting Dubai’s emergence as a credible reference for Islamic economy as well as the Emirate’s continuously evolving position in spearheading the growth of the Islamic banking sector.”
These awards build on the list of accolades DIB has received at the previous year’s event, including “Best Regional Commercial Bank – Middle East”. The bank has also won a host of awards recently such as “Best Islamic Bank”, “Best Sukuk Arranger”, “Best Islamic Retail Bank”, and “Best Premium Bank – UAE” by the Banker Middle East Industry Awards 2015, as well as “Best Islamic Bank 2015” at the Global Islamic Finance Awards among others. In addition to this year’s recognition, Dar Al Sharia was also recognised last year by the same platform as the “Best Sharia Advisory Service”, in addition to winning the prestigious “Best Sharia Advisory Firm” award at the Islamic Finance News Awards for five consecutive years.
