the Middle East , as well as MTN and Airtel in Africa .
“ These kinds of partnerships are crucial in the financial inclusion space ,” says Ajmal . “ You ’ re making sure the person selling apples from a farm can digitise their transactions , become part of the financial services ecosystem and then get access to lending .”
Ajmal also highlights Mastercard ’ s links with companies like Marriott and Uber , which are about bringing personalised experiences to a more affluent segment , and the aforementioned partnership with Delivery Hero which is digitising payments so that drivers receive their salaries without delay .
“ These are different kinds of partnerships in different parts of the region , but each one has an element of creating a new experience or giving something back to the community ,” Ajmal concludes .
“ Partnership is not about two businesses coming together . People do business with people , based on trust and alignment of your values and mission .
“ Trust and thinking from your heart is the foundation of doing business in today ’ s world .”