Bank Nizwa staff among top 300 influential women

Oman’s pioneering and most trusted Islamic bank, Bank Nizwa, has been a frontrunner in promoting gender diversity at workplace, giving equal opportunities to women employees to prove their mettle. In recognition of these efforts, three of the bank’s employees have featured in the Womani 2020 report’s list of 300 most influential women in Islamic business and finance globally, released by the prestigious Cambridge Institute of Islamic Finance.

The three employees, holding senior positions in the bank, are Haifa Abdul Ali al Lawati, head of HR; Sayyida Wisam Jaifer al Said, head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, and Amal Said al Juma, chief manager – Wealth Management.

Speaking about empowering Omani women as a key focus area for Bank Nizwa, Khalid al Kayed, CEO, Bank Nizwa, said, “Banking and finance is growing to be a preferred career choice among women. We have seen an increased interest from female candidates in Islamic finance jobs as well. To that effect, we believe it is our duty to provide the necessary impetus to aspiring women of Oman, creating an environment for them to learn, skill and take on leadership roles as well. The bank places great value and responsibility in its female staff members and believes in encouraging our women employees to achieve new milestones, accolades, and appreciation, both locally and internationally.”

Bank Nizwa considers its employees as a key driving force behind its success. Paying keen attention to developing the Omani workforce, Bank Nizwa conducts various programs that are tailored especially for their employees, thus encouraging them to lead the way and drive change in the industry.

“We are indeed proud of the three Omani women in our organisation who have been recognised as among the top 300 most influential women in the field of Islamic business and finance. They have earned their place by demonstrating utmost perseverance, professionalism, and dedication in their respective fields of specialisation.”

Sayyida Wisam is the head of Marketing and Corporate Communications and holds 14 years of experience as a marketing and communications professional. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications from the American University of Paris with a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from Cardiff University, UK.

Heading the Human Resource Department in Bank Nizwa with 25 years of experience, Haifa has previously worked in reputed organisations like PDO and Oxy Oman. She has an MBA degree from Bedfordshire, UK and BSc degree from Sultan Qaboos University along with other professional accounting certifications.

The chief manager of Wealth Management, Amal holds over 20 years of experience and has established and managed several branches of Islamic banks in Oman. She has headed and led the direct sales team of Bank Nizwa.