Dubai,
UAE; September 17, 2014: Cass
Business School, part of City University London, this week hosted a
delegation from South Africa’s Banking
Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA).
This is the fourth time they have hosted the BANKSETA delegation,
further strengthening the ties between UAE and South Africa’s
banking community.
According
to figures provided by the South African embassy in Abu Dhabi, the
UAE is the 24th largest investor in South Africa, and is its largest
trading partner in the GCC region. The UAE is also the 21st largest
export market to South Africa, and total bilateral trade between
South Africa and the UAE is estimated at $3 billion (Dh11 billion).
The delegation visiting Cass Business School from BANKSETA aim to
increase the synergies between the two countries.
During
the two-day series, a range of topics were discussed including the
DIFC, the UAE economy, Islamic Banking, business culture in the UAE,
and the new trends in retail banking, enabling the delegates to gain
an understanding into the many unique aspects of the UAE.
The
discussions, hosted at City’s Dubai Centre in the DIFC, were led by
guest speakers including: Dina Haddad, Manager of Business Entities,
DIFC, Dr. Burcu Kapar, Visiting Lecturer, City University London, Dr
Sohail Zubairi, Chief Executive Officer, Dar Al Sharia Legal &
Financial Consultancy, Mr Ammar Shams, Regional and UAE Head of
Corporate Sustainability, HSBC and Mr. Vikram Krishna, Head of Group
Marketing, Customer Experience and Customer Analytics, Emirates NBD
Bank.
Ehsan
Razavizadeh, Regional Director, MENA and Head of City University
London’s Dubai Centre,
said:
“International relationships and connections are increasingly
important in business. We must take every opportunity to welcome
guests from other parts of the world, to learn, share knowledge and
better our businesses and society.
“We
are thrilled to play a part in boosting banking ties between the UAE
and South Africa. We have a strong relationship with BANKSETA, as
this is their fourth year where we have hosted their delegation in
our facilities at DIFC, and we look forward to further strengthening
our relationship in the years to come.”
Originally
established by the South African Department of Labour (now the
Department of Higher Education and Training) BANKSETA aims to develop
skills within the country’s banking and microfinance sectors.
BANKSETA has worked with the Wits Business School in South Africa and
Cass Business School, part of City University London, in the UK to
develop the International Executive Development Programme (IEDP),
which seeks to identify and develop high-potential future leaders of
the South African financial services industry.
Richard
Thomson, Programme Director, Bankseta IEDP,Wits Business School said:
“It is our fourth Bankseta IEDP Study Tour to Dubai. Our partnership with Cass Business School in Dubai has grown from strength to strength and our delegates derive huge benefits from the learning opportunities that Dubai has to offer. “
“It is our fourth Bankseta IEDP Study Tour to Dubai. Our partnership with Cass Business School in Dubai has grown from strength to strength and our delegates derive huge benefits from the learning opportunities that Dubai has to offer. “
