Orange Business Services highlights security and reliability of data exchange at SWIFT regional conference

Orange Business Services, the business services arm of France Telecom, has been working with SWIFT for more than 15 years and serves more than 1,000 banks worldwide and over 100 banks in the Middle East through 130 SWIFTNet connections.

SWIFT is the industry-owned co-operative supplying secure, standardised messaging services and interface software to nearly 8,100 financial institutions in 207 countries and territories in which it operates. The focus of the SWIFT conference, held on March 26-28, 2007, was to explore how the region's governments and financial institutions can work together to enhance growth and profitability.

Speaking at the conference, Mohammed Gaafar, Middle East Regional SWIFT Manager for Orange Business Services, based in Cairo, said: "The SWIFT conference was the perfect opportunity to share our considerable experience with a senior financial services audience within the region.

"In an increasingly complex multilateral banking environment, financial institutions need to exchange data with the assurance of security and
reliability, and within the framework of the regulatory requirements. Our managed, secure IP-based networking solutions support the communications needs of organisations like SWIFT and others in the finance industry."

In addition to SWIFT, Orange Business Services works with other customers in the financial services sector in the Middle East, including
EFG Hermes, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, National Bank of Egypt and the Central Bank of Egypt. In addition, Orange Business Services
supports 1,300 trading floors in 58 countries, with trading desks and networks, and works with 50 per cent of the Fortune 100 companies in
Europe, and 50 per cent of the Fortune 500 financial service companies.