Oman Arab Bank (OAB) has added yet another feather to its cap by becoming the first bank in Oman to be recognised as an Authorised Training Employer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW), a leading international organisation that develops and supports over 150,000 chartered accountants worldwide.

This partnership aims to attract and retain talent by offering ICAEW’s CFAB and ACA qualification at OAB headquarters and is in line with Oman’s Vision 2040 economic strategy.

Rashad Al Musafir, CEO at OAB received the certificate from by Michael Armstrong, ICAEW Regional Director, Middle East, Africa and South Asia in a ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Gubrah recently. The members of executive management of OAB, including ICAEW Middle East Advisory Board Member and current OAB CFO, Daren Warner, were also present at the ceremony.

Commenting on this milestone, Rashad Al Musafir said, “ICAEW is a world leader in finance and professional development. Through our collaboration, we aim to accelerate our growth and give our talented employees the opportunity to aim for ambitious targets and, most importantly, contribute to Oman’s Vision 2040 goals.

“The value of our products and services to customers depends entirely on our ability to unlock the full potential of our staff.  Becoming an ICAEW Authorised Training Employer will help us create a high-performing and innovative organisational culture that can create unique value to our customers, employees and the wider community.”

READ: Omanisation – Strengthening Oman’s National Workforce

OAB, which has already achieved the Omanisation percentage within the banking sector (nearing 96 per cent), reinforces its commitment to increase the numbers by providing access to international qualifications and training. It also aims to provide more talent management initiatives and also to provide its staff with the required skills needed to help the bank provide further momentum to its contributions towards the country’s vision and towards developing a knowledge-based economy.