MEA Finance Awards 2020 announces region’s top performers in the banking, finance and technology industry

The MEA Finance Awards 2020 honours leaders and organizations within the banking, finance, and financial technology sectors in the Middle East and Africa for their excellence, achievement, and leadership.

The awards programme, organized by MEA Finance Magazine, benchmarks and promotes excellence and stand-out performance in banking and finance. It gives due recognition to institutions that have navigated a very challenging socio-economic climate to continue the upward trajectory of the industry, and created innovative solutions to better serve their customers in one of the most trying times in recent memory.

Hundreds of entries were critically evaluated by a panel of judges comprising of prominent industry experts. 50 category winners have been chosen after a rigorous evaluation of their research and knowledge of the market, and assessment of all relevant company financial statements and achievements from the previous year.

In his welcome remarks, Kenneth Mitchen, Executive Director and publisher of MEA Finance Magazine, stated, “Today, we will honor leaders and organizations who have faced the challenges, embraced the change, and have maintained excellence throughout. MEA Finance Magazine is committed to highlighting these extraordinary examples of excellence as well as reporting the news that matters.”

MEA Finance Awards included 4 special individual awards honoring top industry leaders as well as awards for excellence in performance at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when retail and corporate clients required reliable digital banking solutions for payment facilitation and cash management, and payment relief packages.

Here is the full list of the MEA Finance Awards 2020 winners:

Financial Services

1. Best Retail Bank (UAE) – Mashreq Bank
2. Best Retail Bank (Saudi Arabia) – Al Rajhi Bank
3. Best Retail Bank (Bahrain) – Ahli United Bank
4. Best Retail Bank (Egypt) – ADIB Egypt
5. Best Islamic Bank – ADIB
6. Best Commercial Bank (UAE) – Commercial Bank of Dubai
7. Capital Markets Transaction of the Year – Odin Investments
8. Best Global Bank in the Middle East – Standard Chartered Bank
9. Best SME Bank – National Bank of Fujairah
10. Best Takaful Provider – Noor Takaful
11. Best Private Bank – GFH Financial Group
12. Best Wealth Management Firm in the Middle East – BNP Paribas Wealth Management
13. Best Investment Bank – NCB Capital
14. Best Trade Finance Provider – The Saudi British Bank
15. Best Transaction Banking – Standard Chartered Bank
16. Best Cash Management Technology Provider – Infosys Finacle
17. Best CSR Programme – Financial Institutions – Aafaq Islamic Finance

Covid-19 Responsiveness Special Awards

18. Best Retail Response to the Covid-19 Crisis – Ajman Bank
19. Best Commercial Response to the Covid-19 Crisis – Mashreq Bank

Investment Awards

20. Best Private Equity Firm – Alkhabeer Capital
21. Best International Real Estate Investment Firm – Walton International Group Limited
22. Best Brokerage Solutions Provider – ADSS
23. Best Investment Management Firm (UAE) – Century Private Wealth
24. Best Investment Management Firm (Saudi Arabia) – Alkhabeer Capital
25. Best Investment Management Firm (Bahrain) – GFH Financial Group

Service Providers to the Banking Sector

26. Best Investment Consultancy Firm – Century Financial Consultancy
27. Best Research & Consultancy Firm – KPMG
28. Best Digital Transformation Consultancy Firm – Arqitek
29. Best Ratings Agency – S&P Global Ratings

Technology

30. Best Mobile Banking Solution (Saudi Arabia) – Bank Albilad
31. Best Mobile Banking Solution (UAE) – Mashreq Bank
32. Best Mobile Banking Solution Provider – Infosys Finacle
33. Best Neo Bank – FAB – Payit
34. Best Online Banking Service – Bank Albilad
35. Best Cybersecurity Implementation – Help AG
36. Best User-Experience – FAB – Payit
37. Best Digital Transformation Technology Provider – Maveric Systems
38. Best Digital Transformation (UAE) – Commercial Bank of Dubai
39. Best Digital Transformation (Saudi Arabia) – Tayseer Finance
40. Best Digital Transformation (Bahrain) – Ahli United Bank
41. Best CSR Programme – Financial Technology Provider – DDCAP Group
42. Best Payment Solutions – Edenred
43. Best Payment Solutions Provider – Temenos
44. Best Cybersecurity Provider – Trend Micro
45. Best Communications Infrastructure Provider – United MakGroup & IPC
46. Best Core Banking Service Provider – Temenos
47. Best Digital Banking Innovation Provider – Avaya
48. Best Islamic Finance Banking Software Provider – Path Solutions
49. Best Islamic Fintech Solutions Provider – DDCAP Group for Ethos Asset Facilitation Platform
50. Special Achievement in Digital Innovation – BPC

Leaders in Banking and Finance

51. Outstanding Leadership Award – Ebrahim Oboud Baeshen, Office Managing Partner, KPMG Saudi – Jeddah

52. Banker of the Year – Hisham Alrayes, Group CEO and Board Member, GFH Financial Group
53. Best Technology Executive of the Year for Financial Services – Mohammed Kateeb, Chairman & CEO, Path Solutions

54. Best Technology Leadership Award – Ashar Nazim, Founder and CEO, Aion Digital