Ahlibank signs for Path Solutions’ iMAL
Path Solutions announces first customer in Oman

December 22, 2011 – Ahlibank, one of the leading commercial banks based in the Sultanate of Oman, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Path Solutions, a market leader in Islamic banking software solutions headquartered in Kuwait to deliver and implement Islamic Core banking system iMAL, for the operations of the bank’s proposed Islamic banking functions which are set to come online sometime in the end of the first quarter of 2012.

Ahlibank is the first bank in Oman to sign up for Path Solutions’ iMAL on September 6. The system will be deployed at the bank’s headquarters in Muscat and across its proposed network of Islamic banking branches.
“We are very pleased to forge the partnership with Ahlibank”, said Mohammed Kateeb, Path Solutions’ Group Chairman & CEO. “Path Solutions offers focused services from installation and implementation through to project management and help-desk. Besides, the advanced architecture of iMAL will allow Ahlibank to expand easily, to keep on innovating and quickly launching new Islamic banking products, thus guaranteeing superior customer experience. We look forward to achieving mission success for Ahlibank”.

Ahlibank S.A.O.G., erstwhile Alliance Housing Bank, was born with its new identity on January 5, 2008, following its strategic partnership with Ahli United Bank (AUB), a leading regional commercial bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Ahlibank has since successfully embarked upon the route of establishing itself as a full-fledged Omani commercial bank.
Following the royal decree issued in early May in Oman paving the way for the authorization of the country’s first standalone Islamic bank and for other interested banks to set up dedicated Islamic banking windows; and the subsequent landmark circular BM 1081 issued by the Central Bank of Oman on June 15 allowing conventional banks to operate their Islamic banking business through a ‘window’ operation, Ahlibank applied for the CBO license.

“We know there is incredible demand in the market for Sharia-compliant products. This initiative marks a dynamic move into cutting-edge technologies that Ahlibank expects to use as a platform to thrive and outperform competition”, commented Abdulaziz Al Balushi, CEO, Ahlibank. “We are confident that with Path Solutions’ knowledge of our business, proven methodology and teamwork approach, we will be able to capitalize on strong, continued growth in the sector, achieve higher returns and greater customer satisfaction, alongside cost saving”.

About Ahlibank

As Alliance Housing Bank for the past 10 years in Oman, it was GCC’s first private sector housing bank with a wide-spread network across Oman. The change in the bank’s identity and name followed its strategic tie up with AUB’s 35 per cent shareholding and IFC’s 9.9 percent stake in the bank. This transformation has translated into establishing a promising presence for the bank in Oman, and diversifying its business portfolio with varied activities including Retail Banking, Corporate Banking and Treasury and Trade finance.

Ahlibank, today, maintains its leading position in providing the most convenient and customer centric services in the sector. Moreover, the bank has made significant progress in building its retail and corporate business, while carefully differentiating the needs of the premium and private banking segments as well as the SME segment. For further details, go to www.ahlibank-oman.com