Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), one of the leading banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been recognized as an innovation leader with the highest globally recognized 7-star rating as a Certified Innovative Organization (CinOrg®️) awarded by the Global Innovation Institute (GInI), making SAB the first bank in the region to achieve this rating.
This certification represents a decisive milestone in SAB’s innovation journey, following the comprehensive Innovation Maturity Assessment conducted by the Global Innovation Institute in December 2025, building on the Bank’s previous assessment in December 2023. This assessment raises SAB’s innovation maturity status from ‘Champion’ to ‘Leader’, reflecting the bank’s institutionalized innovation model, company-wide impact and sustained delivery of measurable results. With this rating, SAB becomes the first bank in the region to achieve the highest Innovation Maturity rating, solidifying its position as a regional benchmark for innovation leadership and future-ready banking.
In 2025, SAB opened its flagship innovation center, winning six internationally recognized innovation awards and one lab certification, reinforcing the bank’s strategic focus on building a sustainable innovation culture and driving a future-ready banking ecosystem. The Innovation Center has played a key role in accelerating the adoption of advanced technology, enabling cross-functional collaboration, and positioning SAB as a regional benchmark for financial innovation.
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Saeed Asiri, Chief Innovation Banking Officer at SAB, said: “This certification reflects years of disciplined efforts to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem at SAB. By investing in SAB’s culture, governance and people, innovation allows the bank to continue to be future-ready. This milestone strengthens our role in accelerating financial innovation in Saudi Arabia and delivering long-term value to our customers.”
This certification marks another step in SAB’s continued innovation efforts as SAB continues to build its capabilities to support the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s banking sector.
