GBM inaugurates two new headquarters in Nouadhibou
GBM's Executive team has unveiled elements of its new strategy when opening its two new headquarters in Nouadhibou.
On January 11, 2020, Générale de Banque de Mauritanie pour l’investissement et le commerce (GBM) inaugurated two new offices in Nouadhibou. One is dedicated to Islamic banking activities and the other focuses on retail, commercial and business banking.
By significantly increasing its presence in Nouadhibou, the economic capital of Mauritania, GBM intends to offer a closer services offering to its corporate and individual clients.
These new establishments are part of the strategy of the GBM, which consists in developing its territorial network, bringing its rich offer of banking products and services closer to its customers, and supporting the economic fabric of the country.
Both inaugurations took place in the presence of the bank's Senior Management and Representatives of local authorities: representatives of the Wali and the ZFN, the Vice-President of the Regional Council, the Mayor, personalities from the banking sector and businessmen were present alongside Mr. Kane Ousmane, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the GBM, Dr. Leila Bouamatou, Managing Director of the GBM, and El Moctar Bouzevra, Deputy General Manager of the GBM.
Tribute to the founder of the GBM, Mohamed Ould Bouamatou
Speaking during the inauguration, Mr. Kane Ousmane said: "Taking part in this ceremony of inauguration of the new branch of the Générale de Banque de Mauritanie in Nouadhibou, my thoughts go, of course, to those who have devoted their energy and intelligence to the construction of the first, and still unique, business bank in our country. I think of Mr. Mohamed Bouamatou who knew how to build a bank with such solid foundations that we could survive so many undermining efforts, so many annihilation initiatives of your bank. I am thinking of Mohamed Debagh who brilliantly assisted him in this endeavor. I am thinking of Marc Blanpain, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the GBM, for his unwavering support. I am thinking of many other remarkable people, some of whom are among us today, and especially of its staff who are so devoted to the project of its Founder."
"We are in Nouadhibou, a great place for the Fishing sector. I have a duty to express all the gratitude of the bank to those who have, against all odds, kept their confidence in the GBM during this period of confusion that has fortunately ended. We thank the Senior Management team of SMCP as a whole, for its contribution to the normalization of the operations of the GBM in this sector so vital for the Domestic Economy of our country".
A successful bank and loyal customers
Speaking in turn, Dr. Leila Bouamatou, Managing Director of the GBM, said: "The GBM was created in 1995 by Mohamed Ould Bouamatou in an unfavorable climate marked by a post-structural adjustment environment and a society with no tradition of banking where informal operations took over in all commercial transactions" (...)/p>
(...) "Since its inception, the GBM has risen to the podium of those commercial banks that are most involved in financing the domestic economy with the highest capitalization ratio. For example, before 2012, the GBM held 30% of the market share of the fisheries sector in Nouadhibou. (...) The loyalty of the Bank's customers and the loyalty of its staff – and this is by the way an opportunity to thank them here – have been an unshakeable bulwark on which all vain attempts to destabilize the GBM have been broken. (...) The premises that we are inaugurating today were designed and executed according to the most rigorous safety standards in a style that combines both modernity and Arab-Muslim traditions. They respond, above all, to an urgent need to welcome and serve our dear customers in a friendly environment that reflects the image of the Corporate Bank that we are", she added.
Dr. Leila Bouamatou recalled that before 2012, the General Bank of Mauritania was massively involved in financing the fisheries sector in Nouadhibou and the surrounding region. She also mentioned the ambitious strategy of the GBM marked by the introduction of Islamic Finance, the creation of a new branch in Rosso dedicated to the needs of the agricultural sector, the opening of the GBM on SMBs and SMIs and a policy of continuous training and search for excellence within its HR departments.
