Meet Mashreq Bank
Mashreq Bank is a leading financial institution in the Middle East, with around 5,400 employees. The OKR Institute worked with Mashreq to bring Objectives and Key Results together with agile ways of working, in particular the Spotify Model. The aim was to make the bank more agile, sharpen how strategy turned into action, and build a more adaptive, collaborative place to work, all within a traditional banking structure that was not used to this way of operating.
For an established bank, that kind of shift is ambitious, because it touches both how teams are organized and how people think about their work.
The Challenge of Integrating Two Frameworks
Mashreq took on a hard mix of changes at once. The first challenge was integration. Blending OKRs with the Spotify Model is not simple, because you have to make goal setting and progress tracking sit comfortably alongside agile practices. The second was culture. Moving toward more agility, collaboration, and flexibility meant a real shift in mindset, which is tough inside a traditional bank. The third was consistency. Running OKRs and agile methods the same way across many teams and departments, so the whole bank moved together, was a serious test.
Banks are built for stability and control, which is exactly what customers expect from them. Asking that same organization to become more flexible, without losing the discipline that keeps it trustworthy, was the delicate balance at the center of this work.
A Custom Framework for OKRs and Agile
The OKR Institute built a set of solutions made for this specific blend of OKRs and agile.
- Tailored framework development: We designed a custom framework that lined OKRs up with the Spotify Model, so agile practices and goal setting supported each other instead of clashing.
- Training and coaching: We ran detailed training and coaching for teams and leaders, covering the principles of agility, the specifics of the Spotify Model, and how OKRs fit into both.
- Agile transformation support: We gave ongoing help with the cultural and operational shifts, including setting up cross-functional squads and tribes in line with the Spotify Model.
Setting up squads and tribes gave the new way of working a real structure to live in. OKRs then gave those squads a clear sense of what they were aiming for, so the two pieces reinforced each other rather than pulling in different directions.
What Made it Work
- Integrated design: OKRs and the Spotify Model were built to reinforce each other from day one, rather than bolted together as an afterthought.
- Culture and tools together: The work addressed the human side of change alongside the framework, so the shift was real rather than cosmetic.
- Consistent rollout: Running the same approach across many teams and departments ensured the whole bank moved together.
- Coaching support: Ongoing coaching kept the transformation on track as teams adjusted to new ways of working.
What Changed at Mashreq Bank
More agility across the bank
The bank became noticeably more agile, able to respond faster to market changes and to connect strategy with day-to-day work more tightly.
Better execution and collaboration
Joining OKRs with agile methods improved how strategy got done, with teams working more openly and collaboratively toward shared objectives.
A real cultural shift
The move toward agility and collaboration took hold, creating an environment that welcomed new ideas, flexibility, and steady improvement.
What This Shows
Mashreq Bank's case shows that even a traditional institution can shift toward agility when the pieces are designed to fit together. The bank did not bolt OKRs onto agile and hope for the best. It built a framework where the two reinforced each other, then supported the human side of the change with coaching. The lesson for any established organization is that culture change and new frameworks work best as one effort. Handle the tools and the mindset together, and the shift becomes real rather than cosmetic, even in an industry built on stability.
