National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) is seeking to push into new markets in the Middle East and Asia by opening branches and acquiring banking licences.
It wants to open an Islamic bank in Malaysia and is pursuing licences to operate in Lebanon and Syria.
"We have a conventional licence. If the authorities allow us, we'd like to have … an Islamic licence," Michael Tomalin, the chief executive of NBAD, said on the sidelines of the Global Financial Markets Islamic Forum in Abu Dhabi.
After the recent political turmoil in Egypt, NBAD is also trying to increase its branch network there to 50 from 30 by 2014.
Mr Tomalin added the company's US business, which has operated in Washington DC since 1981 and recently moved to a new office, was also seeing increased business with American companies "that want to do business in our part of the world, and we're there to serve customers here who want to be in the Americas".
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Editor's Pick - Central Bank targets fees and lending practices
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Mr Tomalin also affirmed the bank's role as a catalyst for the development of Abu Dhabi.
"Whatever happens in the new Mena, the role of banks, both in banking and Islamic banking, is sure to be reinforced," he said. "I'm very confident that when the dust of this particular issue is settled, investors will return."
Raj Madha, a financial analyst at Rasmala Investment Bank, said regional expansion would help bolster NBAD's existing business as growth had been sluggish at home.
"Particularly in the environment of low domestic growth, you'd be expecting them to be looking for something more ambitious," Mr Madha said.
"None of the UAE banks have a pan-GCC franchise other than NBAD. It's clear that they've been the most aggressive in spreading their wings."
ghunter@thenational.ae
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
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