Paymentology’s Nauman Hassan outlines the future for Dubai office expansion
Nauman Hassan, Regional Director, MENA at Paymentology, discusses the office expansion in Dubai with UAE FinTech.
- How significant is this office expansion for Paymentology in Dubai at this point in time?
This expansion reflects a major milestone for us in the Middle East. The UAE has been central to our regional growth for the last decade, and this new office gives us the space and capability to support more clients, faster. It also strengthens our ambitions for the region as demand accelerates for digital banking and real-time payments, it ensures we’re right where we need to be – on the ground, with our partners.
- How does this office align with Paymentology’s broader global growth strategy?
Our growth strategy is global by design, but always locally executed. We have clients live in over 50 countries, and team members in 60+, this office strengthens our regional delivery in MENA. It also reflects our broader vision for more proximity and to be more than just technology partners, to actively contribute to the innovation shaping the future of financial services. To do this, we focus on hiring the very best payment experts with deep local knowledge and proven experience in delivering truly differentiated value propositions. The Middle East and the UAE in particular has been a hub for exceptional talent, making it a natural choice for expanding our presence.
- What are the core capabilities that the Dubai office will bring to clients and partners in the region?
We take immense pride in the calibre of talent we attract many of whom have been behind the design and delivery of some of the region’s most innovative and widely adopted payment experiences, working with leading banks and fintechs.
Our team in Dubai reflects this strength. The Dubai team is equipped to manage end-to-end issuer processing, from advisory to sales, implementation to support and product delivery, fully tailored to the needs of the region – with specialised capabilities including real-time data analytics, virtual card provisioning, BIN sponsorship, and tokenisation. Crucially, the team brings deep understanding of local regulatory frameworks, customer expectations, and the operational nuances of issuing in this part of the world, ensuring execution is both efficient and regionally relevant.
- How does Paymentology differentiate itself in the Fintech competitive landscape in MENA?
Beyond technology, we stand out for the strength of our partnership and advisory approach. We take true partnership very seriously, guiding clients from strategy through to delivery with deep market insight and hands-on expertise. We work exclusively with new-generation players who are here to challenge the status quo and redefine what is possible when it comes to payments. And because the Middle East is increasingly a hub to the world, working with us makes it easy to scale globally with the infrastructure, experience, and partnerships to activate in multiple markets.
Our infrastructure powers everything from Wio’s digital banking services for SMEs to Mamo’s prepaid cards for businesses. We were early integrator to local schemes like MADA and Al Etihad Payments and enable services such as real-time cross-border payments, advanced tokenisation, and multi-currency virtual cards, all within one stack.
- In what ways will the Dubai office enhance operational efficiency and execution for clients?
We’re deepening our roots in a market where we’ve already built strong partnerships and delivered impact. We’ve had a strong team in Dubai for some time, but this new space gives us room to grow alongside our clients. We’re able to streamline project execution, shorten go-live timelines, and respond even more quickly to client needs. It also gives us a stronger base for cross-market coordination as we support clients expanding across the region.
- How do you measure the impact of Paymentology’s solutions on the financial ecosystems of the countries you operate in?
We look at metrics like time-to-market, transaction growth, cardholder adoption and activation, fraud prevention metrics and client satisfaction. But beyond the numbers, we also look at impact: are we helping clients reach underserved users? Are we enabling better financial access? That’s the real measure of success.
- Are there plans to expand further in other MENA countries beyond the UAE?
Absolutely. As demand grows, so will our footprint, guided by where we can deliver real value.
