QNB, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, has been awarded the prestigious title of ‘Best Retail Bank for Digital Customer Experience (CX)’ in both Qatar and Middle East by The Digital Banker magazine.This recognition underscores QNB's commitment to delivering customer-centric and innovative digital banking solutions.The bank’s focus on digital transformation has positioned it as a leader in the region and beyond, attracting a growing customer base as a forward-thinking financial institution.The Digital Banker has recognised QNB's outstanding efforts in enhancing the digital banking experience for its customers. The award acknowledges the bank's continuous investment in cutting-edge technologies and its dedication to provide seamless, secure, and convenient customer experience through its digital ecosystem.QNB has consistently pushed the boundaries through digital touch points such as QNB Mobile and Internet banking, and self-service machines, by introducing a range of services designed to meet the evolving needs of its customers.The new services include advanced technological and payment solutions, such as digital account opening, eLoan, virtual credit card, Fawran (instant payments to anyone in Qatar), and cross-border payments via Ripple Net.The bank's digital transformation strategy focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain, augmented reality, and contactless solutions to create personalised and efficient banking experience.Commenting on the achievement, Adel Ali al-Malki, senior executive vice president, QNB Group Retail Banking said, "We are honoured to receive these prestigious awards from The Digital Banker. These recognitions reflect our long term and unwavering commitment to enhancing our digital services and providing our customers with the best possible banking customer experience.“As we continue to innovate and invest in the latest technologies, we remain dedicated to setting new standards in the banking industry and offering our customers tomorrow’s digital banking, today."QNB Group currently ranks as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa. Through its subsidiaries and associate companies, the Group’s presence spans some 28 countries across three continents providing a comprehensive range of advanced products and services.The total number of employees is 30,000, operating from approximately 900 locations, with an ATM network of 5,000 machines.

Chinese leaders reiterated their wide-ranging economic policy goals on Thursday, from modernizing industry to expanding domestic demand and curbing debt and property sector risks, without detailing implementation steps.The pledges were published in the official news agency Xinhua’s account of a key meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Committee led by President Xi Jinping, known as a plenum, which takes place roughly every five years.The report said Beijing wanted to improve social security, healthcare and income distribution systems and introduce land, tax, and financial system reforms — promises that have been made in other official documents in the past decade.The sweeping list of old policy goals re-emerges at a time of financial hardship for an increasing number of people at home and as its trade partners in Europe, the US and elsewhere are raising import barriers against Chinese goods.Low wage growth and job market uncertainty have depressed consumer sentiment to almost record low levels, while industrial overcapacity in many sectors has forced businesses into price wars, squeezing profits and fuelling fears of deflation.The world’s second-largest economy grew at a slower than expected pace in the second quarter, leaning hard on industrial output and external demand, while the crisis-hit property sector and household consumption continued to disappoint.“There is really little in the initial statement that leaves room for an optimistic interpretation,” said Max Zenglein, chief economist at Merics, a China studies institute. “Easing concerns of foreign business — or the middle class — were clearly not high on the list. I am to some extent a bit surprised that the initial statement doesn’t even really try to ease their concerns.”Xi was shown on state broadcaster CCTV walking into the meeting to applause from party members before taking his place at the centre of a long table to deliver a speech.The Xinhua release did not say what changes Beijing intends to implement, but said the “tasks” should be completed by 2029. A document with more detailed policy plans is expected to be published in coming days.Analysts said that the plenum outcome pointed to continuity, rather than any shifts in policymaking or the economic growth model China pursues. Global markets did not react to the release.“There is no clear signal of change in macro policies,” said Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management.China pledged to resolve the deepening imbalance between high investment and output levels and tepid demand more than a decade ago at a similar plenum. However, rather than directing resources towards consumers, it poured money into infrastructure and real estate, accumulating debt at an unsustainable pace.Thursday’s communique reiterated that China wanted to “actively expand domestic demand,” without giving details. It remains unclear how Beijing intends to boost consumer demand while favouring production-oriented policies.“There still appears to be a tension between policies aimed at boosting economic security and expanding the supply-side of the economy, and those aimed at giving market forces a greater role and rebalancing growth toward consumption,” said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at Capital Economics.In fact, the communique re-emphasised China’s quest for “new productive forces”, a term coined by Xi last year that envisions scientific research and technological breakthroughs that could modernise manufacturing and kickstart a new era of high growth.“Supply-side policy will continue to prevail,” said Tommy Wu, senior economist at Commerzbank AG.The leadership also said China will “enhance the role of market mechanisms in the economy, create a fairer and more dynamic market environment and optimise the efficiency of resource allocation”.