Fábio Lenza
CardWeb.com’s CardExecs database of payments industry movers and shakers today features Fábio Lenza, Vice-President of Individuals at Caixa Econômica Federal.
Coldplay to Partake in “American Express Unstaged”
American Express, in partnership with VEVO and YouTube, announced its full roster of exclusive fan experiences and enhanced digital features for Grammy® award-winning rock band Coldplay’s performance within the “American Express Unstaged” music series. The show will be streamed globally as a live VEVO event on YouTube from one of Spain’s most famous arenas, Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid, at 4:00PM ET / 1:00PM PT on Wednesday, October 26 at www.YouTube.com/ColdplayVEVO with special guest, artist Fedde Le Grand.
The American Express to Stream New Concert
American Express, VEVO and YouTube announced Coldplay will be the latest performer in its “American Express Unstaged” livestream music series. Livestreamed globally from one of Spain’s Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid 4:00PM ET on Wednesday, October 26 at www.youtube.com/coldplayVEVO and will be available on mobile devices via VEVO and YouTube apps for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android, the event coincides with the launch of the Band’s fifth studio album, MYLO XYLOTO.
NFCC Launches New Credit Literacy Site in Spanish
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has launched a new financial Web site to serve the Hispanic community, www.termineconsudeuda.org.
Among the financial education tools available on the site, consumers will find a Consumer Tips section relevant to their everyday concerns. Located within this area are a Budget Worksheet, multiple calculators and consumer tips articles. Those interested in credit counseling will find an overview of the credit counseling process, a Frequently Asked Questions area, and information on how to locate an NFCC Member Agency to set an appointment for counseling. Additionally, useful information is provided for those needing housing counseling or fearing foreclosure, along with an overview of the bankruptcy process for those in deep financial distress. Of particular note is the number of financial education products the NFCC has made available in Spanish. Workbooks include Claves Para Ser Propietario (Keys to Homeownership), a step-by-step guide to buying a home, Mejore su Suerte (Better Fortunes), a common-sense approach to managing money, Hay Mas de Una Salida (More than One Way Out), which offers an overview of and alternatives to bankruptcy, and Viva Una Vida Mas Plena (Live a Richer Life), a financial recovery roadmap post-bankruptcy.
The NFCC also created a DVD for borrowers concerned about foreclosure. Cómo Evitar la Ejecución Hipotecaria is available to consumers free of charge, and can be ordered through www.termineconsudeuda.org. The NFCC routinely develops and distributes radio and television Public Service Announcements (PSA) in Spanish, and regularly publishes news releases in Spanish.
AR GROWTH & PROBENEFIT
AR Growth has signed agreements for the acquisition of Probenefit S.A.
credit card, pension and insurance company. The terms of the agreements
stipulate that AR Growth will acquire 50% of the outstanding shares of the
organization for an initial disbursement of USD $1.0 million cash to be
followed by a secondary payment of USD $4.0 million by April 30, 2008
and a third installment of USD $5.0 million maturing on April 30, 2010.
Probenefit has approximately $30.3 million in assets, generated $17.9
million
in revenue for 2007 with $690,000 in after tax profit, representing a 45%
increase in revenue and an 83% increase in after tax profit over 2006.
BBVA Buys 100K XIRING Personal Pocket Reader
BBVA Bancomer has received the delivery of 100,000 XIRING
“Xi-Card” personal pocket readers in association with the “Vida Bancomer”
marketing program. Under the program, the cardholder inserts the “Vida
Bancomer” EMV payment card into the card-sized “Xi-Card” to view details
of cash bonuses, coupons, or loyalty points, as well as validity dates.
