Masraf Al Rayyan Bank has launched a first of its kind MAR Programme for National Talent Management (Talent Pool), which aims to raise the level of education, administrative and professional competence among its Qatari employees in grade seven and above, the bank announced. Speaking to mediapersons on Thursday, MAR’s Human Resources and Administration general manager Abdulla Yousuf al-Mulla said the programme was launched following an extensive research conducted on the current and future needs of the bank. According to the official, some 26 talented nationals have already been selected for the programme to be held in co-ordination with a UK-based organisation Milestone and the bank’s board of directors. At the end of the one-year programme comprising both practical and theory, participants will be issued an internationally recognised executive certificate, apart from enhancing their skills and knowledge to the benefit of the bank. “The new talent pool is aimed at preparing our Qatari employees professionally to take up leadership roles across various bank departments in the future. This national talent programme covers the following areas like management training, specialist training, direct supervision from executive managers, practical field training inside and outside the bank as well as placements in foreign banks,” he explained. The bank with more than 300 staff members with some 33% Qataris and a good number holding senior positions is co-operating with the Ministry of Labour’s nationals department having signed two agreements in this regard, he revealed. “Under these agreements, we will be working together in two areas, which are a long-term training programme at the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar, and co-operating for a four-year scholarship programme. Work on this is still being developed,” he explained. There are also plans to work with the Qatar University by attracting Qatari undergraduates to the bank. The official also mentioned various initiatives undertaken by the bank to develop the skills of Qatari national employees as well as the programmes implemented to create leadership cadres and preparing the Qatari youth for the future. Al-Mulla said that MAR senior management accorded great importance to develop and equip Qatari nationals with the tools to manage various banking functions in the future. The programme jointly initiated by the bank’s human resource department and training and development section has developed plans to train Qatari employees, which include guidance in talent management, individual development plan, practical field training, scholarships and Qatarisation projects, he said. He mentioned that the bank usually participates in the professional annual career fairs to attract and provide the best employment as well as training opportunities to Qatari youth, and helping them achieve their future ambitions, thus reinforcing the bank’s commitment to provide diverse job opportunities to Qatari nationals. In addition to the efforts undertaken by the bank to attract the Qatari youth and developing its national cadres, the bank has also employed a group of competent non-Qatari talent that are professionally qualified to support the bank’s development and its future plans along with the national employees. The bank, which accords great importance to raise the performance levels of its employees through training programmes and development initiatives across all banking and administrative functions, also lays a lot of emphasis on training and developing the national cadres under the directives of the MAR senior management and their strategies and objectives in line with Qatar Vision 2030. The bank hopes to add three new branches to its existing nine in the country and there are plans to introduce some 13 new products by the end of the year, he added. Gulf Times

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