based Islamic retail bank, announced Monday that it is upgrading and relocating its Muharraq branch to a new, better and more accessible location with ample parking facilities. The new full-service branch is located within the new Muharraq Central Market complex and, in addition to serving both customer and business at the market, also serves the fast growing commercial and residential area nearby. The new branch, which maintains Ithmaar Bank's network of 16 branches and 42 ATM machines, one of the largest retail banking networks in Bahrain, is expected to open in September. Ithmaar Bank General Manager, Retail Banking Group, Mohammed Janahi, said the move underscores the Bank's commitment to continuously investing on improving its customer service offerings. "Ithmaar Bank is committed to becoming the retail bank of choice in Bahrain," said Janahi. "We recognize that, to do so, we must listen closely to our customers and work to ensure we meet or exceed their expectations," he said. "This, in turn, demands continuous investments to improve our products and services, as well as our delivery channels, both physical and electronic," said Janahi. "This latest branch upgrade was designed for better customer convenience and is an example of how seriously we take this commitment," he said. "The Muharraq branch is being upgraded and relocated to help meet growing customer demand in that area," said Janahi. "For a large segment of our customer base, proximity is an important part of their banking experience – so we try our best to be as close to our customers as possible, especially in fast growing or densely populated areas," he said. "In preparation for the new branch, we will close the current Muharraq branch on Sunday 1 September," said Janahi. "Until the new Muharraq branch is opened, we will be pleased to serve customers at the nearby Busaiteen and Qalali branches - or at any of other 15 branches across Bahrain," he said. We expect to announce the opening date for the new branch soon. Recently, Ithmaar Bank was named "Best Bank for Personal Finance in Bahrain" by the World Union of Arab Bankers (WUAB) at a high-profile ceremony hosted in Beirut, Lebanon, and attended by senior bankers from across the Middle East. Ithmaar Bank earned the prestigious award following a comprehensive selection and review process that was conducted by a committee of high-level economists and banking professionals, as well the research department of the Union of Arab Banks (UAB) and the WUAB. — SG
