Press Release

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, is the proud Gold Sponsor of the ICC WCF 8th World Chambers Congress which is being held from 22-25 April 2013, at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC), Doha.

The three-day biennial congress, hosted for the first time in the Middle East, is organised by Qatar Chamber together with International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and World Chambers Federation (WCF), and focuses on the theme ‘Opportunities for all’, as a converging point for major global issues currently affecting business.

Barwa Bank has announced its financial results for the period ended March 31, 2013, results that demonstrate strong continuing growth. .

Continuing growth momentum / trajectory

Total assets increased by 12.8% to QAR28.5 bn (QAR 25.3bn as at 31st December 2012), a growth in the customer financing portfolio to QAR 16bn vs QAR 15.3 bn as at the of 2012.

Sharp increases in revenues and profits

Following the AGM meeting held on April 14, Barwa Bank Group is pleased to announce the election of its new Board of Directors (for the term 2013-2015). The nine strong Board will be chaired by H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani, and consists of the following members:

 Chairman and Managing Director:     H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani

Vice Chairman:           Mr. Abdulaziz Mohammed Hamad Al Mana

Barwa Bank Group held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 14th April at which  the financial results for  2012 were approved and a new Board of Directors was elected.

 The Chairman, H.E. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, gave a detailed report on the bank's activities and highlighted the financial results achieved by the bank in 2012.

The Group recorded strong growth in both balance sheet and profitability, with Net Income for 2012 up by 41% at QAR345mn compared to QAR 244mn in 2011.

Barwa Bank Group, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider has announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The Group recorded strong growth in both balance sheet and profitability, with Net Income for 2012 up by 41% at QAR345mn compared to QAR 244mn in 2011.

Key features of the 2012 financial results

 Continuing growth momentum / trajectory

 Barwa Bank Group, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, held its Business Excellence Awards Ceremony, honouring the group’s best performers at the Hilton Hotel on the 11th March.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, announced today that it has appointed Khalid al Subeai as Chief Executive Officer at its wholly-owned investment banking subsidiary, The First Investor QSC (TFI).

 With more than eight years of Investment Banking experience and particular knowledge of the local and international markets, Al- Subeai, as Chief Executive Officer of TFI,is responsible for driving TFI’s strategy and day-to-day management.

Barwa Bank Group, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, today announced that it has won the Islamic Finance News “Qatar Deal of the Year” for the State of Qatar US$4 billion Dual Tranche Sukuk as Joint Lead Manager and “Turkey Deal of the Year” for the Republic of Turkey US$1.5 billion Debut Sukuk as Co-Lead Manager.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari'ah compliant banking service provider, in the second and conclusive draw of “Transfer Your Liability” has announced three additional winners, with a total of six Retail Banking customers now having received 100,000 Qmiles throughout this highly successful promotion.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, celebrated National Sports Day with the Barwa Bank Group (BBG) 2k Fun Run and interdepartmental six-a-side football finals, with family and friends invited to join together and show their support, at Qatar Sports Club on Tuesday. 

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, prepares to launch a comprehensive staff fitness program on National Sports Day.

 Intended to engage all Barwa Bank Group (BBG) employees in year round sports and physical activity, the initiative will carry on the spirit of National Sports day; encouraging regular physical activity and helping to promote a healthier life-style both in and outside the workplace.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, is supporting Ziyad Rahim, its Head of Market Risk as he attempts to enter into the Guinness Book of World Records by completing the Marathon Grand Slam in the fastest time. 

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service providerhas announced its participation of USD 123mn in a Finance Facility for Qatar Petroleum International Upstream O.P.C, a fully owned subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum International Limited (QPI).

This Facility will be utilised to part finance Qatar Petroleum International Upstream O.P.C for its investment in Total’s operations in the Republic of Congo. The investment is through a share capital increase in Total E&P Congo resulting in QPI holding a 15% share of the company.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant bank, has been selected as Co-Lead Manager on the Government of Dubai’s $750m Sukuk issuance which is the first sovereign Sukuk of 2013 in the region.

Barwa Bank has opened the year in the Debt Capital Markets in the same manner as the previous, being chosen for the second time as Co-Lead Manager by government of Dubai, for what is one of the most sought after credits in the MENA region.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, hosted a handover ceremony in which a cheque worth QAR400, 000 was presented to Qatar Orphan Foundation (Dhreima) at Barwa Bank Headquarters on Wednesday 16 January 2013.

The donation was made by Barwa Bank to help support the local charity in the care for orphans in Qatar. Attending the special event was Steve Troop, CEO, Barwa Bank, Khalid Kamal, General Manager, Dhreima and. 

 Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari'ah compliant bank  has announced the winners from the first round of its special “Transfer Your Liability”promotion. Three of its retail customers have won 100,000 Barwa Bank Loyalty Points that can be converted to Qatar Airways Privilege Club Qmiles, when they transferred their liability to the bank.

