United Arab Emirates: Cass Business School strengthens ties between UAE and South African Bankers

Cass Business School, part of City University London, this week hosted a delegation from South Africa’s Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA). This is the fourth time they have hosted the BANKSETA delegation, further strengthening the ties between UAE and South Africa’s banking community.

According to figures provided by the South African embassy in Abu Dhabi, the UAE is the 24th major investor in South Africa, and is its major trading partner in the GCC region. The UAE is as well the 21st major export market to South Africa, and total bilateral trade between South Africa and the UAE is estimated at $3 billion (Dh11 billion). The delegation visiting Cass Business School from BANKSETA aim to increase the synergies between the two nations.

During the two-day series, a range of topics were discussed inclunding the DIFC, the UAE economy, Islamic Banking, business culture in the UAE, and the new trends in retail banking, enabling the delegates to gain an considerate into the a lot of incomparable aspects of the UAE.

The discussions, hosted at City’s Dubai Centre in the DIFC, were led by guest speakers inclunding: Dina Haddad, Manager of Business Entities, DIFC, Dr. Burcu Kapar, Visiting Lecturer, City University London, Dr Sohail Zubairi, Chief Executive Officer, Dar Al Sharia Legal & Financial Consultancy, Mr Ammar Shams, Regional and UAE Chief of Corporate Sustainability, HSBC and Mr. Vikram Krishna, Chief of Group Marketing, Customer Experience and Customer Analytics, Emirates NBD Bank.

Ehsan Razavizadeh, Regional Director, MENA and Chief of City University London’s Dubai Centre, said: “International relationships and connections are increasingly significant in business. We must take each opportunity to welcome guests from other parts of the world, to learn, share knowledge and better our businesses and society.

“We are thrilled to play a part in boosting banking ties between the UAE and South Africa. We have a strong relationship with BANKSETA, as this is their fourth year where we have hosted their delegation in our facilities at DIFC, and we look forward to further strengthening our relationship in the years approaching.”

Originally established by the South African Department of Labour (presently the Department of Higher Education and Training) BANKSETA aims to develop skills within the country’s banking and microfinance sectors. BANKSETA has worked with the Wits Business School in South Africa and Cass Business School, part of City University London, in the UK to develop the International Executive Development Programme (IEDP), which seeks to identify and develop high-potential next leaders of the South African financial services industry.

Richard Thomson, Programme Director, Bankseta IEDP,Wits Business School said: “It is our fourth Bankseta IEDP Study Tour to Dubai. Our partnership with Cass Business School in Dubai has grown from strength to strength and our delegates derive huge benefits from the learning opportunities that Dubai has to offer. “