Making A Difference
The Difference Is...
Engagement
At ADCB, we are deeply engaged with our customers, our communities and our employees — and committed to making a difference in their lives.
We offer our customers a broad portfolio of products and services — along with attentiveness to their needs and sound advice — to help individuals and families attain their financial goals and to enable businesses to grow and thrive. For our communities, we provide vital support for worthy causes in areas such as culture, the environment, health and wellbeing. And for our employees, we provide opportunities for professional and personal development.
ADCB’s efforts to make a difference in the lives of our customers, community and employees are discussed on the following pages.
- simplylife
- Al Maryah Central
- Bin Touq Fire & Safety
- Tamooha
- Wellness-on-Wheels
Simplylife Sales and Service Centre, BurJuman Metro Station, Dubai
The Difference Is
Listening
simplylife
At ADCB, we know that listening and responding to the needs of customers is the key to delivering a better customer experience — and to creating new growth opportunities for our business.
Listening to our customers, and learning from their needs, led ADCB to create an entirely new and differentiated suite of services tailored to the mass market segment in the UAE. Thus, in 2014 ADCB launched the simplylife sub-brand, catering to those salaried between AED 5,000 and AED 15,000 per month.
Simplylife, true to its name, differentiates itself by offering financial solutions that are simple, fast and accessible. Its portfolio of products and services ranges from personal and auto loans, to cash-back credit cards, to financing for business owners.
The common thread in all simplylife products is the belief that realising one’s financial ambitions should be uncomplicated and hassle-free. A team of 350 dedicated sales professionals are the face of the brand, responsible for delivering our brand promise to customers every day.
Technology is also a big part of the simplification equation. For example, a “Click to Talk” facility enables a simplylife team member to respond to a customer’s request in around 30 seconds. Customers can also use an online calculator to find out about their eligibility for loans and the applicable pricing.
To make the brand even more accessible to customers, in 2015 we launched a state-of-the-art simplylife Sales and Service Centre inside the BurJuman Metro Station in Dubai. The centre is equipped with interactive self-service zones and multimedia touchscreens which empower customers to learn more about available products and services.
2015 was a year of significant progress for the simplylife brand, which has attracted 35,000 new customers to ADCB. We were also awarded the “Best Brand Building Exercise in 2015 in the Middle East” by the prestigious Asian Banker publication.
Al Maryah Central construction site
“With ADCB, we have a bank that has the respect of the community and a major position in the marketplace. So everyone we do business with can have confidence that we have a bank that can deliver.”
Kenneth Himmel
Co-Managing Partner, Gulf Related
The Difference Is
Partnership
Al Maryah Central
The collaborative nature of ADCB means we appreciate that very often a great partner is the key to success when it comes to bringing a big idea to life. ADCB’s relationship teams treats their clients like partners: understanding the nuances of their business, the breadth of their capabilities, the specifics of their cultural sensitivities and, most importantly, the nature of their goals.
When Gulf Related, a joint venture between the UAE’s Gulf Capital and the US-based Related Companies, sought to secure financing for the mixed-retail development in Al Maryah Central, they turned to ADCB. In September 2015, Gulf Related announced ADCB’s commitment to provide senior debt project financing of AED 2.3 bn (US$626 mn) for the completion of the 2.3-million-square-foot mall.
Al Maryah Central, which is scheduled to open in March 2018, will be a unique development for the UAE and the wider Middle East. Consumers will find 400 retail locations, 145 restaurants and cafés, as well as a 20-screen cinema complex. The super-regional mall development will have significant dedicated parking, excellent road connectivity and will be anchored by the first Macy’s outside the United States and the first Bloomingdale’s in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, the mall will have great community oriented amenities such as a medical centre, crèche, health club, public library and food market. Al Maryah Central mall will connect directly to adjacent properties, housing a collection of high-end boutique retail stores and hotels.
Gulf Related partnered with ADCB in large part due to our positive track record of structuring selective large ticket financing for major real estate investments, our local expertise and the competitiveness of our terms compared to other local and international financing providers. The partnership between ADCB and Gulf Related is bringing to life a grand vision for the future of UAE and we are honoured to be able to play our part in bringing that vision into reality.
"The key to our relationship with ADCB is confidence and trust. They stand behind us with support and advice. Whatever our requirement is, they will come back to us immediately with a solution."
Obaid Khadim
CEO, Bin Touq Fire & Safety
The Difference Is
Shared Vision
Bin Touq Fire & Safety
At ADCB, we know that small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of the UAE economy, driving economic activity, creating employment, and diversifying the region’s business base. That is why, as part of a commitment to the growth of the UAE, the Bank has a special focus on meeting the financial needs of SMEs — thus contributing to our own growth as well.
