Relive the 2025 Agenda

Take a look back at the Money20/20 Middle East 2025 agenda to see who took the stage and the conversations that defined the future of fintech.

Stage

Boardroom

Executive Summit

Hall 3 - Investor & Startup Zone

MoneyPot

Next-Gen Money

Off The Record

The Bridge

The Capital

The Pulse

Session Type

Day 1

12:00 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 12:00 PM—07:00 PM (7 h)

Live Stream : Livestream Executive Summit Stage - Day 1

12:10 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 12:10 PM—12:20 PM (10 min)

Keynote : Strategic Vision and Priorities

Ministerial welcome, addressing the importance of integrating digital innovations in finance to maintain a resilient and sustainable economy.

Speaker

H.E. Mohammed A. Aljadaan

Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Financial Sector Development Programme Committee | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

12:20 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 12:20 PM—12:35 PM (15 min)

Keynote : Keynote Speech

Speaker

H.E. Ayman M. Al-Sayari

Governor | Saudi Central Bank

12:35 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 12:35 PM—12:40 PM (5 min)

Announcements

12:40 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 12:40 PM—01:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Capital Market Evolution in the Digital Age

Exploring the transformative impact of digital innovation on Saudi Arabia's capital markets covering regulatory initiatives, market growth and accessibility.

Speakers

H.E. Mohammed A. Elkuwaiz

Chairman | Capital Market Authority

Dr. Chris Brummer

Founder | Bluprynt

12:45 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 12:45 PM—01:00 PM (15 min)

Keynote : Unlocking Inclusive Growth through Global Payment Interoperability

Speaker

Douglas Feagin

President | Ant International

12:50 PM

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 12:50 PM—01:30 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Xchange: The Great Fintech Reroute: Is the Global Financial Future Being Built Outside the West

While much of the Western world is entangled in outdated infrastructure, compliance-heavy legacy banks, and slow regulatory innovation, regions like Africa and the Middle East are building financial systems from a cleaner slate, digital-first, mobile-native, and increasingly decentralised.

This panel explores whether these regions can use financial technology, from real-time payments and digital banking to embedded finance, alternative investments, and sovereign fintech platforms - to create truly independent financial ecosystems, free from Western dependency.

Key talking points include:

• Can Africa and the Middle East build self-sustaining fintech powerhouses, and who’s already leading?
• How does leapfrogging legacy infrastructure enable faster adoption of blockchain, APIs, and open finance?
• What role does sovereign investment (e.g. Gulf SWFs, AfCFTA) play in scaling homegrown fintech empires?
• Could these regions ultimately export fintech models back to the West?

Join this provocative discussion on whether the future of financial leadership is shifting South and East, not West

Speakers

Ahmad Ghandour

Vice President -Middle East | Backbase BV

Jeff Parker

CEO | Paymentology Ltd

Simon Black

Chairman | Onafriq

Maya Horgan Famodu

Kabeer Paliwalla

Partner | Kearney

1:00 PM

MoneyPot

Monday 15 September, 01:00 PM—01:55 PM (55 min)

Podcast : Everything is Fintech

Everything is Fintech Hosts: Scarlett Sieber, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Money 20/20 Global & Micky Tesfaye, Head of Audience Development, Money 20/20 Global with guest: Mounir Nakhla, Founder & CEO, MNT-Halan

Speakers

Micky Tesfaye

Head of Audience Development | Money20/20

Mounir Nakhla

Founder & CEO | MNT-Halan

Tracey Davies

President, Money20/20 | Money20/20

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 01:00 PM—01:30 PM (30 min)

Fireside Chat : The Digital Infrastructure of Capital: How Institutions Are Rebuilding Treasury, FX, and Portfolio Strategies for a Tokenized Economy

As tokenization, AI, and decentralized technologies reshape global finance, institutional investors and treasury leaders face a dual challenge: safeguarding traditional assets while preparing for new forms of value transfer. From the evolution of cross-border liquidity networks to digital custody, programmable money, and tokenized portfolio components, the digital backbone of finance is under reconstruction.

This forward-looking fireside chat brings together:

The CIO of Syz Group, representing the perspective of a leading Swiss private bank navigating portfolio innovation and client trust.
A Managing Director from BlackRock, offering the lens of the world’s largest asset manager on treasury transformation, liquidity, and tokenization.
The CEO of Wadaie, showcasing how fintech challengers are building agile infrastructure for digital-first investment and treasury systems.

Together, they will explore how capital allocators, asset managers, and fintech innovators are converging around the next frontier of financial plumbing.

Key Discussion Areas:

Macro & Investment Implications of Tokenization: How tokenized assets are reshaping portfolio construction and liquidity.
Treasury & FX in a 24/7, Multi-Asset World: Building systems that adapt to always-on global markets.
Bank–Tech Partnerships in Practice: Collaborations between incumbents, asset managers, and fintechs to modernize financial infrastructure.
Safeguards & Governance: Ensuring trust, compliance, and security for high-net-worth and institutional clients in a digital-first environment.
The Path Forward: How traditional and emerging players can co-create the infrastructure for a tokenized, AI-driven financial system.

Speakers

Charles-Henry Monchau

Chief Investment Officer - Member of Executive Committee | Syz Group

Abbas Hashmi

Principal | Saudi Family Holdings

Tony Ashraf

Managing Director, Head of Technology & Operations Middle East & Africa | Blackrock

Rayan Altuwayjiri

Cofounder&COO | WADAIE

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 01:00 PM—01:40 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : The Untold Stories: Redefining Venture and Innovation in Fintech

A power panel featuring women led VC’s and scaleups redefining the fintech playbook across MENA, Africa, and Asia.

Speakers

Ashley Lewis

Head of Venture Capital | Development Partners International (DPI)

Halah Al-Jubeir

Managing Director - Saudi Arabia (MENAP) | Antler

Rezso Szabo

General Partner | Illuminate Financial

Basmah Alsinaidi

Managing partner | Impact46

Kristy Duncan

Founder & CEO | Women in Payments

Amal DOKHAN

Managing Partner | 500 Global

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 01:00 PM—01:20 PM (20 min)

Keynote : The Role of the Regulator towards a Fintech-Driven Economy

Speakers

H.E. Dr. Khaled W. Al-Dhaher

Vice Governor for Supervision and Technology | Saudi Central Bank

Leda Glyptis

Seasoned fintech executive, former banker and author 'Bankers like Us" | Beyond Resilience & Bankers like Us

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 01:00 PM—01:40 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Fraud Has Evolved. Can The AI Defense Line Hold?

As attacks grow more sophisticated, the question is no longer whether defenses can keep up, but how quickly they can adapt to stay ahead.

Speakers

Toby Rush

CEO | Ideem

Simon Taylor

Founder | Fintech Brainfood/Global Digital Finance

Khaled Al Huneidi

Senior Associate | Latham & Watkins

Samrah Kazmi

Professor | New York Professor

Mohammed Alharrah

Chief information security officer | BARQ

1:20 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 01:20 PM—01:40 PM (20 min)

Keynote : The Future Insured: Strategic Insurance Evolution in a Dynamic Financial Landscape

This session highlights how Saudi Arabia is fostering a progressive insurance sector through digital enablement, ecosystem partnerships and inclusive policy.

Speaker

Eng. Abdullah Taha

Deputy CEO of Strategy & Sector Development | Insurance Authority

1:30 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 01:30 PM—01:50 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with: Digital Assets and State Capital: How Governments and Sovereign Institutions Are Shaping the Next Financial Frontier

As digital assets move from speculative instruments to strategic pillars of next-generation financial infrastructure, sovereign players are stepping into new roles. From sovereign wealth funds exploring digital asset custody and tokenized asset exposure, to public treasuries piloting blockchain-based bond issuance, the convergence of state capital and digital innovation is accelerating.
This high-level session brings together sovereign wealth fund executives, financial policymakers, and digital asset strategists to explore how public institutions are navigating the digital shift. We’ll examine the motivations, frameworks, and safeguards guiding these moves, and assess the long-term implications for capital markets, cross-border investment, and financial sovereignty.

Speakers

Joseph HL Chan

Under secretary for financial services & treasury | The Government of Hong Kong Special administrative region

Abbas Hashmi

Principal | Saudi Family Holdings

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 01:30 PM—02:20 PM (50 min)

Panel Discussion : The Post-Wallet Era: What’s Shaping the Future of Payments in the Middle East

Digital wallets are rapidly becoming foundational to the Middle East’s financial transformation, not only as payment tools but as platforms for broader financial engagement. This fireside chat will unpack how wallets are evolving into hubs for embedded services like BNPL, insurance, savings, and investing, while shaping the region’s shift toward a cashless, interoperable future.

We’ll explore the infrastructure powering this shift, from telco-led wallets and government-backed solutions to fintech-native ecosystems, as well as the regulatory frameworks and consumer behaviors driving adoption.
The conversation will also examine the emergence of super apps, cross-border wallet interoperability within the GCC, and how the region stacks up against global innovation benchmarks.

Looking ahead, the session will spotlight what’s next for digital wallets in the context of open finance, tokenisation, and seamless digital identity integration.

Speakers

Rinat Ablet

Chief Revenue Officer | Tiqmo

Eric Lin

Director | Tenpay Global, Tencent

Ali Bailoun

GM | VISA

Deniz Oran

Head of EMEA Payment Partnership | GOOGLE

Ahmad S. Alrasheed

Director, Payment Business Planning | Saudi Central Bank

Pratik Sawal

Chief Product Officer | Jisr

1:40 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 01:40 PM—02:00 PM (20 min)

Announcements

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 01:40 PM—02:00 PM (20 min)

Presentation : East to West – A Global Pulse Check

Leader’s reflections on how the finance industry has fared against disruption, and where the opportunities for growth lie in 2026

Speaker

Chris Skinner

Financial Author, independent commentator on the financial markets and technology trends | The Finanser

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 01:40 PM—02:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Synergy Over Capital: Building Lasting Investor-Founder Bonds

Dive into the art of selecting investors who align with every fintech founder’s vision, from seed to scale, shared values and strategic collaboration drive regulatory success and sustainable global growth. Alongside, Explore funding trends: Why investor alignment is critical for fintechs navigating complex markets.

Speakers

Ravishankar GV

Managing Director | Peak XV Partner

Sarah AlSaleh

General Partner | Outliers VC

Bilal Abou Diab

Co-Founder & CEO | Vault Wealth

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 01:40 PM—02:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Who Is Finance Really Built For?

Finance claims to serve everyone, but the reality tells a different story. Are today’s fintech solutions truly designed for underserved populations or are they just reinforcing old systems with a digital facelift?

Speakers

Nicole Valentine

FinTech Director in the Center for Financial Markets | Milken Institute

Ayman Essawy

Co-founder & Executive Chairman / Co-founder & CEO/ Board Member | Lucky ONE / Connect Money/ Dsquares/ Endeavor Egypt/Exits MENA

Omar Saleh

Co-Founder & Khazna Group CEO | Khazna

Nataliya Gorbunosova

Principal | AT Kearney Saudia Arabia Limited

1:50 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 01:50 PM—02:10 PM (20 min)

Keynote : Unlocking Trust in Digital Assets: Building a Regulatory Framework that Enables Innovation

Speaker

Eduard Muller

Former Executive Director, Financial Market Authority | Former Federal Minister of Finance of Austria, Government of Austria

2:00 PM

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 02:00 PM—02:20 PM (20 min)

Regional Insights : The Transformation Economy: Lending at the Core of Vision 2030

Flash reporting on the predicted banking & finance trends triggered by the current regulatory environment.

Speaker

L Guru Raghavendran

Senior Vice President Product Management | AZENTIO

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 02:00 PM—02:40 PM (40 min)

Networking : Dr. Leda Glyptis - Book Signing / Networking Session

Speaker

Leda Glyptis

Seasoned fintech executive, former banker and author 'Bankers like Us" | Beyond Resilience & Bankers like Us

MoneyPot

Monday 15 September, 02:00 PM—02:30 PM (30 min)

Podcast : Fintech Files by BCG Platinion

Fintech Files by BCG Platinion Host : Annika Melchert - Fintech as a Catalyst for Women’s Financial Empowerment Guest: Amanda Estiverne-Colas, Board Member, The National Alliance for Financial Literacy and Inclusion

Speakers

Annika Melchert

Co-host / Principal | FinTech Files / BCG

Amanda Estiverne-Colas

Board Member | The National Alliance for Financial Literacy and Inclusion

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 02:00 PM—02:40 PM (40 min)

Debate : Capital Crossroads: When Should Fintechs Choose Equity, Debt or Credit

Fintech Investors debate on exploring the critical decision points for fintech companies navigating funding options, balancing growth ambitions against dilution concerns, and optimizing capital structure for different business lifecycle stages.

Speakers

Fariha Ansari Javed

Partner | Stride Ventures

Cindy Xu

Managing Director, Head of Asia Fintech and China FIG | J. P. Morgan

Ihsan Jawad

General Partner | STV

Mohamed Aladdin

General partner | DPI VC (Middle East)

Tarek Fahim

Partner | Endure Capital

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 02:00 PM—02:35 PM (35 min)

Fireside Chat : Instability as a Catalyst - Fintech’s Role in a Global Interconnected Economy

When the markets shake, new value is unlocked. This session explores how economies are leveraging financial innovation to find growth in the cracks – redefining lending, saving and capital access in unpredictable times.

Speakers

Hon. Caroline D. Pham

Acting Chairman | U.S Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Federal Government of United States

Deemah AlYahya

Secretary General | Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)

Scarlett Sieber

Chief Strategy & Growth Officer | Money2020 Global

Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite

Minister of State for Finance | Federal Republic of Nigeria

2:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 02:10 PM—02:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Navigating the New Frontier: AI Regulation and the Open Banking Revolution

As financial services embrace AI and open banking at scale, regulators and innovators are confronted with a new balancing act: how to drive innovation while protecting consumers, ensuring data privacy, and safeguarding systemic trust. The convergence of AI-driven decision-making with open banking ecosystems is reshaping credit, payments, and customer engagement, but it also raises urgent questions about transparency, accountability, and regulatory alignment.

This session brings together a powerful mix of voices, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, HSBC, Tarabut, and Sumerge, to unpack the opportunities and risks at the frontier of finance, and to explore how regulation, collaboration, and technology can converge to build secure, transparent, and consumer-first financial ecosystems.

Speakers

Colin Payne

Head of Innovation | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Mohamed Nour

Chief Technology Officer | Sumerge Arabia

Kazimierz Kelles-Krauz

Head of Digital Channels & AI | HSBC Hong Kong

Nilixa Devlukia

CEO | Payments Solved

Patrick Firth

VP Strategy | Tarabut

Mansour A. Alsaleh

General Director, Innovation Hub | Saudi Central Bank

2:20 PM

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 02:20 PM—02:50 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Xchange: Unlocking Trillions: Public-Private Partnerships as Catalysts for Emerging Market Growth

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are transforming how infrastructure, digital ecosystems, and financial access are financed and delivered in emerging markets. From transport corridors and smart cities to digital ID systems and fintech platforms, collaboration between governments and private sector innovators is key to unlocking inclusive economic growth.

This session brings together leaders from public development agencies, financial institutions, and private investors to explore how PPPs are reshaping economies in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and beyond. The panel will examine the evolving models of PPPs, beyond roads and rail - into fintech infrastructure, mobile banking, cloud, and payments.

We’ll explore:

• Financing infrastructure for fintech ecosystems (e.g., connectivity, cloud, payments)
• Leveraging private capital for national development priorities
• Risk-sharing and governance models that enable bankability
• Lessons from successful PPPs in digital infrastructure, financial inclusion, and mobility
• Building investor trust and alignment across borders

Speakers

Folajimi Daodu

Founder/Lecturer/Board Member & Chief Strategy Officer | Vaulthill/Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance/Nigerians in Diaspora Chamber of Commerce

H.E. Dr. Vin Pheakdey

Deputy Director General | Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi

Director General | National Information Technology Development Agency, Government of Nigeria

Olugbenga Agboola

Co-founder & CEO | Flutterwave

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 02:20 PM—02:40 PM (20 min)

Presentation : From Insight to Impact: Agentic AI that Drives Real Results in Finance

In the era of autonomous intelligence, Agentic AI is revolutionizing the way financial institutions operate. This session explores how AI moves beyond insight to deliver real results enhancing decision-making, driving growth, and creating strategic advantages across banking and beyond.

We will also showcase real-world use cases, demonstrating how to leverage cutting-edge AI to solve complex challenges and achieve business outcomes.

Speaker

Tomas Skoumal

Chairman & Co-President | DYNA.AI

2:35 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 02:35 PM—02:50 PM (15 min)

Keynote : Reimagining Global Energy in a Digital Financial Future

This keynote will explore how global energy leaders are leveraging technology, capital markets and financial innovation to power the next era of sustainable growth. From advancing carbon-neutral strategies and scaling renewables to unlocking new investment vehicles through digital finance.

Speaker

Ziad Thamer Al-Murshed

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | Aramco

2:40 PM

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 02:40 PM—03:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Secondaries, Safe Bets or Short-Sighted? A VC's Dilemma

Explore the role of secondary transactions in venture capital, weighing their potential for liquidity and portfolio flexibility against risks of short-sighted decisions.

Speakers

Kyane Kassiri

Partner | Rally Cap VC

Basil Moftah

Managing Partner | Key Capital

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 02:40 PM—03:00 PM (20 min)

Panel Discussion : Surviving the First Three Years: Capital, Chaos, and the Founder’s Battlefield

Previous pitch competition winners of 24Fintech trade unfiltered war stories, hard-won tactics, and the brutal truths of navigating product, operational, market, and regulatory crossfire

Speakers

Omar Al-Shabaan

CEO & Co-Founder | The Space

Yazeed Al-Shamsi

Co Founder & CEO | Ejari

Baraa Koshak

CEO | Abwab.ai

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 02:40 PM—03:00 PM (20 min)

Presentation : The Rise of AI-Driven Finance

From personalised banking to fraud detection, this session will shine a light on the ways in which AI tools are revolutionizing financial services.

Speaker

Daniela Braga

Founder and CEO | Defined.ai

2:45 PM

MoneyPot

Monday 15 September, 02:45 PM—03:30 PM (45 min)

Podcast : She Builds with Sarah Hewerdine

She Builds

Host Sarah Hewerdine Founder. Guest: Amandine Lobelle, COO, Paystack

Speakers

Amandine Lobelle

Chief Operating Officer | Paystack

Sarah Hewerdine

Director of Marketing & Founder | She Builds Podcast

2:50 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 02:50 PM—03:10 PM (20 min)

Keynote : The Currency of Trust: Why Finance Runs on More Than Money

How Tamara built a fintech powerhouse by leading with trust, how you can use it to supercharge your business, and why being "Trust First" positions Saudi Arabia to forge, not follow, the future of global finance in the digital age.

Speaker

Abdulmajeed Alsukhan

Co-Founder & CEO of Tamara | Tamara

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 02:50 PM—03:00 PM (10 min)

Keynote : Transforming Fintech in the Age of AI: Opportunities and Challenges for the Digital Economy

During this keynote, the Director General of the Digital Cooperation Organization will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the fintech landscape, discussing innovations in financial services, enhanced customer experiences, and the implications for regulatory frameworks. Moreover, the session will address the ethical considerations and the importance of collaboration between fintech companies and regulators to ensure a secure and inclusive digital economy for all.

Speaker

Dr. Hajar El Haddaoui

Director General | Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 02:50 PM—03:40 PM (50 min)

Panel Discussion : Unveiling the Opportunities in Digitizing and Integrating Insurtech for Businesses

Insurance is no longer just a back-office function, it’s becoming an embedded, data-driven enabler of business growth. From real-time claims processing to API-powered policy issuance and AI-driven risk profiling, insuretech is rapidly transforming how businesses manage risk, build trust, and create new revenue streams.

This session brings together leading innovators, to explore how digital insurance infrastructure is unlocking value across sectors, especially in emerging markets where penetration remains low but mobile and digital adoption is high.

Together, they’ll unpack:

How embedded insurance is powering smarter customer experiences in mobility, health, and retail
The growing demand for seamless API integration into platforms and apps
The role of AI, data analytics, and automation in reducing fraud and improving underwriting
New B2B2C models that turn insurance into a revenue generator, not just a cost centre
Regulatory and ecosystem challenges in scaling digital insurance adoption

Whether you’re a platform, fintech, telco, logistics player, or e-commerce brand, this session reveals why insurance innovation is becoming a competitive advantage, and how digital-first models are reshaping the future of business resilience.

Speakers

Bente Krogmann

CEO | mTek Services

Henry Mascot

Founder & CEO | Curacel

Rami AlGhamdi

VP- IT Operations | Najm

Hatim Jamal

Chief Financial Officer | BUPA

Khaled Lababidi

Partner | Arbor Ventures

Abdulraheem Alzahrani

Chief of Health and Wellness | BUPA ARABIA FOR COOPERATIVE INS

3:00 PM

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 03:00 PM—03:10 PM (10 min)

Keynote : Public-Private Collaboration for Inclusive Finance - driving financial inclusion through government, fintech, and regulator collaboration

A keynote address on behalf of Vice-President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima

Speaker

Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia

Deputy Chief of Staff to the President Office, of the Vice President | Federal Republic of Nigeria

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 03:00 PM—03:25 PM (25 min)

Panel Discussion : Sync or Spy: AI + Open Banking: Empowering Customers or Hijacking Consent?

Open banking promised transparency and consumer control. AI promised personalization and efficiency. But when the two collide, are we unlocking financial empowerment, or building the most invasive profiling machine in history?

Speakers

Marie Walker

Open Futurist | Raidiam

Tewfik Cassis

Chief Product Officer | Lean Technologies

Ahmad Alwazzan

Group EVP | Tap Payments

Ramana Kumar

CEO- Middle East | Paytm

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 03:00 PM—03:20 PM (20 min)

Live Demo : The Future of Deposits 2025: Fintech Eats First – Can Banks Catch Up?

This high-impact session presents the latest global data on how fintechs are outpacing traditional banks in deposit growth, product innovation and user engagement. The session will also spotlight bold moves from banks that are reclaiming ground through partnerships, digital infrastructure and better customer alignment.

