The MEA Finance Awards 2022 were presented yesterday during the annual gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton, JBR Hotel. The packed occasion was graced with the presence of over 200 senior leaders in Banking, Finance, Wealth & Asset Management, Financial Technology and Advisory & Service Providers to the financial industry, making for a powerful concentration of the regions’ most influential and successful industry individuals.

The awards programme, organized by MEA Finance Magazine, benchmarks and underscores excellence by highlighting stand-out performance in banking and financial technology. It gives due recognition to institutions that have benefitted their clients, customers and economies with their innovations and excellence in the delivery of products and services at a time of frenetic competitive activity and rapidly changing technology.

Hundreds of nominations were evaluated by a panel of judges, coming down to 67 categories, won by 48 banks and businesses plus 4 individual achievement awards with winners decided after deep evaluation of their skills in the execution of deals, application of wider principles and innovation in business and service provision, and the consideration of the needs of their range of clients and customers.

The full list of the MEA Finance Awards 2022 winners:

CATEGORIES

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

  1. Best Mobile Banking Service Implementation – Commercial Bank of Dubai
  2. Best Online Banking Service – Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
  3. Best User Experience / Engagement (UAE) – First Abu Dhabi Bank
  4. Best User Experience / Engagement (Saudi Arabia) – Saudi Fransi Capital
  5. Special Achievement in Digital Innovation – Mashreq
  6. Best Cloud Services Provider – Oracle
  7. Best Cyber Security Provider – Help AG
  8. Best RegTech Solutions Provider – Smartstream
  9. Best Islamic Fintech Solution Provider – DDCAP Group for Ethos AFP
  10. Best Banking as a Service (BaaS) Provider – Oracle Financial Services
  11. Best Neobank – Al Maryah Community Bank
  12. Best Digital Transformation Implementation – Magnati
  13. Best Financial Data Analysis Provider – Finshape
  14. Best Comms Infrastructure Provider – Avaya
  15. Best Digital Banking Innovation Provider – Backbase
  16. Best Banking as a Platform (BaaP) Provider – Backbase
  17. Best Instant Payments Platform Provider – ACI Worldwide
  18. Best Cross-Border Payments Solutions Provider – Fable Fintech
  19. Best Cloud Payments Provider – Volante Technologies
  20. Best Payments as a Service (PaaS) Solutions Provider – Oracle Financial Services
  21. Best Payments Solutions Provider (Saudi Arabia) – Geidea 
  22. Best Payments Solutions Provider (Bahrain) – Arab Financial Services (AFS)
  23. Best Open Banking & API Banking Provider – Infosys Finacle
  24. Best Payments Platform Provider – E-Commerce – Checkout.com
  25. Best Corporate Payments Provider – Mindgate
  26. Best Digital Transformation Provider – Finesse

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

  1. Best Retail Bank (UAE) – Emirates NBD
  2. Best Retail Bank (Egypt) – Banque Misr
  3. Best Retail Bank (Bahrain) – Al Salam Bank
  4. Best Islamic Bank (UAE) – Dubai Islamic Bank
  5. Best Islamic Bank (Egypt) – Banque Misr
  6. Best Commercial Bank (UAE) – National Bank of Fujairah
  7. Capital Markets Transaction of the Year – HSBC
  8. Best M&A – HSBC
  9. Best Sukuk Deal of the Year – Dubai Islamic Bank
  10. Best Takaful Provider – SALAMA Islamic Arab Insurance
  11. Best Treasury Management Services (Egypt) – Banque Misr
  12. Best Treasury Management Services (UAE) – First Abu Dhabi Bank 
  13. Best Global Bank in the Middle East – Standard Chartered Bank
  14. Best SME Bank – National Bank of Fujairah
  15. Best Islamic Bank for SMEs – Emirates Islamic Bank
  16. Best Cash Management Bank – First Abu Dhabi Bank
  17. Best Trade Finance Provider – National Bank of Fujairah
  18. Best Remittance and Foreign Exchange Company (UAE) – Al Ansari Exchange

INVESTMENT

  1. Best Asset Management Firm – Oman Investment Corporation
  2. Best REIT Management Firm – Saudi Fransi Capital for Bonyan REIT
  3. Best Real Estate Investment Firm – Middle East – GFH Financial Group
  4. Best Real Estate Investment Firm – International – Walton International Group Limited
  5. Best Investment Bank – Conventional – Saudi Fransi Capital
  6. Best Brokerage Firm & Solutions Provider – Greenstone Equity Partners
  7. Best Sukuk/Islamic Fund – Waha Investments

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

  1. Best Private Bank in the Middle East – Mashreq Private Bank
  2. Best Wealth Management Institution for HNWIs – Emirates NBD
  3. Best Overall Wealth Management Service in the Middle East – Standard Chartered Bank
  4. Best Wealth Management Institution for Ultra HNWIs – Deutsche Bank

FINANCIAL ADVISORY & SERVICE PROVIDERS

  1. Best Management Consultancy Firm – 4most Ltd
  2. Best Research and Analysis Firm – Century Financial
  3. Best Ratings Agency – S & P Global Ratings
  4. Best Law Firm – KARM Legal Consultants
  5. Best Start-up Support Services – Virtuzone

SUSTAINABLE FINANCE & ESG

  1. Best Sustainable Finance Initiative – Dubai Islamic Bank
  2. Best Sustainable Lending – HSBC
  3. Best ESG Strategy – Standard Chartered Bank

LEADERS in BANKING and FINANCE

  1. Outstanding Leadership Award – Bal Krishen, Chairman & CEO, Century Financial
  2. Best Technology Executive of the Year for Financial Services – Samer Soliman, CEO, Arab Financial Services (AFS)
  3. Best Technology Leadership Award – Abdulla Almoayed, CEO, Tarabut Gateway
  4. Banker of the Year – Dr. Adnan Chilwan Group CEO Dubai Islamic Bank

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