Arab Bank
Arab Bank is one of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East, founded in 1930 in Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine, as the first private sector financial institution in the Arab world. Headquartered today in Amman, Jordan, it serves clients in more than 600 branches in 30 countries on five continents. Arab Bank is a publicly held shareholding company listed on the Amman Stock Exchange.
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The bank is a major economic engine in Jordan and throughout the Middle East/Northern Africa, providing banking services and capital, and facilitating development and trade throughout the region. According to its website, the bank is the highest-ranked by market capitalization, and represents 28% of the Amman Stock Exchange.
In 2013, Global Investor named Arab Bank the "Best Cash Manager in the Middle East" and distinguished Arab Bank Invest as the "Best Brokerage House in Jordan".[4] Euromoney also honored it as "Best Bank in Jordan" for the sixth consecutive year.[5] In 2013, Arabian Business recognized the bank as Regional Bank of the Year.[6] From 2012 to 2013, Global Finance honored the bank with seven awards including Best Trade Finance Provider in the Middle East, Jordan and Yemen, Best Emerging Market Bank in Jordan and Yemen and Best Foreign Exchange Provider and Best Investment Bank in Jordan.[7] According to its 2010 Sustainability Report, J.P. Morgan honored Arab Bank Switzerland with the Quality Recognition Award for Outstanding Achievement 2009–2010 Best in Class.[8]
In 2005, the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency assessed a $24 million penalty against the New York Branch of Arab Bank for failing to implement an adequate anti-money laundering program to manage the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing, and violating the suspicious activity reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act. In September 2014, Arab Bank was found liable in federal court in New York for knowingly supporting terrorism relating to 24 different terrorist acts.[9] A separate trial will determine the amount of damages.
Global expansion:
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In the 1940s and 1950s, the bank grew to 43 branches and had JOD 5.5 million in capital. During this period, the bank focused on investments and became a catalyst for Arab economic developments when most other financial institutions avoided the risk.
The Arab Bank building in Zürich, Switzerland.
During the nationalization wave of the 1960s, Arab Bank lost a total of 25 branches.[11] Following the Six Day War in 1967, the bank closed its West Bank and Gaza branches. Although it closed branches in the Middle East, the bank continued to expand in other parts of the world. In 1961, the bank opened its first international location, becoming the first Arab financial institution to establish a presence in Switzerland.[11] By 1964 Arab Bank Switzerland had locations in both Zürich and Geneva.
In 1974, after his father’s death, Abd Al-Majeed Shoman was named Chairman and General Manager of Arab Bank.[12] Under his leadership, the bank expanded its scope of products and services into new areas of business.[12] Though it previously emphasized trade and small-scale construction finance, the bank undertook a leading role in large-scale project finance, both directly and through participation in syndicated loans.[12] By the 1990s, the bank added investment banking to its services. In the mid-1990s, the bank was given permission by the Central Bank of Jordan and the Israeli Central Bank to reopen in the West Bank/Gaza under the supervision of both the CBJ and the Palestinian Monetary Authority.[13]
In May 2000, Abd Al Majeed’s son, Abdel Hamid became CEO. Under his leadership, Arab Bank reopened operations in Syria in 2005, and took steps to commence its activities in Iraq, circumstances permitting.[14] In January 2007, Arab Bank established Europe Arab Bank (EAB), a London-based, fully owned subsidiary.[15] It also acquired 50% of MNG Bank in Turkey (now known as Turkland Bank) and 50% of Al Nisr Al Arabi Insurance company in Jordan, thus introducing bancassurance to its product variety. Also, the group established Arab Bank-Syria.[16]
Over the next few years, the bank opened branches in Frankfurt, London, Australia, New York and Singapore. Following the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and Palestine, at the invitation of Israel, Arab Bank opened branches in several Palestinian towns with broad governmental support.
Arab Bank today:
Today, Arab Bank provides consumer banking services, as well as corporate and institutional banking services to individuals, corporations, government agencies and other international financial institutions.
After years of being ranked A- from Fitch, A- from Standard & Poor, and A3 from Moody’s, the bank’s rankings were dropped twice in 2011. Moody’s first downgraded its Local Currency Deposit Rating to Baa1,[17] and then downgraded the bank’s Financial Strength Rating to a C- from a C. In both instances, Moody’s noted the decision was based on an analysis of political instability in the region.[17] In April 2012, Moody’s announced a possible downgrade of the Bank’s current Financial Strength Rating as well as its local currency long- and short-term deposit ratings.[18] In November 2011, Standard & Poor’s lowered its long-term counterparty credit ratings to 'BB' from 'BB+', noting the ratings are constrained by the local currency ratings on the sovereign. As of 25 January 2012, Fitch still had Arab Bank ranked at an A-.[19]
As of their 2013 first quarter report, Arab Bank Group had a shareholders' equity base of $7.6 billion (USD), a net profit before tax of $256.9 million (USD), and $45.7 billion (USD) in assets.[20]
In early 2012, Arab Bank was among the top 10 stocks on the S&P-Hawkamah Pan Arab ESG Index. The ranking selects the Middle East's top 50 companies on the basis of environmental, social, and corporate governance standards and is a given by Standard & Poor's and Hawkamah.
Compliance:
In 2005, the bank's New York branch was fined $24 million for failing to implement an adequate anti-money laundering program to manage the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing, and violating the suspicious activity reporting requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act. In 2014, the bank was found liable for knowingly supporting terrorism relating to 24 different terrorist acts.[9][22]
In 2006, the bank participated at the International Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financing Terrorism Conference hosted by the Union of Arab Banks and supported by the United States Department of the Treasury.[23] The conference sought to unite the public and private sector in strengthening defenses against terrorist financing and money laundering in the MENA region.[24]
Since 2006, the bank has held a regulatory compliance summit with speakers from across the international banking community to discuss and learn more about the compliance environment.[25] In 2008, at the request of the Association of Banks, Arab Bank hosted a compliance workshop attended by compliance professionals from banks throughout the country including the Central Bank of Jordan.[26]
In 2009, Michael Matossian, the bank’s Executive Vice President and Global Head of Group Regulatory Compliance was named Chief Compliance Officer of the Year at the 2009 Compliance Awards.
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