MasterCard International 'official payments solutions partner' of Cards Middle East

Attracting an array of leading banks, vendors and industry experts from around the region, the event, to be held in the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai on 16-17 May 2005, will address the challenges and prospects of the payments industry in the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as industry global trends.

A keynote speaker at Cards Middle East, Sonny Sannon, president, MasterCard International, South Asia Middle East and Africa (SAMEA) Region will deliver the keynote address on the opening day of the conference. Sonny Sannon will discuss change within the financial services industry driven by increased globalization, shifting demographics, greater connectivity and a growing trend towards more electronic forms of payments.

At the exhibition, MasterCard will be showcasing a wide range of payment programs and cutting edge technology including instant issuance of EMV cards, MULTOS, Pre-Authorised Debit, PayPass™ and the OneSMART™ MasterCard Retail package using Welcome Real-time's XLS software solution. Corporate Payment Solutions services available to customers can be seen at MasterCard's stand.

"Cards Middle East is the premier event of its type in the region. Our extensive participation at this event will provide the opportunity to showcase MasterCard's strength in payment programs and technology to our customer financial institutions. The exhibition will also offer networking opportunities and open up mutual business possibilities amongst participants and visitors," said Denzil Lawson, senior vice president and general manager, MasterCard International, Middle East & North Africa.