CASE STUDY
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank , ADIB is a prominent financial institution in the UAE , managing assets worth AED 213 billion . The bank offers a suite of services , including retail , corporate , business , private banking , and wealth management . Since its establishment in 1997 and subsequent listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange , ADIB has expanded across strategic markets including Egypt , Saudi Arabia , UK , Sudan , Qatar , and Iraq .
Challenges in modernisation
Islamic banks , including ADIB , must navigate the challenge of integrating new technologies while adhering to Sharia principles and global regulatory standards . A key issue is ensuring that digital solutions comply with Islamic finance requirements , necessitating careful evaluation and customisation of technologies to maintain compliance while driving innovation .
Central to ADIB ’ s growth is its emphasis on digital transformation , enabling seamless banking experiences through its digital platforms . The bank ’ s innovationfocused strategy has garnered recognition , including awards for its Ghina savings account and co-branded credit cards with Emirates Airlines and Etihad .
ADIB is also committed to promoting financial inclusion by leveraging digital payment services and mobile banking solutions to reach broader customer demographics , including unbanked segments .
Additionally , the rise of super applications in the region is pushing Islamic banks to expand their offerings beyond traditional banking services . ADIB faces competition from these platforms that provide a wide range of services , such as payments , shopping , and financial management , within a single application .
To stay competitive , ADIB is building platforms that integrate financial management and customer engagement features into one unified experience . However , the transformation of legacy systems to support such integrated digital platforms presents significant challenges and requires substantial investment and modernisation efforts .
Regulatory compliance and data protection are also critical as banks adapt to these changes . Ensuring that systems are secure and compliant with evolving regulations while delivering a seamless experience is a delicate balance .
Addressing the skills gap in digital expertise remains a priority , as attracting and retaining talent is essential for successful digital transformation . ADIB invests in upskilling and innovation programs to ensure its workforce can support and advance these technological changes .
IT organisation
ADIB ’ s IT architecture is structured as a hybrid , tiered model utilising cloud services from Microsoft Azure and secure on-premises systems for critical functions . This architecture follows a two-speed approach , balancing the stability of core banking systems with the agility required for digital channels and customer-facing applications .
It integrates principles such as modularity , reusability , and interoperability to maintain flexibility and ensure seamless integration across platforms .
ADIB ’ s infrastructure systems are built to support high availability and disaster recovery , leveraging multi-zone and multi-region deployments to minimise service disruption . The architecture incorporates microservices , APIs , and containerisation to enhance scalability and simplify updates , enabling faster
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