RT Bank chairwoman awarded prestigious award in UAE for business acumen

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The chairwoman of Region Trade Bank (RT Bank) received a prestigious award in Dubai on Tuesday for her business acumen.

Hamila Gardi was bestowed with the Fakhr Al Arab award at a blended virtual and in-person ceremony in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The accolade is granted to those who prove influential in improving the quality of life and socio-economic conditions of their communities around the world. 

"An award is only good if you have worked hard for it and earned it," the CEO told Rudaw after receiving the award. "I encourage my employees to always work hard, especially the women."

RT Bank started its operations in July 2001 as a locally owned, independent bank primarily servicing the Kurdistan Region. The bank is headquartered in Erbil, and provides various banking products and services, among them online banking.

Gardi is notable in her position for issuing business loans that stimulated the private sector in the Kurdistan Region. In 2019, she told Rudaw the bank was looking to issue more for business initiatives.

“We have issued 152 loans which have created more than 650 job opportunities. I aim to issue 10 billion [dinars in loans] and thereby create 1,500 employment opportunities for the people of Iraq and Kurdistan,” Gardi said last year.

The chairwoman on Tuesday expressed her gratitude to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for their support in her endeavors. 

“The purpose of Fakhr Al Arab Award is to celebrate the pride and successes Arab leaders have achieved around the world in several sectors,” reads the award description of the website. “It also aims to create a community of thinkers and achievers who will create a best practices portfolio for the young Arabs to take as an example and learn from their achievements and wisdom.”

While of Kurdish ethnicity, Gardi is eligible for the award through her Iraqi citizenship.