Doha, 13 June 2024 – QNB, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, in collaboration with Mastercard, a global technology company in the payments industry, co-hosted the Commercial Payments Forum Qatar 2024 under the theme "Digitization and Beyond".
The forum brought together industry leaders to explore the latest regional and global trends shaping the commercial payments ecosystem. The topics ranged from artificial intelligence and big data to cross-border payments and the evolving payment landscape. The event aimed to provide actionable insights, which can benefit corporate customers. The forum also covered other areas, including new payment solutions and emerging payment technologies.
The event opened with a welcome address from Mr. Adel Ali Al-Malki, Senior Executive Vice President of Group Retail Banking at QNB, who spoke about the changing customer demands and QNB’s proactive efforts to address them. Mr. Ali Abbasi, Principal, Advisors Business Development at Mastercard, delivered the keynote speech, focusing on artificial intelligence and its impact on global payments and economies.
A key highlight of the forum was the insightful panel discussion on cash management solutions, payment flows and corporate card and payment solutions. The session brought together senior members of the financial fraternity, including Ms. Antika Dias, Head of Finance for Qatar Operations at Apparel Group, Mr. Ali Al Sawaf, CFO of UCC Holding, Ms. Talat Qureishi, VP Commercial Solutions at Mastercard, and Mr. Kamel Morris, Executive Vice President-QNB Group Global Transaction Banking. Wrapping up the plenary session, Mr. Joseph M Al Hamod, Finance Director Mowasalat (Karwa), addressed a very interesting set of topics during a Q&A.
Mr. Wasim Akram, the legendary cricketer and Mastercard Ambassador, made a special appearance at the event. In an interview that followed, he spoke about his personal experiences, highlights and learnings from his illustrious career spanning over two decades. He also signed various memorabilia and took time to take pictures with the attendees.
Commenting on the event participation, Mr. Al-Malki said: “We are very pleased to have co-hosted the Commercial Payments Forum with our long-term strategic partner Mastercard. On behalf of QNB Group, I thank all the attendees, speakers and panelists who contributed to the success of the event, making it truly remarkable. We are positive that the insights shared at this forum will be invaluable for businesses looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving payments landscape.”
For his part, Mr. Erdem Çakar, Country Manager, Qatar and Kuwait at Mastercard, said: “At Mastercard, we are committed to harnessing the power of collaboration with leading ecosystem players, such as QNB, to advance Qatar’s digital transformation in line with the nation’s ambitious Digital Agenda 2030 (DA2030). Together, we are driving a paradigm shift in the commercial payments ecosystem by providing innovative digital solutions that allow companies to pay and get paid quickly and securely, expand their reach and deliver a seamless experience for their customers.”
QNB Group currently ranks as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa. Through its subsidiaries and associate companies, the Group’s presence spans more than 28 countries across three continents, providing a comprehensive range of advanced products and services. The total number of employees is 30,000, operating from approximately 900 locations, with an ATM network of 5000 machines.