Leadership is what MasterCard is all about. In 2007, we continued to find new ways to deliver enhanced value to our constituents — customer financial institutions, merchants and cardholders — while delivering very strong results for our shareholders. Thanks to the contributions of our employees, it was one of our most successful years.

2007 was remarkable for MasterCard not only in terms of our performance, but also in terms of the many ways in which we continued to strengthen our organisation. As chairman, I am greatly enthused by what I see at MasterCard: strong customer and merchant relationships; powerful, global payment brands; innovative payment solutions; an exceptional processing platform; a knowledgeable and diverse employee base; and a unified global structure and strategy that enable us to capture opportunities all over the world.

These strengths set us apart in an industry that continues to evolve, and MasterCard is leading the way in this transformation. From our 2006 transition to a publicly traded company, to our leadership position in new payment solutions like MasterCard PayPass, to our pioneering knowledge leadership insights and reports, MasterCard is a driving force in the payments revolution. We are delivering increased value to our customers and merchant partners and are changing the way consumers and businesses pay for everything that matters.

In fact, MasterCard is so engrained in everyday life that many take our role for granted. To understand our true value, consider a world without electronic payments. Without MasterCard — our brands, global network and market insights — many aspects of modern commerce would be significantly impacted.

While we deliver tremendous value to all constituents, we also face some challenges to our business. For example, there are regulatory initiatives that seek to impose rules and price controls that would hamper our ability to compete and invest. We believe such legislation or regulation would be counterproductive for all stakeholders. This type of intervention restricts our ability to advance commerce through the speed, convenience and security offered by electronic payments and is detrimental to consumers and the global economy at large.

Indeed, experience tells us that the competition and innovation that come from free and dynamic markets result in greater choice and cost savings for consumers. We are committed to ensuring that our products remain competitive and continue to benefit the institutions that issue them, the merchants that accept them and the consumers and businesses that rely on them.

In countries and regions around the world, MasterCard has opened new acceptance channels, offering greater efficiencies both within and across borders. We are strongly committed to reducing reliance on cash and cheques in favour of more secure — and more efficient — electronic payments. MasterCard will remain a driving force in the payments revolution, leading the effort to advance commerce globally.

Richard Haythornthwaite
Chairman of the Board of Directors
London, United Kingdom
April 2008