Case Study
Two banks. One culture.
Built to make.
First Abu Dhabi Bank formed from the merger of NBAD and First Gulf Bank in 2017, becoming the regions largest banks. The systems merged. The cultures didn't.
The problem
Two legacy organisations operating side by side, not together. Collaboration was slow, siloed, and misaligned with the bank's digital transformation ambitions. The capability to think differently didn't exist yet.
The mission
Use design thinking to build a permanent culture of innovation and collaboration. One that drives transformation from the inside out.
FAB didn't need more ideas. They needed a machine that turns problems into products.
The approach.
We didn't consult. We built a working lab, proved the model, and handed it over. Built from scratch. Transferred for good. A bank that thinks like a studio.
Impact.
Optimisation
Reduction in turnaround time for the National Housing Loan product.
Onboarding
6 weeks cut for new to bank corporate customer on-boarding.
Operations
Faster internal response to regulatory updates from weeks to days.
Transfer
Full transfer of lab. Team, UX capability and operating model now run entirely in-house.
The lab became the proof point. When people saw what came out of it, the resistance to change disappeared.
Gavin Payne. Chief Innovation Officer, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)