A Clean Sweep…Mashreq Wins an Unprecedented Three Middle East Awards for its Cards

Smart Card & Payments Awards, Middle East 2015

•    Best Premium Card – Solitaire Credit Card
•    Best Credit Card – Mashreq sMiles  
•    Best Debit Card - Mashreq Private Banking VISA Infinite 

Dubai, UAE; 17th 2015: Mashreq, one of the leading financial institutions in the UAE, has reconfirmed its leading position in the cards and payment industry by winning three leading categories in the banking industry’s premier payment awards – The only bank in the Middle East to achieve this accolade. This wins highlight the strength of Mashreq’s suite of award-winning cards, each of which is specifically aimed at the ever evolving needs and interests of its discerning customers.

The three wins also cement Mashreq’s reputation as a pioneer in the cards and payments space. The titles won at the Smart Cards & Payments Awards, Middle East 2015, are: Best Premium Card - Solitaire Credit Card, Best Credit Card - Mashreq sMiles and Best Debit Card - Mashreq Private Banking VISA Infinite. These wins carry on a long tradition of Mashreq being recognized as a leader in the cards and payments space in the Middle East. In 2013 Mashreq won also Best Debit Card and Best Credit Card, and in 2014 the bank won Best Debit Card and Best Mobile Payment Innovation for Payport.

Farhad Irani, Head of Retail Banking Group, Mashreq commented: “Mashreq continues setting the cards and payments standards in the Middle East. We enjoy going one step beyond what other banks are providing. Winning awards such as these, in which we are pitted against our contemporaries from right across the Middle East, including Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait and Lebanon, provides valuable third-party endorsement that underlines we are the industry leaders.” 

Nimish Dwivedi, Head of Payments, Mashreq said, “Not only are our cards aimed at making the physical act of payment as easy as possible, they provide exciting and pre-defined rewards for doing so. For instance, our sMiles card the UAE’s first Anywhere, Anytime, Any Airline miles card is aimed at the Middle East’s globetrotters and provides assured air miles on a free for life platform, for every AED spent locally and internationally. Likewise, our Solitaire card which is the UAE’s first vertical card with a certified embedded diamond embodies Essential Luxury. The card provides unmatched premium golf offers and never-before redemption experiences on the Salaam Carats rewards platforms across eighty luxury brands including Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Mikimoto, Cole Haan, Lacoste, Marc Jacobs, Mulberry, Loewe, Baccarat, Furla  and many more. 

Dwivedi added, “Those who hold our Private Banking Visa Infinite debit card can enjoy unlimited cash withdrawals at ATMs globally absolutely free and also enjoy unmatched benefits from the industry leading rewards platform –Mashreq Salaam.  What’s more, for the first time, Infinite debit cardholders can also extend the debit card benefit to their family members anywhere in the world, without the need of a joint account. This allows family members to withdraw cash and transact securely at any ATM or merchant worldwide and does away with the need for transferring money.”

The Smart Card & Payments Awards are part of Cards and Payments Middle East, the region’s premium event for payment cards and ID, which took place recently in Dubai.