ADIB Emiratisation nears 50% with 374 Emirati hires in 2025

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) accelerated its Emiratisation momentum in 2025, with UAE nationals representing 49% of its total workforce by year-end, among the highest localisation ratios in the banking sector, according to the its Integrated Annual Report 2025.

The bank continues to position national talent development as a core pillar of its long-term strategy. “We are dedicated to supporting the UAE’s progressive Emiratisation agenda by creating sustainable career pathways for UAE nationals and building a highly skilled workforce that can lead the future of the financial services sector,” ADIB said in the report.

Emiratis now occupy key leadership and frontline roles across the organisation. UAE nationals account for 91% of branch managers, while 15 Emiratis form part of the bank’s top management team.

Strong hiring and pipeline expansion

During 2025, ADIB recruited 374 Emiratis and promoted more than 110 national employees, underscoring sustained investment in local talent progression.

The bank also advanced its Al Ain Excellence Centre initiative, appointing 230 UAE nationals during the year and outlining plans to hire a further 400 by the end of 2026. The programme supports the UAE’s broader Emiratisation agenda and the Nafis programme.

To widen its talent pipeline, ADIB organised open recruitment events in Al Ain in collaboration with Majalis Abu Dhabi, offering on-the-spot interviews across retail banking, operations, digital banking and corporate functions.

The bank also participated in multiple national career fairs across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain, engaging thousands of Emirati job seekers and reinforcing its positioning as an employer of choice.

Leadership development in focus

ADIB continued to strengthen its flagship leadership accelerators, Quiyadat and Tamkeen, designed to fast-track high-potential Emiratis into strategic roles through structured coaching, mentorship, technical training and direct exposure to senior leadership.

The bank was also recognised under the Nafis programme for its contribution to national workforce development. Chairman Jawaan Awaidha Suhail Al Khaili said the bank made “strong progress in advancing Emiratisation, leadership development, and talent acquisition, while reinforcing a workplace environment centred on wellbeing, empowerment, and inclusion.”

Group Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Abdelbary added, “People remain at the core of our progress. We strengthened our Emiratisation efforts, advanced leadership development programmes, and fostered a collaborative, high-performance culture built on inclusion, wellbeing, and empowerment.”

Diversity and inclusion embedded

ADIB emphasised that diversity remains central to its people strategy. “At ADIB, we recognise that our people are the driving force behind our performance and that the diversity of our people and cultures sets us apart,” the bank said, adding that it is building a future-ready, inclusive and client-centric workforce.

The lender said it is committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, respected and empowered, with its inclusion framework anchored in fairness, equal opportunity and adherence to high ethical and human-rights standards.

By the end of 2025, women represented 44% of ADIB’s workforce, with female participation reaching 48% at entry and mid-level roles, signalling continued progress in strengthening the female leadership pipeline. Among Emirati employees, women accounted for 76%, highlighting strong national female representation.

ADIB supports its inclusion agenda through formal policies prohibiting discrimination, reinforced by its HR Policy Manual, Code of Ethics and grievance mechanisms designed to ensure a safe and respectful work environment. Overall, the bank’s workforce spans more than 51 nationalities, reflecting its multicultural organisational ethos.

Employee engagement and wellbeing

Employee engagement remained high, with ADIB recording an 88% engagement rate and one of the region’s strongest participation levels in its annual staff survey.

The bank said it continues to invest heavily in employee wellbeing and satisfaction through flexible work policies, family-friendly benefits and career development initiatives aimed at building a high-trust, high-performance culture.

A dedicated Employee Wellbeing Department oversees health and wellness programmes, staff partnerships and personalised employee support. ADIB also provides nursery support for working parents and comprehensive medical takaful coverage, reinforcing its people-first approach.

These initiatives support the bank’s ambition to be recognised among the region’s leading employers, where collaboration, respect, growth and belonging remain central to the employee experience.

Heavy investment in learning and development

ADIB also stepped up investment in capability building in 2025, delivering more than 325,124 training hours through structured learning pathways, leadership programmes and technical upskilling initiatives.

The bank expanded virtual learning to enable “anytime, anywhere” access, with over 90% of e-learning content tailored to individual users through its learning management system. Training covered digital skills, regulatory knowledge and emerging capabilities critical to the evolving financial landscape.

ADIB maintains partnerships with leading institutions including the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies and Harvard Business School to support leadership development and professional certification pathways.

Through these initiatives, ADIB said it is building a future-ready workforce aligned with its long-term growth ambitions and the UAE’s national talent priorities.