NBO redefines banking experience through sports
MUSCAT: The National Bank of Oman (NBO) has followed an unconventional path towards innovating the banking experience in the Sultanate through sports.
This effort is in line with the bank’s dedication to connecting with the communities they operate in, through increased involvement and creating a positive impact. NBO believes that the discipline involved in sports is a shared attribute to successful banking, and is a reflection of their values of hard work, integrity and the pursuit of excellence.
Sayyid Wasfi bin Jamshid Al Said, acting chief executive officer, commented, “At NBO, we formulate our strategies bearing our community in our hearts and our customers in our minds. Thus, we grew to be an integral part of the society through life-enriching initiatives.” He added: “Our strategic-minded decision to partner with the European PGA Golf Tour through NBO Oman Open, and with our local racing prodigy Ahmad Al Harthy, helped us to promote Oman’s natural beauty, hospitality and prosperity to a large global audience of sports enthusiast and potential tourists. For all our efforts, we were honoured a golden trophy by the Minister of Sports, Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al Saadi.”
Hassan Shaban, general manager and chief of government banking officer at NBO, explained: “We share a common denominator with sports; it provides us with the optimum platform to showcase our customer-focused philosophy when designing our products and services. We seek through our comprehensive range of innovative financial solutions to promote the values of integrity, determination, and hardwork which are values shared by athletes as well.”
A prime example of NBO’s investments in sports is the 10 years-long sponsorship of professional racecar driver, Ahmad Al Harthy. Ahmad is an international success story; competing globally in GT3 races with his Aston Martin Vantage, he was recently crowned 1st place at the 2017 three hours – 1,000 kilometres Blancpain Endurance Championship in Monza, Italy. The Bank’s support has helped make Ahmad the most successful Omani racing driver in history.
Sporting history was also made when the National Bank of Oman brought the PGA European Tour event: NBO Oman Open, to the Sultanate for the first time ever. The prestigious event came after successfully hosting the Challenge Tour’s NBO Road to Oman Golf Classic at Al Mouj Golf for four consecutive years. The tournament attracted world-renowned golf players and achieved a mass following domestically and internationally. The event played a pivotal role in promoting the Sultanate as a leading sports and tourism destination as it broadcasts live coverage of the tournaments to more than 490 million homes in more than 150 countries every week, generating in excess of 2,200 global broadcast hours for each event.
Its affiliation with sports has positioned National Bank of Oman as a visionary and an approachable financial institution, which is reflected in its growing portfolio of tailored and inclusive products and services that range from Mustaqbali Youth Accounts for students to Sadara, which offers exclusive wealth management and investment solutions.