Citibank and Emirates Group boost partnership

These moves aim at continuing to leverage the strengths of both institutions and further validate the long-term mutual value generated by the two companies' association.

Soon to complete ten years, the extended alliance between the region's top airline and the global financial powerhouse now covers other areas of cooperation that would maximize the value addition to both Citibank customers, Emirates frequent fliers and Emirates Group's employees.

As part of Citibank's Bank at Work proposition, which aims at serving company employees at their workplace, a team of seasoned bankers has been placed onsite at Emirates Group's new headquarters located in Al-Garhoud which houses more than 6,000 Emirates employees.

The team will offer employees a one-stop banking and credit solution including servicing payroll accounts, offering credit cards, personal loans, and investment products at preferential rates.

This step complements the recent installation of a full-service Citibank ATM at the new building. In addition to Dirham/Dollar cash withdrawal and deposit features using ATM Cards, Credit Cards as well as Debit Cards, the Citibank ATM facilitates credit card payments, account balance inquiry including Time Deposits and Personal Loans, in addition to money transfer capability between accounts and obtaining mini statements among other features.

Brian LaBelle, Skywards' Vice President, said:

"The partnership between Emirates and Citibank has entered a new chapter whereby our mutual customers as well as Emirates' staff will stand to enjoy tangible benefits of Emirates-Citibank Co-branded Credit Cards and efficient banking solutions provided by a world class financial institution."

"At Citibank, we value our strategic alliance with Emirates which is one of the leading brands in the UAE and the region, and the airline of choice for our UAE-based customers," said Sanjoy Sen, Citibank's Consumer Bank Head - Middle East.

"We are taking our strategic relationship with Emirates to new heights as we seek to provide customers the convenience of banking from home, at neighborhoods, by phone, in the branch as well as at work."

William Keliehor, Credit Cards head for Middle East, Africa and Pakistan at Citibank, added: "Our alliance with Emirates Group has repeatedly translated into instant value to our mutual existing customers as well as new customers. The onsite banking team and the full-service ATM will bring Citibank banking and credit card services right to EK employees' doorsteps, hence opening more avenues of cooperation between our respective institutions."

Citi has been in the Middle East for nearly 50 years and currently offers consumer-banking services in the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. In the UAE alone, Citibank, the consumer banking arm of Citi, has had a presence for the past 45 years and is expanding its major operations within the country. The bank is currently a major player in the UAE's credit card market and a leading provider of banking, Wealth Management and Consumer credit services.

Citi Cards is part of Citi, the leading global financial services company, and the world's largest credit card issuer with more than 170 million cards in issue in 50 countries worldwide.

Citi is a global leader in partnership credit cards, with leading airlines, retail, telecoms, oil and gas companies as key partners around the world.

The Emirates-Citibank Co-branded Credit Card is the pioneering Credit Card in the UAE that rewards customers with Skywards Miles every time the card is used. Miles can be exchanged for free flights, excursions and other travel privileges