Allied Bank
In January, local media buzzed with news of a partnership between Allied Bank, non-profit finance outfit Karandaaz Pakistan and tech firm Techlogix Mobility. The plan was to increase financial inclusion, one small and medium-sized enterprise at a time.
The motivation, says ABL’s chief executive, Aizid Razzaq Gill, was to supersize efforts to support SMEs digitally. Written between the lines was the point that the leaders of Karandaaz, Techlogix and other innovators in Pakistan know that to tap the all-important SME segment, there’s arguably no better connector than ABL.
The market share and growth that ABL brings to the table – its SME portfolio grew 25% in the nine months ending December 31, 2021 – is one thing. Just as important is its Allied Easy Finance platform and its innovative credit-scoring capabilities.
The platform began with a focus on auto-parts manufacturers, a volatile industry that has always presented lenders with big risk-assessment challenges. It is now expanding into other industries.
Together with Karandaaz, ABL is administering a fund for small distributor financing. The central idea: fill credit gaps faced by small distributors with financing directed largely at the supply-chain process.
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