The Jeddah branch in particular depended for its profits on the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca).

The agreement concluded nearly one year of negotiations, and SABB was represented by U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs in the transaction.

[15] SABB shareholders owned 73 percent of the new bank, which is chaired by Saudi businesswoman Lubna Al Olayan.

[16][17] The final agreement on the merger deal was announced one week after the Saudi government launched the Financial Sector Development Program, an executive program aimed at overhauling the Saudi financial sector to create an effective capital market capable of supporting the goals of the Vision 2030 economic reform plans.

[19] The integration was completed in 18 months,[20] which resulted in the retention of the brand name "Saudi British Bank".

This ensures that SAB Islamic Financial Solutions conforms to strict adherence to the principles of Sharia.