ALEXBANK meet SMEs companies to mark its cooperation with the EBDR and launch the (Business Club Academy)

Cairo, Egypt – 23 February 2020 - In line with ALEXBANK’s strategy to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the bank launched «Business Club Academy» aiming at providing dedicated  training for SMEs’ owners and entrepreneurs with elements of financial management, organizational and marketing skills, supporting them in taking better business decisions and contributing to enhance their competitiveness and productivity. This comes within the framework of the cooperation agreement entered with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and in collaboration with the Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI) - the training arm of the Central Bank of Egypt that will be the implementing partner - which will provide dedicated training to ALEXBANK’s SMEs customers. Furthermore, the technical assistance offered by the EBRD will also focus on improving existing processes, products, customer experience and technical expertise of ALEXBANK’s employees, through a collaboration established with Frankfurt school of finance and business.

ALEXBANK and EBRD cooperation agreements entail a US$ 50 million credit line for funding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including a technical assistance package that ALEXBANK utilizes in enhancing the skill-sets and competitiveness of these enterprises by offering them dedicated training and workshops. In addition, the EBRD extended a further US$ 50 million to ALEXBANK under the Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP).

«Business Club Academy» aims to organize more than 50 dedicated workshops and training sessions, extending over 18 months for more than 1,700 participants, to be executed in Cairo, Alexandria, Delta, and Upper Egypt Governorates. The topics of the workshops will include corporate governance, payment technology and solutions, quality management, environment, digital economy, alternative distribution channels, and financial inclusion.

Dante Campioni, Managing Director & CEO of ALEXBANK said: “Our cooperation with EBRD and EBI comes in line with ALEXBANK’s strategy to support the development of SMEs. By launching the «Business Club Academy», the bank affirms its aim to boost the growth of small enterprises and support entrepreneurship in all sectors, whether industrial, agricultural, or other. This comes by providing essential tools, either financial or non-financial value-added services, as we strongly believe that beyond offering easy access to financing, we have to support SMEs to better face further challenges, such as proper business and financial planning, corporate governance, products marketing and markets access, adoption of proper payment methods more and more depending on digital solutions."

Valdas Vitkauskas, Associate Director, FI Business Leader for Egypt, EBRD commented, “We are proud to launch together with ALEXBANK and the Egyptian Banking Institute the EBRD’s “SME Workshops and Training” program.  Access to finance for SMEs is crucial to the growth of the economy, and has been identified as a top priority for the Government of Egypt. EBRD has a strong commitment to support Egypt’s effort to accompany national banks in their learning experience as well as to invest in the future of SMEs.”

Abdel Aziz Nossier, EBI Executive Director mentioned that EBI in accordance with Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE) directions has been deeply engaged in numerous Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) capacity building activities to bridge the gap between bankers and SMEs. Nossier confirmed that the cooperation with ALEXBANK and EBRD to launch the «Business Club Academy» fosters EBI’s strategy to further support the growth SME’s activities development and effectuates EBI’s role a knowledge hub.

As part of ALEXBANK’s dedication to offer an integrated set of innovative solutions and value-added services (VAS) for SMEs, in the occasion the bank launched «Business Club» a fully-fledged financial and non-financial proposition providing a unique banking experience. ALEXBANK «Business Club» offers «Business Plus» , a current account with daily interest rate paid monthly, a corporate debit card to easily manage expenses, ‘Time Deposit Plus’ which provides for distinctive rates, as well as free cheque books. This is besides offering credit facilities and free subscription to internet banking services allowing customers to transfer funds and immediately review all their banking transactions. Through «Business Club«, ALEXBANK also provides customers with  a multiple wide array of innovative solutions that are tailored for SMEs, which include offers and discounts up to 50% from large corporates offering services and solutions in the Egyptian market, such as ‘Vodafone’, ‘Aramex’, ‘zVendo’, ‘FilKhedma’, Cairo Airport Travel ‘CAT’, ‘Les concierges’ and ‘Quest’ company.

About ALEXBANK:

Established in 1957, ALEXBANK is today one of Egypt’s leading private sector banks, participated by the Intesa Sanpaolo Group since 2007.  ALEXBANK owns one of the largest private sector branch networks with a total of 176 branches located in every major Egyptian governorate employing over 4,500 individuals who proudly serve about 1.5 million customers, playing a vital role in Egypt’s economic present and future. ALEXBANK actively serves the widest spectrum of segments by providing value added financial products, services and solutions to Retail, Small Business, Medium and Corporate Enterprises. ALEXBANK is currently in the midst of a radical digital transformation aimed at providing our customers with the most unique of banking experiences, via our seamless multi-channel experience incorporating Internet & Mobile Banking, Cards, Electronic wallets, and the latest generation of point-of-sale & ATMs, all powered through the power of Big Data and empowered by key players in the Fintech ecosystem.