BankDhofar, reinforcing its role as a key player and a major contributor in driving the development and growth of the SME sector in the Sultanate, recently supported the Entrepreneur Event that was organised by the Ministry of Defence and the SME Development Fund.
The event was inaugurated by H.E. Mohammed bin Nasser Al Rasbi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, at Lulu Al Bandar. Faisal Hamed Al Wahaibi, BankDhofar’s Chief Retail Banking Officer, represented BankDhofar at the event in which BankDhofar and Maisarah Islamic Banking Services participated as main sponsors.
Commenting on the event, Hussain Ali Al Lawati – Assistant General Manager and Head of Business Banking at BankDhofar – said, “Our support to this initiative comes within our strategic plan to support Omani entrepreneurs and to contribute to the growth and development of the SME sector in the Sultanate. We are one of the first banks to introduce SME related solutions, products and services, and we have been working for years to promote good business ideas and to provide financial solutions and strategic guidance to entrepreneurs.”
The 3-day event provided a platform to introduce business opportunities in the SME market as well as various challenges faced by start-ups. It brought together speakers and participants from various government departments, private sector organisations and prominent SME business owners.
The event also encompassed variety of activities and sessions, including special addresses by guest speakers, start-ups exhibition and panel discussions. It highlighted the development of SMEs in Oman, the training programmes offered by the SME Development Fund, challenges faced by SMEs and the role of government departments in facilitating the development of the sector.
BankDhofar and Maisarah Islamic Banking Services continue to implement several strategic initiatives to cater to all businesses from large corporates to SMEs, providing a full array of banking products, quick turn-around time, improved cash management & competitive service charges. Customised solutions have been introduced to revitalise SMEs allowing them to avail various creative solutions that are all geared towards helping their growth.
This placed BankDhofar and Maisarah on top of the list of best banks in the region. In 2015 alone, BankDhofar received a number of prestigious awards from leading international organisations, including ‘SME Bank of the Year – Oman’ at the ABF Retail Banking Awards 2015 and ‘Best SME Bank Oman 2015’ by Global Banking & Finance Review.