United Arab Emirates, Dubai- 15th March 2006:  Emirates Bank today launched its new 'OPTIONS' Installment Card, a MasterCard credit card that's as good as having a pre-approved personal loan in your pocket!   Available exclusively from Emirates Bank, the new OPTIONS MasterCard Installment card gives customers the power to make instant high-ticket transactions and meet large unplanned expenses. OPTIONS Installment card from Emirates Bank is the first and only card in the region that enables the Cardholder to automatically split all their transactions into easy manageable installments of either 12 or 24 months.

The OPTIONS MasterCard Installment Card is unique, giving the cardholder the power of a pre-approved personal loan facility.  The card provides a better way to make big-ticket purchases such as appliances, home improvements, travel, and other large purchases of a minimum of AED 1000 and up to a maximum of 4 times the cardholder's monthly salary.  Any transaction made on the OPTIONS Card will automatically be spread across a pre-determined 12 or 24 equal monthly installments, at a highly competitive flat, interest rate and provides a credit limit in addition to any existing Emirates Bank credit cards.

Louis Scotto, Emirates Bank General Manager- Retail Banking commented on the launch of the OPTIONS MasterCard Installment Card, "The OPTIONS MasterCard Installment Card is a long overdue and unique product in the region and we are confident that it will prove to be a valuable and effective solution to many people's financial needs.  It's easily attained with minimum effort and paperwork.  The OPTIONS MasterCard Installment Card eliminates the need for the customer to apply for a personal loan and thereby the paper intensive formalities associated with a loan. It can be described as a most attractive and cost-effective card based personal loan solutions with a flat interest rate of just 0.80% pm, which is lower than prevailing credit card interest rates.  Emirates Bank aspires to be recognized as a pioneer in innovative and creative banking solutions and I'm confident the introduction of the OPTIONS MasterCard Installment Card takes us one step closer to our goal."

-Ends-

About Emirates Bank
Emirates Bank offers a full range of retail banking products and services under the 'me' brand name.  These include: meACCOUNTS  (current & savings Accounts), meDEPOSITS (Term Deposits), meFORTUNES (Draw Certificates) mePERSONAL (Personal Loans), meDRIVE (Car Loans), meCARDS (Credit Cards), meUNIVERSITY (Student-Oriented Banking Products/Services), meLADY (Female-oriented Banking Products) meINSURANCE (Insurance Products), meNRI  (for Indian Expatriates), meNRL (for Lebanese Expatriates), and meMILES (Credit Card Loyalty Programme).

In addition, Emirates Bank offers its customers priority banking services through its Al Shaheen Club.

Emirates Bank offers its customers the convenience of banking across a range of channels. which include banking on-line, phone banking and through visiting one of the ever-expanding network of branches across the UAE. It is no wonder that Emirates Bank has been awarded the coveted status of a 'Superbrand' for the past three consecutive years.

For more information about Emirates Bank please contact: 
Zeina El Haj                                                                                            
PR, Events& Sponsorship Manager                                         
Emirates Bank                                                                                                    
Tel: 04-209-2669                                                                                        
Fax: 04-225-0866                                                                                       
Email: ZeinaH@emiratesbank.ae   

Shimaa Elsayed
Senior Account Executive
Tamra-C2
Tel: 04 225 1177
Fax: 04 2251188
Email: shimaa@tamra-c2.com

© Press Release 2006