MasterCard to lead discussion on evolution of payment cards at Cards Middle East conference

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MasterCard Middle East & North Africa Regional Highlights

In line with broadening customized services and products for customer financial institutions in the region, several innovative payment solutions were introduced by MasterCard over the last 12 months.

• National Commercial Bank in Saudi Arabia launched the NCB MasterCard FIFA World Cup™ Credit Card.

• Citibank launched the Citibank Football MasterCard Credit Card, an official 2006 FIFA World Cup™ card.

• Standard Chartered Bank launched the Manhattan MasterCard credit card following successful launches in Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Indonesia. The Manhattan MasterCard credit card is a lifestyle card targeted at the young, ambitious and upwardly mobile UAE consumer and provides adventure, clubbing, and entertainment benefits.

• Standard Chartered Bank, Emirates Airline and MasterCard International team up to launch the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Standard Chartered Bank MasterCard Soccer Credit Card in Qatar.

• RAKBANK launched the first Titanium MasterCard credit card in the Middle East and North Africa, aimed at the affluent consumer segment in the UAE.

• National Bank of Bahrain launched the first MasterCard branded debit card in Bahrain.

• National Bank of Abu Dhabi in conjunction with MasterCard launched the Money Share program in the UAE, a first for a UAE bank. The Money Share program is designed for UAE expatriate residents who want to send money home.

• National Bank of Kuwait became the first institution in Kuwait to add the NBK curved-edge credit card to its family of credit cards, a variant of MasterCard's proprietary mc2 card design.

In the past 12 months MasterCard has continued to see great momentum in smart card adoption within the region.

• Network International was the first vendor in the Middle East to become EMV certified and launched the MasterCard Al Ahly Club Card, the first smart card that carries the name of a sports club in Egypt.

• MasterCard launched its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) 'OneSmart Club'. Clubs have previously been rollout across Europe and South Africa. The GCC OneSmart Club, which covers the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, helps banks and other financial industry players develop new payment products and services using the latest chip technology.

• Lebanon's Fransabank launched a card program enhanced with MasterCard® PayPass™ "Tap N Go™" contactless payment technology. The card program, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East, provides consumers with a fast and convenient alternative to cash for their everyday small purchases. Consumers simply tap their PayPass-enabled card on a specially equipped merchant terminal, eliminating the need to fumble for cash and coins, hand their card over to a clerk or swipe the card. Signatures are not required for PayPass purchases under $25, further speeding customer's transactions. PayPass also provides better record keeping than cash.

MasterCard continues to support the region through a variety of knowledge leadership and sponsorship initiatives.

• MasterCard launched the results of the 2005 MasterIndex of Consumer Confidence Survey and MasterIndex Consumer Lifestyle surveys. The surveys, which are conducted bi-annually, are designed to gauge the perceptions of people who have the experience and means of engaging in a wide spectrum of activities which dictate the performance of the national economy. The results are issued to assist with business decision making.

• MasterCard was a headline sponsor of the November 2005 Leaders In Dubai leadership conference.

• MasterCard was the Official Payments Solutions partner of Cards Middle East 2005.

• MasterCard sponsored the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament for the third year running.

• MasterCard was key sponsor and official card for Dubai Summer Surprises for the sixth year running.

• MasterCard won the Brand Alliance Category and Bronze in the overall Grand Prix, at the Gulf Marketing Review (GMR) Effectiveness in Marketing Awards. The Awards honour marketing excellence amongst companies and brands across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region. The Brand Alliance Award celebrates successful brand collaboration with creative execution, while providing customers with value added services.

About MasterCard International
MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus® and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless® advertising campaign is now seen in 105 countries and in 48 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope.