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Tripoli, 15 April 2012:
Libya’s Bank of Commerce and Development (BCD) has agreed to sell a 49 percent stake in itself to . . .[restrict]the Qatar National Bank (QNB) for an undisclosed amount. The decision was made by BCD shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting held in Benghazi yesterday.
BCD chairman Jamal Abdelmalek said the agreement would result in an increase in the bank’s capital, which will support its financial position and its ability to expand in the Libyan market. Besides an unrevealed capital injection, QNB will be providing administrative support.
Ali Shareef Al-Emadi, QNB Group CEO said the deal was in line with the company’s strategic plan of international expansion in selected and promising markets, of which Libya was clearly one.
“The QNB group looks forward to increasing fields in the Libyan market which is anticipated to record healthy growth rates, paving the way for a wide range of banking services in partnership with the BCD.”
Privately-owned BCD was set up in 1993 but did not begin operations until June 1996. Headquartered in Benghazi, it now has 32 branches throughout the country with 820 staff and a network of 82 ATMs.
QNB’s first foray into North Africa was the representative office it opened in Tripoli in 1996. It has offered banking facilities to major Libyan corporate and financial institutions, promoting in particular operations to Europe using the QNB branches in Paris and London.
QNB has branches, subsidiaries or associate institutions in 25 countries. It employs some 7,000 staff, supplying an array of global standard banking services through 335 outlets with an ATM network of more than 650 machines.
QNB has been a regular winner of international awards, including the leading bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and most recently among the top 50 safest banks in the world.
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