 Mercy Wangari Wangware, Abdul Karem Abdullah Atif Alyazidi and Hussein Mohamed were the lucky Barwa Bank customers who will receive 100,000 Qmiles for transferring their finances to Barwa Bank.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant bank, took part in blood donation at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) mobile unit at the Barwa Bank Head Quarters last week. HMC later awarded Barwa Bank with a certificate in recognition of  its support.

Employees from across the bank’s branch network turned out to give blood during the one day blood donation drive in order to show their support for the national blood donation campaign launched recently by HMC in response to the growing demand for blood.

TFI US Real Estate Fund, Hines and Archstone, developers of CityCenterDC, announced today the signing of a lease with Covington & Burling LLP (Covington) as the anchor office tenant of the landmark, mixed-use development in downtown Washington, D.C.  CityCenterDC is one of the largest downtown developments currently underway in the United States. With the execution of the Covington lease, the office buildings are now more than 80 percent pre-leased.

TFI US Real Estate Fund, Hines and Archstone, developers of CityCenterDC, announced today the signing of a lease with Covington & Burling LLP (Covington) as the anchor office tenant of the landmark, mixed-use development in downtown Washington, D.C.  CityCenterDC is one of the largest downtown developments currently underway in the United States. With the execution of the Covington lease, the office buildings are now more than 80 percent pre-leased.

The Barwa Bank Group, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking group, is proud Silver sponsor of the two day Qatar International Businesswomen Forum (QIBWF), which started today at the St. Regis Hotel Doha, Qatar.

 Barwa Bank demonstrates its support for QIBWF, a major annual event held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser. The bank’s Head of Private Banking, Aicha H Meddah will be speaking during forum which is set to examine the political and economic role of women in the region.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari'ah compliant banking service provider, has launched Qotof; a suite of financial packages aimed at assisting local corporations achieve their business objectives and most importantly save money.

Barwa Bank has put together an array of selected products, which until now would have been sold separately. The result: Business Banking “bundles” that are highly cost effective, enabling business to considerably reduce expenses while offering an enhanced banking experience.

The Barwa Bank Group, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking group, is proud Silver sponsor of the two day Qatar International Businesswomen Forum (QIBWF), which started today at the St. Regis Hotel Doha, Qatar.

 Barwa Bank demonstrates its support for QIBWF, a major annual event held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser. The bank’s Head of Private Banking, Aicha H Meddah will be speaking during forum which is set to examine the political and economic role of women in the region.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari'ah compliant bank, has launched its first fund, “The First Investor GCC Equity Opportunities Fund” (the “Fund”). The Fund is managed by The First Investor, (TFI), the investment banking subsidiary of Barwa Bank Group.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant bank, took part in blood donation at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) mobile unit at the Barwa Bank Head Quarters last week. HMC later awarded Barwa Bank with a certificate in recognition of  its support.

Employees from across the bank’s branch network turned out to give blood during the one day blood donation drive in order to show their support for the national blood donation campaign launched recently by HMC in response to the growing demand for blood.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant bank, has been appointed Co-Lead Manager for the Republic of Turkey’s debut Sukuk and, in the same week, has been ranked amongst the top ten for International, Global and MENA region Sukuk arrangers in the Bloomberg Islamic Finance league tables (2012 – ytd*) Ranking as of 17 September 2012.

Barwa Bank has been chosen as a Co-Manager for Turkey’s first Sukuk transaction worth US$1.5bn, following a succession of high profile arranger positions for the bank.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant bank, has been appointed Co-Lead Manager for the Republic of Turkey’s debut Sukuk and, in the same week, has been ranked amongst the top ten for International, Global and MENA region Sukuk arrangers in the Bloomberg Islamic Finance league tables (2012 – ytd*) Ranking as of 17 September 2012.

Barwa Bank has been chosen as a Co-Manager for Turkey’s first Sukuk transaction worth US$1.5bn, following a succession of high profile arranger positions for the bank.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant bank, acted as Joint Lead Manager on the recent $800 million five-year Sukuk for Saudibased Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Barwa Bank Group, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, has been named the winner of Banker Middle East Industry Awards 2012 for both “Fastest Growing Bank in Qatar” as well as “Best Institutional Integration Award.”

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari’ah compliant banking service provider, the sole sponsor and host of a special fund raising gala dinner held to celebrate the return of the two Qatari diving champions, volunteers of Qatar Charity (QC), who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa to ncrease awareness and encourage donaMons towards the famine that threatens millions of people in West Africa.

Barwa Bank, Qatar's fastest growing Shari'ah compliant banking service provider, announced that one of their Retail Banking customers is the lucky winner of a trip to the London Olympics from Visa. Nader Saeed Hassan won the trip for two, courtesy of Visa, to the London 2012 Olympic Games simply by using his Barwa Bank credit card between January 5th – March 5th 2012. Mr Hassan will now enjoy a trip of a life time and experience all the Olympic excitement for himself in the UK’s capital.