Merging two cultures, developing new values, and embedding them into the DNA

A Large Financial Institution in the UAE Part of a Large Regional Conglomerate

We developed a comprehensive, organization-wide Cultural Transformation Journey to define the new transformational values of two banks following their merger. This journey involved aligning the leadership of the new entity with sustainable behaviors and values, equipping managers to lead by these newly defined values, and effectively cascading the values across 1,500 employees. This ensured that employees could connect with the values and embody the desired behaviors daily.

Geographical Coverage
Geographical
Coverage

Across the UAE

Employees Impacted
Employees
Impacted

1500 From CEO to CSRs

Situation
Situation
  • The merger of two banks with distinct cultures created a significant gap in working styles, which became evident a few months into the merger.
  • They had the lowest engagement scores within the various organizations in the group.
  • The need was to create a unified understanding and alignment to move the bank forward as one cohesive and integrated unit.
Key Touch Points
Key
Touch Points
Talent Pool Involved
Talent Pool
Involved

Best People Development Initiative in the UAE for 2014

Departments Involved:

  • Culture and Emiratization
  • Innovation
  • Marketing
  • HR – The project driver
Project Scope
Project
Scope
Impact
Impact

Highest Engagement Scores within the group. Positive morale with a high retention of the values. Client engaged ABAMI a few years later to reassess their values for the journey ahead.

Behavioral competency development

Behavioral competency development

Exciting and inspiring management on the new leadership capabilities

Exciting and inspiring management on the new leadership capabilities

A journey to develop the future leaders of a bank

A journey to develop the future leaders of a bank

Developing the RMs and Private Bankers on service excellence

Developing the RMs and Private Bankers on service excellence

Building a unique client experience by building a caring culture

Building a unique client experience by building a caring culture

Building a culture of conversations in between hierarchy and peer-to-peer

Building a culture of conversations in between hierarchy and peer-to-peer

A culture of service excellence in the retail banking group

A culture of service excellence in the retail banking group

A culture transformation to vitalize an aggressive strategy

A culture transformation to vitalize an aggressive strategy

Building leadership cohesion and alignment and a common clarity

Building leadership cohesion and alignment and a common clarity

Aligning management to the leadership clarity to build cohesion

Aligning management to the leadership clarity to build cohesion

Developing a service excellence mindset as a competitive advantage

Developing a service excellence mindset as a competitive advantage

Aligning a community on a common charter – cohesion through clarity

Aligning a community on a common charter – cohesion through clarity