Housing and Development Bank (HDB) has undergone a significant transformation, establishing itself as a leading banking institution in Egypt. In a short period, the bank has achieved remarkable milestones across its operations, setting new financial records and surpassing previous benchmarks. This success stems from a comprehensive transformation and development plan implemented over the past five years, ensuring the highest quality standards. HDB has consistently invested in the latest banking innovations to remain competitive, expanding its customer base while maximizing value for clients, shareholders, investors, and stakeholders.
A New Strategy
Hassan Ghanem, CEO and Managing Director of HDB, has announced the launch of the bank’s new strategy for the years 2025-2030, aimed at positioning HDB as the premier banking choice for customers. The strategy prioritizes customer satisfaction as a core pillar.
Ghanem emphasized innovation as crucial to enhancing the customer experience through cutting-edge banking solutions. This is expected to bolster customer trust, expand the client base, and enable HDB to seize market opportunities and navigate challenges efficiently. The bank also aims for strong growth rates to meet customer aspirations and support investor confidence.
Exceptional Path and Sustainable Development
Ghanem expressed his pride in the bank’s exceptional path and sustainable growth in 2024. HDB has achieved significant leaps in financial performance and operational expansion across all sectors. He highlighted the bank’s proactive cost management and operational efficiency in overcoming economic challenges. HDB also capitalized on market opportunities through a flexible business model, optimizing resource utilization to ensure long-term profitability.
According to Ghanem, over the past five years, HDB has executed its ambitious strategy, by prioritizing customer needs and expanding its client base. Investments in cutting-edge banking technologies have also reinforced its competitive stance as one of Egypt’s largest full-service commercial banks.
Digital Transformation and Financial Inclusion
Ghanem reaffirmed HDB’s commitment to expanding its banking services, particularly digital solutions, to keep pace with rapid fintech advancements. The bank aims to deliver innovative banking solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen its competitive position. Expanding the bank’s geographic presence is also a key priority, enabling it to offer services to customers wherever they are located. Furthermore, it plans to increase branches and ATMs number nationwide to provide seamless banking services to all customers.
Ghanem also said that the bank remains committed to financial inclusion by attracting unbanked segments of society and integrating them into the formal banking sector. In addition to this the bank has also introduced special measures to facilitate banking access for people with disabilities, ensuring inclusive financial services tailored to their needs.
Strategic Geographic Expansion
Within the framework of the bank’s strategy, in alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE) financial inclusion agenda, HDB is pursuing an expansion plan to cover all Egyptian governorates. The bank aims to exceed 100 branches and install over 440 ATMs. It is also opening new branches that are designed according to the highest engineering and technological standards to ensure a superior banking experience and competitive banking products.
Green and Sustainable Finance
As part of HDB’s efforts to enhance and support the transition towards green economy and sustainable finance, Ghanem explained that the bank believes in establishing sustainability standards across its operational activities. This commitment is clearly reflected in its strategy, given its pivotal role in supporting financial and banking stability, and achieving sustainable development goals.
He also pointed to the bank’s commitment to sustainable practices recognized in the banking sector, as well as participation in financing a number of strategic economic projects that support the transition towards a green economy and sustainable development. The bank is also committed to implementing environmentally friendly solutions and participating in initiatives that aim to achieve sustainability. Ghanem stressed that creating sustainable value for all relevant parties is a strategic goal for the bank, in addition to being a moral commitment reflecting its responsibility towards society and the environment.
Ghanem highlighted the bank’s participation in financing several strategic projects that align with the state’s direction toward a green economy and sustainable finance. The bank contributed to a syndicated loan worth EGP 4.4bn to finance part of the company’s EGP 25 billion real estate project, “Central,” in New Cairo. The bank also collaborated with 10 other banks to provide a syndicated loan of EGP 50bn for Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund, aimed at offering innovative financial solutions that meet investor needs. These initiatives help boost investments, support the national economy, and create an integrated environment that fosters social and economic stability to achieve sustainable development goals.
HDB has also financed large-scale environmental and social projects, including agricultural development initiatives, and healthcare infrastructure. These include the development of two water pumping stations for reclaiming 362,000 acres in the Dabaa Axis, the Canal Sugar project, and the Toshka South Valley development covering 375,000 acres. The bank has also supported healthcare projects such as New Giza Hospital, Dahab Central Hospital, and Abu Qurqas Hospital in Minya Governorate.
Moreover, Ghanem reiterated that education is a cornerstone of HDB’s sustainable finance endeavors. The bank actively supports vocational training initiatives aligned with Egypt’s national development goals. Notably, HDB participated in financing “El Sewedy Education” foundation to establish a private technological university complex in the 10th of Ramadan City. The project aims to provide a distinguished and advanced educational experience equipped with the latest learning technologies, in addition to offering applied education through training programs in factories with which the university has cooperation agreements. These efforts aim to enhance workforce skills, reduce unemployment, and strengthen the industrial sector, contributing to Egypt’s Vision 2030.
Highlighting the bank’s commitment to sustainable finance, he noted that its portfolio reached EGP 5.787bn at the end of September 2024, representing 21% of total financing across corporate lending, syndicated loans, and SME funding.
Ghanem also expressed his pride in the bank’s winning of the Gold Award for Green Finance at the Africa Grows Green Awards during the 29th session of the COP29 Climate Conference in Azerbaijan. The award recognizes the bank’s distinguished efforts in supporting sustainability and promoting green finance, in alignment with the state’s directions and Egypt’s Vision 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development
Ghanem highlighted HDB’s commitment to providing community support and implementing a sustainability-driven approach across all sectors, as one of the leading banking institutions in the Egyptian financial market. He emphasized that healthcare and education are top priorities in the bank’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.
He further explained that one of HDB’s core values and fundamental principles is to continuously strive to be a responsible and effective member of society, and contributing to initiatives and programs that have a tangible impact on sustainable development. This commitment aims to foster equal opportunities and uphold the principles of justice and equality for all, in alignment with Egypt’s Vision 2030. He also highlighted that effective collaboration between the banking sector and non-profit civil society organizations yields significant results in expanding community support to reach the largest number of beneficiaries.
Global Recognition and Prestigious Awards
HDB has received numerous prestigious awards from international organizations in recognition of its achievements and continuous innovation. These accolades include honors from World Business Outlook, Gazette International Magazine, International Business Magazine, International Finance Awards, and World Business Stars Magazine.
Among the awards, HDB was recognized for “Fastest-Growing Profitability in the Egyptian Banking Sector,” “Best Banking CEO” (awarded to CEO and Managing Director Hassan Ghanem), “Best Return on Equity (ROE),” “Fastest-Growing Direct Lending Bank,” “Fastest-Growing Commercial Bank in Egypt,” and “Fastest-Growing Financial Investments Bank.”
