Banking in the GCC

Similar to banking systems worldwide and driven by geopolitical pressures, the banking systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region face many significant challenges, especially in the wake of the 2007-09 credit crunch, the decline in oil prices in 2014, and the post-2011 unsettled political landscape in the wider Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. These challenges include deregulation concerning the establishment, operation, and supervision of credit institutions; the accelerating improvements in computer and telecommunication technologies and Fintech structure; and growing competition from global and domestic banks. Moreover, the future expansion within the GCC banking sector due to the national governments' demonstrated commitment to implementing economic diversification strategies which favour the development of non-government sectors will present further opportunities to the domestic financial institutions as well as place greater pressure on them to boost efficiency and stability, as well as improve their competitive stance

Against this background, the banking systems in the GCC region have witnessed a fundamental transformation over the last two decades, which the book discusses using a panel data analysis framework. In addition to the formidable record of growth of Islamic banking, the banking sectors have been involved in several dramatic changes driven by technological disruption (and fintech), economic growth, and various other geopolitical factors. Even though the countries of the GCC are among the largest economy and most open economies in the MENA region, and although the region has experienced economic policy stability through the continuous use of the pegged-to-the-USD exchange rate regime, the structure of the banking systems tend to show some imbalances. The book will address the questions raised regarding the role of banks in the economy, how managers generate value for the owners, and how recent developments have affected the structural trends in the sector, and will be of particular interest to academics, researchers, and students of banking and Islamic finance.