MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 24 September 2013 – Tourists and businessmen arriving in Bahrain from around the world, as well as expatriates and residents with globally-issued MasterCard credit and debit cards, will now be able to use their cards at Ithmaar Bank Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) after Ithmaar Bank signed a key agreement with MasterCard.

Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, said this latest agreement allows all MasterCard users, a seamless access to the Bank’s ATMs – including cash withdrawals and balance inquiries - regardless of where, or by which bank, the card was issued.

“We are firmly committed to continuously improving our customer service offerings,” said Ithmaar Bank Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Abdul Rahim. “This latest agreement with MasterCard is another step in this direction,” he said.

Earlier this year (ed note: April 2013), Ithmaar announced a tie-up with MasterCard and introduced the first Islamic segmented MasterCard Debit Cards in Bahrain with the launch of two new debit cards from the MasterCard Premium Debit Card Collection. As part of this program, all eligible Ithmaar Bank customers can have their existing debit cards upgraded, at no additional cost, to the new MasterCard Debit Plus card, while Ithmaar Premier Customers will receive an exclusive Ithmaar MasterCard Premier Debit Card. Ithmaar Bank will further differentiate the offerings available to its diverse set of customers through these new cards.

Earlier, at the beginning of Ramadan, Ithmaar also launched a dedicated card specifically for youth accountholders. Called 7esabi, an Arabic term meaning “My Account”, the innovative account offers unique benefits and features, including a dedicated MasterCard debit card, for youth between 12 and 18 years old. The new account was designed to get youth familiarised with the basic concepts of banking as early as possible.

“Ithmaar Bank has long stressed the importance of customer satisfaction to our continued success,” said Abdul Rahim. “We realise, however, that not all customers have the same requirements and that we cannot achieve exceptional customer satisfaction with standard, one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we are tailoring our offering to meet the specific requirements of our different customers,” he said.