Pioneering Canadian Bank Awarded with Double Honours

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/24/2015 -- International Banker held its annual awards for acknowledging top banking institutions across the globe. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) received awards in two categories: Best Customer Service Provider North America and Innovation in Retail Banking Canada.

The International Banker offers a global view of banking and financial services. Each year through the Banking Awards it recognises the best banking institutions, which have set the bar for industry excellence. The standout institutions working within retail, commercial, investment and private banking are recognised with these awards.

The first award to CIBC, for Best Innovation in Retail Banking in Canada, has been awarded based on a culture across the bank to provide services that strive to meet customer needs in innovative and increasingly efficient ways. By providing new products and services to meet the changing demands of the Canadian retail banking client base CIBC has demonstrated itself to be a leader in this area. CIBC is renowned for its cutting edge approach – including being first to market with many key innovations in recent years. As an example, CIBC became the first of the Big 5 chartered banks in Canada to launch a mobile banking App in 2010, the first to launch a mobile payments app in 2012, and The first to offer eDeposit to clients in 2013, enabling them to deposit cheques simply by taking a photo of the item and securely uploading it for deposit.

The second award to CIBC was made for Best Customer Service Provider across North America. At all levels of business operations CIBC is focussed on applying the highest calibre of expert advice and problem solving talent towards meeting client demands. CIBC's approach of enhancing the client experience is a strategic priority for CIBC and the bank seeks to ensure clients have a positive experience through whichever channel they choose to carry out their banking. When it comes to managing the balance between face to face interactions and providing convenient technological solutions CIBC has ensured that branches remain an integral component in the client experience. CIBC has invested in enhancements to processes that will allow for more productive interactions in branches whilst maintaining an offering of face to face personal service where that is the preferred method for customers. CIBC is focussed on incorporating innovations aimed at leveraging automation in branch services to enhance face to face interactions with clients rather than replacing them. One such example of this innovation is the COMPASS system, rolled out in 2014, a new Multi Product Sales Origination platform which serves to enhance the retail client experience.

In addition to the pioneering and award winning work of CIBC in the areas of retail banking and customer service excellence, the bank operates corporate social responsibility programmes in order to balance the interests of the bank with that of the local and wider community that they serve. Through a variety of programs and policies, CIBC employees are encouraged to volunteer their time towards involvement in charitable and community social development projects. Furthermore, CIBC plays a prominent role in upholding the standards of corporate governance for the banking sector in the region and beyond – within Canada, North America and also across a global platform.

About International Banker
International Banker is the flagship brand of Finance Publishing. Finance Publishing is one of the world's leading sources of authoritative analysis on finance, international banking and world affairs. It delivers information with excellence through a wide range of accessible formats, from newsletters and magazines to conferences.

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Hassan Abdalla of Arab African International Bank (AAIB) has won International Banker’s CEO of the Year Award for the Middle East.

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2014 -- Abdalla's leadership of AAIB led it towards a decade (2002-2012) of unprecedented growth, a key reason that allowed it to weather the turbulence of Egypt's uncertain future and to maintain its position as one of the country's trendsetting financial institutions. His efforts resulted in AAIB's acquisition of Misr America International Bank (MAIB) in 2005 and the establishment of four subsidiaries in 2008 that led to the transformation of AAIB into a fully-fledged financial group that includes Arab African Investment Holding, Arab African Investment Management, Arab African International Securities and Arab African International Mortgage Finance. AAIB recorded an accumulated net profit of $1.1bn over 12 years, which contributed to a rise in ROE from 6% in 2002 to reach 25% in FY2013.

Such restructuring has been undertaken as part of a greater vision for the organization as a whole, unifying the entire workforce towards shared goals with a commitment to strengthen the bank's foundations, to the extent that it faced the economic downturn of the Arab Spring and emerged on top. It is easy to understand then why International Banker has recognized Hassan Abdalla's outstanding leadership through a time when the bank has been tested like never before.

He has overseen an organic yet aggressive approach to innovation in products and services offered by understanding gaps in the market and fulfilling customers' needs. He has also reduced turnaround time for effecting deals and increased the strength of full-fledged corporate and investment banking services. Under his guidance, the bank has both undertaken the first and most successful private sector bank merger and activity case in Egypt, and pioneered expansion in its Middle East geographical footprint.

