Purpose: The purpose of this case study is to chronicle a remarkable business turnaround in the banking sector of Oman. Design/methodology/approach: A narrative of the rapid transformation of a laggard bank into Oman’s second largest bank is presented and analyzed. Findings: The momentum for change was initiated and sustained through the leadership’s willingness to take big risks and use massive challenges as opportunities to kindle team spirit and solidify a new, winning attitude among the staff. Practical implications: The bank focused on offering frictionless, low-risk, incremental value at scale. That’s the digital era performance requirement. For example, it introduced a highly successful no-frills credit card marketed as a fast-to-approve and easy-to-use alternative. Originality/value: The case provides a rare glimpse into management practices in middle eastern banking sector. © Emerald Publishing Limited.