HABIB Bank AG Zurich (HBZ) was set up in Switzerland in 1967 on solid foundation of banking tradition spanning several generations. The time-honoured banking values set in the context of secure technological innovation has determined HBZ's corporate philosophy of service with security.
    In 1974, HBZ opened their first UAE branch, their first client being the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Recognition comes from many fronts, with numerous regional, local and global awards including the Banker ME Innovation Award 2001, Dubai Quality Appreciation Program 2002, Shaikh Khalifa Excellence Award 2003, Banker ME Best Linux Implementation in the Financial Sector 2004 and the highly coveted international technology award, Laureate - Computer World Honors Program 2005. One thing is clear, all awards single out HBZ's technology achievements and how that offers the bank's customers increased service with security.
    HBZ today is considered one of the leading international banks in UAE, has a suite of innovative and unique products and is certainly a pioneer in IT in the banking sector. There are many firsts from the bank; it was the first bank in the Middle East to simultaneously launch Internet (HBZweb), WAP (HBZwap) and SMS (HBZgsm) services in 2000. In the past 12 months it has been the first and only bank to offer secure key enabled online third party fund transfers (HBZcms), secure online payroll tool for companies (HBZpay), only bank offering banking services over 100 optimized options over WEB, GPRS & 3G (HBZmobile), an ultimate security and authentication feature which enhances security to unprecedented levels (HBZcram) and of course the new and exciting, HBZtrade - a secure web and mobile enabled personal investment and banking service, not offered by any other bank in the region.
Core Philosophy
    Reza Habib, the Joint President of the bank, observes, "Our core philosophy is to use technology to give our customers a consolidated service, ownership of data and world class security protocols. The acid test of every private banking offering is whether it meets the security, data ownership and technology architecture standard across the board. Banks normally worry about their own data security. We worry about our customer's data security."
    Habib points out that HBZtrade's real time investment service encompasses order execution with SMS order confirmation, settlement, custody, exchange information, news & quotes for US Capital markets. The technology enables clients to access global markets, evaluate investment opportunities, monitor

performance, compare products and move funds - from the comfort of the client's home, office or even on the move using a mobile phone or PDA. For the bank, it optimizes management decision making in an age of information overload and the necessity to react to split second changes in market intelligence, all in a secure environment. He emphasised that the bank does not just have the firewalls but a comprehensive security policy with multiple protocols in the system that can help their clients move and manage their money 24/7 on a secure web based proprietary platform from anywhere in the world.
    The bank's technology achievements have not gone unnoticed in Silicon Valley. Its case study, "hPLUS - a unique language and, banking application," was nominated by Sybase Inc. and presented the medal of Achievement in San Francisco by the prestigious ComputerWorld Honors Program. Habib said, "We are delighted to have received this prestigious, globally recognised award." The Medal of Achievement is presented every year to firms around the world who have made outstanding progress for society through the visionary use of information technology. Habib pointed out that 64 per cent of the banks credit customers and 71 per cent of depositors use the HBZ integrated ebanking and mobile solution.
    At Habib Bank AG Zurich technology is embedded into its DNA and defines the bank's offering across all product and delivery channels. It all leads to secure banking freedom.