Pakistan

Since Muhammad Aurangzeb took over as president and chief executive nearly two years ago, Pakistan’s biggest commercial bank has turned around and moved on from the compliance and reputational issues of the past.

The 30th annual Asiamoney Brokers Poll invited chief investment officers, fund managers and investment analysts to take part. Voters represented fund management houses, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds and wealth managers from around the world.

Created to promote the social development of women alongside its commercial interests, First Women Bank has led the way in financial inclusion.

HBL is controlled by the philanthropic foundation of the Aga Khan, the billionaire spiritual leader of the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam: so not surprisingly, corporate and social responsibility is considered part of the bank’s DNA.

Four years since JS Bank relaunched its SME business, the strategy is paying off. While the small and medium-sized enterprise business at much bigger rival HBL might be larger, JS Bank’s SME division is now ranked the third largest in the country and is attracting attention – and compliments – from competitors for the rapid emergence of its shrewd relationship-centred operations.

The central State Bank of Pakistan calculated that branchless banking in Pakistan grew roughly 10% in the three months to the end of September 2018, the most recent period reviewed, with a total of 43.1 million accounts.

The central State Bank of Pakistan calculated that branchless banking in Pakistan grew roughly 10% in the three months to the end of September 2018, the most recent period reviewed, with a total of 43.1 million accounts.