Dubai - MENA Herald: National Bonds Corporation, the leading sharia-compliant savings and investments’ company in the UAE, has announced that nine of its mid-tier employees have earned their level three award from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), Europe’s largest independent organization devoted to the development of leadership and management skills in the global corporate workforce. Following the program, more than 70% of the National Bonds’ mid-tier managers are accredited ILM professionals.
ILM programs and the qualifications they provide are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. The seven-month training program attended by the National Bonds executives offered insights on different styles of leadership, including their own. The sessions also examined in-depth methods of problem solving and decision making. Techniques to efficiently lead and motivate teams were shared with the mid-tier executives.
Mohammed Bitar, Chief Commercial Officer of National Bonds, said: “For individual career enhancement as well as to improve the overall performance of the company, it is imperative that our managers develop effective leadership and problem-solving skills. As part of this requirement, the ILM program was offered to our line managers and department heads – individuals whose core job involves the management of people.”
He added: “Effective and confident first-line managers contribute to better relationships and communication within the corporate teams. In terms of measurable results, these new skills are effectively transferred to National Bonds business and enrich our capacity to increase dividends and better serve our customers. We believe the combination eventually leads to achieving enhanced returns on our investments.”
Customer service advisors handling the National Bonds Call Centre have also been awarded certificates from the College of Call Centre Excellence from BenchmarkPortal, the world leader in call center benchmarking, call center training, and call center consulting. The BenchmarkPortal also hosts the world's largest call center metrics database. As part of their training, National Bonds’ Call Center staff were taken through rigorous performance standards that ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Ahmed Bibars, Executive Director of Retail and Distribution at National Bonds said: "The call center staff is in direct contact with customers and needs to be highly professional in order to strengthen their trust in National Bonds as the preferred savings partner. Therefore, we are keen to empower our call center staff with optimum skills that ensure customer satisfaction. We achieve this through harnessing their ability in responding to customer queries and providing them with appropriate solutions for ensuring their financial stability. Our priority will always focus on helping our customers understand the uniqueness of our products and services that will help them build a resilient future.”
National Bonds has lately become a corporate supporter of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI). As part of this partnership, National Bonds’ managers in the investment industry can benefit from CISI’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program.
Providing an international introduction to securities and investment, as well as a global overview on all facets of investment, the certificate program is specifically designed to meet the needs of relationship and territory managers in the wealth management department – primarily new entrants to the investment industry. Program participants can also benefit from CISI’s high standards of professionalism and its stringent code of conduct with regard to the maintenance of ethics, integrity and trust in the financial sector.
Mohamed Salah, Head of Wealth Management & Corporate at National Bonds said: “We are pleased to share that some 55% of National Bonds’ wealth and relationship managers are now certified CISI professionals. At a time when the world’s investment companies are looking to downsize workforces, National Bonds realizes that people are at the core of our business. As part of our sustained expansion policy, we will continue to upskill and empower our employees across all levels, to ensure they deliver more efficient, up-to-date and sustainable solutions to our customers. Such investments have paid rich dividends in the past. Notably, National Bonds was the proud recipient of the Wealth Management Services Award for 2015, a victory that can be attributed to our goal-focused wealth management team.”
National Bonds, licensed and regulated by the UAE Central Bank, provides UAE nationals, as well as residents and non-residents with credible and safe saving options. A key offering from National Bonds is the highly customized myPlan. The saving program, which allows customers to make a monthly contribution to their future reserves, offers winning rewards and attractive returns on investment. Creditably, National Bonds’ holistic offerings have received the ‘Best Islamic Savings Product’ distinction for three consecutive years from the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA).