The first round—country and subcategory winners—of Global Finance’s Best Digital Bank awards 2018 reveals that digital transformations are driving efforts by global, regional and national banks to build their corporate and consumer clientele—and cut costs while they’re at it.
Corporate banking needs are changing rapidly, as companies shift more and more functions to an online environment. Global Finance’s World’s Best Digital Bank awards honor the banks that best understand these needs and anticipate clients’ changing requirements for digital banking platforms.
Global Banks Dominate Corporate/Institutional Awards
A global platform that integrates different channels and offers online features and connectivity solutions, automating transaction and treasury processes, ensured that Citigroup received the highest number of corporate/institutional digital-banking awards in all corners of the globe. A client-experience and client-collaboration center in the bank’s innovation lab helps Citi provide its corporate customers with tools to operate both locally and globally in a seamless and efficient manner. Looking forward, Citi is counting on its investment in a Big Data platform, blockchain and application programming interfaces (APIs) to safeguard its position as a digital leader by enhancing its digital capabilities and generating cost savings.
Citi’s commitment to its corporate customers in Africa resulted in 14 country awards and a sweep of the subcategory awards for the region. Citi also performed well in Central and Eastern Europe—but the region saw a good mix of national and regional bank wins. While Tinkoff Bank was singled out as Russia’s best investment manager, its compatriot Sberbank secured three of the subcategory wins and the overall country award. Sberbank has developed a highly customized website and machine-learning algorithms; its digital customer-relationship-management capability helps the bank enhance customer experience and stay ahead of competitors.
While Citi also dominated the awards in Latin America, Bancolombia drew attention for the success of its online strategy in creating memorable client experiences. Between 70% and 90% of the bank’s products are available online and Bancolombia’s corporate online banking app allows corporate clients to check products, prepare and approve transactions, and request documents and up-to-date information on Colombia’s financial markets.
Methodology |
The winners of the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards are chosen based on entries provided by financial institutions. Entrants are judged on breadth of product offerings, success in migrating customers to digital platforms, acquiring and retaining new customers, and the use of digital technologies to improve business processes, cut costs and deliver other benefits. Each entry is analyzed by a team of digital and banking experts at Infosys. All final selections are the responsibility of Global Finance. |
In Western Europe, Citi took all the country awards—bar Cyprus, which went to Hellenic Bank, and Turkey, which went to Yapi Kredi. Turkey’s Yapi Kredi Bank also picked up three subcategory awards thanks to its interactive website, which supports a consolidated dashboard and customization for private-banking customers. Yapi Kredi launched a mobile-banking app last year that includes biometric features; the launch of Self Service World enables Yapi Kredi’s merchant members to create campaigns on their own for Yapı Kredi’s individual customers.
In North America, Citi took both US and Canada country awards, but Wells Fargo won the lion’s share of subcategory citations. Wells Fargo provides corporate clients with capabilities on different platforms, including web-based mobile, direct transmissions, and integration with customer systems; corporate clients can also enjoy a customized presentation to enhance the user experience.
Citi won all the Asia-Pacific country awards except for Singapore, which went to DBS Bank; DBS was singled out for a very clear website-design strategy. With over 90% of its products available online, automation, chatbots and biometric authentication all help improve customer service by reducing manual processes. The editors gave Taiwan’s CTBC Bank special commendation for its social media marketing, which includes separate social media pages for big individual projects and products and has helped the bank lift transaction volumes and value.
In the Middle East too, Citi won multiple country awards; but local banks also fared well. Jordan’s Arab Bank launched a new cash-management and trade-finance corporate platform, ArabiConnect, which powered 25%-to-50% year-on-year growth in the percentage of customers using online cash-management and trade-finance services. Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) uses data analytics to drive a customercentric approach, aiming to maximize profits from existing products, customers and channels.
Big Data, AI Drive Consumer Awards Winners
Technology was also a major driver of Global Finance’s Best Digital Bank Awards on the consumer side, where the awards were dominated by banks that made the best use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide a targeted and seamless user experience.