Speaker

Simon Hardie

Founder & CEO | Findexable

Boardroom

Monday 15 September, 03:00 PM—04:30 PM (1 h 30 min)

Roundtable : Education, Youth and Financial Services Innovation

This roundtable will bring together leaders from the financial sector, fintech innovators, regulators, and educators to explore how we can co-create solutions that address the unique needs of Saudi Arabia’s youth. Together, we will discuss ways to foster financial literacy, drive inclusion, and innovate to meet the expectations of a digital-first generation.

Speakers

Mohammed Alhamazany

Chief of Capability development | The Financial Academy

Dr. Basma Albuhairan

Managing Director | C4IR - Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia

Chris Skinner

Financial Author, independent commentator on the financial markets and technology trends | The Finanser

Nicole Valentine

FinTech Director in the Center for Financial Markets | Milken Institute

Hosam Arab

Co-Founder & CEO | Tabby Financing Company JSC

Mark Loughran

President and CFO | inDrive

Aleena Nadeem

Founder & CEO | Edufi

Jayesh Patel

CEO | Wio Bank

Kazimierz Kelles-Krauz

Head of Digital Channels & AI | HSBC Hong Kong

Sitoyo Lopokoiyit

CEO | M-Pesa Africa

David Birch

Global Ambassador | Consult Hyperion

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 03:00 PM—03:30 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Next-Gen Family Offices

With a focus on agility and impact, next-gen family offices are reshaping VC through tailored investments. Explore how their preferences for alternative structures and regional growth sectors are influencing GPs. Join this LP-GP exchange for fresh perspectives and actionable insights.

Speakers

Lixia Zhu

Managing Pricipal | 76Columbus Family Investment

Lu Zhou

CEO | Vanquour Wealth Management, the family office division of Royal Bank of Canada in the United States

Dr. Vaibhav Agrawal

Founder / ex-General Partner | ODDBIRD VC / Lightspeed

Abbas Hashmi

Principal | Saudi Family Holdings

3:10 PM

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 03:10 PM—03:40 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : From Steppes to Silicon: Unlocking the Digital and Financial Future of Central Asia and the Bordering Countries of Eastern Europe and Western Asia

Central Asia is fast becoming a strategic bridge between East and West, where digital infrastructure, mobile-first economies, and financial inclusion efforts are reshaping economic potential. This powerhouse panel brings together financial pioneers, digital disruptors, and regional connectors to explore how Central Asia is opening up through innovation, partnerships, and platform-based growth.

We’ll dive into how financial centers like Astana are enabling cross-border fintech, how mobile and banking leaders are digitizing underserved populations, and how international platforms are building trust and user bases across some of the world’s most complex terrains.

Key Focuses:

• Building globally connected but locally rooted digital ecosystems
• Financial inclusion and mobile money in frontier economies
• Infrastructure partnerships and investment pathways across Central Asia
• Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia as innovation hubs: what’s working?
• Scaling tech in culturally and economically diverse landscapes
• Bridging emerging market ecosystems from Central Asia to Africa and Latin America

Speakers

Alina Timofeeva

Influence Board Member | BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

Oliver Hughes

Chairman, TBC Uzbekistan/ Board Member | TBC Bank Group PLC/ Tabby

Mark Loughran

President and CFO | inDrive

Lasha Tabidze

Group Chief Digital Officer | Veon

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 03:10 PM—03:25 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Scaling Digital Assets: Safe, Connected, and Ready for the Real World

As digital assets move from pilot to production, the financial world faces a critical question: how do we scale safely, across borders, and at pace? This session explores how the MENA region can lead the way, leveraging trusted infrastructure to unlock global reach, regulatory alignment, and settlement certainty. With the rise of CBDCs, tokenized money, stablecoins and real-time cross-border use cases, the time for scalable digital asset infrastructure is now.
This session offers a unique look into how trusted platforms are being extended to meet the demands of next-generation finance.

Speakers

Tom Zschach

Chief Innovation Officer | Swift

Serena Sebastiani

Senior Director | PwC Middle East Virtual Assets Consulting Lead, Fintech, Assets & Wealth Management

3:20 PM

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 03:20 PM—03:40 PM (20 min)

Live Demo : Central Banks & Smart Signals: How AI is Rewriting Monetary Intelligence

Use cases for AI & advanced analytics in modern central banking with emphasis on policy, regulation and market stability.

Speaker

Amira Abdelaziz

Senior Advisor - Data Science and Analytics | Central Bank of Egypt

3:25 PM

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 03:25 PM—03:45 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Who’s Playing by the Rules?

Tokenization’s quiet experiments in 2025 and beyond.

Speakers

Sandra Ro

CEO | Global Blockchain Business Council

David Cunningham

Director, Head of Strategy & Partnerships for Digital Assets, Treasury and Trade Solutions | CITI

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 03:25 PM—03:45 PM (20 min)

Keynote : Inside the AI Supercycle

As markets enter the era of intelligent automation, financial systems must evolve to handle exponential data and adaptive algorithms. This talk breaks down the architecture powering AI in trading, compliance and customer experience – and what it means for financial leaders building for the next decade.

Speaker

Dr. Mohammed Rahim

Group Chief Data Officer | Standard Chartered Bank

3:30 PM

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 03:30 PM—03:50 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Strategic Alignment: Choosing the Right Funds to Back the Future of Fintech

This high-level dialogue explores how institutional investors, from FoFs to development institutions and VCs are not just injecting capital into fintech but forging long-term strategic partnerships that shape the innovation landscape. In an increasingly competitive capital environment, how do LPs evaluate which funds to back? And how do GPs stand out to attract anchor commitments? Our panelists dive into what it takes to build lasting cross-border investment collaborations.

Speakers

Nader AlBastaki

Managing Director | Dubai Future District Fund (DFDF)

Mohammed Al-Emadi

Executive Director of Incubation & VC Investment | Qatar Development Bank

Dalia Kamar

Head of Investment & Startup Programs | Tahaluf - Money20/20 Middle East

3:40 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 03:40 PM—04:20 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Finance Without Border, Driving Efficiency Through Tokenization

Explore how tokenization is reshaping cross-border value transfer by enabling more efficient, transparent, and programmable financial flows. This panel will highlight early global experimentation, emerging standards, and how Saudi Arabia and the region can position themselves as leaders in trusted, interoperable tokenized ecosystems.

Key Talking Points:
What tokenization brings to cross-border finance
• Lessons learned from early tokenization pilots (e.g., BIS mBridge, MAS and Bank of Ghana ,DESFT ).
• The role of tokenized money (CBDCs, stablecoins, tokenized deposits) in cross-border applications.
• Legal, regulatory, and compliance considerations for tokenized cross-border assets (AML/CFT, KYC, privacy).
• How to ensure interoperability between tokenized systems across jurisdictions.

Speakers

Mehtaj Syed

Executive Director, EMEA Lead | Kinexys Digital Payments and Kinexys Liink, JPMorgan

Dominic Longman

Global Head of Markets & Managing Director - MENA | Zodia Custody by Standard Chartered

Dr Petra Janez

Financial Councilor – General Financial Office, Directorate for Supervision | Ministry of Finance of the Republic, Slovenia

Maan M. Alqurashi

Director, Payments Service Enablement | Saudi Central Bank

Jorge Carrasco

Managing Director Blockchain and Digital Assets | FTI Consulting

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 03:40 PM—04:00 PM (20 min)

Presentation : Fintech at Scale: Redefining Payments for Millions in Record Time

We will illustrate how barq transformed the payments ecosystem, serving over 150 nationalities, issuing 6.5M+ cards, and enabling more than 500M transactions within our first year.

Speaker

Mohamed AlSabea

Chief of Staff & Chief Strategy Officer | barq

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 03:40 PM—04:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : From Oil to Ownership: Financial Literacy as the Cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Fintech Revolution

As Saudi Arabia races toward Vision 2030, a new kind of national wealth is taking shape, not in barrels, but in financial empowerment. With over 70% of the population under the age of 35, and growing access to digital banking, investments, and credit tools, financial literacy is no longer optional, it’s infrastructure.
This keynote explores how fintech is enabling a new generation of financially capable Saudis, and why startups, regulators, educators, and investors must embed financial literacy at the core of their business models.
From Sharia-compliant robo-advisors and gamified savings apps to buy-now-pay-later platforms with built-in budgeting tools, financial education is becoming both a social impact imperative and a business differentiator.

Key Takeaways:
• Why financial literacy is a strategic enabler of fintech growth in Saudi
• Understanding youth financial behaviors in a cashless, mobile-first context
• The role of banks, schools, fintechs, and influencers in driving behavior change
• Success stories: Platforms or initiatives making financial education accessible in Arabic and culturally relevant
• How embedded finance and open banking can personalize learning and reduce debt risk

Speakers

Tram Anh Nguyen

Co-founder | CFTE

Naif AbuSaida

Founder & CEO | HAKBAH

Abdullah Alandas

Founder & CEO | WADAIE

Turky Kabarah

Director of Fintech Enablement | Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)

3:45 PM

MoneyPot

Monday 15 September, 03:45 PM—04:20 PM (35 min)

Podcast : The Bank Tellers with Micky Tesfaye

The Bank Tellers Hosts: Scarlett Sieber, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Money 20/20 Global & Micky Tesfaye, Head of Audience Development, Money 20/20 Global

Speakers

Micky Tesfaye

Head of Audience Development | Money20/20

Veronique Steiner

Managing Director - Head of Innovation Economy for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) | J.P. Morgan

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 03:45 PM—04:10 PM (25 min)

In Conversation . . .

Speakers

Yazeed A. Alnafjan, CFA

Deputy Governor for Financial Innovation, Saudi Central Bank and Chairman of Fintech Saudi | Saudi Central Bank

Dr. Chris Brummer

Founder | Bluprynt

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 03:45 PM—04:00 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Digitally-Driven & Globally-Connected: The Future of Banking in Saudi Arabia

From advancing digital infrastructure and embedding AI in financial services to enabling cross-border trade and creating inclusive access to credit, Saudi banks are at the forefront of innovation. This session brings together leading bank C-suites to discuss how collaboration, competition, and regulatory alignment will shape a robust, future-ready financial sector for the Kingdom.

Speakers

Mohammed Alfraih

CEO -Acting | STC Bank

Leda Glyptis

Seasoned fintech executive, former banker and author 'Bankers like Us" | Beyond Resilience & Bankers like Us

3:50 PM

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 03:50 PM—04:00 PM (10 min)

Meet AIANA, our AI Co-Host!

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 03:50 PM—04:30 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Financial Inclusion: From Margins to Mainstream- Who's Investing in the Unbanked?

A candid exchange between investors and fintech founders on where capital is truly flowing and whether financial inclusion is still a priority or just a pitch.

Speakers

Amanda Estiverne-Colas

Board Member | The National Alliance for Financial Literacy and Inclusion

Mounir Nakhla

Founder & CEO | MNT-Halan

Kareem Abdel Aziz

Global Head, Digital Payments | IFC - International Finance Corporation

Hasan Haider

Founder & Managing Partner | Plus VC (+VC)

Seena Amidi

Managing Partner, EMEA | Plug and Play Tech Center

4:00 PM

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 04:00 PM—04:20 PM (20 min)

Regional Insights : Youth, Mobile & Money: Africa’s Billion- Dollar Fintech Opportunity

A Rapid-fire showcase on mobile penetration trends in the world’s most underutilised financial growth engine – the youth.

Speaker

Olugbenga Agboola

Co-founder & CEO | Flutterwave

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 04:00 PM—04:20 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with CEO of Zepz (WorldRemit and Sendwave): Reimagining Remittances: Fintech’s Role in Empowering the Global Diaspora

Global remittances are a lifeline for hundreds of millions, but they’re often slow, expensive, and opaque. Mark Lenhard, CEO of Zepz (WorldRemit / SendWave), shares how WorldRemit and Sendwave are redefining the cross-border money movement by combining digital-first models with regulatory finesse and deep localization.

This session will explore how fintech can reduce costs, improve speed, and build trust across borders, while serving the often-overlooked financial needs of migrants and their families. Attendees will gain insights into customer behavior across emerging markets, compliance innovation, and the evolving role of fintech in global development.

Speakers

Mark Lenhard

Group CEO | Zepz (WorldRemit/SendWave)

Fope Adelowo

Investor/ Board Member | Helios Investment Partners/ Thunes/ TPAY Mobile/ Paymob

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 04:00 PM—04:30 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Regulating Risk, Enabling Innovation: A Cross-Sector View from Banks, Markets, and Regulators

This session brings together perspectives from banking supervisors, capital market authorities, and regulatory innovators to examine how oversight must evolve in parallel with innovation. Are we prioritizing speed over resilience? How do we ensure cross-jurisdictional alignment without stifling progress? And can regulators collaborate across sectors to create a more cohesive, risk-aware innovation landscape?

Speakers

Eduard Muller

Former Executive Director, Financial Market Authority | Former Federal Minister of Finance of Austria, Government of Austria

H.E. Mr. Sou Socheat

Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Director General | Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia

Paul Kayrouz

Chief Fintech Officer | Central Bank of the UAE

Faisal G. Alshammari

Executive Director of Tech Strategy | Insurance Authority

Leda Glyptis

Seasoned fintech executive, former banker and author 'Bankers like Us" | Beyond Resilience & Bankers like Us

4:10 PM

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 04:10 PM—04:40 PM (30 min)

In Conversation ... : When Unicorn Backers Talk ‘OFF’ The Record, You Listen.

Call it raw, call it unfiltered, but don’t call it theory. Uncover the patterns, signals and bets that work.

Speakers

Faisal Kawar

Co-Founder and Managing Partner | FENA Holdings

Gareth Jones

Managing Partner | FinTech Collective

Basmah Alsinaidi

Managing partner | Impact46

4:20 PM

MoneyPot

Monday 15 September, 04:20 PM—05:00 PM (40 min)

Podcast : Breaking Banks Fintech Podcast

Breaking Banks Fintech Podcast

Host: Brett King

Guest:

Mohamed AlSabea - Chief of Staff Barq

Speakers

Brett King

Founder/ Board Member / Advisor | Moven / barq / Central Bank of the UAE

Mohamed AlSabea

Chief of Staff & Chief Strategy Officer | barq

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 04:20 PM—04:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Fintech & The Creator Economy

How Fintech is enabling independent creators, freelancers and influencers to thrive

Speakers

Rotimi Merriman-Johnson

UK Personal Finance Educator & Content Creator | Mr. MoneyJar

Sarah Hewerdine

Director of Marketing & Founder | She Builds Podcast

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 04:20 PM—04:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Code, Capital, and Confidence: Women at the Helm of AI and FinTech

As artificial intelligence and fintech converge to redefine how economies, institutions, and individuals engage with money, women leaders are driving critical shifts at the intersection of code, capital, and confidence. This fireside session shines a spotlight on female trailblazers who are breaking barriers in AI-driven financial innovation, building trusted ecosystems, pioneering new financing models, and shaping responsible technology governance.

The discussion will unpack how women executives are reshaping investment strategies, advancing inclusive AI, and embedding ethical frameworks into next-gen financial services. Beyond innovation, it will explore how confidence at the boardroom, policy, and community level, becomes a multiplier for scaling both trust and transformation.

Attendees will gain insight into the unique leadership approaches these women bring to global finance and technology, and the practical steps to foster greater representation in industries that shape the future of money.

Speakers

Saud Swar

Country Manager, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, and Other Levant | Mastercard

Amira Abdelaziz

Senior Advisor - Data Science and Analytics | Central Bank of Egypt

Tram Anh Nguyen

Co-founder | CFTE

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 04:20 PM—05:00 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Redesigning the Digital Customer Experience

This session will explore strategies for enhancing the digital experience in banking and government services, ensuring seamless, secure, and user-friendly interactions.
Experts will discuss key challenges, including accessibility, trust, and personalization, while showcasing innovative technologies that improve customer engagement.
We will gain insights into best practices for streamlining digital transformation, reducing friction in user journeys, and building a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem for citizens and customers alike.

Speakers

David M. Brear

Group CEO | 11:FS

Justin Grooms

President | Bolt Financial

Omar Ebeid

Founder & CEO | Zeal

Alina Timofeeva

Influence Board Member | BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

Mariam A. Alarfaj

Director, Payments Solutions Design | Saudi Central Bank

Faris Helmi

SMO Director | Najm

4:30 PM

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 04:30 PM—04:40 PM (10 min)

Live Demo : Cap Table to Capital Raise: Carta in Action

Join Carta’s Peji Kanani for a live, scenario-based demo showing how founders can navigate investor terms, equity dilution, and deal clarity all from a clean, dynamic cap table. See how Carta helps founders go from equity chaos to capital-ready in minutes. Whether you’re raising your seed round, Series A, or preparing for later-stage growth, this will be a powerful session to get capital-ready, fast.

Speaker

Peji Kanani

Regional Lead - Equity Management | CARTA

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 04:30 PM—04:50 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Banking on Impact

This isn’t just impact, it’s business. Influential voices in global finance and sustainability share how technology can deliver both commercial success and lasting social impact. Together, they’ll explore how fintech can scale solutions that empower communities, support the planet and drive measurable results for stakeholders

Speakers

Leiming Chen

Chief Sustainability Officer & Senior Vice President | Ant International & Ant Group

Sitoyo Lopokoiyit

CEO | M-Pesa Africa

Sasha Qadri

Journalist & Presenter | Presenter

4:40 PM

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 04:40 PM—05:00 PM (20 min)

Keynote

Speaker

Carlos Menendez

COO | dLocal

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 04:40 PM—05:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with Carlos Menendez, COO of DLocal: Pay Local, Lead Global: Reimagining Payment Systems for the Global South

As the global digital economy expands, questions of payment sovereignty, ensuring that people can transact in the local methods they trust, are becoming central to financial inclusion. In much of the Global South, where more than 80% of transactions rely on alternatives to credit cards, access to digital commerce depends on integrating local methods such as eWallets, bank transfers, and phone credits into the global system. The rise of stablecoins adds another layer, offering instant settlement for remittances and cross-border commerce, but also raising questions of sovereignty as governments maintain control over their own currencies. In this keynote, dLocal's COO will share how bridging global platforms with local realities is shaping the future of inclusive and resilient financial systems.

Speakers

Fope Adelowo

Investor/ Board Member | Helios Investment Partners/ Thunes/ TPAY Mobile/ Paymob

Carlos Menendez

COO | dLocal

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 04:40 PM—05:10 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Scaling Responsibly: Move Fast, But Don’t Break Everything

With the rise of cross market fintech players, this session explores what it takes to scale regionally: licensing, partnerships, localisation, and the shift toward fintech as a service

Speakers

Serena Sebastiani

Senior Director | PwC Middle East Virtual Assets Consulting Lead, Fintech, Assets & Wealth Management

Amith Rajan

Board Member and CEO | Mashreq and NeoVentures

Ibrahim Farag

Chief Products & Growth Officer | Enjaz

Philippe Vogeleer

Non-Executive | Sumitomo Corporation/ Verysell Group

The Capital

Monday 15 September, 04:40 PM—06:50 PM (2 h 10 min)

MoneySurge : MoneySurge Pitch Competition - Round 1

MoneySurge Round 1 - 15 bold founders. 3 minutes each. One shot to convince the judges their startup is the next big thing.

Be there to support our founders as they pitch their ideas to a panel of 3 top judges.

Don’t miss the energy, the ambition, and the startups that could change the future.

Speakers

Halah Al-Jubeir

Managing Director - Saudi Arabia (MENAP) | Antler

Kyane Kassiri

Partner | Rally Cap VC

Faisal Aftab

Founder & General Partner | Zayn VC

Mariam Zaidi

Anchor TRT World | Founder MZ Productions

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 04:40 PM—05:00 PM (20 min)

Google Pay & Google Wallet: Powering the Future of Payments in the Middle East

Discover how Google Pay and Google Wallet are revolutionizing the digital payment landscape in the Middle East. We'll delve into their features, benefits, and how they contribute to a more seamless and secure financial and digital experience for users in the region.

Speaker

Dmitry Stiran

Head of Payment Partnership, Middle East & Africa | GOOGLE

4:50 PM

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 04:50 PM—05:20 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : The Infrastructure Imperative: Building the Backbone of Future Finance

While consumer-facing fintech often dominates headlines, the future of finance will be defined by the technology enabling it behind the scenes. This session brings together senior leaders driving core modernization, cloud transformation and public-private infrastructure strategies, shining a light on the foundational systems powering resilience, scale and innovation across the financial ecosystem.

Speakers

Mark Lenhard

Group CEO | Zepz (WorldRemit/SendWave)

Mohammad Hassoobh

Acting CEO | Ejada

Majed Alotaibi

Chief Government Products Officer | elm

Leda Glyptis

Seasoned fintech executive, former banker and author 'Bankers like Us" | Beyond Resilience & Bankers like Us

5:00 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 05:00 PM—05:20 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : From Open Finance to Fair Finance: Rethinking Creditworthiness with Alternative Data

As financial institutions unlock richer data streams through open banking, a new frontier is emerging, one where alternative data sources redefine how we assess creditworthiness, personalise services, and empower underserved populations.
This session explores how open finance can go beyond traditional models to serve gig workers, informal entrepreneurs, and financially excluded individuals. Drawing from real-world use cases like inDrive.Money, which uses ride history, income patterns, and platform engagement instead of legacy credit scores, we’ll ask:

• Can open finance become the foundation for a fairer credit ecosystem?
• What alternative data signals can truly reflect risk and reliability?
• How can fintechs personalize offerings for users outside the formal banking sector?
• Is this the future of financial inclusion in emerging markets?

This is more than a conversation about technology, it’s about building systems that work for people the banks left behind.

Speakers

Mark Loughran

President and CFO | inDrive

Abdulla Almoayed

Founder and CEO | Tarabut

Simon Taylor

Founder | Fintech Brainfood/Global Digital Finance

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 05:00 PM—05:20 PM (20 min)

Panel Discussion : Fintech Without Borders: Forging a New Silk Road for Digital Finance

As economic and political ties strengthen between Central Asia and the Middle East, fintech is emerging as a strategic tool of integration. This session explores joint ventures, regulatory collaborations, and digital infrastructure projects that are paving the way for seamless cross-border payments, Islamic fintech, and sovereign investment strategies between the two regions.

Speakers

Sagar Shah

Co-founder | Family Office Ventures

Noor Sweid

Founder & Managing Partner | Global Ventures

Mohammed Aldossary

CEO | SILQFi

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 05:00 PM—05:20 PM (20 min)

Presentation : The Tokenized Future – Capital Markets & Digital Assets

How Tokenization is transforming securities, real estate and alternative assets.

Speaker

Mo Ali Yusuf

CEO & Founder | Fuze Finance

5:10 PM

MoneyPot

Monday 15 September, 05:10 PM—05:40 PM (30 min)

Podcast : Making Sense by J.P. Morgan

Making Sense by J.P. Morgan: How the Middle East is Shaping the Future of Payments with Lori Schwartz and Veronique Steiner

Speakers

Lori Schwartz

Global Head of Treasury Services, Payments | J.P. Morgan

Veronique Steiner

Managing Director - Head of Innovation Economy for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) | J.P. Morgan

Off The Record

Monday 15 September, 05:10 PM—06:10 PM (1 h)

Networking : Global Women in AI, an initiative by CFTE – Networking Session

5:20 PM

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 05:20 PM—05:40 PM (20 min)

Presentation : AI Meets Compliance: From Innovation Risk to Responsible Deployment

This session will shine a light on safely deploying AI in regulated financial institutions and how AI can be governed in a way that aligns with regulatory expectations without slowing innovation.

Speaker

Dimitri Masin

Co-Founder and CEO | Gradient Labs

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 05:20 PM—05:40 PM (20 min)

Keynote : The Age of Agentic Commerce

You now have a personal shopper, except it's not a person, it's AI. Today, Perplexity and ChatGPT can research products, find you the best price, go to the website to select the items, and buy on your behalf. What was a search, plus shopping cart plus checkout is now a single conversation. This changes everything about how we secure payments online, who wins and who loses.

Speaker

Simon Taylor

Founder | Fintech Brainfood/Global Digital Finance

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 05:20 PM—06:10 PM (50 min)

Panel Discussion : Boosting Financial Access for SMEs in Emerging Markets Across Asia, Africa and the GCC

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of emerging economies, yet they remain significantly underserved by traditional financial systems. This panel explores how fintech innovation, from alternative lending models and digital banking to embedded finance and mobile-first platforms, is closing the credit gap and unlocking growth opportunities for SMEs across Asia, Africa, and the GCC.

Experts will share regional success stories, explore scalable fintech solutions, and debate how regulation, infrastructure, and investor appetite can further enable inclusive SME finance.

Speakers

Samrah Kazmi

Professor | New York Professor

Kai Wu

Chief Revenue Officer | Airwallex

Hani Ibrahim

Chief Investment Officer | Lendable

Jayesh Patel

CEO | Wio Bank

Sultan F. Alharthi

General Director, NBFIs Licensing | Saudi Central Bank

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 05:20 PM—05:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : The Role of Venture Capital in Shaping the Fintech Sector in Saudi Arabia

Venture capital has been central to the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector, driving innovation, enabling startups to scale, and supporting financial inclusion. By aligning with national priorities around digital transformation and economic diversification, VC investment continues to shape the future growth of fintech in the Kingdom.

Speakers

H.E. Dr. Nabeel Koshak

CEO and Board Member | SVC

Mukund Bhatnagar

Partner & Global Lead, Financial Institutions | Kearney

5:40 PM

The Pulse

Monday 15 September, 05:40 PM—06:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : From Telco to Fintech Powerhouse

Uncover insights on how super apps, loyalty ecosystems and personalized financial journeys are reinventing mobile money at scale.

Speakers

Melike Kara Tanrikulu

CEO | e&Money

Sarah Hewerdine

Director of Marketing & Founder | She Builds Podcast

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 05:40 PM—06:10 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Influencers, Trust & Fintech: Where Content Meets Capital: Where the Creator Economy Meets Fintech

• The growing influence of financial influencers on spending, saving habits and consumer financial behaviours.

• Navigating compliance while building engaging finance content.

• How fintechs can ethically collaborate with creators for scale.

• Examining the role of personal branding in financial decision-making.

• How community-driven content is reshaping user engagement with financial products.

• What fintechs can learn from creator-led membership models and platforms like Patreon, Discord, or Substack.

• Trust, decentralization, and the evolution of financial advice through digital tribe.

Speakers

Aydan Al-Saad

Influencer | Creator of “What’s Your Salary?” Series

Rotimi Merriman-Johnson

UK Personal Finance Educator & Content Creator | Mr. MoneyJar

Elliott Gotkine

TV news correspondent | TV news correspondent

Gabriel Nussbaum

Influencer, Financial educator and content creator | “That Money Guy”

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 05:40 PM—06:10 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : The New Investment Thesis for Fintech in a Risk-Off World

This panel will bring together top fintech investors to discuss how they’re assessing deals in a high-rate, risk-off climate with real-world perspective on what investors are looking for in fintech plays today.

Speakers

Charles-Henry Monchau

Chief Investment Officer - Member of Executive Committee | Syz Group

Mohammed Almeshekah

Founder & General Partner | Outliers

Waleed Alballaa

Managing Partner | Sukna Ventures

Mohamed Amine Merah

Managing Partner & CEO | BIM Ventures

Adel Alateeq

Cofounder & CEO | Awaed Capital

Margaret OConnor

Chairperson | Launch Africa Ventures

6:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Monday 15 September, 06:10 PM—06:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Embedded Finance Unleashed: How Non-Financial Innovators and Financial Disruptors are Expanding Fintech’s Retail Frontier

In this session we will explore how embedded finance is revolutionizing retail experiences (e.g. BNPL, in payment apps).
We will also look at the function of APIs and partnerships in facilitating seamless financial services within retail ecosystems.

Speakers

Mazen AlDarrab

Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer | Zid

Nader Abdelrazik

Founder & CEO | MoneyHash

Zuhursho Rahmatulloev

Co-founder/ Co-founder & CEO | Alif Uzbekistan/ Ayan/ AlifX

Omar Saleh

Co-Founder & Khazna Group CEO | Khazna

Mohammed K. Omar

Director, Payment Market Development | Saudi Central Bank

Steve Suarez

CEO | HorizonX

Executive Summit

Monday 15 September, 06:10 PM—06:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : The Next Generation of Consumer Finance – Born in Retail, Built for Real Life

As digital financial services move closer to daily commerce, this session will unpack the convergence of payments, credit and lifestyle in neobanking models that are embedded, adaptive and regional by design. What will differentiate the next wave of digital banks?

Speakers

Hosam Arab

Co-Founder & CEO | Tabby Financing Company JSC

Saeeda Jaffar

Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region | Visa

Arjun Vir Singh

Partner | Arthur D. Little

The Bridge

Monday 15 September, 06:10 PM—06:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Banking Without Borders: How Embedded Finance is Rewiring Access in Emerging Markets

Embedded finance is revolutionising how financial services are delivered, no longer confined to banks, but seamlessly integrated into e-commerce, agriculture, ride-hailing, logistics, and more. In this fireside chat, we unpack how startups and platforms across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are embedding credit, insurance, payments, and investment products into everyday experiences. From smallholder farmers accessing micro-loans via agri-apps to gig workers securing insurance through delivery platforms, this session explores the infrastructure powering it, the regulatory tightrope, and what it means for traditional banks.

Talking Points:

• The API economy and the invisible banking revolution
• What embedded finance means for financial inclusion at scale
• How regulators in emerging markets are reacting (or not)
• Case studies from fintechs, super apps, and platforms building embedded ecosystems
• The future: Will every business become a fintech?

Speakers

Ashar Nazim

Group CEO | Aion

Ramana Kumar

CEO- Middle East | Paytm

Azamat Sultanov

Co-founder & Chairman/ Board Member | GoCab/ Alif Bank

Ahmad Al-Zaini

Co-Founder and CEO | Foodics

Gulanor Atobek

CEO of Alif Bank - Tajikistan | Alif Bank

Hashim Nabulsi

CEO | Ai966

Day 2

11:45 AM

MoneyPot

Tuesday 16 September, 11:45 AM—12:25 PM (40 min)

Podcast : Banking Transformed with Jim Marous

Banking Transformed with Jim Marous Guest: Ronit Ghose, Global Head, Future of Finance, Citi Group

Speakers

Jim Marous

Co-Publisher, The Financial Brand Owner/CEO | Digital Banking Report Host, Banking Transformed Podcast #1 Banking Influencer

Ronit Ghose

Global Head, Future of Finance | Citi Group

12:00 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 12:00 PM—07:00 PM (7 h)

Live Stream : Livestream Executive Summit Stage - Day 2

12:05 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 12:05 PM—12:20 PM (15 min)

Announcements

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 12:05 PM—12:25 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Digital Trust at Scale: Building the Next Generation of Consumer Finance in Saudi Arabia

The future of money is being written at the intersection of technology infrastructure and public–private digital innovation. From secure national identity systems and open banking rails to cloud-native infrastructure and AI-powered insights, the building blocks of tomorrow’s financial services must be both personalized and trusted at scale.

This session brings together:

Elm, the Saudi digital solutions leader powering national e-services, identity, and open banking integration.
Dell Technologies, providing the AI-driven, cloud-native infrastructure that enables financial services to scale securely and efficiently.

Together, they will explore how digital identity, secure infrastructure, and public–private collaboration are converging to create a financial ecosystem where trust, compliance, and convenience become the foundation of long-term consumer confidence.

Key Discussion Areas:

From Identity to Transactions: How secure national digital identity frameworks (Elm) are enabling trust in consumer financial journeys.
Infrastructure Behind Personalization: Why scalable cloud + AI systems (Dell) are critical for powering next-gen finance.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: How public institutions and global tech providers can co-create future-ready financial ecosystems.
Trust at the Core: Balancing innovation, security, and compliance to deliver financial experiences that consumers adopt, and keep.

Speakers

Abdulaziz Altukhais

Director • Mobility and B2B Horizontal | elm

Abdulrahman Al Soumali

FSI Sales Director | Dell

Jan Malas

Principal | AT Kearney Saudia Arabia Limited

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 12:05 PM—12:45 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Vision, Regional Lens: Next Big Bets on MENA Fintech

Leading MENA Vc’s investments join pioneering founders from global scaleups to dissect the region's unprecedented growth trajectory, exploring how regulatory innovation, demographic advantages, and digital banking potential are transforming MENA into fintech's most compelling new frontier.

Speakers

Jean Abillama

Founder & CEO | Abillama Group LLC

Rana Abdel Latif

Partner | SpeedInvest

Shane Shin

Founding Partner | Shorooq

Walid Hassouna

Founder | valU

Gautam Jain

Operating Member | SC Ventures Holdings Limited (Registered No.: 17651), Branch of a Foreign Company

Salah Hamawi

Partner | Kearney

12:20 PM

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 12:20 PM—12:35 PM (15 min)

Keynote : GCC-Nigeria Partnership: Shaping New Growth Pathway

Speaker

Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite

Minister of State for Finance | Federal Republic of Nigeria

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 12:20 PM—12:35 PM (15 min)

Keynote : Evolution of Payment Systems in Saudi Arabia

Enabling a Competitive and Inclusive Financial Ecosystem

Speaker

MAHA ALGHAMDI

Media Team Lead | SAUDI CENTRAL BANK (SAMA)

12:25 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 12:25 PM—01:00 PM (35 min)

Deep Dive : Exploring the Role of Biometrics in Shaping Next-Gen Payments

We will be assessing the transformative impact of biometric authentication technologies on retail payments, emphasizing their role in delivering enhanced security and unparalleled convenience. We will also explore the concerns of balancing the need for privacy with the adoption of biometric technologies.

