10 Dec 2014 07:00

SafeCharge International Group Limited
Â
("SafeCharge," the "Company" or the "Group")
Â
Â
MasterCard Europe grants SafeCharge approval for Issuing Activity
Â
New Card Issuing Division and Executive Vice President appointed
Â
Â
SafeCharge International Group Limited, (AIM: SCH) the international provider of payments services, risk management and IT solutions for online businesses, today announces that the Group has been granted approval for Issuing Activity from MasterCard Europe.
Â
The approval by MasterCard Europe, which is an extension of the Company's Principal Membership, will allow SafeCharge to issue pre-paid MasterCard products.
Â
Additionally, the Company has appointed Ali Farid Khwaja CFA as Executive Vice President of its new Card Issuing Division. Mr Khwaja, who will join the Company in February 2015, is formerly a Financial Technology Analyst at Berenberg, where he specialised in the payments space. Prior to Berenberg, Ali was responsible for investments in emerging markets and a Technology Analyst at UBS. He is a graduate of Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Â
David Avgi, SafeCharge's Chief Executive, said: "The extension of our MasterCard Principal Membership is another achievement for SafeCharge. The approval enables us to issue our own and co-branded pre-paid cards and is a significant step in building a new pillar to our business. We are excited to be continuing to expand our product offering, entering into a new and large market sector and to welcome Ali to drive its growth."
Â
Â
 - Ends -
Â
For more information:
Â
SafeCharge International Group Limited David Avgi Tim Mickley  | +44 (0) 20 3051 3031 |
Shore Capital Pascal Keane Toby Gibbs  | +44 (0) 20 7408 4090 |
Bell Pottinger David Rydell Olly Scott James Newman  | +44 (0) 20 3772 2500 |
Â
Â
About SafeCharge
Â
SafeCharge International Group Limited is a global provider of payments services, risk management and IT solutions for online businesses. The SafeCharge group has a diversified, blue chip client base and is a trusted payment partner for customers from various e-Commerce verticals. SafeCharge has been Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard ("PCI-DSS") Level 1 certified since 2007 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE: SCH). The Company's wholly owned subsidiary, SafeCharge Limited, is an authorized Electronic Money Institution regulated by the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC), and a principal member of MasterCard Europe and Visa Europe. The SafeCharge group has operations in the UK, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Israel, Germany and Austria.
Â
www.safecharge.com
Â