Menu

Investor relations

Building trust and driving value

At AFS we believe in transparency, accountability, and open communications with our shareholders and diverse stakeholders.

Our story

At AFS we empower the region’s business and banking communities, end-users and consumers with customized payments technologies and solutions.

Regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain and licensed by the Central Bank of Egypt and the Central Bank of UAE, AFS is owned by a total of 37 banks and financial institutions and serves over 60 bank clients in more than 20 countries across the Middle East and Africa region.

The company provides numerous ground-breaking end-to-end digital payment products, services and solutions to banks and businesses. These include card processing services, merchant acquiring, fintech solutions and value-added services.

Our dedication to payments innovation and delivering cutting-edge payments technology has propelled AFS to become a market leader.

We are committed to being the leading enabler for digital transaction transformation and we offer unique, future-driven payments experiences.

We fast-track payments innovation and make superior digital payments experiences a more accessible, secure, convenient, and seamless reality, regionally.

Our board of directors

Guiding our vision and strategy.

Mr. Sael Al Waary

Chairman

Dr. Fakher Buferna

Director

Mr. Maher Kaddoura

Director

Mr. Musab M. Msallem

Director

Mr. Suresh Padmanabhan

Director

Mr. Siegfried Heimgaertner

Director

Dr. Yousif Almas

Director

Resources

Ensuring transparency with unrestricted access to key documents and statements.

Shareholders’ rights to participate and vote

View document

Shareholder list

View document

AFS Corporate Governance Charter

View document

Latest news & announcements

Partnership

Dec 10, 2025

2 min read

AFS and RestHero Partner to Deploy Integrated Digital Solutions Across MEA's Restaurant Sector

Arab Financial Services (AFS), the region's leading digital payment processor and fintech enabler, today announced a potential strategic engagement with RestHero, a specialized restaurant technology platform through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).The engagement marks another step in AFS’s strategy to accelerate fintech innovation and expand digital capabilities across the region.The MOU establishes a framework for the parties to explore offering RestHero’s technology across the region’s Food & Beverage (F&B) sector, enabling merchants across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) to adopt seamless digital commerce channels. This contributes to the wider digital evolution of the region’s F&B industry, supporting merchants as they shift to more modern and scalable commerce models.This partnership moves beyond simple payment acceptance. It gives F&B merchants a direct channel to capture higher-margin sales, reduce dependence on third-party aggregators, and retain more control over their customer relationships.By combining AFS’s secure payment infrastructure with RestHero’s digital ordering, loyalty, and social commerce capabilities, the collaboration will offer merchants a unified platform to manage their online channels, consolidate operational and payment data, and coordinate customer interactions more efficiently. This practical integration helps restaurants streamline day-to-day operations, reduce manual work, and deliver a more consistent experience across every customer touchpoint, including social media.Mr. Samer Soliman, CEO of Arab Financial Services, commented: “Our commitment is clear: we are a pivotal enabler of promising fintech ventures across this region. This proposed strategic investment in RestHero is not merely a partnership; it is a profound step in building the future of regional F&B. By combining their sophisticated digital ordering and social commerce tools with AFS's established, secure payment network, we are creating a single, powerful ecosystem. This allows our merchant partners to instantly pivot to higher revenue capture and minimize operational friction, securing their growth trajectory in an increasingly digital consumer landscape.”Dr. Abdulla Al Shimmari, CEO of RestHero, added: “The investment and partnership with AFS is a transformative endorsement of RestHero's proprietary technology. By seamlessly integrating our dynamic customer engagement platform with their trusted, high-volume payment rails, we've unlocked a unique value proposition for F&B merchants. This unified infrastructure allows our partners to finally leverage real-time data for personalized marketing, achieving faster scale and gaining a definitive competitive edge in a rapidly evolving digital market.”Together, AFS and RestHero will continue exploring opportunities outlined in the MOU to support F&B merchants in strengthening their digital capabilities and enhancing operational efficiency across the region.

Announcement

Dec 2, 2025

2 min read

160 Percent Payment Growth Drives Major Success for AFS at Jewellery Arabia 2025

AFS delivered a standout performance at Jewellery Arabia 2025, supporting seamless digital payments across the five-day event and recording one of the strongest years in terms of both domestic and international activity. According to the AFS Index, overall daily payments volumes processed during the exhibition grew by more than 160 percent, driven largely by a surge in international visitors and consistently strong purchasing power from the local community.International spending played a major role in this year’s growth, reflecting the global appeal of the exhibition. The highest transaction volumes came from visitors within the GCC region, with buyers from Saudi Arabia contributing the largest share of international payments, followed by significant inflows from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Oman. Beyond the Gulf, the event drew a diverse mix of luxury shoppers from North and Central America, Europe, East Asia, Central and South Asia, and other Near and Middle Eastern markets. Notable activity came from the United States, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Jordan, Malaysia, and India, showing the extensive international reach of the event.Transaction activity was equally strong, with tens of thousands of secure card payments flowing through AFS’s acquiring infrastructure. Premium cardholders in particular showed high engagement, reflecting the luxury positioning of the exhibition and the confidence visitors placed in the reliability of AFS’s payment network.Samer Soliman, Chief Executive Officer of AFS, offered key insights into the results and strategic value: Our success at Jewellery Arabia demonstrates how advanced, reliable payment infrastructure adds significant strategic value to high-volume events. This year, the integration of the ASB Pay Business application was crucial, allowing merchants to accept payments quickly and flexibly directly on their mobile devices. We're proud to deliver this blend of advanced technology, seamless acquiring, and trusted security, significantly improving the experience for both exhibitors and buyers. AFS remains dedicated to powering Bahrain’s retail sector with world-class technology and robust digital capabilities.The combination of a strong international presence, elevated spending levels, and steady local demand made this year’s Jewellery Arabia one of the most commercially successful editions to date. AFS’s ability to process high-value, high-volume transactions with speed and security once again reinforces its position as the trusted digital payments partner for Bahrain’s flagship events and the wider region.

