The MEA Finance Awards 2021 were presented last November 3 during a gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton, JBR hotel. The very well attended occasion was graced with the presence of nearly 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 70 categories, won by 45 banks and businesses plus 5 individual achievement awards with winners decided after in-depth 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 awards honouring the winners were presented in three parts, the first for technology vendors, the second half for banks, financial institutions and service providers, and the third for the individual achievement awards.
The full list of the MEA Finance Awards 2021 winners:
Technology
- Best Mobile Banking Service Implementation, Saudi Arabia – Al Rajhi Bank
- Best Mobile Banking Service Implementation, UAE – First Abu Dhabi Bank
- Best Neo Bank – Payit powered by FAB
- Best Online Banking Service, Saudi Arabia – Al Rajhi Bank
- Best Online Banking Service, UAE – Mashreq
- Best User Experience – Magnati & Al-Futtaim
- Best Digital Transformation Implementation – Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Special Achievement in Digital Innovation – RAKBANK
- Best Digital Banking Innovation Implementation – ADIB
- Best Islamic Digital Banking Service – Emirates Islamic
- Best Cloud Services Provider – Volante Technologies
- Best Payments Solutions Provider – ACI Worldwide
- Best Cybersecurity Provider – Help AG
- Best Comms Infrastructure Provider – Avaya
- Best Core Banking Service Provider – TEMENOS
- Best Digital Banking Innovation Provider – Infosys Finacle
- Best Islamic Digital Banking Provider – VeriPark
- Best Risk Management Solutions Provider – ACI Worldwide
- Best CSR Programme, Financial Technology Provider – DDCAP Group
- Best Islamic Fintech Solutions Provider – DDCAP Group for ETHOS AFP
- Best Mobile Banking Service Provider – BPC
- Best Financial Data Analysis Provider – Course5 Intelligence Private Limited
- Best Digital Transformation Provider – Infosys Finacle for the Sharjah Islamic Bank transformation programme
Financial Services
- Best Retail Bank, UAE – Emirates NBD
- Best Retail Bank, Egypt – Banque Misr
- Best Islamic Bank, UAE, – Dubai Islamic Bank
- Best Islamic Bank, Bahrain, Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB)
- Best Islamic Bank, Egypt – Banque Misr
- Best Commercial Bank – Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Capital Markets Transaction of the Year – HSBC
- Best M&A – Standard Chartered Bank
- Best Bond Issue of the Year – MISR Capital
- Best Sukuk Deal of the Year – GFH Financial Group
- Best Takaful Provider – Noor Takaful
- Best Global Bank in the Middle East – Standard Chartered Bank
- Best SME Bank – National Bank of Fujairah
- Best Islamic Bank for SME’s – Emirates Islamic
- Best Trade Finance Provider – National Bank of Fujairah
- Best Cash Management Bank – HSBC
- Best Treasury Management Services – Banque Misr
- Best Asset Management Firm – SEDCO Capital
- Best International Real Estate Investment Firm – Walton Global
- Best REIT Management Firm – Bonyan REIT Fund managed by Saudi Fransi Capital
- Best Investment Bank, Islamic – GFH Financial Group
- Best Investment Bank, Conventional, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Fransi Capital
- Best Investment Bank, Conventional, UAE – HSBC
- Best Brokerage Firm & Solutions Provider – Greenstone Equity Partners
- Best Investment Management Firm – Al Mal Capital Investment Management
- Best Robo Advisory Investment Solution – Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Best Private Bank in the Middle East -Barclays Private Bank
- Best Overall Wealth Management Service in the Middle East – Standard Chartered Bank
- Best Wealth Management Institution for HNWI’s, UAE – Century Private Wealth Limited
- Best Wealth Management Institution for HNWI’s – Deutsche Bank
- Best Wealth Management Institution for Ultra HNWI’s – BNP Paribas Wealth Management
- Best Investment Consultancy Firm, UAE – Century Financial
- Best Investment Consultancy Firm, Saudi Arabia – SNB Capital
- Best Digital Transformation Advisory – Flaist
- Best Ratings Agency – S&P Global Ratings
- Best Research and Consultancy Firm, UAE – Century Financial
- Best Law Firm – KARM Legal Consultants
- Best Remittance and Foreign Exchange Company – Al Muzaini Exchange Co.
- Best Sustainable Finance Initiative – Barclays Private Bank
- Best Sustainable Lending – HSBC
- Best Sustainable Asset Management – Dubai Green Fund
- Best ESG Strategy – Dubai Islamic Bank
Leaders in Banking and Finance
- Outstanding Leadership Award – Massimo Falcioni, CEO, Etihad Credit Insurance
- Banker of the Year – Dr. Bernd van Linder, CEO, Commercial Bank of Dubai
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group CEO, Dubai Islamic Bank
- Best Technology Leadership Award – Nidal Abou-Ltaif, President, Avaya International (EMEA-APAC)
- Best Technology Executive of the Year for Financial Services – Mohamed Abdel Razek, CIO, Standard Chartered Bank