New programs
can be loaded onto the card though the merchant’s POS terminal and then
displayed on the “Xi-Card”, thus providing the necessary flexibility to
extend the program and support new campaigns. The “Xi-Card” reader allows
each cardholder to check the coupons, loyalty points, or cash bonuses
earned at participating merchants through use of his/her EMV payment
card. More than 10,000 points of sale are expected to participate in the
“Vida Bancomer” program by year’s end. BBVA also predicts that over two
million cards will have been converted to the new technology, complete
with the “Vida Bancomer” program. Furthermore, 2006 will see 90% of BBVA
Bancomer’s bank cards converted to EMV and “Vida Bancomer.”
Welcome Names a Latin America Regional Director
Welcome has named Daniel Lecuona as its Latin America Regional
Director. Daniel will be based in Sao Paulo. Daniel previously led
the banking division for Bull CP8 and Axalto in the region. With Vida Bancomer’s recent deployment of Welcome’s “XLS” in Mexico, Latin American banks are now discovering that they can use EMV to address both fraud and commoditization as opposed to fraud alone, for a virtually
insignificant increase in the total cost of EMV migration. Brazil currently has 125 million bank cards, a market that is growing at
over 24% per year. It is the largest market in Latin America, followed
by Mexico’s 28 million bank cards. In Brazil, approximately 75 million
cards are VISA (60%) and MasterCard (40%) credit and debit cards issued
by banks. There are more than 850,000 POS terminals, and by the end of
2005 this number should go above 1 million.
BBVA Bancomer Selects Welcome’s XLS for Vida Bancomer
BBVA Bancomer has chosen XLS to power its recently launched VISA chip credit card with enhanced payment features. The program, called “Vida Bancomer”, is the first of its kind in Mexico to offer a
new way to pay through automatic discounts, instant rewards and other
features designed to surprise and delight customers. “Vida Bancomer” cardholders in Mexico can obtain added-value benefits instantly in three ways: by obtaining discounts at the time of purchase; by accumulating and redeeming points at thousands of participating merchants; and
by obtaining electronic coupons that can be redeemed for merchandise,
discounts or cash back. More than 500 merchants with over 2,200 points of sale had formalized their participation in the “Vida Bancomer” initiative. It is expected that gradually over the first year after launch, more than 10,000 merchants will be affiliated to the program.
Welcome is a provider of payment software that utilizes the full capabilities of EMV standard chip credit and debit cards.
Desjardins Adds Voice Assistance to 2,600 ATMs
Desjardins Group is deploying its new generation of ATMs, featuring a voice assistance function. Desjardins is currently replacing or upgrading its 2,900 ATMs in Québec. Until the end of 2006, half of the Bank’s ATMs will be upgraded and the other half will be completely replaced by brand new machines, but all Desjardins ATMs will offer the voice assistance function. To use voice assistance, users need only connect standard headphones into an audio jack located near the keypad or the screen, and then enter their debit card. The voice assistance function will start automatically, with instructions given in English or in French, depending on the member’s preferences.
Hispanic Debit Card Infomercial in Production
Los Angeles-based Direct Response Financial Services says it will air a debit card infomercial on two major Spanish language television networks in March. The cards known as the La Vida Buena Card and the La Vida Buena Tarjeta will be featured in a short-form infomercial directed to Spanish language consumers. DCS has further arranged for its call center to be managed by a national Spanish language in-bound and out-bound call center. Direct Response Financial Services, Inc. makes it easier, faster and more secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services, using virtually any form of payment: credit, debit, smart card, stored-value card, electronic check at the POS, or over the Internet.
Hispanic Debit Cards in Development
Los Angeles-based Direct Response Financial Services is preparing to unveil the “La Vida Buena Card” and the “La Vida Buena Tarjeta” debit cards for the U.S. Hispanic community. DCS currently has two Internet web sites in development that will feature the cards’ benefits and affinity incentives. The web sites are located at www.lavidabuenacard.com and www.lavidabuenatarjeta.com. Direct Response Financial Services, Inc. makes it easier, faster and more secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services, using virtually any form of payment: credit, debit, smart card, stored-value card, electronic check at the point-of-sale, or over the Internet.