American Express Middle East acclaimed at regional technology awards

American Express Middle East’s new integrated ‘Card Management Solution’ has been named the best ‘Banking and Finance Implementation’ in the region, at the ACN Arab Technology awards.  

American Express Middle East’s new ‘Card Management Solution’ represented the largest ever technology-based project for the company, involving replacing their core Card management system with another single platform option, The Card Management Solution was implemented in phases across all markets where American Express Middle East is operational, with the pilot project carried out at the Headquarters in Bahrain. As well as being cost effective, the new system significantly enhances the efficiency of American Express’ electronic payments processing. 

American Express Middle East has also won the award for the “IT Team of the Year” at the ICT Achievement Awards organised by Computer News Middle East, against stiff competition from well known regional organisations. 

“At American Express Middle East, we have always recognised the significance of a robust and efficient IT infrastructure in servicing Cardmembers’ requirements,” said William Keliehor, Chief Executive Officer, American Express in the Middle East and North Africa. “Earlier this year, we invested strongly in this aspect of our business, enabling us to continue to ensure that our Cardmembers receive smooth and uninterrupted card management services at all times.” 

“We are delighted to be recognised at these prestigious awards that evaluate companies from across the region. The fact that the recognition has been from two separate publications only serves to underline the strength of our technological platform and back-end IT services,” he added. 

American Express Middle East’s IT team was commended by Computer News Middle East for their “combined strength, commitment, teamwork and technical skills” during recent events “when even vendors fled the country”. Due to this skill and spirit of working, the American Express IT team, according to the Computer News Middle East award panel award panel, “was able to maintain critical systems and availability of all call centre activities, while keeping the firm's disaster recovery site on hot standby”. 

Henry George, Chief Technology Officer, American Express in the Middle East and North Africa, said: “It is very re-assuring that at a time when the capabilities of our IT network, infrastructure, business continuity and human resources were critically tested, we were able to rise to the occasion and deliver uninterrupted services to our Cardmembers. At the same time, we completed the implementation of the major ‘Card Management Solutions’ project. These two prestigious technology-related awards, provide clear recognition of the capabilities of our IT and Business teams”.