Shams and Emirates NBD Collaborate to Empower UAE’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Sharjah, 24 December 2025: Sharjah Media City (Shams) has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region, marking a strategic step aimed at enhancing financial accessibility for businesses registered under Shams and supporting entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs within its growing ecosystem.
The MoU is designed to enable businesses to easily benefit from Emirates NBD’s comprehensive suite of business banking solutions through a direct collaboration that allows Shams licensees to open business accounts and access specialized banking services seamlessly. This is facilitated through efficient API-based integration that ensures fast, secure and streamlined submission of applications.
As part of the agreement, Shams’ clients will be provided with a dedicated point of contact at Emirates NBD, ensuring enhanced coordination, faster response times, and banking services tailored to the needs of diverse business sectors, in line with the bank’s highest operational standards.
Commenting on the partnership, Rashid Sahoo, Director of Operations at Sharjah Media City (Shams), said: "This agreement reflects Shams’ commitment to providing an integrated business environment that empowers entrepreneurs and enables companies to access reliable financial solutions that help accelerate their growth. Through our collaboration with Emirates NBD, we are offering our licenses a streamlined and efficient pathway to innovative banking services that support their journey toward success."
Hamad Mohammed Zayed, Group Head of Business Banking at Emirates NBD, said: "We are pleased to collaborate with Sharjah Media City to support the growth opportunities of startups and SMEs in the region. As a leading national bank, Emirates NBD remains committed to backing the UAE’s business community by offering advanced digital banking solutions that enable companies to start and scale their operations with confidence through more efficient and accessible processes."
The partnership reflects a shared vision between the two entities to empower business growth, enhance financial inclusion, and provide a flexible operational environment for entrepreneurs across the UAE. By combining Shams’ supportive business ecosystem with Emirates NBD’s leadership in business banking, the MoU will enable companies to access essential financial tools, credit facilities, and long-term banking support.
The agreement reinforces the commitment of both Shams and Emirates NBD to enabling businesses to launch, grow, and thrive within the UAE’s dynamic economic landscape.
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About Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD (DFM: Emirates NBD) is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region with a presence in 13 countries, serving over 9 million active customers. As of 30th September 2025, total assets were AED 1.139 trillion, (equivalent to approx. USD 310.1 billion). The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, India, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Russia and Bahrain and representative offices in China and Indonesia with a total of 797 branches and 4,526 ATMs / SDMs. Emirates NBD is the leading financial services brand in the UAE with a Brand value of USD 4.54 billion.
Emirates NBD Group serves its customers (individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions) and helps them realise their financial objectives through a range of banking products and services including retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, asset management, global markets and treasury, and brokerage operations. The Group is a key participant in the global digital banking industry with 97% of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The Group also operates Liv, the lifestyle digital bank by Emirates NBD, with close to half a million users, it continues to be the fastest-growing bank in the region.
Emirates NBD contributes to the construction of a sustainable future as an active participant and supporter of the UAE’s main development and sustainability initiatives, including financial wellness and the inclusion of people of determination. Emirates NBD is committed to supporting the UAE’s Year of Sustainability as Principal Banking Partner of COP28 and an early supporter to the Dubai Can sustainability initiative, a city-wide initiative aimed to reduce use of single-use plastic bottled water.
