{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-23/meezan-bank-unido-icei-focus-group","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-23/meezan-bank-unido-icei-focus-group.md","title":"Meezan Bank signs UNIDO and ICEI letters for MSME focus group","headline":"Meezan Bank signs two letters with UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain and ICEI to launch in-house MSME focus group","description":"Meezan Bank signed two letters with UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain and ICEI to set up an in-house Focus Group offering non-financial services to startups, women.","section":"Partnerships","published_at":"2026-10-23T04:00:10+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-23T04:00:10+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Meezan Bank signed two exchanges of letters with UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain and ICEI to set up a dedicated in-house Focus Group.","The Focus Group will use UNIDO's Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion methodology to help entrepreneurs become investment-ready.","UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain will train designated Meezan Bank staff and advisors and connect the Focus Group with national and international partners."],"companies":[{"name":"Meezan Bank","is_primary":true,"profile_url":null,"website":"https://www.meezanbank.com"}],"source":{"publisher":"Business Recorder","title":"Meezan Bank, UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain, ICEI join hands","url":"https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445572/meezan-bank-unido-itpo-bahrain-icei-join-hands"},"other_sources":[{"publisher":"NBC News","url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/business/ceo-interviews/goldman-sachs-small-business-ai-institute-rcna604621"},{"publisher":"The Times of India","url":"https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/invest/rbl-bank-taps-emirates-nbd-network-to-expand-nri-banking-gulf-business/articleshow/134950793.cms"},{"publisher":"Third News","url":"https://third-news.com/article/71e8bbda-c858-11f1-b8d0-9ca3ba08e13f"},{"publisher":"Lankatalks","url":"https://www.lankatalks.com/post/cse-and-commercial-bank-partner-to-accelerate-sl-enterprise-growth"}],"tags":["Partnerships","Meezan Bank"],"body_markdown":"Meezan Bank signed two exchanges of letters with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) - Investment and Technology Promotion Office, Bahrain (UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain) and with the International Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ICEI) to support startups, women and youth entrepreneurs, and MSMEs, [Business Recorder](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445572/meezan-bank-unido-itpo-bahrain-icei-join-hands) reported. The letters were signed at a ceremony in Karachi.\n\n## Meezan Bank's In-House Focus Group\n\nMeezan Bank will set up a dedicated in-house Focus Group offering non-financial services based on the Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion (EDIP) methodology, a programme developed by UNIDO ITPO Bahrain to help entrepreneurs and small businesses become investment-ready. Based within the bank, the Focus Group will provide structured advisory and non-financial services to help entrepreneurs and MSMEs grow sustainably, attract investment and stay competitive.\n\nUnder the exchange of letters, UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain will support Meezan Bank in designing, establishing and operating the Focus Group by providing guidance on its operational framework, transferring EDIP tools and best practices, and training designated bank staff and advisors. It will also facilitate enterprise development, investment promotion and incubation activities, while connecting the Focus Group with national and international partners, experts and institutions. The initiative will promote innovative entrepreneurship in emerging sectors, including clean energy, the marine economy, creative industries and services for senior citizens.\n\nThe letters were signed by Dr. Syed Amir Ali, President and CEO of Meezan Bank, Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head of UNIDO ITPO Bahrain, and H.E. Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the ICEI.\n\nDr. Syed Amir Ali said MSMEs, startups, and women and youth entrepreneurs are central to Pakistan's economic future, and that access to finance alone is not enough. \"Working with UNIDO ITPO Bahrain and ICEI, we are bringing an international methodology into the Bank helping MSMEs, startups, women and young entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses, access new markets and become investment-ready,\" he said.\n\nDr. Hashim Hussein said Meezan Bank's initiative is an innovative approach to strengthening entrepreneurship, bringing financial and non-financial services together under one roof. \"We are pleased to share the EDIP methodology, tools and international network to help make this Focus Group a sustainable platform for entrepreneurs and develop it into a regional model for entrepreneurship support in the banking sector,\" he said.\n\nH.E. Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that as the Founding Chairman of Meezan Bank, the ambition was to demonstrate that Islamic banking could succeed at scale in Pakistan. \"Today, we have an opportunity to take that vision further-from building a successful Islamic bank to helping build successful enterprises,\" he said.\n\n## Meezan Bank's Recent Milestones\n\nMeezan Bank completed its end-to-end payments migration to BPC's SmartVista platform on October 15, 2026, covering 7.5 million active cards and all merchants, Finextra reported. On October 9, 2026, Business Recorder reported that the bank approved 6,880 housing finance cases worth Rs49 billion under the GHTA scheme, with 1,000 families receiving Rs7.34 billion as of September 30, 2026. On August 21, 2026, Business Recorder reported that Meezan Bank inaugurated its first round-the-clock Service Center at Clifton Bridge in Karachi.\n\n## Similar SME Partnerships Elsewhere\n\nGoldman Sachs launched the Small Business AI Institute as part of a $500 million expansion of its 10,000 Small Businesses program, partnering with Google, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta, [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/ceo-interviews/goldman-sachs-small-business-ai-institute-rcna604621) reported on October 22, 2026. On October 14, 2026, [The Times of India](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/invest/rbl-bank-taps-emirates-nbd-network-to-expand-nri-banking-gulf-business/articleshow/134950793.cms) reported that RBL Bank plans to leverage Emirates NBD's global network to expand NRI banking and Gulf business, targeting corporates and cross-border deals. The Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Center and Dai-ichi Kangyo Credit Union signed a collaboration on October 15, 2026 to support Tokyo SMEs, [Third News](https://third-news.com/article/71e8bbda-c858-11f1-b8d0-9ca3ba08e13f) reported. The Colombo Stock Exchange and Commercial Bank of Ceylon signed an MoU to support SMEs and corporate growth, [Lankatalks](https://www.lankatalks.com/post/cse-and-commercial-bank-partner-to-accelerate-sl-enterprise-growth) reported on October 12, 2026.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}