ila News

This comes as part of ila’s commitment to collaborate with key community stakeholders to further develop the FinTech ecosystem and fast-track digital transformation in Bahrain and the MENA
Manama, Bahrain: As part of its agenda to transform banking, ila Bank, Bahrain’s fast-growing digital, mobile-only bank, launched a Virtual Talent Development Programme, “The Transformers,” in collaboration with the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), on 5th July 2020. The programme is tailored to transform 20 candidates, including ila’s summer interns, into digital-oriented professionals equipped with practical skills to transform the future of banking.
“The Transformers” is an innovative 3-week programme aimed at university students and graduates, who have recently joined the banking sector, empowering them to positively impact their future organisations through a set of innovative and practical digital tools, skills and concepts. It brings together 20 candidates to participate in an exciting, hands-on learning experience, preparing them to navigate the next wave of technology and future-proof their careers in the digital age.

Commenting on the programme, ila Bank Bahrain CEO, Mr. Mohamed Al Maraj said: ““We are pleased to have collaborated with the BIBF, one of Bahrain’s most respected professional education institutes, to design a relevant programme that empowers local talent with essential skills and an innovative mindset to accelerate digital transformation and adapt to a changing world. These foundational ingredients will enable participants to embrace emerging technologies and fast-track the digital journeys of the organisations they join as well as the Government’s agenda to create a cashless, digital economy.”

The future innovators will be introduced to five learning tracks, starting from understanding new digital transformation concepts to learning how to accelerate their knowledge with design thinking. Topics include Artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and FinTech. Participants will also learn how to effectively communicate remotely, which is a key skill in times of crisis.

The programme wraps up with a 3-day hackathon which will be held to ensure knowledge transfer through an experiential learning activity. The candidates will be asked to pitch an innovative digital idea or process improvement to ila’s management team. The winners will earn the opportunity to intern with ila for a period of two months, starting the third week of July 2020.

“At ila, we are committed to developing local talent who will help us fulfil our objective to disrupt banking in the region for the benefit of society and lifestyles. We attribute the tremendous uptake of our banking app since our launch last November to our talented workforce, 90% of which are under the age of 40. Their agility, professionalism and resilience helped us continue business as usual through virtual channels despite over 50% of staff working from home due to the COVID-19 reality,” added Mr. Al Maraj.

BIBF’s Director, Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh, stated, “The global economy is undergoing a digital transformation with an increased growth and demand for a digital economy. This skills gap is now identified worldwide and the BIBF presents various training and educational solutions to meet market needs in terms of knowledge and skills related to emerging technologies. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a digitally-oriented pool of Bahraini talent to meet the ever-evolving market demands and help empower the Kingdom’s digital ecosystem.” He also, added, “We are glad to collaborate with ila Bank, to support the development of young local talent, in line with its youth empowerment vision.”

Head of BIBF’s Digital Transformation & Project Management Centre Mr. Ahmed Naeemi, said, “We are committed to supporting the development of the local workforce throughout their career paths. As we help individuals stay ahead of the competition by adapting and adopting existing and emerging technologies, we are also working with organisations to create bespoke development programmes that build on university qualifications to develop the next generation’s practical skills and applications through hands-on experience.”