Standard Chartered announced on Sunday it has opened its first dedicated Islamic Banking Centre in the UAE at the Al Khalidiya Branch in Abu Dhabi.

Launched by Standard Chartered Saadiq, the lender’s Islamic banking division, the branch will offer a wide range of Islamic banking solutions which are reviewed and approved by world-renowned Shariah scholars.

Wasim Saifi, global head of Islamic retail clients & CEO Standard Chartered Saadiq Malaysia said: “Standard Chartered Saadiq is the only international bank offering Shariah-compliant retail banking services in the UAE. The launch of our Saadiq Islamic Banking Center is in line with our commitment to enhance our products and services and bridge the service and distribution gap between Islamic and Conventional Banking. We have a dedicated and qualified Islamic Banking team who are trained to provide our clients with world-class Islamic financial expertise and advise them on the best products and services that match their needs.”

Standard Chartered has the largest retail distribution network among international banks operating in the UAE with 11 branches, five electronic banking units and more than 90 ATMs and cash deposit machines spread across the country.

*This article was originally published on Arabian Business.com on 7 July 2014. Read the original article here.