Al Hilal
Abu Dhabi-based Shariah-compliant digital bank offering personal banking through the Al Hilal Digital app; a subsidiary of ADCB Group, which acquired it in 2019.
Industry: Islamic banking | Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Founded: 2008
About Al Hilal
Al Hilal Bank is a Shariah-compliant digital bank headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and a subsidiary of ADCB Group. Its LinkedIn page gives 2008 as the founding year, although Wikipedia states 2007, and describes personal banking offered through a single app, the Al Hilal Digital app. LinkedIn lists the bank in a band of 501 to 1,000 employees. Wikipedia describes retail banking, wealth management and online banking services, issued capital of AED 4 billion, paid-up capital of AED 3.5 billion and 14 retail branches in the UAE, and notes that three former branches in Kazakhstan now operate under the ADCB Islamic brand. Wikipedia does not date those figures.
The bank became part of ADCB Group through a transaction announced in January 2019, when Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank said they would combine. Under the plan, the merged ADCB and Union National Bank entity would acquire Al Hilal Bank for roughly AED 1 billion, paid through a mandatory convertible note for up to 117,647,058 post-merger ADCB shares issued to the Abu Dhabi Investment Council. Al Hilal Bank was to keep its name and brand and operate as a separate Islamic banking entity within the group. Gulf News reported in January 2025 that ADCB acquired the bank in 2019, the same year it became a full digital bank.
In January 2025 the bank named Jamal Al Awadhi as chief executive, succeeding Abdul Shakeel Aidaroos, who had served ADCB Group for three decades. Al Awadhi joined Al Hilal Bank as deputy chief executive in May 2024 and has more than 20 years of experience in financial services, media, information technology and aviation, including a role as chief operating officer at Wio Bank and as chief executive of Abu Dhabi Media. Ala'a Eraiqat chairs the bank and is ADCB Group chief executive. The bank said it follows a digital-first strategy that uses technology, data and analytics to improve products, personalisation and customer service, and reported significant customer growth since 2019 without giving figures.
Leadership
- Jamal Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer
- Ala'a Eraiqat, Chairman