Fintech Forward - part of The Transformation Agenda series
October 2nd- 3rd 2024 | Exhibition World Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain
Stay tuned for 2025 updates!
In the past decade, startups that use technology to provide financial services have thrived. But recently rising interest rates, deteriorating credit trends and regulatory tightening have challenged the fintech industry. Firms across the sector have lost value as investment has fallen severely and many companies, from cryptocurrency providers to paytechs, have laid off staff. This means that careful financial management and strategic adaptation are more important than ever. To survive and grow, fintech firms must reduce cash burn and emphasise profitability. Operational efficiency and innovative business strategies will be crucial.
Major financial players are focusing on generative AI and blockchain technologies, digital transformations, and the rise of open banking. Additionally, firms must protect against cybercrime and fulfill their social and environmental responsibilities. As fintech matures, collaboration with traditional financial services has become key. This synergy improves efficiency, expands services, mitigates risks, and streamlines operations. Success hinges on collaboration within teams, with tech providers, and through data sharing.
Following the success of Fintech Forward last year, this event continues for its second year, fostering valuable discussions and strategic partnerships. Fintech Forward is a platform for innovative leaders to share experiences, collaborate on learnings and connect with their peers. Economist Impact unites experts from fintech firms, banks, retailers, governments and regulators to delve into the challenges and opportunities the finance sector is facing.
Did 2023’s AI experimentation in finance lay the groundwork for real value creation in 2024?
How will upcoming regulatory frameworks impact fintechs?
Can private blockchains balance innovation with cost efficiency compared to public chains?
How can fintech leaders effective strategies to fill the talent gap in AI and machine learning?
How can the Middle East leverage digital wallets and advancements to revolutionise payments?
Can AI and biometrics outsmart evolving financial crime tactics?
Minister of finance and national economy, Bahrain
Minister of finance and national economy, Bahrain
H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa was appointed Minister of finance and national economy in 2018. In 2022, he was appointed chairman of the board of directors of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company. He is also vice chairman of the board of directors of the Oil and Gas Holding Company.
Previously, as Director General of the office of the first deputy Prime Minister, he closely pursued the implementation of the plans and strategies relating to the initiatives launched by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, deputy supreme commander and first deputy Prime Minister.
He also served as secretary for the coordinating committee, led by HRH, along with membership of the ministerial committee for financial affairs and rationalising expenditure, the Fiscal Reform Committee and the Supreme Council for Education and Training.
He was managing director of Global Markets for the MENA region at Deutsche Bank AG, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 2008 to 2012, and principal of “Investcorp” hedge fund specialist group for Middle East Investors, 2005 to 2008. He worked at UBS Investment Bank, United Kingdom, from 2000 to 2005, where he became director of equity risk management products and member of its UK Investment Committee.
Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain EDB
Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain EDB
General manager and head of Middle East, Additiv
Niraj Naetsawan is the general manager and head of Middle East at Additiv, a global leader in fintech and embedded finance that enables financial and non-financial institutions to develop new business models and transform existing ones, capitalising on digital innovation and finance-as-a-service capabilities. Mr Naetsawan drives the company’s growth in the Middle East via strategic partnerships with clients, helping them create new profit pools through complementary business lines and enhanced efficiency. His extensive background in financial markets, in the Middle East and globally, includes experience in senior roles at prominent consultancies and financial-service organisations such as EY, Deloitte and Standard Chartered Bank, where he delivered large-scale digital transformation programmes and led the setup of two digital banks in the region.
Head of international markets and regulatory advisory legal, Wells Fargo
Head of international markets and regulatory advisory legal, Wells Fargo
Rishabh Bhandari is the head of international markets and regulatory advisory legal at Wells Fargo. Based in London, he manages an international legal team across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific, covering global markets and regulatory matters. He has been at Wells Fargo since 2011 and has product expertise that includes derivatives, structured products and capital-markets offerings. This aligns with his corporate-governance and regulatory expertise covering cross-border issues, conduct and supervisory matters. He is a regular participant in industry groups. Before joining Wells Fargo, Mr Bhandari was with Clifford Chance’s financial-markets practice in London.
Financial services regulatory leader, MENA, EY
Bryan Stirewalt is the leader of EY’s financial services regulatory practice in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). He has more than 35 years of experience in financial services across the public and private sectors, including 25 years in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He has helped many jurisdictions with regulatory developments and had a seat at the table in standard-setting at the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
Before joining EY he spent more than 14 years at the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), most recently as its chief executive. In that role he was responsible for the regulation and supervision of more than 500 authorised firms, including banks, insurers, asset managers and exchanges. During his time at the DFSA he served as the co-chair of the Basel Consultative Group for nearly ten years, representing non-member countries at the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). Due to this position he served on the Basel Committee.
Before joining the DFSA, Mr Stirewalt worked for an international consulting and advisory firm focused on emerging-market development programmes in Poland, Ukraine, Cyprus and Kazakhstan. Before that he worked for the United States Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency as a national bank examiner specialising in policy development and implementation, problem bank rehabilitation and banking fraud initiatives.
General partner, Mouro Capital
Manuel Silva Martinez oversees Mouro Capital’s strategy, investor relations, resources and processes as its general partner authorised by the British Financial Conduct Authority. His investment activity focuses on Britain, Europe and Latin America. He sits on the boards of A55, Bonify and Crosslend and, as an observer, of AutoFi, Creditas, Curve, Elliptic, Klar, Roostify and Tradeshift among others. He has been investing in fintech since 2010, having spent five years in San Francisco with BBVA Ventures (now Propel Venture Partners) before moving to London in 2015. He holds master’s degrees from ISDI and Sciences Po.
Managing director, The Decision Lab
Marielle Montenegro is a co-founder and the managing director of The Decision Lab (TDL), a global applied research and innovation firm that uses behavioural science to solve complex social challenges. At TDL she leads the product practice, which develops new methods to understand behaviour in digital environments and designs mechanisms that empower people to change their behaviours for good. Ms Montenegro has led projects in multiple industries with Fortune 500 organisations, large foundations and governments, scaling up evidence-based products and tools for millions of people around the globe. In the rapidly changing landscape of technology, she is passionate about bringing an equity-focused lens to her work and seeks ways to co-design products and services with minority or under-represented groups in mind.
Co-founder, Sarwa
After more than 15 years of executive leadership and consultancy roles in the private and public sectors, Nadine Mezher co-founded Sarwa, a leading financial technology platform for investment and personal finance based in the United Arab Emirates. This venture earned her many awards and recognitions for entrepreneurship and creativity. Ms Mezher’s rich multidisciplinary background spans marketing and business management across industries and countries, including Italy, France, Lebanon and the UAE, with a consistent focus on crafting and executing robust growth strategies and driving change.
Head of emerging markets equity, Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Amy Oldenburg is the head of emerging markets equity at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM), where she oversees investors based in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Riyadh, with more than $14bn in assets under management. She also manages the division’s digital-asset initiatives.
She joined Morgan Stanley in 2001 and has more than 25 years of experience in finance. She was previously the chief operating officer of emerging markets equity and held roles in equity and foreign-exchange trading, portfolio-management support, and product development and strategy, after starting her career in internet consulting.
Ms. Oldenburg received a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance, from Fordham University, and a master’s degree in applied psychology from the University of Southern California. She currently sits on MSIM’s equity technology council and Morgan Stanley’s firmwide innovation council and arts and culture committee. Outside the firm, she is a member of the emerging collectors council at the Norton Museum of Art and is an independent director of Abhi, a fintech company based in the United Arab Emirates. She is an active contributor to and speaker in the global digital-asset community, with specific interests in the use of digital assets in the emerging world, asset tokenisation, use cases for non-fungible tokens, and emerging business models.
Capital markets editor, The Economist
Joshua Roberts writes for The Economist‘s finance section, covering capital markets and investment. He was previously the paper’s City of London correspondent. Josh joined The Economist in 2021 after spending five years advising asset managers about the interest rate and foreign exchange markets. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mathematics from Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge.
Schumpeter columnist, The Economist
Chief executive, Abhi
Omair Ansari is engaged in the financial technology revolution as a co-founder and the chief executive of Abhi, an innovative embedded finance platform rapidly expanding its influence in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan region. With a decade-long career in the finance industry, he is an expert in frontier markets, displaying acumen in equity and derivatives, impact investing and the fintech landscape.
Before starting Abhi, he was a portfolio manager and investment analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York and a strategic adviser at Vostok Emerging Finance in Stockholm. As a consultant at Arqaam Capital, a director in equity research at Renaissance Capital, and a vice-president at Religare Capital Markets, he exercised versatile leadership and deep market insight.
Mr Ansari’s career has spanned diverse markets from South and South-East Asia to sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, fuelling his passion for emerging economies and visionary financial strategy.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and political science from McMaster University, Ontario, and spent formative years in the United Arab Emirates that shaped his global perspective. Today he pushes the boundaries of innovation and strategy to redefine the realm of embedded finance.
Vice-president, Middle East and Africa, Circle
Miriam Kiwan is vice-president for the Middle East and Africa at Circle, a global financial technology company helping money move at internet speed, with a mission to raise global economic prosperity through the frictionless exchange of value. Previously she led digital assets and tech ecosystem development at Abu Dhabi Global Market, and held strategic roles in technology, financial services and nonprofits in the United Arab Emirates and Europe. She holds a global EMBA from Trium, a joint programme of the London School of Economics, New York University and HEC Paris.
President, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and professor, Columbia University
President, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and professor, Columbia University
Jeffrey D. Sachs is a University Professor and the director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, where he directed the Earth Institute from 2002 to 2016. He is the president of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network and a co-chair of the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition, commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, academician of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences at the Vatican and Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Honorary Distinguished Professor at Sunway University. He has been a special adviser to three UN secretaries-general, and serves as an SDG advocate under the current secretary-general, António Guterres. He spent more than 20 years as a professor at Harvard University, where he received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Professor Sachs has received 42 honorary doctorates, and his recent awards include the 2022 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development, the Legion of Honour by decree of the French president, and the Order of the Cross from the president of Estonia. His most recent books are “The Ages of Globalization: Geography, Technology, and Institutions” (2020) and “Ethics in Action for Sustainable Development” (2022).
Chief executive, Binance
Richard Teng is an experienced executive with more than three decades of financial services and regulatory experience. He has been the chief executive of Binance since his appointment in November 2023. By working closely with various stakeholders, including regulators, policymakers, industry players and users, he is furthering the growth of Binance in a compliant and sustainable way. Previously he held senior leadership roles in the company since joining in August 2021.
Before joining Binance, he was the chief executive of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority at Abu Dhabi Global Market, where he showcased his capabilities as an innovative regulator. He has also been the chief regulatory officer of the Singapore Exchange and the director of corporate finance at the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Mr Teng holds a master’s degree in applied finance from the University of Western Australia.
Chief information security officer, PPRO
Bronwyn Boyle is the chief information security officer at PPRO, a global e-commerce payments platform. She has more than 25 years’ experience leading and advising international organisations in cyber-security and technology. Her background spans technology development, cyber-security, compliance, data protection, strategy and operations across organisations from international banks and big-four consultancies to fintech startups, scale-ups and regulatory institutions.
Ms Boyle has a passion for security culture, innovation and improving the alignment of security and counter-fraud disciplines. She actively supports industry initiatives to improve diversity and mental health across the cyber-security community. She has won industry accolades including being named on Secure Computing’s Women of Influence list of cyber-security leaders, and is frequently cited as being among the top 50 women in fintech. She is a non-executive director and advises a number of fintech and regtech firms on security and privacy, strategy and product development.
Founder and chief executive, Tarabut
Abdulla Almoayed is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and chief executive of Tarabut, a leading open banking platform in the Middle East and North Africa. He is passionate about creating game-changing digital infrastructures that advance the data-driven economy.
His vision is to create a collaborative ecosystem for innovation that empowers a new generation and includes the millions of unbanked, underbanked and underserved people in the region.
A committed investor, Mr Almoayed provides financial support and mentorship across sectors such as healthcare, education, logistics, cyber-security and fintech. Through the establishment of Tarabut and his dedication to angel investing in collaborative digital technologies, he aims to transform and personalise financial services.
He holds an MBA from the London Business School and an honours degree in business management from the University of Westminster.
Senior vice-president, head of strategy and acting head of products, solutions and digital partnerships CEMEA, Visa
Senior vice-president, head of strategy and acting head of products, solutions and digital partnerships CEMEA, Visa
Godfrey Sullivan is a senior vice-president and the head of strategy, products, solutions and digital partnerships for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) at Visa. He oversees the growth, adoption and evolution of Visa’s products and services to meet the needs of the vast set of fintechs, sellers, financial institutions and consumers that Visa serves across the region.
Mr Sullivan began his journey at Visa in 2021 as a senior vice-president and head of strategy for CEMEA, overseeing the implementation of multi-year growth plans across dynamic and diverse markets.
With an extensive 25-year career in the regional banking and payments industry, he has been instrumental in rolling out transformational strategies that have defined the achievements of traditional and non-traditional financial institutions.
He has served as an adviser to boards and management teams on business strategy, operating-model design, corporate governance, digital innovation and large-scale transformations, and has worked closely with financial-services regulators and public-sector institutions at the ministerial and governance levels on the development of country and sector strategies.
Previously he worked for Booz Allen Hamilton in Dubai, Accenture and Scient in London and, more recently, the Boston Consulting Group, where he led banking, payments, and fintech businesses across the Middle East.
He holds a master’s degree in international business from the University of London and tutors in the INSEAD MBA programme.
Chief executive, TrueLayer
Francesco Simoneschi is a co-founder and the chief executive of TrueLayer, Europe’s leading open banking payments network. Over the past decade he has founded, managed and grown successful tech companies in the United States and Europe, including the San Francisco-based venture-capital firm Mission and Market and the data-intelligence platform DomainsBot, which was acquired by United Internet.
Founder, OpenPayd
Dr Ozan Özerk is a dynamic serial entrepreneur and visionary leader in the fintech industry, with a passion for innovation. He is the founder of OpenPayd, European Merchant Bank (EMBank), Ozan SuperApp and Eurotrader.
An industry luminary, Dr Özerk’s thought leadership and advocacy drives for financial inclusion and equality. He regularly shares his insights on startup culture, entrepreneurship, and the future of fintech through articles, interviews and speaking events, underscoring his commitment to sectoral change.
Chief executive, Metaverse Institute
Christina Yan Zhang is the chief executive of the Metaverse Institute, a group of pioneers and thought leaders focused on using the metaverse, artificial intelligence and related technologies to generate profits and positive real-world impacts.
From 2013 to 2020 she was the China director for Quacquarelli Symonds’ QS World University Rankings. In 2016 China’s vice-premier highlighted the use of these rankings to inform £750bn in funding to 3,005 universities.
She has sat on more than 20 innovation-related committees for UNESCO and the World Bank, Commonwealth, European Union and British government. She co-chairs the International Telecommunication Union’s task group on the citiverse, a virtual world for citizens, working to create the first United Nations (UN) roadmap on citizen-centred future cities.
Alongside a former president of the UN General Assembly, she sits on the advisory council for the Centre for Science Futures of the International Science Council, the world’s largest science body. In February 2024 Huawei’s Transform magazine featured her with Jeffrey Sachs, the president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, on the cover of an edition on digital equity.
In 2012 she completed a PhD at Loughborough University on using digital twins for the construction industry.
Head of technology, data and digital, Harbottle & Lewis
Emma Wright is a partner and head of the technology, data and digital team at Harbottle & Lewis, a London-based law firm, where she acts for fintechs and financial institutions on commercial arrangements in relation to their data, underlying infrastructure and operational functions. She is a UNESCO Global AI Regulatory Expert without Borders. In 2018 she co-founded the Interparliamentary Forum on Emerging Technologies, now a network of parliamentarians in more than 30 countries focused on the regulation of emerging technologies. She advises boards, including those of financial institutions, on the risks and opportunities associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), and compliance with related regulations, around the world. She was named in the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics list for 2024, and has been among Computer Weekly’s Most Influential Women in UK Tech for three years.
Chief executive, Orkid
Sinuhe Arroyo is an entrepreneur, investor, speaker and author. His latest venture, Orkid.io, commercialises hyperautomation solutions and models powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that help organisations to access and profit from multimodal information. He has made significant contributions to technology and business communities, including serving as the founding president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and as a board member of the European Chamber of Commerce. His roles in AI and data protection include leading SGTech’s AI and high-performance computing chapter, contributing to Singapore’s AI roadmap and serving on its Personal Data Protection Commission. He has also held various other positions in AI and technology associations, and on statutory boards.
In addition to his entrepreneurial and advisory roles, Mr Arroyo actively mentors and invests in technology startups. He is a sought-after speaker, a prolific author and a judge at numerous entrepreneurial competitions.
Mr Arroyo began teaching himself programming at the age of ten. He holds three patents and earned a PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Innsbruck, as well as an executive MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Chief executive, Tenmou
Nawaf Mohamed Alkoheji is the chief executive of Tenmou, which provides seed capital and mentorship to scalable and innovative startups. He is dedicated to developing a startup culture in Bahrain and to working with key stakeholders to benefit entrepreneurs and encourage companies to grow and scale up. At Tenmou he has invested in more than ten startups in Bahrain and founded the Collective Hub, the largest co-working space in the country. He has led the exits of four startups with a 2.5x return in an average of two years.
He started his entrepreneurial journey by launching Foods Limited, now called the Culinary Company, a specialised catering business. He also spent several years at Tamkeen, a government organisation advancing Bahrain’s private sector as the key driver of economic development.
Chief technology officer, Etherisc
Matthias Zimmermann is the chief technology officer of Etherisc, a blockchain platform for parametric insurance. After completing a PhD in machine learning and gaining postdoctoral research experience, over the past two decades he has moved from academia to technical roles in enterprise software development. His fascination with blockchain technology began when he read “Mastering Bitcoin” in 2016, and led to his current role. For the past three years, he has driven innovation in the automation and decentralisation of insurance solutions. Motivated by curiosity, he is passionate about contributing to a more transparent and open world through technological advances.
Head of payments go-to-market, MEA, South and Central Asia, Swift
Cem Soydemir leads go-to-market activities in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region for Swift. He is responsible for supporting financial institutions on their journey to instant and frictionless cross-border payments. He has 14 years of banking experience. Before Swift, he worked for the BBVA Group and led business development of cash management and transaction banking at Garanti BBVA in Turkey.
Board member, National Bank of Bahrain and chief executive, ARRAY Innovation
Board member, National Bank of Bahrain and chief executive, ARRAY Innovation
Alaa Saeed is the founder and chief executive of Array Innovation, an AI- and cloud-native full-spectrum digital solutions provider that was launched in 2024 with Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund as an investor. He is also on the boards of the National Bank of Bahrain and Gulf Air Group.
Before launching Array he was a managing director of Citi in London, where he led the global electronic platforms, data and sales teams for the multibillion-dollar foreign-exchange business. He worked at Citi for more than 16 years, leading on global digital financial solutions, overseeing teams responsible for millions of transactions and over $100bn of electronic client commerce per day, and participating in and chairing management, risk and governance committees. The flagship electronic solutions he designed have won more than 90 industry awards.
Mr Saeed believes in using large global platforms for social impact, and from 2013 to 2023 he co-led Citi’s Global “e for education” campaign, which for every $1m traded through Citi’s electronic platforms generated $1 for education-focused children’s non-profits. In those ten years the campaign raised $65m.
To champion Bahraini talent, in 2021 he worked closely with Tamkeen and the Bahrain Economic Development Board to launch Citi’s global tech hub in Bahrain, aimed at employing a thousand Bahrainis in highly skilled technology roles.
He received the Crown Prince’s International Scholarship in 2004 to study for a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, from which he graduated with first-class honours.
Founder and chief executive, Findexable
Simon Hardie is the chief executive of Findexable, a global digital platform for research and benchmarking digital finance innovation that is home to the Global Fintech Index. Findexable makes it easier to benchmark fintech activity by powering unmoderated, real-time insights on global innovation ecosystems, which multinational firms and investors use to support strategic decision-making.
Mr Hardie is a regular conference host, moderator and public speaker. He has more than two decades of experience in supporting the growth of digital ecosystems and using insight to build meaningful connections between investors, institutions and innovators, through work with global intelligence brands including The Economist, Euromoney Institutional Investor, Thomson Reuters and Global Data.
He was previously a director of market research, events and data business at Global Data before setting up Findexable in response to growing customer demand for an easier and more efficient way to gather insight and analytics across the world of innovation, investment, emerging ecosystems and digital finance.
Chief executive, Open Banking Limited
Henk Van Hulle is the chief executive of Open Banking, a company set up by the Competition and Markets Authority to create technology, data standards and governance structures enabling open banking in Britain. An entrepreneurial business leader, he has expertise in building and managing profitable blue-chip and startup businesses, particularly in international financial services, e-business and digital services.
He set up Belgium’s first internet bank, Beobank, and worked in several retail financial services companies in Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Britain.
In Britain he began work at Egg in 2001, running five digital financial services businesses. He left as director of investments at Egg’s parent organisation, Prudential UK, in 2007, and set up his own data-centre business, which he sold in 2012.
Mr Van Hulle re-entered retail financial services by joining the Post Office as director of Post Office Money, running lending, savings, foreign exchange, insurance and international payments. Early in 2017 he became the Post Office’s innovation director, focusing on digital transformation. In 2018 he was appointed as the managing director for group digital and innovation, and in 2020 he took on the role of customer experience director. His inclusive leadership style inspires people to deliver change and customer-centric outcomes while maintaining core values of transparency, trust and professional integrity.
He has a degree in applied economics from the University of Antwerp and a master’s degree in marketing from Vlerick Business School.
Chief executive, Dubai Financial Services Authority
Ian Johnston has been the chief executive of the Dubai Financial Services Authority since 2022, after previously holding the position from 2012 to 2018. Until his reappointment, Mr Johnston advised and consulted for regulatory bodies across the Middle East, Europe and Asia, including on projects funded by the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Originally a lawyer, he held senior positions in the financial sector, including as chief executive of one of Australia’s major trustee companies. In 1999 he moved into regulation, joining the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as executive director for financial-services regulation, and spent several terms as an acting commissioner. He was a special adviser with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission from 2005.
Mr Johnston’s impact extends globally, as he chaired the Joint Forum, which comprised representatives of major international regulatory standard-setters such as the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), International Association of Insurance Supervisors, and the Basel Committee. Currently he is vice-chair of the IOSCO’s Africa and Middle East regional committee and a member of the IOSCO board. He is also on the boards of the Fred Hollows Foundation (HK) and Opera Scholars Australia. His wealth of experience and commitment to regulatory excellence make him a distinguished figure in the global financial landscape.
Chief executive, FLOOSS
Fawaz Ghazal is a co-founder and the chief executive of FLOOSS, the first digital lending company in Bahrain, which aims to democratise financial services.
A seasoned financial-services professional with more than 22 years of experience in the industry, he was previously the chief executive of Payment International Enterprise. Under his leadership the organisation obtained a licence from Bahrain’s central bank, launched as a payment service provider and secured the first Mastercard issuer licence for an independent issuer in Bahrain.
He has also worked with multinational companies like Orascom Telecom and Zain, where he managed sales, product design, strategic alliances, distribution and alternative channels. He holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications and electronic engineering from Applied Science University and an MBA from the New York Institute of Technology.
Global head of business solutions and advisory, Fireblocks
Sagar Sarbhai is the global head of business solutions and advisory at Fireblocks, an easy-to-use platform for creating new blockchain-based products and managing day-to-day digital asset operations. He forges partnerships with financial-services institutions and other large enterprises to help them develop and deploy new digital asset ventures and products using the Fireblocks infrastructure.
His previous roles include senior positions at Amazon Web Services and Ripple in the Asia-Pacific region, where he spearheaded initiatives with financial institutions and central banks focused on payments innovation, digital assets and cloud technology. Before moving to technology, Mr Sarbhai spent a decade in banking and capital markets across multiple functions, including technology, strategy, risk and government affairs. He holds an MBA from INSEAD in France.
Founder, Mumzworld and co-founder, bayt.com
Mona Ataya is a serial entrepreneur, Investor, Board member, United Nations Advocate, Public Speaker and mentor for entrepreneurs globally.
Mona Ataya has proven to be one of the Middle East’s most prominent and successful female entrepreneurs. She is a serial entrepreneur and has a strong track record of not only building successful businesses but also a pioneer in shaping the changing landscape and disrupting the ecosystem. She was part of founding and growing 3 leading digital businesses that have become regional household names.
A transformational leader and a change agent, Mona is the founder of Mumzworld, the region’s pioneer and largest e-commerce vertical for all things mother and child.
Under Mona’s leadership, Mumzworld underwent tremendous growth and successfully established itself as the regional leader in this vertical space. With over 6 rounds of funding, Mumzworld became the #1 Funded Women-Led e-commerce Company in the Middle East, followed by the largest e-commerce exit led by a woman in the region.
Mona is also the co-founder of Bayt.com and in 2024 established Digitise360 Advisors. This organization is her platform for continued creativity, contribution, and impact where it matters most. She collaborates with public and private sector leaders to provide strategic and execution advisory and leadership development, and invests in scalable businesses to continue to enable best-in-class digital businesses in the region to scale and excel in today’s dynamic digital landscape.
Beyond the exciting projects, she is deeply committed to the startup ecosystem and serves on multiple boards including the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and is a United Nations alumni for UNCTAD, enabling women in developing countries digitally. She serves year-round as an investor and a mentor to entrepreneurs and is a regular speaker at global and regional conferences.
Mona has won numerous recognitions throughout her career, making it on the Forbes Top 10 lists and being named one of the 5 Most Powerful Women Transforming the Business World. She was voted among UAE’s Top 3 Most Prominent Women in Tech and the Top 75 Faces of the UAE by HSBC. She is among the Top 2 Forbes Women Creating Impact in the region, featured in Forbes Middle East as one of the Middle East’s Power Businesswomen and as part of the second annual Forbes 50 over 50: EMEA. Mona was also voted among the 100 Most Powerful Arab Women and World’s 100 Most Powerful Arabs. She was also voted SME Executive of the Year 3 years in a row and one of the 30 Most Influential Women in the Arab World in 2019. She was featured on New York’s Times Square with Nasdaq and Endeavour, reflecting her multiplier impact as an entrepreneur.
Founder and president, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president of sustainability, Mastercard
Founder and president, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president of sustainability, Mastercard
Shamina Singh is the executive vice-president for sustainability at Mastercard, and the founder and president of its social impact hub, the Center for Inclusive Growth. As president of the Mastercard Impact Fund, she activates philanthropic dollars to advance inclusive growth and financial inclusion around the world. She is also a member of the company’s management committee.
Since 2014 she has led the center with a remit to harness Mastercard’s data, technology, capital and expertise for social impact. She has been recognised for her work and leadership in American Banker and the Financial Times.
Being deeply committed to public service, Ms Singh has held senior positions in the White House and the United States House of Representatives. She is a member of the President’s Export Council, co-chairs the Ad Council of America’s advisory committee and is on the boards of the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders and the Asian American Foundation. She is also part of the advisory boards of Okta, data.org and the Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellowship, the innovation advisory board of the New York State Department of Financial Services and the champion group of the CGAP Financial Inclusion 2.0 initiative.
Ms Singh holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Old Dominion University and a master’s degree in public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin. She received an alumnus of distinction award from both institutions and is a contributor to the MIT Sloan Management Review on responsible artificial intelligence.
Founder and chairman, Belobaba
Entrepreneur and the founder and executive chairman of BELOBABA, a pioneering regulated neobank operating across multiple jurisdictions, bridging the gap between fiat and crypto. He is also the founder and CEO of BELOBABA FUND, one of the world’s first tokenized hedge funds with a security token regulated by the government of Gibraltar, offering accredited investors a regulated product with direct exposure to the crypto industry.
Active in the crypto space since 2017, Lluis also founded BIT BCN (Blockchain Institute & Technology), the world’s first fully Spanish-language blockchain education center. BIT BCN now offers the *Programa de Gestión y Valoración de Activos Digitales*, a specialized program for financial professionals officially accredited by the Instituto Español de Analistas (IEA).
Head of conduct, financial crime and compliance, Middle East (ex UAE), Standard Chartered
Head of conduct, financial crime and compliance, Middle East (ex UAE), Standard Chartered
Zoe heads the Conduct, Financial Crime and Compliance function in Bahrain and the Middle East (excl. UAE) in Standard Chartered Bank.
Zoe has 20+ years of experience in the banking industry in Legal & Compliance roles, including roles with HSBC in Greece and Bahrain and with Standard Chartered in Bahrain.
Zoe holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Athens, a Master of Laws in International Business Law from the University of Manchester, UK and an ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance.
General manager, MENA, Checkout.com
Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo is an accomplished business leader and public speaker who has steered companies to become leaders in their fields across the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
After more than five years at Checkout.com, he took on the role of general manager, overseeing end-to-end management and business strategy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In this role he is shaping the future of regional e-commerce through widespread, seamless and secure digital payments, while bolstering data-powered insights to simplify complex payment landscapes for merchants.
Mr Abbondandolo orchestrated Checkout.com’s acquiring license in the United Arab Emirates, and is currently working hard with his teams to secure similar licencing in other countries across the region. His pioneering spirit and deep understanding of the payments ecosystem have helped drive Checkout.com’s strategic growth in the MENA region.
Previously he oversaw the expansion of Africa’s largest online travel agency, Travelstart, into the Middle East market. Before that he was part of the founding team for the Africa Internet Accelerator (a Naspers investment), which launched three of the fastest-growing e-commerce businesses in South Africa. He was also a founding member of leading e-commerce companies The Iconic, Zalora, and Lazada Australia and South East Asia.
He holds a dual master’s degree in management of innovation and new technology from Bocconi University and Copenhagen Business School. He has also attended many professional courses at renowned universities such as Harvard.
Group chief innovation officer, Bank ABC
Dr. Yousif Almas is the Group Chief Innovation Officer at Bank ABC. He is responsible for driving the innovation agenda and supporting the digital transformation of the Bank ABC Group. Prior to this post, he was the Chief Digital Officer of Bank ABC’s mobile-only digital Bank ila. Additionally, he is a Board Director at Tamkeen and Arab Financial Services (AFS). He also serves as the Chairman of the Digitization Committee at the Bahrain Association of Banks.
Dr. Yousif holds a PhD from the University of Surrey in the UK with published research focused on the intersection between Behavioural Economics and Artificial Intelligence.
Head of operations, MENA, Bitpanda
Waleed, an accomplished entrepreneur in technology and blockchain, showcases a successful startup track record, including one notable exit. Formerly Managing Director at Tezos ME, he drove ecosystem growth and upheld rigorous standards across EMEA. With consulting expertise from McKinsey, Waleed is renowned for strategic leadership, continually propelling technological advancement in industry leadership roles. Currently, as Head of Operations for Bitpanda MENA, he is spearheading the company’s expansion into the Middle East, overseeing regulatory efforts, business development, and partnership strategies to solidify Bitpanda’s position as a leading investment platform in the region.
Founding managing partner, HALA Ventures
B.S. Degree in Finance from King Fahd of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. Venture Capitalist, Sophisticated Investor, Licensed Financial Consultant, Serial Entrepreneur, and Ex- Corporate Banker.
Ali has been managing his family investments for more than 20 years and spent 10 years in the corporate & and institutional banking sector. In 2014, Ali founded Financial Horizon Group, which is an investment company that operates several entities within Investment and Financial, Management, & HR
Consulting Services. During the same period, Ali co-founded a few other companies within IT, training, & F&B sectors and actively involved in restructuring and advising various private companies in Saudi.
During the same period in 2014, Ali co-founded a Corporate Investment Fund, which invested in various Asset-Classes, including Private Equity, Public Equity, Real E-state, & Venture Capital.
In 2018, Ali co-founded HALA Ventures as Investments Management Company.
Chief executive, ATME
Alex Lola is the visionary CEO of ATME. Since the company’s inception in 2023, he has led ATME to establish a state-of-the-art digital asset exchange platform, secure regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain, and launch with ambitious goals. Under his leadership, ATME is poised to become the leading platform for asset tokenization, drive blockchain adoption, and unlock new investment opportunities in the region.
With over 15 years of professional experience in the financial sector and multinational corporations, Alex has a proven track record of success. He has held leadership positions at Société Générale Group and its subsidiaries, including a board member role for Société Générale Russia. In this role, he demonstrated his ability to scale a retail business with assets worth $7 billion. His expertise in corporate governance is further evidenced by his tenure on the boards of Société Générale Insurance Russia and United Cards Services.
Alex’s journey into finance and technology began with a strong academic foundation in information security. He earned his Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, where he honed his skills and developed a deep understanding of the complexities of digital security and blockchain technology. Alex’s technical acumen, coupled with his forward-thinking leadership, positions him as a key figure in driving ATME’s mission to redefine trading and investment through FinTech innovation.
SC Ventures Leads, Middle East
Mohamed Fairooz joined Standard Chartered in 2014 and is currently the Regional Lead for Standard Chartered Ventures, Middle East Region. He is experienced in FinTech, Credit analysis, Financial Reporting, Governance, Conduct, Risk Assessment, Audit, and Compliance. Prior to joining the Bank, Fairooz was associated with KPMG Auditing firm, where he spent 5 years auditing SCB and other institutions.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from New York Institute of Technology. He is also a Certified PublicAccountant (CPA), Certified Credit Analyst and has a range of international certificates in Conduct,Risk Management, Auditing, and Anti-Money Laundering. Outside of work, he is a father of 2 kids and likes spending time with his family. Sport activities are also an interest and he regularly spend time exercising.