Speakers

Nikolai Suhharnikov

Head of Technical Pre-Sales | SUMSUB / RARITEX TRADE LTD

Philip Glickman

Managing Director International Markets | In-Solutions Global

Samrah Kazmi

Professor | New York Professor

Saad S. Aldawood

Director, Payments Business Relationship Management | Saudi Central Bank

Mahmoud Mohammed Abbar

IT Director | Abdul Latif Jameel Finance

12:35 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 12:35 PM—12:50 PM (15 min)

Keynote : Keynote

Speaker

Chris Stephens

Field CTO | Groq

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 12:35 PM—12:55 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Capital Markets 2.0: Building Resilient & Inclusive Markets in Emerging Economies

This session would explore how emerging economies are developing modern capital markets to support inclusive economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development.

Speakers

H.E. Mr. Sou Socheat

Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Director General | Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia

Petr Stransky

Founding Partner | IDAP Global

DG, Dr. Emomotimi Agama

Director General | Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

12:45 PM

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 12:45 PM—01:05 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Sandbox to Scale with Regulators

Explore how regulatory sandboxes and collaborative partnerships propel fintech startups from concept to scale in MENA’s dynamic ecosystem.

Speakers

Meshari A. Alkheraigi

Director of Regulatory Sandbox | Saudi Central Bank

Sara Bin Seaidan

Manager-FinTech Experiment Unit | Capital Market Authority

Moneerah AlSaber

Programs Manager | Fintech Saudi

12:50 PM

MoneyPot

Tuesday 16 September, 12:50 PM—01:35 PM (45 min)

Podcast : Paymentology’s The Issuer Academy

Paymentology’s The Issuer Academy.

Host: Merusha Naidu with Birce Arslan, VP, Fintech & Enablers, EEMA, Mastercard

Speakers

Birce Arslan

Vice President, Business Development | Mastercard

Jeff Parker

CEO | Paymentology Ltd

Merusha Naidu

Global Head of Network Partnerships | Paymentology Ltd

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 12:50 PM—01:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Modernizing the Payments Infrastructure: A Blueprint for a Sustainable Payment Ecosystem

Speakers

Abdulaziz S. Abanmi

Deputy Governor for Payments | Saudi Central Bank

Ronit Ghose

Global Head, Future of Finance | Citi Group

12:55 PM

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 12:55 PM—01:35 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Unlocking Africa’s $3 Trillion Economy: The Role of Fintech in Regional Development

Africa’s economy is valued at over $3 trillion, yet much of its financial potential remains untapped due to fragmented infrastructure, regulatory divergence, and limited regional interoperability. Fintech is rewriting this narrative. From powering cross-border payments under the AfCFTA framework to enabling pan-African lending, savings, and digital identity solutions, fintech is central to unlocking inclusive growth.

This session dives deep into how financial technology is breaking down borders, enhancing regional liquidity, and enabling scalable models for MSMEs, diaspora remittances, and institutional capital flows. Experts will explore the next wave of infrastructure investments, digital currency pilots, regulatory harmonization, and public-private partnerships driving Africa’s financial future.

Key Themes:
• The future of pan-African payment networks (PAPSS, mVISA, etc.)
• AfCFTA, fintech passports, and harmonised regulation
• Real-time cross-border settlements and CBDCs
• Fintech’s role in mobilizing diaspora remittances and sovereign investments
• Regulatory innovations from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Morocco

Speakers

Thami Nkadimeng

Founder, CEO, Host & MC | Thami Nkadimeng Group

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi

Director General | National Information Technology Development Agency, Government of Nigeria

Amandine Lobelle

Chief Operating Officer | Paystack

Wale Ayeni

Managing Partner | Helios Investment Partners

Nicolai Eddy

Co-founder & COO | Nala/ RAFIKI

1:00 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 01:00 PM—01:15 PM (15 min)

Keynote : SpaceX Lessons for Banking

In an era where SpaceX’s rapid innovation, fearless risk-taking, and relentless pursuit of reinvention have upended the aerospace industry, most banks remain trapped in Boeing-style legacy thinking – slow, risk-averse, and rigidly hierarchical.

This keynote combines insights from Clayton Christensen’s theory of disruptive transformation with vivid, real-world case studies from within and outside the banking industry.

Discover why relying on yesterday’s playbook is the surest way to stall your bank’s future. Discover how adopting a SpaceX mindset – one that embraces radical iteration, calculated risks, and cross-functional speed – can break the gravitational pull of tradition.

Will your bank soar or get left behind as the financial industry enters its competitive space race? This keynote will compel you to challenge your assumptions and rethink what it takes to lead in a world where innovation is rewarded and hesitation is punished.

Speaker

Jim Marous

Co-Publisher, The Financial Brand Owner/CEO | Digital Banking Report Host, Banking Transformed Podcast #1 Banking Influencer

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 01:00 PM—01:20 PM (20 min)

Keynote : The World of 2050. How AI, Quantum and Climate will Reshape Humanity

Speaker

Brett King

Founder/ Board Member / Advisor | Moven / barq / Central Bank of the UAE

1:05 PM

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 01:05 PM—01:40 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : In the Room: The Conversations That Made the Unicorn

Behind every billion-dollar valuation is a handful of pivotal conversations, the ones that never make it into press releases.
This session pulls back the curtain on those moments: the investor call that changed everything, the co-founder clash that nearly broke the roadmap, the term sheet that didn’t feel right and more.

Speakers

Idris Ayodeji Bello

Managing Partner | LoftyInc Capital

Stefan Klestil

General Partner | Speedinvest

Ashraf Sabry

Co-founder & CEO | Fawry

Omair Ansari

CEO & Co-founder | ABHI

Sonia Gokhale

Co-Founder & General Partner | VentureSouq

1:10 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 01:10 PM—01:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Open Banking Without Borders: Global Lessons, Regional Leadership

Draw insights from global Open Banking journeys while exploring how Saudi Arabia can lead in building a scalable, secure and inclusive Open Banking ecosystem

Speakers

Colin Payne

Head of Innovation | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Lori Schwartz

Global Head of Treasury Services, Payments | J.P. Morgan

Bassam Suliman AlEidy

CEO | Enjaz Payments

Mohsen A. Alzahrani

General Director, Innovation Programs | SAMA

Racha Ghamlouch

Co-founder | Digital Digest

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 01:10 PM—01:30 PM (20 min)

Panel Discussion : Preparing for the Next Wave of Innovation in Saudi Finance

As Saudi Arabia accelerates toward Vision 2030, its financial ecosystem is being reshaped by open banking, AI, and cross border fintech activity. This conversation explores how regulators, banks, and innovators can prepare for the next generation of financial regulations whilst balancing innovation, trust, competition, and stability.

Speakers

Karim Samakie

Senior Advisor | Fintech Saudi

Ahmed Mirghani

Partner | BIM Ventures

Amal DOKHAN

Managing Partner | 500 Global

1:15 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 01:15 PM—01:30 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Building the AI Bank of the Future in Emerging and Frontier Markets

As the continued development of AI transforms industries across the globe, financial services are no exception.

Off‑the‑shelf AI solutions often fail to address the realities and complexities of emerging and frontier markets. To thrive in their own environment, local innovators are building proprietary strategies - many of which are setting new benchmarks for what AI‑driven banking can achieve.

Oliver Hughes, Chairman of TBC Uzbekistan, offers a powerful blueprint. TBC has rapidly transformed into Central Asia’s leading digital banking ecosystem, scaling fast and profitably, and pushing the boundaries of what a fully digital banking model can achieve.

TBC’s growth is accelerated by Uzbekistan’s fast-evolving financial infrastructure, where advanced open banking and a data-rich environment create fertile ground for innovation. Building on this foundation - and supported by a deep pool of local and international tech talent - Oliver and his team are actively transforming TBC into the AI Bank of the Future. Their approach illustrates how emerging‑market banks can move beyond off‑the‑shelf solutions, improving models with local data to set new benchmarks in digital banking.

Speakers

Oliver Hughes

Chairman, TBC Uzbekistan/ Board Member | TBC Bank Group PLC/ Tabby

Ronit Ghose

Global Head, Future of Finance | Citi Group

1:20 PM

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 01:20 PM—01:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : The Gulf Strategy: Regulation as a Catalyst, not a Constraint

The future of fintech belongs to regions bold enough to modernize their regulatory playbook. This session will share how progressive policy, sandboxing and strategic openness are enabling fintech to thrive in the Middle East while ensuring trust, resilience and long-term growth.

Speakers

Omar Kandil

Head of MENA Public Policy | Stripe

Maha Alsaadi

Head of Regulatory Affairs | Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority

1:30 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 01:30 PM—02:10 PM (40 min)

Deep Dive : Are Digital Assets Fundamentally Transforming the Ecosystem of Financial Markets?

Digital assets are challenging the foundations of traditional finance, from tokenized securities and CBDCs to blockchain and DeFi. This panel explores whether these innovations are truly reshaping global financial markets or simply evolving within existing frameworks. Experts will debate the future of asset ownership, market access, and the role of regulation as digital assets move from the periphery to the core of financial ecosystems.

Speakers

Hon. Caroline D. Pham

Acting Chairman | U.S Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Federal Government of United States

Nicole Valentine

FinTech Director in the Center for Financial Markets | Milken Institute

DG, Dr. Emomotimi Agama

Director General | Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Yazeed A. Alnafjan, CFA

Deputy Governor for Financial Innovation, Saudi Central Bank and Chairman of Fintech Saudi | Saudi Central Bank

Paul Kayrouz

Chief Fintech Officer | Central Bank of the UAE

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 01:30 PM—02:00 PM (30 min)

In Conversation ... : Not If, But When: Getting Ready for the Saudi Market

With fintech adoption surging and regulatory support accelerating, Saudi Arabia has become one of the world’s most dynamic markets for scaling financial innovation. But how do you know when the timing is right and how can international players position themselves for success?

Speakers

Somi Arian

CEO | InPeak Time

Gregor Dobbie

CEO | Paydock

1:35 PM

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 01:35 PM—01:50 PM (15 min)

Keynote : A CEO’s Story: Hyper‑Local Execution, Global Ambition – Scaling Yuno’s Payment Orchestration Across Continents

This session highlights how a mobile‑money platform combined hyper‑local execution with global ambition.
This talk would detail how Yuno tailors its platform to local payment cultures while pursuing a worldwide vision. We will delve into how Yuno localizes checkout flows, compliance and UX for each market, yet maintains a single orchestration layer, enabling merchants to expand across Latin America, the Gulf and Asia without changing providers.
We will also learn how this strategy unlocked inclusive finance at scale and lessons in localisation, regulation and scaling in diverse markets.