In Latin America, no one bank dominated, but Bancolombia and Banco Popular de Puerto Rico attracted special mentions. Bancolombia uses cookies to provide customizable content based on the client’s residency and behavior patterns. Services include cloud-based internet banking, Big Data for cross-selling, and robo-advisory that uses AI for investment advice, all contained on a website based on responsive design such that web pages work well over a variety of devices.
Banco Popular’s clients can access their accounts and other services over an Apple watch app or Touch iD for iPhone 5 and up, and Fingerprint Access for Android 6.0 or more-recent versions. The mobile app enables consumers to control their finances anytime and anywhere, with an integrated platform that does transfers, payments and other functions.
National banks were winners in every country in Western Europe that participated in the awards. Special commendation was reserved for both Garanti Bank and CaixaBank. Turkey’s Garanti Bank offers a customer-friendly and responsive web design that analyzes visitor behavior to maximize conversions. The bank also uses behavioral targeting to fine-tune campaigns on its website.
Spain’s CaixaBank boasts a plethora of digital innovations, including MyFinance, CaixaPay and one-click account opening. Integration across channels enables Caixa customers to initiate transactions or processes in one channel and complete them in another. While making digital banking easier for customers, Caixa also provides excellent security: Its CaixaBankSign is a three-factor approach authentication feature protecting customers from online fraud.
In Central and Eastern Europe, regional banks took the consumer honors, with Tinkoff, Sberbank, TBC and Slovakia’s Tatra banka sharing the subcategory awards. Being branchless, Tinkoff offers 90% of its products and services online. Advance technologies, including straight-through processing (STP), cloud computing, social media as a platform, analytics and single sign-on all help improve customer satisfaction.
Sberbank offers the majority of services online and is looking to aggressively ramp up technology infrastructure and software. Tatra has introduced inducements for prospective customers, including face biometry, a chatbot, AI and finance-planning tools. In another former Soviet republic, Georgia, TBC Bank offers more than 90% of its products online, which has helped it achieve cost savings of more than 30%.
In Africa, Standard Chartered’s customer commitment is reflected in the numerous consumer awards it picked up this year. Readily accessible features include a video-chat service, single sign-on, and online services including fund transfer, bill payment and rewards points. A global-link feature helps customers access global market information by logging in to the mobile app, while face and fingerprint ID ensure secure login.
In the US, Bank of America’s AI virtual assistant, Erica, provides 24/7 customer support. The bank also offers features such as cloud computing, single sign-on, multicountry/currency transactions and a fully automated account-opening and onboarding process. HSBC in Bermuda provides single sign-on and partial STP.
Asia-Pacific saw mostly national and regional bank wins; but Citi, Standard Chartered and DBS stood out in the region. DBS offers an impressive range of digital services and enjoys a digital-activity rate of 80%.
Our Best Islamic Bank category honors institutions that offer the most digital services and products that are Shariah approved. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, for example, offers multichannel, Shariah-compliant digital-product offerings in deposits, lending and payments.
As the mortgage industry is also undergoing digital transformation, we honored the best mortgage banks by region for the first time this year. With over 90% of its mortgage products available online, Saudi Arabia’s Bidaya Home Finance offers an especially successful example of how banks can use digital to enhance the customer experience. Taiwan’s E.SUN Financial Holdings has been able to slash price inquiry and comparison time from three days to three minutes and cut mortgage application times from seven to three days.
