The UAE banking enterprise is nicely-capitalized and stands on stable pillars, however still requires consolidation to emerge stronger on this aggressive technology with the aid of merging smaller units with principal economic organizations, specialists say.
They are saying. "price synergies, the desire to exploit economies of scale, diversify mortgage books and investment resources at a time of pressure in international markets and commonplace government possession all make a compelling argument for bank mergers within the UAE."
Martin Khalid, a Dubai-based totally funding banker, stated there may be no 2nd opinion that the UAE desires more mergers inside the banking enterprise. He said the creation of a cash-centric banking colossus with over $115 billion in assets like Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi bank and, now, the joining of Abu Dhabi business bank, Union national financial institution, and Al Hilal Bank, does not imply the quiet of the bank merger wave.
"Many smaller banks inside the Northern Emirates do now not have the size or investment diversification to compete with the massive 3 of UAE banking, let alone overseas business banks working inside the UAE since before the birth of the federation, including Citigroup, HSBC, and widespread Chartered," Khalid advised Khaleej instances.
Dash said, "Mergers and acquisitions may be suitable for the banking enterprise as it emerges stronger. However, it may not be good for consumers."
Properly-positioned assets in banking circles stated over 1/2-a-dozen nearby banks are in discussions to merge with important economic businesses or merged with each different. They stated the enterprise may additionally see first-ever inter-emirate merger to set up a mega monetary institution inside the Northern Emirates.
In September, media reports stated 3 Sharjah-based banks - make investments financial institution, United Arab bank and the bank of Sharjah - were engaged in merger talks, however, the lenders later denied these. In the latest interview with Khaleej instances, the bank of Sharjah standard supervisor Varouj Nerguizian said that the lender is not engaged in any merger talks with any banks inside the UAE, however, it's far open to it.
"A population of nine. Five million desires four or 5 massive, nicely-capitalized neighborhood banking champions, no longer close to a dozen sub-scale banks. this could reduce systemic risk and improve vital financial institution regulatory quality practices, investment liquidity, and bank capital optimization," Khalid said.
"This can gain buyers who can gain higher dividend yields and extra strong revenue boom at larger banks. The benefit to the UAE economy is an give up to the protracted credit score crunch and an expanded tempo of loan boom."
Rajeev Kakar, founder of Dunia Finance and previous Citibank regional CEO for Turkey and the MEA, said the UAE need to keep to peer similarly consolidation inside the banking region on an ongoing foundation to create economies of scale and efficiencies, which can be necessary to reap within the face of fast generation adjustments and the arrival of non-traditional technology-led sources of competition.
"With the expanded need for digitization and related transformation projects, such consolidation is inevitable as incumbent banks will need to leverage the strength of large scale and length, against the hazard they face from the nimbler non-traditional new-age insurgents that leverage fin-tech solutions," Kakar instructed Khaleej times.
Also, he said consolidation may be necessitated attributable to the hardening of hobby quotes in advance and the discontinuing of financial stimulus, making it highly-priced for sub-scale banks to raise capital without problems or liquidity at an inexpensive price.
"Clients can even benefit from pass selling opportunities and higher virtual experience. improving the high-quality client enjoy is likewise on the time table. However, we count on the higher excellent of banking services, less competition could come at a higher price to customers," he brought.
To a question, he stated profitability is now the point of interest, and fee-creation comes from merging smaller gamers with an excessive price base and susceptible capital base as they're not going to weather tighter law as well as greater opposition and digital upgrade.
"At the same time as there are numerous ability benefits to consolidation, it could be operationally and culturally difficult. stable company governance is a value device, no longer an isolated action, and must permeate through every factor of the commercial enterprise to pressure values-aligned change," she stated.
Analysts said mergers are not an alternative for the search for excellence in credit score risk, control, sound investment regulations, diversification of mortgage books and disciplined capital allocation. Standards of board governance and oversight in the UAE want extensive improvement.
"Larger banks need to be held to a higher preferred of control excellence. They have to additionally accelerate the evolution of UAE capital markets and asset securitization - a global fashion," Khalid stated.
"The UAE authorities ought to additionally lessen its 70 percent-plus ownership stake in most important banks like FAB and ADCB/UNB which will boost their unfastened float and average everyday trading volumes on the stock alternate, a key criterion for international fund managers who will best purchase emerging market banks with low liquidity risk," he stated.
