National Bank of Abu Dhabi's ambassadors return from Antarctica

The National Bank of Abu Dhabi's (NBAD) Ambassadors have returned home from their expedition to Antarctica, the southernmost continent in the world, with a mission to promote awareness about the environment and sustainability. The explorers were part of the ?International Antarctic Expedition', an initiative organised annually by ?2041' organisation to highlight the effects of global warming and to support the continued protection of Antarctica from mining and exploitation beyond year 2041 when the current international agreement ends. The two selected NBAD explorers Raisa Al Malki, Sheikh Zayed Road Branch Manager and Tariq Lari, Head of Customer Service at NBAD Securities were welcomed home by NBAD during an official ceremony held at its Head Office in Khalifa Street. NBAD's sponsoring of Raisa and Tariq is part of its dedication to develop UAE national employees to become future leaders, to raise awareness for sustainability and to support the development of innovative practices that will help to preserve the world's natural resources for coming generations. "We are proud of our Ambassadors who faced this challenging journey of leadership and sustainability. Our People are our most valuable asset and we aim to develop UAE nationals who have the potential to grow into leaders for NBAD as well as for our nation, the United Arab Emirates." said Ehab Hassan, Group Chief Human Resources Officer '&' Senior Managing Director at NBAD. The NBAD Explorers commenced their journey by flying to Ushuaia, Argentina where they joined other explorers from around the world. Then on March 11th, the ship began sailing to the frozen continent. They experienced the wildlife, lived and breathed a sustainable lifestyle, and learned about the importance of preserving natural resources and the role of renewable energy in balancing the ecosystem. In addition to environmental knowledge and sustainable practices, the expedition helped them to develop personal skills, to become true team players and strong leaders. The two NBAD explorers followed the five women and four men from NBAD who made the same journey with the Bank's sponsorship in the previous years. "Our previous Ambassadors inspired us with their stories, I am confident that Raisa and Tariq will tell stories of strength, determination and thoughtfulness, as an example to people in the Bank and beyond," Mr. Hassan said. Together with the former ambassadors, Raisa and Tariq will now bring their experiences and learning to life through a community awareness programme which is designed to support the Bank's efforts to promote corporate sustainability. "At NBAD we focus on promoting sustainable practices in three pillars People, Planet and Profit to ensure long-term profitable growth and success for the Bank and the environment." says Belinda Scott, Senior Manager of Corporate Sustainability at NBAD. NBAD is recognised as a key contributor to sustainability and aligns its sustainability strategy to the Abu Dhabi 2030 Vision with the intention of supporting the Emirates plan for a sustainable future. The Bank is a founding member of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group, and members of the ADSG Advisory Board and Facilitation and Coordination Committee. Raisa Al Malki joined NBAD in July 2012 as Sheikh Zayed Road Branch Manager. She has over 18 years of banking experience working in different fields such as business banking, wealth management and international banking. Raisa holds a Higher National Diploma in Business Management and Finance from Dubai University. She has also completed executive courses and has been an alumni in Strategies for Leadership - Empowering Women Executives at International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland. Tariq Lari joined NBAD in 2008 as Customer Service Officer. He has over 10 years of banking experience in retails and commercial banking and securities. In 2013, he was promoted to Head of Customer at NBAD Securities. ?Tariq holds a Bachelor degree in Business '&' Information Technology from Higher Colleges of Technology.