GLOBAL FINANCE WORLD’S BEST DIGITAL BANKS 2018 — ROUND 1 WINNERS CORPORATE/INSTITUTIONAL BANKS |
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AFRICA | |
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Country Winners |
Bank |
Algeria | Citi |
Angola | BAI Banco Angolano de Investimentos |
Cameroon | Citi |
Cote d’Ivoire | Citi |
Democratic Republic of Congo | Citi |
Gabon | Citi |
Kenya | Citi |
Morocco | Citi |
Mozambique | Millennium BIM |
Nigeria | Citi |
Senegal | Citi |
South Africa | Citi |
Tanzania | Citi |
Tunisia | Citi |
Uganda | Citi |
Zambia | Citi |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Cash Management | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
ASIA-PACIFIC | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Australia | Citi |
Bangladesh | Citi |
China | ICBC |
Hong Kong | Citi |
India | Citi |
Indonesia | Citi |
Japan | Citi |
Malaysia | Citi |
New Zealand | Citi |
Pakistan | Citi |
Philippines | Citi |
Singapore | DBS |
South Korea | Citi |
Sri Lanka | Citi |
Taiwan | Citi |
Thailand | Citi |
Vietnam | Citi |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Cash Management | Citi |
Best Trade Finance Services | DBS |
Best Online Portal Service | DBS |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | E.SUN Financial Holdings |
Best Online Treasury Services | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best in Social Media Marketing and Services | CTBC |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE | |
---|---|
Country Sub-Category Winners |
Bank |
Czech Republic | Citi |
Estonia | SEB Banka |
Georgia | TBC Bank |
Latvia | SEB Bank |
Lithuania | SEB Bank |
Poland | mBank |
Romania | Citi |
Russia | Sberbank |
Slovakia | Citi |
Ukraine | Citi |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Investment Management | Tinkoff Bank |
Best Online Cash Management | Tatra Banka |
Best Trade Finance Services | ING Bank Slaski |
Best Online Portal Services | Sberbank |
Best Integrated Corporate Bank Site | Sberbank |
Best Online Treasury Services | Bank of Georgia |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best in Social Media Marketing and Services | TBC Bank |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Sberbank |
LATIN AMERICA | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Argentina | Citi |
Brazil | Citi |
Chile | Banco de Chile |
Colombia | Bancolombia |
Costa Rica | Citi |
Dominican Republic | Citi |
Ecuador | Citi |
El Salvador | Citi |
Guatemala | Citi |
Haiti | Citi |
Honduras | Citi |
Jamaica | Citi |
Mexico | Citibanamex |
Panama | Citi |
Paraguay | Citi |
Peru | Citi |
Puerto Rico | Citi |
Uruguay | Citi |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Investment Management Services | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Bancolombia |
Best Trade Finance Services | Citi |
Best Online Portal Services | Citi |
Best Integrated Corporate Bank Site | Citi |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Citi |
Best Online Treasury Services | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best in Social Media Marketing and Services | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
MIDDLE EAST (With Sub-Categories by Country) | |
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Bahrain |
Bank |
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Ahli United Bank |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Egypt |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | CIB |
Best Trade Finance Services | CIB |
Best Online Portal Services | CIB |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | CIB |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Israel |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Bank Leumi |
Jordan |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Arab Bank |
Best Trade Finance Services | Arab Bank |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Kuwait |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Ahli United Bank Kuwait |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Lebanon |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Palestine |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Bank of Palestine |
Qatar |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Saudi Arabia |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | NCB |
Best Online Cash Management | Samba |
Best Trade Finance Services | Samba |
Best Online Portal Services | NCB |
Best Integrated Corporate Bank Site | NCB |
Best in Mobile Banking | NCB |
Best Mobile Banking App | NCB |
UAE |
|
Best Overall Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Cash Management | Commercial Bank of Dubai |
Best Trade Finance Services | Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank |
Best Online Portal Services | Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank |
