Retail banks across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) and Asia Pacific (Apac) regions are navigating a paradox. Innovation is accelerating, but so is risk. The promise of AI, embedded ecosystems and open finance is real but it is unfolding against a backdrop of cyber threats, geopolitical tensions and shifting customer expectations. 

Click to download: Banking Excellence Special Report

At the heart of this special report is a central question: how can banks reinvent themselves fast enough to stay relevant, without exposing themselves to growing systemic risks? The insights in this issue are drawn from across the region, spanning both GlobalData’s analysis and MEED’s in-market engagement with banks, fintechs and regulators. From the cost-cutting promise of AI to the strategic tension between automation and trust, the story is not about technology alone, it is about leadership. 

Across the Mena region, banks are restructuring growth and delivery models under pressure. Regulation is intensifying, margins are tightening and digital adoption is maturing. Meanwhile, in the Apac region, retail banks continue to set benchmarks for operational efficiency, hyper-personalisation and speed-to-market but not without growing pains. 

What ties both regions together is the need to think long-term while acting with short-term clarity. Whether dealing with generative fraud, evolving environmental, social and governance (ESG) demands or the challenge of real-time customer experience, today’s banking leaders must operate at two speeds: one reactive, the other strategic. 

Celebrating excellence, framing what’s next 

This report celebrates two award programmes across Mena and Asia Pacific, each revealing distinct regional strengths: 

• The Mena Banking Excellence Awards – Retail, Digital & SME, recognising leadership in customer experience, mobile banking, digital growth and SME financial inclusion; 
• The Retail Banker International – Asia Trailblazer Awards, showcasing standout innovation across the most dynamic Apac markets. 

Together, they highlight what’s working and what’s next. 

The winning case studies featured in this report reflect a blend of ambition and execution. But they also remind us that no transformation is ever complete. The demands of tomorrow’s customer will look different from those of today’s. Resilience is no longer just a risk function; it is a growth strategy. 

This year, MEED has also launched the CXO Leadership Think Tanks to complement its awards platforms. This new forum brings senior banking leaders into closed-door discussions focusing on the issues explored across these pages – from AI fraud and customer trust to crisis resilience and cross-border growth. 

As the pace of disruption continues, one thing is clear: banks that lead with clarity and collaborate with purpose will not just adapt, they will define the next era of retail finance.