Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, has signed two exchanges of letters with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization – Investment and Technology Promotion Office, Bahrain (UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain) and with the International Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ICEI) to support startups, women and youth entrepreneurs, and MSMEs.
Meezan Bank shall set up a dedicated in-house Focus Group offering non-financial services based on the Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion (EDIP) methodology, a programme developed by UNIDO ITPO Bahrain to help entrepreneurs and small businesses become investment-ready.
The letters were signed by Dr. Syed Amir Ali, President & CEO – Meezan Bank, Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head UNIDO ITPO Bahrain; and H.E. Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the ICEI.
Based within the Bank, the Focus Group will provide structured advisory and non financial services to help entrepreneurs and MSMEs grow sustainably, attract investment and stay competitive.
The Focus Group’s planned services include:
• Enterprise development and business advisory services
• Capacity-building and training programmes startups and MSMEs
• Investment-readiness support and investor matchmaking
• Mentoring and coaching
• Technology and innovation linkages
• Market access and export promotion support
• Business incubation and acceleration opportunities
• Referrals to suitable financial products and services from Meezan Bank
Under its exchange of letters with Meezan Bank, UNIDO ITPO Bahrain will help design, set up and run the Focus Group, by:
• Advising on its establishment and operational framework
• Transferring EDIP tools, methodologies and best practices
• Training designated Bank staff and advisors
• Supporting enterprise development, investment promotion and incubation activities
• Connecting the Focus Group with national and international partners, experts and institutions
• Promoting innovative entrepreneurship in emerging sectors, such as clean energy, the marine economy, creative industries and services for senior citizens.
Dr. Syed Amir Ali, President & CEO of Meezan Bank, said: “MSMEs, startups, and women and youth entrepreneurs are central to Pakistan’s economic future. Yet, access to finance alone is not enough. Many promising businesses also need guidance, skills and the right connections to grow. Working with UNIDO ITPO Bahrain and ICEI, we are bringing an international methodology into the Bank helping MSMEs, startups, women and young entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses, access new markets and become investment-ready. “
Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head of UNIDO ITPO Bahrain, said: “Meezan Bank’s initiative is an innovative approach to strengthening entrepreneurship, bringing financial and non-financial services together under one roof. We are pleased to share the EDIP methodology, tools and international network to help make this Focus Group a sustainable platform for entrepreneurs and develop it into a regional model for entrepreneurship support in the banking sector.”
H.E. Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the ICEI, said: “As the Founding Chairman of Meezan Bank, our ambition was to demonstrate that Islamic banking could succeed at scale in Pakistan. Today, we have an opportunity to take that vision further—from building a successful Islamic bank to helping build successful enterprises. Through this collaboration, we aim to help entrepreneurs turn promising ideas into sustainable businesses, creating jobs and economic opportunities. I hope this initiative becomes a model for Islamic financial institutions across Pakistan and beyond.”