Best Integrated Corporate Bank Site | Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Mashreq Bank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
NORTH AMERICA | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Canada | Citi |
United States | Wells Fargo |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Investment Management Services | Wells Fargo |
Best Online Cash Management | Citi |
Best Trade Finance Services | Wells Fargo |
Best Online Portal Services | Wells Fargo |
Best Integrated Corporate Bank Site | Wells Fargo |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Wells Fargo |
Best Online Treasury Services | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Wells Fargo |
WESTERN EUROPE | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Austria | Citi |
Belgium | Citi |
Cyprus | Hellenic Bank |
Denmark | Citi |
Finland | Citi |
France | Citi |
Germany | Citi |
Greece | Citi |
Ireland | Citi |
Italy | Citi |
Luxembourg | Citi |
Netherlands | Citi |
Norway | Citi |
Portugal | Citi |
Spain | Citi |
Sweden | Citi |
Switzerland | Citi |
Turkey | Yapi Kredi Bank |
United Kingdom | Citi |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Cash Management | Odeabank |
Best Online Portal Services | Yapi Kredi Bank |
Best Integrated Corporate Bank Site | Yapi Kredi Bank |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Millennium bcp |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Yapi Kredi Bank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
GLOBAL FINANCE WORLD’S BEST DIGITAL BANKS 2018 — ROUND 1 WINNERS CONSUMER BANKS |
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AFRICA | |
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Country Winners |
Bank |
Botswana | Standard Chartered |
Ghana | Standard Chartered |
Kenya | Standard Chartered |
Mozambique | Banco Unico |
Nigeria | Standard Chartered |
South Africa | Investec |
Tanzania | Standard Chartered |
Zambia | Standard Chartered |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Bill Payment & Presentment | Standard Chartered |
Best Web Site Design | Standard Chartered |
Best Integrated Consumer Bank Site | Standard Chartered |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Standard Chartered |
Best in Mobile Banking | Standard Chartered |
Best Mobile Banking App | Standard Chartered |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Investec |
ASIA-PACIFIC | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Armenia | Evoca Bank |
Australia | Citi |
Bangladesh | The City Bank Limited |
Brunei | Standard Chartered |
China | China Minsheng Bank |
Fiji | Anz Pacific |
Hong Kong | Bank of China Hong Kong |
India | Citi |
Indonesia | Citi |
Japan | Rakuten Bank |
Kazakhstan | Altyn Bank JSC |
Malaysia | Maybank |
Mongolia | Khan Bank |
Nepal | Standard Chartered |
New Zealand | Bank of New Zealand |
Pakistan | Standard Chartered |
Philippines | Citi |
Singapore | DBS |
South Korea | Standard Chartered |
Sri Lanka | HSBC |
Taiwan | Citi |
Thailand | Siam Commercial Bank |
Vietnam | Standard Chartered |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Deposit, Credit and Investment Product Offerings | Standard Chartered |
Best Bill Payment & Presentment | DBS |
Best Web Site Design | DBS |
Best Integrated Consumer Bank Site | DBS |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best in Social Media Marketing & Services | Siam Commercial Bank |
Best Mobile Banking App | Standard Chartered |
Best SMS/Text Banking | DBS |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Bank of New Zealand |
CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Bosnia & Herzegovina | Raiffeisen Bank |
Croatia | Privredna banka Zagreb |
Estonia | SEB Banka |
Georgia | TBC Bank |
Hungary | OTP Bank |
Latvia | SEB Banka |
Lithuania | SEB Bank |
Poland | Citi Handlowy |
Romania | Garanti Bank |
Russia | Tinkoff Bank |
Serbia | Raiffeisen Bank |
Slovakia | Tatra Banka |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Deposit Credit & Investment Product Offerings | Tatra Banka |
Best Bill Payment & Presentment | Tinkoff Bank |
Best Web Site Design | Tatra Banka |
Best Integrated Consumer Bank Site | TBC Bank |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Tinkoff Bank |
Best in Mobile Banking | Tinkoff Bank |
Best in Social Media Marketing & Services | Sberbank |
Best Mobile Banking App | Tinkoff Bank |
Best SMS/Text Banking | Sberbank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Sberbank |
LATIN AMERICA | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Argentina | Santander Rio |
Brazil | Next — Bradesco Bank |
Chile | Banco de Chile |
Colombia | Bancolombia |
Costa Rica | Scotiabank |
Ecuador | Produbanco |
El Salvador | Scotiabank |
Honduras | Ficohsa |
Mexico | Citibanamex |
Paraguay | Itau Unibanco |
Puerto Rico | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico |
Trinidad & Tobago | Republic Bank Limited |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Deposit Credit & Investment Product Offerings | Bancolombia |
