Reaffirming its stature as a multifaceted banking leader—defined by strong growth, purposeful innovation, and societal impact, Sohar International was honored with three prestigious accolades at the Oman Banking and Finance Awards, held during the landmark 10th edition of the New Age Banking Summit (NABS) 2025: Best Digital Transformation Initiative, Most Innovative CSR Initiative, and Best Bank – Growth. These recognitions underscore the bank’s ability to navigate market dynamics while delivering lasting value to stakeholders and contributing to Oman’s broader socio-economic ambitions. Held under the patronage of H.E. Ahmed bin Ja’afer Al Musalmi, Governor of the Central Bank of Oman, and hosted by H.E. Shaikh Salim Bin Mustahail Al Mashani, with support from the Oman Banks Association, NABS 2025 brought together top financial leaders, innovators, and policymakers under the theme ‘The Future of Banking: Navigating Disruption, Sustainability & Customer- Centric Innovation’.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Abdulwahid Mohamed Al Murshidi, Chief Executive Officer at Sohar International, stated, “These awards are a reflection of our collective ethos, one that integrates future-forward thinking with impact-led execution. At Sohar International, we do not pursue innovation as a trend, but as a means to elevate the human experience, foster economic vitality, and create ripple effects that benefit society at large. Whether through breakthrough technologies, performance-driven financial strategy, or inclusive social initiatives, we remain committed to being a bank that keeps pace with evolving landscapes while building a strong future for generations to come.”

Revered as the largest conference of its kind in Oman’s banking and non-banking financial sector, NABS 2025 convened over 150 C-level delegates and decision-makers from more than 100 banking, fintech, and technology firms. Against this backdrop, Sohar International’s accolades reflected its multidimensional strengths and forward-looking approach to banking.

The Best Digital Transformation Initiative award recognized the bank’s success in deploying intelligent platforms and streamlining operations to offer seamless, customer-centric digital experiences—embedding agility and responsiveness across its ecosystem. This spirit of innovation extended to social impact, earning Sohar International the Most Innovative CSR Initiative award for its ‘Every Like Adds Light’ campaign. Launched during Ramadan, the initiative transformed every social media interaction into a charitable donation—amassing over 600,000 engagements and mobilizing nationwide goodwill into tangible support for philanthropic causes. Anchoring these achievements was the Best Bank – Growth award, where Sohar International led across all key growth indicators—gross loans, customer deposits, fee income, operating profit, and net worth—within the large-bank category.

The winners of this year’s Oman Banking and Finance Awards were selected through an extensive survey conducted by OER and United Securities, evaluating banks and NBFCs on key financial metrics from year 2021 to 2024. Key themes explored at the summit included the role of AI and machine learning in enhancing operations and customer engagement, the acceleration of digital transformation, evolving cybersecurity frameworks, open banking and FinTech collaboration, and the growing importance of ESG in shaping sustainable financial strategies.