MEED names MENA Banking Excellence Awards 2026 winners

MEED has announced the Corporate & Investment winners of the MENA Banking Excellence Awards 2026, with a focus on financing expertise, transaction banking and digital tools that support business operations. The awards were presented Nov. 3 in Dubai alongside GlobalData, highlighting corporate lending, sustainable finance and specialist banking services across the region.

Why it matters: - The awards spotlight the banking functions that help companies move money, access funding and manage day-to-day operations more efficiently. - Corporate and investment banking in the MENA region is shifting toward tighter links between payments, cash management, trade finance and corporate systems. - Sustainable finance and risk controls are becoming central to how banks compete for corporate clients.

What happened: - MEED announced the winners of the MENA Banking Excellence Awards 2026 for Corporate & Investment. - The awards ceremony took place on Nov. 3 at Mina Al Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. - GlobalData partnered with MEED for the event. - Senior banking executives from across the region attended the ceremony.

The details: - Transaction banking was a recurring theme across the winning entries. - Banks were recognised for connecting payments, cash management and trade finance more closely. - Digital work included links between bank platforms and companies’ internal systems. - Entries also highlighted improvements to corporate account opening and online trade services. - The changes can reduce manual work for treasury teams and make it easier to initiate payments and manage cash. - Financing recognition covered debt issuance, equity issuance, syndicated lending and structured finance. - The awards reflected corporate funding needs ranging from expansion capital to financing tied to specific assets or projects. - Islamic finance appeared across corporate services and debt markets, including sukuk issuance. - Sustainable finance was another major category. - Winning entries included green lending and bond issuance. - Banks were also recognised for building environmental and social criteria into lending decisions and risk management. - Frameworks for assessing eligible activities and borrowers’ plans to cut emissions were part of the work recognised. - Tracking use of proceeds and reporting on financed activities were recurring features. - External reviews and assurance were used to verify those disclosures. - Risk management work included governance for artificial intelligence and controls for fraud and operational risk. - The awards also covered regional and country-level banking achievements. - Specialist services recognised included asset management, investment advisory and institutional brokerage. - Corporate responsibility, gender diversity and individual leadership were also part of the awards. - Sarah Rizvi, editorial and programme director for financial services at MEED, said corporate clients need banks that understand financing plans and the practical demands of running a business. - Rizvi said this year’s awards reflect that connection by recognising financing expertise alongside work to improve payments, trade and cash management for clients.

Between the lines: - The winners show that corporate banking competition is increasingly about operating infrastructure, not just loan pricing. - The emphasis on digital integration suggests banks are trying to become embedded in clients’ internal workflows. - The sustainability focus shows lenders are being judged on how they measure, monitor and verify the financing they provide.

What's next: - MEED said the full list of winners is available on the official awards website. - Interested participants can register for the 2027 edition through the MBEA website. - The event positions the awards as an annual benchmark for corporate and investment banking performance in the region.

The bottom line: - The MENA Banking Excellence Awards 2026 rewarded banks that can do more than lend: they must also streamline payments, trade, cash management and sustainable finance for corporate clients.