Best Bill Payment & Presentment | Citibanamex |
Best Web Site Design | Bancolombia |
Best Integrated Consumer Bank Site | Santander Rio |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico |
Best in Mobile Banking | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico |
Best in Social Media Marketing & Services | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico |
Best Mobile Banking App | Bancolombia |
Best SMS/Text Banking | Citibanamex |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Bancolombia |
MIDDLE EAST (With Sub-Categories by Country) | |
---|---|
Bahrain |
Bank |
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Citi |
Best Online Deposit, Credit and Investment Product Offerings | Citi |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Citi |
Egypt |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Arab Bank |
Best in Mobile Banking | Credit Agricole Egypt |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Credit Agricole Egypt |
Best Online Portal Services[ | CIB |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management[ | CIB |
Best in Mobile Banking[ | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App[ | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank[ | Citi |
Israel |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Israel Discount Bank |
Jordan |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Arab Bank |
Best Web Site Design | Arab Bank |
Best in Social Media Marketing and Services | Arab Bank |
Best Mobile Banking App | Arab Bank |
Best Bill Payment and Presentment | Investbank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Investbank |
Kuwait |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | NBK |
Best in Mobile Banking | NBK |
Best Mobile Banking App | NBK |
Best Mobile Banking App | Citi |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Boubyan Bank |
Lebanon |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Blom Bank |
Best in Mobile Banking | Blom Bank |
Best Mobile Banking App | Blom Bank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Blom Bank |
Oman |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Bank Muscat |
Palestine |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Bank of Palestine |
Qatar |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Qatar Islamic Bank |
Saudi Arabia |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | NCB |
Best Web Site Design | Samba |
Best Integrated Consumer Banking Site | Samba |
Best in Mobile Banking | NCB |
Best in Social Media Marketing and Services | SABB |
Best Mobile Banking App | NCB |
Best SMS/Text Banking | Samba |
Best Innovative Digital Bank | NCB |
UAE |
|
Best Consumer Digital Bank | Emirates NBD |
Best Online Deposit, Credit and Investment Product Offerings | Mashreq Bank |
Bill Payment & Presentment | Standard Chartered |
Best Web Site Design | Standard Chartered |
Best Integrated Consumer Banking Site | Emirates NBD |
Best in Mobile Banking | Citi |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Citi |
Best Mobile Banking App | Mashreq Bank |
Best SMS/Text Banking | Mashreq Bank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | Liv by Emirates |
NORTH AMERICA | |
---|---|
Country Sub-Category Winners |
Bank |
Bermuda | HSBC |
United States | Bank of America |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best in Social Media Marketing and Services | HSBC |
Best Mobile Banking App | HSBC |
Most Innovative Digital Banking | PurePoint |
WESTERN EUROPE | |
---|---|
Country Winners |
Bank |
Belgium | Belfius Bank |
Cyprus | Hellnic Bank |
Greece | Euro Bank |
Portugal | Millennium bcp |
Spain | CaixaBank |
Turkey | Garanti Bank |
Regional Sub-Category Winners |
|
Best Online Deposit, Credit and Investment Product Offerings | Millennium bcp |
Best Bill Payment & Presentment | Yapi Kredi Bank |
Best Web Site Design | Garanti Bank |
Best Integrated Consumer Bank Site | Garanti Bank |
Best Information Security and Fraud Management | Millennium bcp |
Best in Mobile Banking | Garanti Bank |
Best Social Media Marketing & Services | Garanti Bank |
Best Mobile Banking App | CaixaBank |
Most Innovative Digital Bank | CaixaBank |
DIGITAL MORTGAGE BANKS |
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ASIA | |
Singapore | DBS |
Taiwan | E.SUN Financial Holdings |
CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE | |
Russia | Tinkoff Bank |
LATIN AMERICA | |
Brazil | Itaú Unibanco |
WESTERN EUROPE | |
United States | Bank of America |
ISLAMIC BANKS |
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ASIA-PACIFIC — COUNTRY WINNERS | |
Bangladesh | Standard Chartered |
Malaysia | Standard Chartered |
Pakistan | Standard Chartered |
MIDDLE EAST — COUNTRY WINNERS | |
Kuwait | Boubyan Bank |
Saudi Arabia | Bidaya Home Finance |
UAE | Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank |