Oman’s pioneering and most trusted Islamic bank, Bank Nizwa, has been a frontrunner in promoting gender diversity at workplace, giving equal opportunities to women employees to prove their mettle. In recognition of these efforts, three of the bank’s employees have featured in the Womeni 2020 report’s list of 300 most influential women in Islamic business and finance globally, released by the prestigious Cambridge Institute of Islamic Finance. The three employees, holding senior positions in the bank, are Haifa Abdul Ali Al Lawati, Head of HR, Sayyida Wisam Jaifer Al Said, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications and Amal Said Al Juma, Chief Manager – Wealth Management.

Speaking about empowering Omani women as a key focus area for Bank Nizwa, Mr.Khalid Al Kayed, CEO, Bank Nizwa, said, “Banking and finance is growing to be a preferred career choice among women. We have seen an increased interest from female candidates in Islamic finance jobs as well. To that effect, we believe it is our duty to provide the necessary impetus to aspiring women of Oman, creating an environment for them to learn, skill and take on leadership roles as well. The bank places great value and responsibility in its female staff members and believes in encouraging our women employees to achieve new milestones, accolades, and appreciation, both locally and internationally.”

Bank Nizwa considers its employees as a key driving force behind its success. Paying keen attention to developing the Omani workforce, Bank Nizwa conducts various programs that are tailored especially for their employees, thus encouraging them to lead the way and drive change in the industry.

“We are indeed proud of the three Omani women in our organization who have been recognized as among the top 300 most influential women in the field of Islamic business and finance. They have earned their place by demonstrating utmost perseverance, professionalism, and dedication in their respective fields of specialization.  We believe they will pave the way for new women leaders in the nation and serve as an inspiration for others to follow.”

Sayyida Wisam Al Said is the Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications and holds 14 years of experience as a marketing and communications professional. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications from the American University of Paris with a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from Cardiff University, UK. She also holds a specialized certificate in Direct Marketing. Outside her career in Oman, she has trained with UNESCO’s Public Bureau of Information and the International Chamber of Commerce based in Paris, France. Leading the marketing and corporate communications team at Bank Nizwa, Sayyida Wisam Al Said has played a crucial role in strategizing and achieving the marketing objectives while successfully engaging and connecting with its clients and partners.

Heading the Human Resource Department in Bank Nizwa with 25 years of experience, Haifa Al Lawati has previously worked in reputed organisations like PDO and Oxy Oman. She has an MBA degree from Bedfordshire, UK and BSc degree from Sultan Qaboos University along with other professional accounting certifications. She has cross-posting experience in Houston USA and also holds several important positions including the Board Secretary at HRC and a HR committee member at OBA. Haifa joined Bank Nizwa at foundation stage and helped in building the HR department from scratch. Her core competencies include Human Resources, Compensations & Benefits, Staffing, and Strategic HR. She has over 17 years of experience in Human Resource Management and is currently responsible to support and align HR objectives with the Bank’s overall vision, implement HR change initiatives to support the business strategy and continuous improvements in HR management to achieve organisational objectives. Haifa also participated in 5th Islamic leadership at Clare college University of Cambridge and won the Cambridge IBM award. She was also awarded at GIFA for Human Capital Development and HR leadership award as the GCC Best Employer Award in 2020.

The Chief Manager of Wealth Management, Amal Said Al Juma holds over 20 years of experience and has established and managed several branches of Islamic banks in Oman. She has headed and led the direct sales team of Bank Nizwa, while also establishing its wealth management section. With experiences in Branch Management, Direct Sales & Wealth Management Amal received her International Certified Higher Diploma from the College of Banking and Financial Studies and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Coventry University UK. She has delivered professional strategic co-ordination of the Bank's overall strategy to develop the wealth management unit while increasing net profit and client’s portfolio.

The idea of empowering women with prominent roles is evident from the significant number of women employees in senior positions within Bank Nizwa. While supporting Omani women to work on acquiring additional qualifications and enhancing their skills.