Middle East's Best Banks

Oman’s largest bank by assets is also the Sultanate’s best bank. It is big in its home territory: Bank Muscat is three times the size of Oman’s second- , third- and fourth-largest lenders combined. In 2019, it reported a net profit of OR186 million ($482 million), up 3.3% year on year.

Oman’s largest bank by assets is also the Sultanate’s best bank. It is big in its home territory: Bank Muscat is three times the size of Oman’s second- , third- and fourth-largest lenders combined. In 2019, it reported a net profit of OR186 million ($482 million), up 3.3% year on year.

Arab Bank emerges as the obvious winner of this award. It dominates both its home market and beyond, with 600 branches scattered across five continents, including Asia and Europe.

Kuwait Finance House is the standout winner of this award, beating its great domestic rival National Bank of Kuwait.

This will surprise few readers: EFG Hermes is a constant candidate – sometimes the only surefire one – for any prize involving Egypt’s best corporate and investment bank. It was its usual busy self last year, handling deals both in Egypt and across the region including in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Banque Misr’s SME division generated E£594 million ($37.5 million) in pre-tax profit in the year to the end of June 2019. It was on track to show even better results in the next 12 months, having generated E£443 million in profits in the second half of 2019.

Sometimes candidates for these awards can be so well-matched it is hard to decide between them. On other occasions, a winner just leaps off the page. So it is this year with Commercial International Bank.

Sometimes candidates for these awards can be so well-matched it is hard to decide between them. On other occasions, a winner just leaps off the page. So it is this year with Commercial International Bank.

The Middle East’s best digital bank is also, not surprisingly, the best digital bank over the past year in Dubai. Mashreq Bank’s digital strategy has been in place for years, driven from the top by CEO Ahmed Abdelaal, as well as by group head of retail banking Subroto Som and group head of corporate & investment banking, Joel Van Dusen.