It seems fitting that the world’s first full-service Islamic bank is the winner of the award for the Middle East’s best Islamic bank. Since 1975, Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has been steadily building what is now the second-largest Shariah-compliant banking business in the world by assets.

Maybank’s global Islamic presence can be compared favourably with any of the biggest Gulf region banks. The bank is east Asia’s biggest in terms of total assets, which stand at more than $67 billion. Globally, Maybank Islamic trails only Al Rajhi Bank, SNB Capital, Dubai Islamic Bank and Kuwait Finance House.