S&P Upgrades CBQ Rating to A-

Joseph Abraham, Group CEO at Commercial Bank of Qatar delves into the current developments at CBQ and the banking industry. Abraham talks about the rising volatility in international business, the bank’s move towards diversification, consolidation and innovation:

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Kanisha Gupta: Given the rising volatility of international business and emerging risks, what is the new balance that the bank is seeking across its domestic and international business?

 Joseph Abraham: Domestic business. in Qatar remains our main focus and we obtain the majority of our revenues from it. We are monitoring international opportunities; however, our home market remains as our main focus.

Overall, is the bank veering towards diversification or consolidation of business for the next few years?

 We are expanding our business across different client segments with new product features. Internationally, we will be focused on continually improving our business performance.

Briefly describe the innovations and business impact of partnering with startups that the bank has engaged with?