The Banking Executive Magazine - April 2021

Mashreq NAMES NEW HEAD OF BUSINESS BANKING & NEOBIZ Mashreq Bank, one of the leading fi- nancial institutions in the UAE, has appointed Vikas Thapar as its new Head of Business Banking and NEO- Biz- the bank’s exclusive digital banking platform for SMEs. In his role, Thapar will manage the bank’s Business Banking segment and NEOBiz propositions, including defining go-to-market strategy and improving the overall delivery and experience for the business banking customers. As part of his responsibilities, Thapar will closely work with other business segments to capitalize on growth op- portunities as well as help drive a strong value proposition through cross sell and strategic partnerships. Thapar brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the banking sector. Most recently he was the Sen- ior Client Lead, Mena financial serv- ices for American digital consulting company, Publicis Sapient. Subroto Som, Senior Executive Vice President and Group Head of Retail Banking at Mashreq Bank, said: “This appointment comes at a time of great change in the banking sector, in which the customer experience has become key and digital channels are of the utmost importance. Now more than ever, businesses require fast and convenient access to financing, as well as timely information that leads to informed decisions. This is partic- ularly true as we emerge from COVID-19 and continue the road to economic recovery. With his wealth of experience in business banking and digital transfor- mation, we are confident that Thapar can bring his years of knowledge to benefit both Mashreq and its stake- holders, particularly in the SME banking segment,” added Som. Thapar said: “It is an honour to be able to step into this new role at Mashreq. As we move forward over the course of 2021 and into 2022, customer centric business banking will be key, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, which have long been the backbone of the UAE economy. Under the leadership of the bank, I’ll be working to ensure that Mashreq provides the best pos- sible service and innovative products to our valued business customers.” ISSUE 148 APRIL 2021 the BANKING EXECUTIVE 51 Vikas Thapar New Head of Business Banking and NEOBiz