al khaliji, a new regional bank headquartered in Doha, announced yesterday the launch of its retail banking operations in Qatar, with the opening of the "al khaliji Qpost Centre" in West Bay set for June 16.
This will be followed by the opening of its flagship branch on C-Ring road, which will feature a special area reserved for premium customers.
By the end of this year, al khaliji intends to open six branches, two service centres and more than 10 ATMs throughout Qatar, as well launch a 24-hour state-of-the-art contact centre.
Speaking at a news conference at Al Sadd Stadium yesterday to announce the launch of al khaliji's retail banking operations, al khaliji Chairman and Managing Director, Tariq Al Malki, said: "Reaching this stage in the history of al khaliji, where we begin the unveiling of our retail branch network, represents another huge milestone in our journey."
"As we gradually build our physical presence here in Doha, our customers will be able to experience what makes us different and next-generation."
Having completed its negotiations to acquire the UAE assets of BLC Bank (France) and now awaiting regulatory approval, al khaliji also announced that it has received a licence from Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to operate in the UAE for non-banking activities as part of its plans to manage the operational processes associated with this expansion. The new company, "al khaliji services LTD" has now been set up in the DIFC offices in Emirates Towers.
Chief Executive Officer David Proctor said, "Next-generation banking is about pleasing people in four areas — brand, service quality, product and price. We are excited by the launch of our Retail and Premium/ Business activities, but today is just the first step. Our measure of success is not cutting a ribbon at a new site — it is how many happy al khaliji customers we have. So come, try us, tell us what you like and don't like — and join us on the journey."
Proctor said research in this market had shown that small businesses here needed support and help to grow.
He also said al khaliji will not be the cheapest bank in town but "we do believe we will offer the best value and we will be transparent in our pricing."
As for the cutting-edge technology and one-stop services to be provided, he said when opening an account people will receive on-the-spot their customized chequebook and debit card.
The al khaliji ATMs will be the first of their kind in Qatar, said Proctor. The ATMs will be equipped with a bigger screen, they will accept cheque deposits and customers will be able to see share prices on the securities market on screen.
The Pen
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