Roger Alexander Named Industry Personality of the Year

This award follows a successful year of rapid growth within Elavon Merchant Services, now one of Europe's largest card acquirers. This trend is set to continue into 2008 as Elavon crystallises its position and brand throughout Europe, and takes advantage of SEPA and the predicted consolidation of the industry.

Having worked for the international payments industry for over 30 years, Elavon's European President has long been recognised by both the media and industry alike as an expert in card payments.

Now in its third year, the Card Awards is the industry recognised prize ceremony that offers the opportunity for the card payment community to showcase its latest initiatives and programmes to the industry. The Awards recognise the contribution, development and success by individuals and firms across the acquiring and issuing sectors, as well as affinity and retail card partners.

Roger Alexander, President of Elavon Merchant Services (Europe), comments: "I am honoured to be presented with this award and would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues and peers for their support and encouragement. It is fair to say that this is not an industry for standing still, and it has taken extraordinary talent and innovation to bring about the level of progress we have seen. From the modest origins of card payments, we should be proud of the great strides taken in areas as diverse as cardholder security, harmonisation and e-Commerce. The future of card payments in Europe is only now being tabled, and I look forward to remaining a part of this industry and its evolution for many years to come."