Bank Sohar Sponsors the 4th Ebda'at Omaniya SME Expo

Muscat, November 30, 2016

As part of its on-going support of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and in line with the Government’s initiatives to boost the SME sector within the country, Bank Sohar recently participated and sponsored as a bronze sponsor in the fourth edition of the Ebda‘at Omaniya SME Expo; marking its second consecutive year of support for the event. As part of its participation, the Bank showcased its various SME services under its newly launched dedicated SME brand – Aafaq Al Najah.

The Ebda‘at Omaniya 4 SME Expo was officially launched and inaugurated under the auspices of H.H. Sayyid Taimur bin As’ad Al Said on 28 November and will continue till 30 November.  The expo has been organized by the Public Authority for SME development (Riyada), Public Authority for Craft Industries, Al Raffd Fund, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Oman International Exhibition Centre. Representing Bank Sohar at the opening ceremony were Mr. Mustafa Ali Mukhtar, DGM and Acting Head of Wholesale Banking and Mr. Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, Sr. AGM of Marketing and Customer Experience, in addition to SME unit team at Bank Sohar.

Commenting on the Bank’s increased focus on the SME sector, Mr. Sasi Kumar, the Acting CEO of Bank Sohar said, “The SME sector plays a critical role in the continued diversification and growth of our economy. Therefore, we at Bank Sohar expend great time, effort and resources into supporting initiatives that accelerate their development. In fact, our involvement in the SME sector goes far beyond providing finance options. We offer our SME clients comprehensive guidance and help wherever required, and work closely with them to ensure their business is a success. We also offer our support to numerous initiatives that facilitate the growth of the sector and our association with the Ebda‘at Omaniya Expo is just one of many platforms the bank uses and supports in order to empower Omani entrepreneurs and enable the growth of their businesses.”

The Ebda‘at Omaniya 4 SME Expo witnesses the participation of over 90 small and medium enterprises from across five different fields; ranging from manufacturing, logistics, tourism, agriculture, and mining. The main goal of the three-day exhibition is centred on the theme of sustainability and divided into three main sections – Corporate opportunities, human resources management, and venture capital. One of its primary objectives is to develop the marketing and promotional skills among Omani entrepreneurs whilst also providing them with the opportunity to showcase their products and services to new clients. As part of the sponsorship, Bank Sohar was provided with a dedicated stall to showcase its recently launched Aafaq Al Najah brand, which is exclusively directed at small and medium enterprises in the Sultanate in the form of specialised services tailored to the needs of their growing businesses.

“We have had many success stories over the years and many of our entrepreneurs have successfully moved into the Commercial and Corporate arena. Expos such as these offer the ideal opportunity for networking, providing vital opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors looking to broaden their horizons, and diversify their business portfolios into new endeavours. The expo also provided us with the perfect opportunity to showcase our new Aafaq Al Najah brand; which has been specifically developed to allow us to reach out to a broader range of SMEs throughout Sultanate of Oman with tailored solutions to meet their financial and growth requirements,” added Mr. Mustafa Ali Mukhtar, DGM and Acting Head of Wholesale Banking.

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Bank Sohar’s commitment to the SME sector is clearly evident through the Bank’s set up of a dedicated department responsible for providing SMEs with financial services and expert guidance. The exclusive Aafaq Al Najah unit is conveniently located in Azaiba at Abraj Al Sahwa, near the industrial area in Ghala, allowing easy client accessibility and convenience as well as to better facilitate senior level interaction by the Relationship Managers at the clients’ locations. Aafaq Al Najah plays a key role in supporting upcoming and newly established businesses in varying fields. In order to further support such companies, the Bank has also implemented a policy that not only facilitates an easy approval system with a high delegation of authority; it also offers attractive interest rates, easy terms and conditions and quick turnaround times.

For more information on Bank Sohar, please visit the Bank’s official website www.banksohar.net or call 24730000. You can also follow the Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/excel.banksohar , on Instagram at www.instagram.com/banksoharexcel  or join the conversation on Twitter @banksohar_excel.

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© Press Release 2016