Speaker

Juan Pablo Ortega

Co-founder & CEO/ Co-founder | Yuno/ Rappi

1:40 PM

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 01:40 PM—02:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Ambitious IPOs and the CFO Crisis

Join this refined fireside chat with a distinguished CFO who’s tackled the public market journey. Uncover how to bridge the CFO leadership gap, from cap table precision to compliance mastery.

Speakers

Arjun Vir Singh

Partner | Arthur D. Little

Youssef Salem

Board Member | Enersol

Ish Fatani

Chief Financial officer | Tahaluf

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 01:40 PM—02:00 PM (20 min)

Live Demo : Designing Finance You Can Feel

In a world obsessed with tech, human touch still matters. Hear first-hand from visionaries creating hybrid user experiences that build trust, drive loyalty and feel truly personal.

Speaker

David Barton-Grimley

Director of Strategy | 11:FS

1:50 PM

MoneyPot

Tuesday 16 September, 01:50 PM—02:40 PM (50 min)

Podcast : Everything is Fintech

Everything is Fintech Hosts: Scarlett Sieber, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Money 20/20 Global & Micky Tesfaye, Head of Audience Development, Money 20/20 Global

Speakers

Andries Smit

Chief Growth Business/ New Venturesn Lead | InDrive

Scarlett Sieber

Chief Strategy & Growth Officer | Money2020 Global

Micky Tesfaye

Head of Audience Development | Money20/20

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 01:50 PM—02:20 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : From Awareness to Access: Building Financial Literacy as Core Infrastructure for Emerging Economies

Financial literacy is no longer just a social initiative; it is critical economic infrastructure. In emerging markets across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, the adoption of digital wallets, real-time payment systems, and fintech innovations often outpaces public understanding. Without trust and education, even the most advanced rails risk underutilization.
This panel explores how public-private partnerships are scaling financial education to unlock economic participation and accelerate fintech adoption. By combining the reach of governments, development institutions, and regulators with the engagement power of financial educators and digital creators, literacy can become the foundation for inclusion, trust, and long-term economic growth.
Key Discussion Points:
• Financial Literacy as Infrastructure: How embedding literacy in national strategies supports remittance flows, savings, and digital payments adoption.
• Public-Private Collaboration Models: Case studies of how creator networks, fintechs, and regulators can co-deploy scalable education initiatives.
• Trust Ecosystems in Emerging Markets: Why education, storytelling, and social media engagement are essential to onboard the unbanked.
• From Awareness to Usage: Translating knowledge into active participation in digital finance and formal economies.

Speakers

Tram Anh Nguyen

Co-founder | CFTE

Gabriel Nussbaum

Influencer, Financial educator and content creator | “That Money Guy”

Tunji Andrews

CEO | Awabah / PenPay

Dr. Hajar El Haddaoui

Director General | Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 01:50 PM—02:05 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Post-IPO Playbook: Scaling Wealth Management for the Next Generation

A must-hear for fintech founders, investors, and capital market leaders navigating scale. This session explores how a leading firm is leveraging its public platform to innovate wealthtech in Saudi Arabia. From retail investor tools to AI-driven portfolio strategies, what’s next in the democratization of investing across the region?

Speakers

Mohammed AlShammasi

Chief Executive Officer | Derayah Financial

Yoshi Yokokawa

Co-founder & CEO | Alpaca

2:00 PM

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 02:00 PM—02:20 PM (20 min)

Presentation : From Embedded to Everywhere - A New Era of B2B Payments

Sharing insights on how embedded finance is revolutionizing global transactions and the intricates of powering an extensive network across 100s of countries.

Speaker

Vijay Rao

SVP, Head of APAC | TransferMate Global Payments

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 02:00 PM—02:40 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Cross-Border Payments & Investment - The Future of Fintech Capital Flow

Exploring fintech investment trends and how global capital is fueling the expansion of cross-border payments platforms between MENA and international markets.

Speakers

Monica Brand Engel

Co-founder & Managing Partner | Quona Capital

Rinat Ablet

Chief Revenue Officer | Tiqmo

Ashish Aggarwal

Partner | PayPal Ventures

Michele Mattei

Fintech expert | Private investor

Umer Sharif

Investment Director | Joa Capital

2:05 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 02:05 PM—02:25 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : A Bank’s Role in Enabling Growth of Small & Medium Sized Businesses

Small and medium-sized businesses remain the backbone of economic growth across the Middle East, yet many still face barriers to financing, digital adoption and market expansion. In this fireside chat, leaders explore how financial institutions are evolving from lenders into strategic growth partners. From embedded payment solutions to tailored credit and data-driven insights, the discussion will uncover how collaborative innovation is unlocking new opportunities for the region’s most dynamic enterprises.

Speakers

Jayesh Patel

CEO | Wio Bank

Onur Kursun

Executive Vice President, Commercial and New Payment Flows, East Europe, Middle East & Africa | Mastercard

Kriti Jain

APAC Head of Fintech, Platform & Digital Economy Cash Solutions & APAC Head of Fintech | Deutsche Bank

2:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 02:10 PM—02:20 PM (10 min)

Keynote : The Next Frontier of Digital Banking: From Platforms to Ecosystems

Speaker

Eze Szafir

CEO | D360

2:20 PM

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 02:20 PM—02:40 PM (20 min)

Regional Insights : Killing the OTP and the path to Passwordless

Social engineering, the dark web and AI powered fraud have flipped the script. Practical and effective tools banks, payment apps and regulators are turning to.

Speaker

Toby Rush

CEO | Ideem

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 02:20 PM—02:40 PM (20 min)

Keynote : A CEO's Story: Borderless Ambition: Scaling Financial Inclusion from Africa to the Gulf

Airtel Money is rewriting the rules of financial inclusion. With over 45 million customers across 14 African countries, it is one of the world’s most expansive mobile money platforms, offering not just digital wallets but a full suite of payments, credit, savings, and merchant services.

In this keynote, Ian Ferrao, CEO of Airtel Money (part of Airtel Africa PLC), shares an inside look at how a mobile-first fintech strategy is unlocking economic empowerment at unprecedented scale.

With strategic backing from investors like the Qatar Investment Authority and Lunate (Abu Dhabi), Airtel Money is creating a new playbook for fintech: one that’s hyper-local in execution, yet global in ambition.

Key Themes

• Inclusive Finance at Scale: How Airtel Money is leveraging mobile infrastructure to reach millions traditionally excluded from formal finance.

• Building Across Borders: Lessons in localization, regulation, and scaling financial ecosystems in diverse, high-growth markets.

• The Future of Mobile Money: From simple wallets to integrated financial platforms powering everyday life.

Why It Matters

With Africa at the forefront of fintech innovation, this session offers critical insights into how technology, capital, and leadership are converging to shape a truly borderless financial future, one that can serve as a model for emerging markets around the world.

Speaker

Johnson Kunju

Entourage | Ian Ferrao

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 02:20 PM—02:35 PM (15 min)

Presentation : Winning Cross-Border Payments with Payment Orchestration

Cross-border payments are broken. High decline rates, inflated processing costs, and fragmented local preferences are hurting global businesses, especially in emerging markets. In this session, Nakul & Arun from Juspay will break down how businesses can leverage Payment Orchestration to optimize authorization rates, reduce costs across borders and localize the payment flows. Whether you're scaling in MENA or globally, this session will offer actionable insights on how modern payment orchestration can transform cross-border performance into a growth advantage.

Speakers

Arun Baskaran

Product Lead for APAC & Middle East | Juspay Global Pte Ltd

Nakul Kothari

Head of APAC & Middle East | Juspay

2:25 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 02:25 PM—02:40 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Building Secure Digital Economies

This session explores how leaders are enabling wallet-to-wallet interoperability and bridging fragmented payment systems to create seamless, cross-border financial experiences. From infrastructure to policy, discover the strategies powering a more stable and inclusive global payment network.

Speakers

Wenhui Yang

CEO, Tenpay Global (Singapore) | Tencent

Scarlett Sieber

Chief Strategy & Growth Officer | Money2020 Global

2:35 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 02:35 PM—03:15 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Are we there yet? The Advancement of Digital Wallets

• In this session we will explore the rapid growth in the adoption of digital wallets and how they are becoming the central hub for consumer finance and retail.
• This panel brings together executives from leading digital wallet providers to discuss the current landscape, innovative strategies, and the future implications for consumers and the financial industry.

Speakers

Mario Nobile

Director General | Agency for Digital Italy, Government of Italy

Ahson Saeed

Managing Director | TPS Arabia

Elliott Gotkine

TV news correspondent | TV news correspondent

Khalid A. Alqusmul

Director, Payments Product Development & Management | Saudi Central Bank

Turki Mohammed Almukirin

CEO | Alinma Pay

Brett King

Founder/ Board Member / Advisor | Moven / barq / Central Bank of the UAE

2:40 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 02:40 PM—03:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : The Next Chapter for Capital Markets Infrastructure

From tokenized assets to real-time settlement, capital markets infrastructure is seeing global disruption. Hear from market operators, regulators, and fintechs building faster, smarter, more resilient systems.

Speakers

Arjun Vir Singh

Partner | Arthur D. Little

Yazeed AlDomaiji

CEO | Wamid

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 02:40 PM—03:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Rethinking Resilience in Modern Payment Systems

This discussion explores the invisible fragility of global payment infrastructure, why redundancy isn’t resilience, and how institutions must evolve.

Speakers

David Birch

Global Ambassador | Consult Hyperion

Lionel Grosclaude

CEO | Fime

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 02:40 PM—03:20 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Beyond the Balance Sheet: Private Credit and the Future of Asset-Backed Finance in MENA

As MENA's capital markets mature, a quiet revolution is reshaping the region’s lending landscape. This session explores the convergence of two powerful forces: the rise of private credit and the evolution of asset-backed financing including credit externalization.

Speakers

Fares Bardeesi

Board Member & CEO | Sukna Capital

Omar Alireza

Vice President - Private Credit | Merak Capital

Jesus Rio Cortes

Partner | Apollo Management

Andrei Ugarov

Managing Director Credit Advisory | Impact46

Armineh Baghoomian

Managing Director | Partners for Growth

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 02:40 PM—03:30 PM (50 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Exchange: Banking on Innovation: Powering Inclusive Growth in Emerging Economies

This dynamic panel explores how next-generation digital payment platforms and financial technologies are accelerating financial inclusion and economic empowerment across emerging markets. From Africa’s M-Pesa and Nigeria’s Heir Technologies to Brazil’s Pix, UAE’s Botim and Singapore’s PayerMax, we’ll unpack the real-world impact of innovations reshaping retail finance, business banking, and micro-finance.

Our speakers will spotlight the infrastructure and regulatory frameworks enabling this transformation - from secure connectivity and digital identity to data governance and cross-border capabilities. With insights from the leaders driving these shifts, the discussion will highlight what’s next for fintech in the Global South and how digital ecosystems can fuel sustainable growth at scale.

