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Ms. Juliet Morris of International Banker interviews Ms. Nahla Khaddage Bou-Diab, Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of AM Bank on the bank’s approach to customer service, the take-up of digital banking in Lebanon and the “opportunity gap” for women employed in the Middle East banking sector.

Mr. Simon Hughes of International Banker interviews Mr. Ade Adebiyi, CEO and Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Sierra Leone on the bank’s CSR strategy, its corporate and commercial offerings, and the bank’s exceptional performance figures.

The Central American nation of Costa Rica is regarded as economically sound, although rising government debt has raised alarm bells with credit-ratings agencies. Costa Rica’s financial industry is flourishing, and Banco BCT is at the centre of the action. With strong presence in Costa Rica and neighbouring Panama, BCT offers top-notch banking services. In our interview, Mr. Alvaro Saborío, CEO of Grupo Financiero BCT, provided insight into this financial powerhouse’s human-centred strategy.

Today, International Banker is joined by Mr. Olukayode Pitan, managing director and CEO of Bank of Industry, to discuss the financial inclusion in Nigeria, the country’s SME sector and the role that the bank plays in improving the economy of Nigeria. Very good to have you here.

Developing markets surmount trials not faced by developed markets, as do their financial-services providers. Forward-looking banks in developing countries implement innovative approaches to maximize customer satisfaction in trying times. One such bank is Kenya’s Guardian Bank, which in its quest to provide its customers with only the best banking experience has developed initiatives that may set a new trend for banks worldwide.

Lebanon’s AM Bank is guided by a simple but powerful modus operandi: CAN-DO. According to this innovative bank, Can-Do means that its staff can provide exactly what its customers require of them: “a positive outlook and a will to deliver products, services and solutions that really answer” their needs. COO Nahla Bou-Diab spoke with us about the bank’s guiding motto and how it has yielded satisfied customers and staff alike.

A persistent problem in Africa is the financial-inclusion deficit. With 11 million citizens in South Africa alone being either underbanked or unbanked, the need to gather them into the banking fold is urgent. Recognizing this imperative, innovative teams such as Nedbank’s Retail and Business Banking have prioritised customer-centric digital avenues to reach more customers, entrenching themselves as the money experts who do good and give clients back the gift of time.

Artificial intelligence is infiltrating almost every industry, including banking, and automating tasks in ways that outperform humans. But is this cause for nail-biting or rejoicing? A lot depends on how intelligently artificial intelligence is first viewed and then put to work by humans. Banks worldwide, such as Alawwal bank in Saudi Arabia, are proving that this powerful technology, if exploited smartly, will be transformational for banks and customers alike.

Although rich in mineral resources, Sierra Leone is one of the world’s poorest countries. Nearly 90 percent of the population is isolated and excluded from financial services. Reaching them has become a top priority for one of the country’s most progressive banks, Guaranty Trust Bank (SL), which is demonstrating how effectively cutting-edge financial technology can transform the financial-services landscape for a disadvantaged population.

Nigeria’s government-owned Bank of Industry is on a mission to “transform Nigeria’s industrial sector by providing financial and business support services to enterprises”, firmly cementing its vital role in advancing the country’s economic development. In our interview with him, Managing Director and CEO Olukayode Pitan explains how BOI is fulfilling its ambitious mandate to create more jobs and reduce poverty by providing financial support to pivotal enterprises.