Regional director of financial services for the Gulf, British Embassy Dubai
Regional director of financial services for the Gulf, British Embassy Dubai
Cassie McGoldrick is seconded from HM Treasury to the British Embassy in Dubai as Regional director for Financial Services for the Gulf where she is focused on identifying opportunities for closer collaboration on financial services across the GCC. Before moving to Dubai, Cassie spent 6 years working on financial services policy at HM Treasury London. Most recently she was Head of Secondary Capital Markets, where she implemented a number of reforms to the UK’s wholesale markets regime. Prior to that she worked on financial services trade with Hong Kong and Switzerland, led financial services policy on green finance and negotiated financial services regulation on behalf of the UK in Brussels.
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Meet with executives and fintech leaders who shape the strategic business landscape.
Gain insights, discuss strategies and debate the challenges—and opportunities.
Indulge in cultural excursions and social gatherings making your trip a memorable one in Bahrain.
The Labour Fund (Tamkeen), was established in 2006 and tasked with the responsibility
to empower Bahrainis to become employees of choice and enable the private sector to
become the key driver for economic growth in the Kingdom, all to serve the purpose of
achieving sustainable economic development in Bahrain.
Tamkeen works with enterprises to build their capabilities and allow them to innovate,
grow, transform, digitalize, become more productive and potentially internationalize.
Tamkeen also works with Bahraini talent to help them upskill and re-skill, ensuring that
they are competitive in the job market.
Tamkeen works with other key government players as part of Team Bahrain to drive the
government’s vision for the Kingdom across various economic initiatives. For more
information about Tamkeen, visit: www.tamkeen.bh
Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at About Visa, Visa CEMEA Blog and @VisaCEMEA.
Bank ABC (incorporated as Arab Banking Corporation BSC), MENA’s leading international bank, is headquartered in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. Founded in 1980, its impressive global network covers 25 markets with presence in 15 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia.
The Bank offers a host of innovative wholesale banking solutions, which include transaction banking, specialised finance, real estate finance, treasury and financial markets products in addition to Shari’a-compliant banking services through Bank ABC Islamic. It also serves individuals through a vast network of retail branches in Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan and its exclusively digital, mobile-only ila Bank in Bahrain.
With innovation at the core of its strategy, Bank ABC is accelerating on its transformation journey to be MENA’s International Bank of the Future. The Bank is proudly adopting cutting-edge technologies while collaborating with stakeholders to facilitate the development of a digitally-empowered financial ecosystem.
Listed on the Bahrain Bourse, the Bank’s principal shareholders are the Central Bank of Libya and the Kuwait Investment Authority.
About Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company (BCFC)
Established in 1983, Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company BSC (BCFC) is one of the leading financial institutions licensed by Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) in the Kingdom of Bahrain that specializes in providing innovative financing solutions that cater to the evolving needs of its customers. With a strong focus on financial inclusion, BCFC has established a robust network of branches and its digital platform “Sahel”, ensuring that customers can access its services conveniently and efficiently.
BCFC’s portfolio encompasses a wide range of services, including short, medium, and long-term consumer financing solutions, as well as auto, personal, mortgage loans and commercial financing for small and medium enterprises, in addition to credit card services under the ‘IMTIAZ’ brand.
ATME is a licensed digital assets exchange regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain. Built on the enterprise-grade Hyperledger Fabric (HLF) blockchain framework, ATME brings borderless accessibility and liquidity to private capital markets through the tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWA). The company connects businesses looking for seamless and efficient capital-raising solutions, with institutional investors seeking to diversify their investment portfolios into new high-value asset classes. The private blockchain-based platform provides a highly secure digital marketplace that facilitates the sourcing, trading, tracking, investing, and ownership exchange of tokenized securities, commodities, private equity and more – all within a transparent and compliant ecosystem. Offering a comprehensive range of services designed to optimize the capital raising process and maximize investment potential, ATME is leveraging the liquidity and trading efficiencies presented by RWA tokenization to become a leading player in the regional and international financial marketplace.
Bede Bahrain is an innovative Shariah-compliant fintech company licensed by the Central Bank
of Bahrain (CBB), designed to provide convenient microfinance services to its users. The app
streamlines the consumer microfinance experience, allowing applicants to easily download it
and receive quick, hassle-free approvals tailored to their credit profiles, financial needs, and
goals, making access to funds simpler than ever.
Bede is committed to redefining the financing landscape in the kingdom. With the ambition to
become a leading player in the Islamic microfinance sector and beyond, Bede delivers
straightforward and instant personal Islamic finance solutions via its cutting-edge mobile app. It
empowers individuals to access essential financial resources right at their fingertips.
Additionally, through strategic partnerships with selected employers, Bede extends its services
to offer Islamic personal finance options to their employees, enhancing convenience and
accessibility. For more information, please visit bede.bh.
About PwC
At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 151 countries with nearly 364,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com.
Established in the Middle East for over 40 years, PwC Middle East has 30 offices across 12 countries in the region with around 12,000 people. (www.pwc.com/me).
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