A spokesperson for the International Banker commented that "On AAIB's 50th year anniversary, Abdalla is truly a worthy recipient of this recognition. As CEO, he has shown an exceptional strategic mind in strengthening the bank's position during extremely difficult circumstances. Not only has AAIB pursued a policy of product innovation domestically, they have also successfully sought to increase their presence in the region. At the same time, AAIB has shown great commitment to CSR and sustainable finance with initiatives such as Egypt and the region's first ever independent foundation for social development 'We Owe It To Egypt' which it remained committed to enhance and expand, especially during the turbulence in the country during the past few years, all of which led AAIB to win a number of local, regional and international accolades such as the prestigious CSR Arabia Award in 2012 and Best Practice Financial Institution 2012/2013 by the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)."

About International Banker
International Banker is a magazine produced by Finance Publishing one of the world's leading sources of authoritative analysis on finance, international banking and world affairs.

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Innovative Bank Wins Double Honours

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/23/2014 -- International Banker held its annual awards for acknowledging the top banking institutions across the Middle East and Africa (http://internationalbanker.com/banking/international-banker-2014-middle-east-africa-awards/). The Co-operative Bank of Kenya received awards in two categories: Innovation in Retail Banking and Best CEO Africa.

The International Banker magazine offers a global view of banking and brings in-depth analysis on the people and innovations within financial services that drive the industry forward. Its annual awards recognize banking excellence globally. Honoured with a dual award, to acknowledge and celebrate innovation and leadership, the Co-operative Bank of Kenya topped the awards lists this year.

The first, and most prestigious, award was Banking CEO of the Year, Africa, awarded to Dr. Gideon Muriuki (Co-operative Bank of Kenya). As the head of the bank, Dr. Muriuki receives recognition for promoting the co-operative banking model throughout Kenya and his leadership in driving a sustainable growth model. In particular, Dr. Gideon Muriuki has demonstrated remarkable foresight by insisting that the Co-operative Bank of Kenya retain its identity as a co-operative bank even when expanding into additional parts of Africa outside Kenya.

Dr. Muriuki was appointed CEO in 2001 and has since turned around the bank from loss-making to one of East Africa's fastest-growing and most profitable banks. In his role he has been notably diligent in providing effective and innovative banking solutions to customers. With Dr. Muriuki at the helm, the bank has achieved consistent year on year growth in results, substantial growth in customer base and expansion of services into Sudan – a lucrative growth area for the Kenyan banking sector. He has furthermore set up numerous bank led initiatives to benefit the community.

The second award was made for Innovation in Retail Banking, Kenya. The Co-operative Bank of Kenya has driven the adoption of banking services amid a growing economy. International Banker was particularly impressed by the bank's commitment to providing scholarships for underprivileged students, green energy financing packages and low-interest loans for small and medium-sized enterprises, which may prove crucial in terms of Kenya's future economic growth. The bank has additionally excelled in the area of technological innovation - providing reliable online and mobile banking services to their growing customer base and thereby facilitating increased convenience and accessibility to retail banking solutions.

The Co-operative Bank of Kenya has demonstrated a consistent commitment to providing inclusive retail banking services in Kenya. Under Dr. Gideon Muriuki's leadership, the bank has successfully pioneered a retail banking model that goes beyond investment in conventional bank-owned channels such as branches, ATMs, agencies and electronic banking. The bank has invested substantially in over-the-counter banking services and payment card systems operated by co-operatives to serve their members, which currently number at over two million. The bank's support by way of affordable financing, capacity-building and critical technical support has enabled over four hundred co-operatives to offer front-office banking to over two million banking customers. In addition, the bank's huge investment in a payments switch that has enabled Kenya's vibrant Savings and Credit Co-operatives to access card payment services worldwide is a ground-breaking innovation towards achieving financial access provision to the majority.

A spokesperson for International Banker explained, "The Co-operative Bank of Kenya is one of Kenya's fastest growing banks and has risen to become one the country's biggest five banks. Having been in business for over forty years, it has seen its highs and lows but has overcome these by continually evolving its approaches, which can be especially difficult for co-operatives who typically struggle to drive innovation and internal reform."

When asked how the bank has achieved this level of growth, the spokesman continued, "It is largely thanks to the work of Dr. Gideon Muriuki, the bank's CEO, who has been recognised for his tireless work and commitment in driving the Co-operative Bank of Kenya to new heights."

About International Banker
International Banker is a magazine produced by Finance Publishing one of the world's leading sources of authoritative analysis on finance, international banking and world affairs.

For more information please visit: http://internationalbanker.com/banking/co-operative-bank-kenya-transforming-lives-millions/

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