This requires a willingness to provide exceptional customer service through a long-term relationship focus, attention to detail, and creative solutions to help SMEs overcome challenges and capture opportunities. More importantly, it takes an ability to share the vision and passion of the business owners.
ADCB’s relationship with Bin Touq Fire & Safety (BTFS) is a clear example of the Bank’s dedication to supporting the growth of SMEs. BTFS is a leading fire protection, engineering, supply and service company. Established in 2009, BTFS offers a full range of fire protection services and products across the UAE, Oman and Qatar.
BTFS has successfully completed projects for Abu Dhabi International Airport, Dubai International Airport, Masdar City and many other commercial, transportation, retail, industrial and government facilities. A deep commitment to customer satisfaction and strong performance has enabled BTFS to win numerous SME-related awards in the region.
BTFS has been a customer of ADCB since 2013. Since that time, ADCB has provided such services as lines of credit and cash management to the company. ADCB is proud to have done its part in providing the resources and financial expertise to help BTFS realise its potential, growing revenue by 300%, adding over 250 employees and expanding its regional footprint in the past two years.
The Difference Is
Purpose
Tamooha
When a group of people share a purpose, it connects them and drives them in the common pursuit of success. A year after starting Tamooha, a first-of-its-kind programme designed to bring more Emirati women into the workforce in a manner consistent with their cultural traditions and values, ADCB is seeing excellent results.
Tamooha’s success is reflected in the increasing number of women joining our workforce — 143 in total since the launch of the programme, of which 58 joined in 2015; in the awards it has received; and, equally important, in the high Net Promoter Score the participants awarded to the programme.
In the year since Tamooha’s inception, ADCB has dedicated significant resources and hundreds of hours to training the employees in the programme, with plans to further build on this robust foundation. This emphasis on learning has allowed us to enhance the Tamooha programme from being primarily focused on data-entry roles, to include more sophisticated jobs and individual competencies. Participants now have opportunities for customer interaction, through conducting survey calls aimed at assessing the level of service delivered by ADCB.
Tamooha is one of ADC’s core Emiratisation initiatives. By continuing to focus on and invest in Tamooha, we are honouring our commitment to providing innovative opportunities for Emirati women to fulfil their professional aspirations, to become role models and to give back to their communities.
In the coming year, ADCB will continue to look for novel ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Tamooha programme and provide increasingly complex and meaningful opportunities for its participants, thus securing a growing pool of well-trained and motivated Emirati women for the Bank, whilst also contributing to the economic growth of the UAE.
Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum leading the ADCB Pink Polo team
The Difference Is
Caring
A Commitment to Women’s Health
ADCB’s engagement in our community extends beyond simply promoting healthier financial habits. It also involves a concern for healthier lifestyles and wellbeing. A concerted focus on breast cancer awareness, education and screening is a vital part of our health and wellness commitment.
Breast cancer is a major health concern in the UAE, where incidents of breast cancer are detected at an earlier age than in other regions of the world. At ADCB, we strive to redress this problem by supporting the dissemination of breast cancer information that is medically sound, current and meets international standards — with the aim of improving the detection, treatment and care of breast cancer. We have a long-term commitment to combat breast cancer and have continually enhanced our initiatives, expanded our partnerships, and extended our outreach to make a difference for more members of our community.
In 2015, the Bank continued its commitment to raise awareness of breast cancer. In partnership with Medeor 24x7 Hospital in Abu Dhabi, we offered free mammogram screenings through the ADCB Wellness-on-Wheels Mobile Mammogram unit. This mobile unit was available at all of ADCB’s sponsored events during "ADCB Pink Month," the annual period in which we focus on addressing breast cancer through a range of public activities.
Over 300 women received Wellness-on-Wheels screenings in 2015. The free service offers a significant savings over the typical AED 900 to AED 1,500 cost of a mammogram, enabling members of our community to get life-saving information that may enable cancer to be detected sooner and improve their chances of survival.
ADCB also supports breast cancer awareness through a variety of other channels. Customers can use our ATMs to donate one dirham per transaction to the Al Jalila Foundation, which promotes medical research and education in the UAE. Our community was also able to partake in our Breast Cancer Awareness campaign through sponsored charitable events, build awareness through the ADCB Think Pink magazine, and contribute messages of hope through the ADCB Tree of Hope. Our efforts and customer’ contributions helped raise donations of over AED 239,913 in 2015 for the Al Jalila Foundation.
ADCB Annual Report 2015