Partnership

Nov 4, 2025

2 min read

AFS and Bahrain Polytechnic Partner to Accelerate Fintech Talent Development

Arab Financial Services (AFS), the premier digital payment solutions provider in the Middle East and Africa, has formalized a strategic partnership with Bahrain Polytechnic by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration is a significant initiative aimed at strengthening the synergy between the academic and financial sectors.The agreement was signed by Mr. Samer Soliman, CEO of Arab Financial Services, and Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, CEO of Bahrain Polytechnic in the presence of senior officials from both parties, reflecting their commitment to strengthening this strategic collaboration.The collaboration will provide students with exceptional exposure to the fintech sector, offering opportunities for practical training, immersive field visits, and specialized lectures by industry experts. This alliance extends to joint research projects, the exchange of professional expertise, and the development of a progressive syllabus built on applied case studies. By blending education with the demands of the modern workforce, AFS and Bahrain Polytechnic will empower students through targeted sponsorship programs and joint events, preparing them to lead the next wave of financial innovation.Mr. Samer Soliman, CEO of Arab Financial Services, added: “We believe the next wave of financial innovation will be born in the classroom and perfected in the field. This collaboration is more than just a strategic alignment; it is an active effort to accelerate the development of homegrown fintech leaders, cementing Bahrain's position as a regional hub built on technical expertise and future-ready talent.”Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, CEO of Bahrain Polytechnic, stated: “This partnership represents an important strategic step towards aligning higher education with the actual demands of the financial sector. We are committed to equipping our students with the skills and experience they need to become future leaders, and we are pleased to collaborate with Arab Financial Services to support this vision through training opportunities and joint research. The integration of academia and industry enhances our graduates’ ability to compete and excel in the job market.”

Partnership

Oct 21, 2025

2 min read

Digital Payments Leader AFS Joins Forces with Reboot01 to Cultivate the Next-Generation of FinTech Talent

Arab Financial Services (AFS), the leading innovator of digital payment solutions across the Middle East and Africa, is launching a strategic partnership with Reboot Coding Institute (Reboot01), Bahrain’s pioneering and Ministry of Labor–approved tech institute and talent accelerator. This significant collaboration is set to establish a robust talent pipeline, connecting educational excellence with practical, real-world experience in the dynamic FinTech sector.The partnership aims to accelerate career readiness through comprehensive, hands-on programs. Reboot01 students will also benefit from direct recruitment opportunities, structured internships, and collaborative events like hackathons, specialized tech talks, industry seminars, and career fairs. These joint activities are designed to provide essential practical exposure, mentorship from industry experts, and critical networking opportunities, fully preparing participants for successful professional careers.“We firmly believe it is our responsibility to invest directly in the future of technology talent across the region,” said Mr. Samer Soliman, AFS Chief Executive Officer. “This alliance with Reboot01 is a proactive step toward cultivating a highly skilled, diverse, and future-ready talent pool right here in Bahrain, which directly contributes to the growth of our national digital economy. We are thrilled to be creating clear pathways that empower Bahraini youth with real-world skills needed for professional success, ultimately strengthening the Kingdom’s status as a regional innovation hub”.Mr. Yanal Jallad, Reboot01 Managing Director added, “With a mission to graduate over 350 skilled developers annually, Reboot is dedicated to nurturing a new generation of Bahraini tech professionals. Our partnership with AFS strengthens this mission by providing our students and graduates with direct access to industry leaders, meaningful projects, and exciting career opportunities in fintech.”Reboot01 has established a proven track record for training highly skilled full-stack developers through its globally recognized, project-based curriculum. Students dive deep into in-demand and future-focused specializations, including machine learning, blockchain, mobile app development, cybersecurity, and game design.The Institute is a key engine for talent in the Kingdom, with graduates successfully joining leading local and global technology companies. This success directly contributes to strengthening Bahrain’s growing digital economy.Crucially, the program is built on a foundation of radical inclusion, requiring no prior coding experience or university degree. Reboot01 actively champions diversity in technology and is committed to an impressive goal of achieving 50% female participation in its cohorts.

Join our network

Get the latest AFS news, announcements and more.

By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy

Follow us on social media
Our certifications

© 2024 Arab Financial Services. All rights reserved.

Licensed as an Ancillary Service Provider by the Central Bank of Bahrain