The Supreme Committee of Al Tomooh Scheme for Financing Small National Businesses chaired by H.E. Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of the Supreme Committee and Chairman of Emirates NBD, has met at Emirates NBD Headquarters.  The meeting was attended by H.E. Hamad Mubarak Bu Amim, General Manager of Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, H.E. Khalid Butti, Assistant General Manager of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry for Membership Affairs and Attestation, H.E. Ali Ibrahim, Assistant General Manager for Executive Affairs – Dubai Department of Economic Development, H.E. Khalid Al Jasim, General Manager of Fujairah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Mr. Sulaiman Al Mazroui, The Executive Member of Al Tomooh Supreme Committee and General Manager Corporate Communications & Community Relations at Emirates NBD , along with other officers of the Scheme.

H.E. Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer has reviewed the achievements of the Scheme to date and expressed his utmost comfort for those achievements recorded in the past years in compliance with the aims of the Scheme for which it was established, including its participation in localizing many various economic sectors such as advocacy, engineering, medicine and others and helping in finding jobs for UAE nationals in several fields

His Excellency stated that Al Tomooh has a comprehensive vision and was not limited to the Emirate of Dubai. It was extended to Fujairah and Sharjah in the last few years and will open in Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah soon. H.E. Al Tayer also confirmed that the message of the Scheme reflects the message of the bank to the private sector. This was proved by the independence and success of 35 national projects out of 86 projects already financed by the Scheme.

From his side, Mr. Sulaiman Al Mazroui stated that The Supreme committee has, amongst other businesses on its agenda, approved increasing the maximum finance loan amount from AED One Million to AED Two Million in order to meet the market requirements and economic needs. He added that a futuristic developing strategy has been set for enhancing the Scheme as one of the most important institutions which sponsor small businesses in the United Arab Emirates after making many successful models through financing economic projects in different specializations.

Mr. Mazroui referred to the fact that Al Tomooh Scheme has apparently participated in pushing the march of the free work via financing projects in various fields and added to the national economy many successful projects whose owners are independent now and became example businessmen .

Mr. Mazroui also praised the pioneer role of the Dubai Economic Department and the Chambers of Commerce & Industry in Dubai, Fujairah and Sharjah for their joint cooperation in spreading the free work culture. This cooperation will be widely embodied in the future by arranging for seminars and conferences to be held for getting the small and medium projects to the highest performance levels. This will help in expanding the national economy base and preparing the national entrepreneurs to step in different economic aspects and to compete with the foreign economy inside and outside the UAE.

It is worth mentioning that Al Tomooh was launched in 1998 to be the first of its kind in the UAE and the region under the Emirates Bank's social responsibility and society serving initiatives.

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Reported by: Claire Andrea (Corporate Communications)
Reported on: 15.01.2008