NATIONAL BANK OF ABU DHABI ( NBAD )
WE SPEAK TO JASON BROWN , HEAD OF GROUP PROCUREMENT AND COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT AT THE NATIONAL BANK OF ABU DHABI ABOUT PROCUREMENT , ABOUT WHY THE DEPARTMENT IS IMPORTANT TO BANKING
The National Bank of Abu Dhabi ( NBAD ): leading Middle Eastern bank , among the world ’ s safest banks , and has one the strongest combined ratings ever . These details can be gleaned from a simple web search , but what is known of the inner workings of the Bank ? What processes lie behind the ATMs , the cashier desks and advisory helplines ? We want to know how procurement and a low visibility department contributes to NBAD ’ s international success , so we speak to Jason Brown , Head of Group Procurement and Commercial Management .
Brown tells us that procurement has a strategic value for any company it ’ s in , let alone NBAD . “ We contribute to the bank , we ’ re not just a service department ,” he continues . “ We actually value add to what we do to our customers internally .”
Brown heads procurement for all of NBAD ’ s services , which comprise personal , commercial and private banking . The bank spans five continents , operating in countries like Malaysia , the UK , Brazil and the US . Alongside his department , Brown helps manage these procurement operations too . “ The team that I run
42 March 2017