Speakers

Sanjiv Purushotham

Founder & CEO | Bridge Solutions

Glauber Mota

CEO - Brazil | Revolut

Obong Idiong

CEO | Heirs Technologies

Sitoyo Lopokoiyit

CEO | M-Pesa Africa

Essay Zhu

COO & Partner | PayerMax

2:45 PM

MoneyPot

Tuesday 16 September, 02:45 PM—03:45 PM (1 h)

Podcast : Fintech Insider

Host: David Barton Grimley, Fintech Strategy Director, 11:FS Group The Future of Underwriting: Where Consumers, SMEs & Data Collide Guests: Salman Akhtar, CEO, Adalfi Walid Hassouna, CEO, ValU Abdulla Almoayed, CEO, Tarabut

Speakers

David Barton-Grimley

Director of Strategy | 11:FS

Salman Akhtar

CEO | Adalfi

Walid Hassouna

Founder | valU

Abdulla Almoayed

Founder and CEO | Tarabut

3:00 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 03:00 PM—03:40 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : The Next Decade of Middle East Fintech

With insights from visionary leaders, this session will uncover how financial innovation continues to drive economic growth on a global scale while shining a light on AI, Quantum computing and embedded finance and their potential impact on the future of finance.

Speakers

Abdullah Alibrahim

CEO | Neoleap

Abdulaziz Al Jouf

Founder & CEO | PayTabs Group

Melike Kara Tanrikulu

CEO | e&Money

Naif AbuSaida

Founder & CEO | HAKBAH

Zeeshan Khwaja

Partner | Kearney

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 03:00 PM—03:20 PM (20 min)

Regional Insights : Learnings from UK & US Policy

Does slow and steady win the race? This session will reflect on pivotal industry moments with best practices navigating the complex intersection of innovation, regulation, and compliance.

Speaker

Nilixa Devlukia

CEO | Payments Solved

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 03:00 PM—03:30 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Who’s Policing the Machines? AI, Ethics, and Fintech

Behind the hype of AI in fintech lies a harder question: who sets the rules when algorithms start making decisions that move money and shape markets? Expect unfiltered perspectives on whether regulation can keep pace with technology or if we’re already letting the machines run.

Speakers

Douglas Arner

Associate Director - Research Programmes, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance | Cambridge University & University of Hong Kong

Amin Manji

Senior Executive Vice President/Group Chief Information Technology Officer | National Bank of Pakistan

Ali Raza

Program Manager | Saudi Arabia

3:15 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 03:15 PM—03:55 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Idea Xchange: Retail 4.0: Intelligence, Access & the New Loyalty - How AI, Open Banking, and Embedded Payments Are Transforming Commerce

The convergence of AI, open banking, and intelligent payments is redefining retail engagement, especially in emerging markets where digital-first consumers are leapfrogging traditional banking and loyalty structures.

This session explores how AI-driven personalization, real-time payment insights, and open banking APIs are creating richer, more dynamic commerce journeys, where every transaction is also a data point, and every customer interaction is an opportunity to build trust and tailor value.

Panelists will unpack how open banking is enabling retailers and fintechs to access real-time financial insights, powering hyper-personalized recommendations, smarter credit decisions, and new forms of loyalty that are predictive, not just reactive.

We’ll also examine the ethical and regulatory implications of using personal financial data in AI-driven retail ecosystems, with lessons from Africa, GCC, and Asia’s digital-native markets.

Key Themes:

• Real-time personalization through AI + payment + banking data.
• Loyalty 2.0: From reward points to predictive behavioural loyalty models
• Open banking APIs powering tailored retail offers and financing
• Embedded finance: BNPL, microloans, and insurance within the checkout flow
• Ethics & algorithmic accountability in personalized financial offers
• Case studies from digital-first ecosystems in Africa, GCC, and Asia

Speakers

Omar Ebeid

Founder & CEO | Zeal

Ali Abulhasan

Co-Founder & CEO | Tap Payments

Georgios Kolovos

Payments & FinTech Leader, EMEA | NVIDIA

Kamal Marghlani

Chief Revenue Officer | Foodics

Steve Suarez

CEO | HorizonX

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 03:15 PM—03:30 PM (15 min)

Keynote : A CEO’s Story: Timing the Leap: Revolut’s Bold Expansion from Europe and America to Latin America’s Brazil

Speaker

Glauber Mota

CEO - Brazil | Revolut

3:20 PM

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 03:20 PM—04:00 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Empowering Fintech in Saudi: Real Builders, Real Lessons

A candid conversation with four founders and one investor reshaping debt, insurtech, and wealthtech and the drivers that make the ecosystem stronger.

Speakers

Sultan Ghaznawi

Chairman & Managing Director | Scene Holding

Saud Alraslani

Founder & CEO | Ebra

Karim Chouman

Founder & CEO | MYNE

Rayan Alzamil

Co-Founder & CEO | SalesFine

Masoud Alhelou

CEO | Yasmina

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 03:20 PM—03:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Decoding Fintech Investment Signals: Beyond the Numbers

Investors today are swimming in data, but which signals truly matter when spotting the next breakout fintech? This candid session dissects how VCs and bank-backed funds are separating noise from real opportunity-covering predictive data, founder behavior, sector traction, and global vs regional trends shaping deal flow.

Speakers

MP Oliveira

Head of Venture Investments | Mashreq-NeoVentures

Finn Hatherell

Venture Partner | Next Sequence

3:30 PM

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 03:30 PM—04:10 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : From Cash to Clicks: The Mobile Money Revolution in Emerging Markets

Emerging markets are undergoing a seismic financial transformation, fuelled by mobile money, digital wallets, and embedded finance. What began as a solution to cash scarcity has evolved into a robust digital financial ecosystem that is disrupting traditional banking and reshaping how millions access payments, credit, insurance, and investment products.

This session explores how mobile-led innovations are powering financial inclusion at scale, from the rise of super apps in Africa and Asia to the integration of micro-insurance and investment products directly into everyday digital platforms.
We’ll unpack the role of telcos, fintechs, and banks in democratizing financial services, and examine the next frontier: trading and wealth creation tools tailored for low-income and mobile-first populations.

With cross-sector collaboration accelerating, we’ll also explore how embedded finance is making digital commerce frictionless, and how regulators are navigating this rapid evolution to safeguard consumers while spurring innovation.

Expect insights on:

• The evolution of mobile money into full-stack financial platforms
• Success stories
• The rise of embedded insurance and investments in underserved regions
• Emerging trading tools for mass-market users
• Public-private partnerships shaping the future of mobile finance

Speakers

Sanjiv Purushotham

Founder & CEO | Bridge Solutions

Rina Neoh

Co-founder and Partner | Ficus Venture Capital

Ahmad Yaacoub

VP, Business Development | Thunes

Bente Krogmann

CEO | mTek Services

Nicolai Eddy

Co-founder & COO | Nala/ RAFIKI

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 03:30 PM—04:00 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Fintech’s Blind Spot: Gen Z

Gen Z is reshaping money, credit, and financial education. Yet most fintechs overlook their realities: debt, literacy gaps, and a demand for digital-first tools. Explore why Gen Z remains fintech’s blind spot and where the real opportunities lie.

Speakers

Micky Tesfaye

Head of Audience Development | Money20/20

Aleena Nadeem

Founder & CEO | Edufi

David Barton-Grimley

Director of Strategy | 11:FS

Shereen Tawfiq

Founder & CEO | Balinca

3:40 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 03:40 PM—04:00 PM (20 min)

Deep Dive : Scaling Global Payments - Infrastructure, Innovation, and Interoperability

With insights from visionary leaders, this session will uncover the journey to building scalable, interoperable payment systems that meet the demands of a global economy.

Speakers

Mo Ali Yusuf

CEO & Founder | Fuze Finance

Remo Abbondandolo

General Manager, Middle East | Checkout.com

Sophie Guibaud

Fintech Growth Advisor & Co-Chair - Saudi Chapter | MENA Fintech Association

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 03:40 PM—04:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Lessons from Building Starling and Scaling It for the World

To compete in a real-time financial world, banks need infrastructure that lets them launch fast, iterate faster and integrate seamlessly. This session delivers a sharp overview of how a platform-first mindset is changing what’s possible (and profitable) in modern financial services.

Speakers

Sam Everington

CEO | Engine by Starling

Arjun Vir Singh

Partner | Arthur D. Little

3:55 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 03:55 PM—04:10 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Modernizing Financial Infrastructure: Navigating Legacy, Scale, and Speed

As digital adoption accelerates across the region, financial institutions face a dual challenge: modernizing legacy infrastructure while meeting rising consumer expectations. This session explores how cloud-native platforms are enabling banks and fintechs to move faster, scale securely, and adapt to local market needs, without the disruption of traditional system overhauls. Drawing on global examples and regional realities, the conversation will focus on practical strategies for delivering real-time payments, digital wallets, and next-gen capabilities in complex, fast-moving environments.

Speakers

Walter Lironi

SVP, Head of Value-Added Services, CEMEA | Visa

Vishal Dalal

CEO | Pismo

4:00 PM

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—04:20 PM (20 min)

In Conversation ... : The Thin Line Between Purpose and Profit

As venture platforms scale, can they stay true to their founding values or does growth inevitably push “profit first”?

This session explores the razor-thin line between purpose and profit

Speakers

Aslihan Demirel Arslan

SVP, Venture Build | NeoVentures-Mashreq

Mitul Ruparelia

General Partner | Arāya Ventures

Sacha Haider

Chief Strategy Officer | Astra Tech/ Botim

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—04:20 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Micro Moments, Macro Impact: Women Are Redefining the Economy

Zooming into how women as consumers, founders and innovators are reshaping the future of finance.

Speakers

Kristy Duncan

Founder & CEO | Women in Payments

Sarah Hewerdine

Director of Marketing & Founder | She Builds Podcast

MoneyPot

Tuesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—05:00 PM (1 h)

Podcast : Thameen | ثمين

Investing in the Digital World الاستثمار في العالم الرقمي

Presented in Arabic - سيقدم باللغة العربية

Host : Nezar Alhaidar, VP & Country Head, Lean Technologies Guest: Ali Alorainy, CEO, Malaa Technologies

Speakers

Nezar Alhaidar

CEO | Lean Technologies

Ali Alorainy

Chief Executive Officer | MALAA Information Technology

Boardroom

Tuesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—05:30 PM (1 h 30 min)

Roundtable : G20 Roadmap & the Future of Cross-Border Payments

This roundtable will bring together thought leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss the G20 roadmap for enhancing cross-border payments. Together, we will identify current gaps and challenges hindering progress and explore practical solutions and coordinated actions—across both public and private sectors—to accelerate achievement of the roadmap’s targets.

Speakers

Serena Sebastiani

Senior Director | PwC Middle East Virtual Assets Consulting Lead, Fintech, Assets & Wealth Management

Tom Zschach

Chief Innovation Officer | Swift

Kai Wu

Chief Revenue Officer | Airwallex

Douglas Arner

Associate Director - Research Programmes, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance | Cambridge University & University of Hong Kong

Carlos Menendez

COO | dLocal

Sandra Ro

CEO | Global Blockchain Business Council

Azleena Idris

Head of Strategy | Paynet

Saeeda Jaffar

Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region | Visa

Nilixa Devlukia

CEO | Payments Solved

Sabih Behzad

Global Head of Digital Assets & Currencies | Deutsche Bank

Marie Walker

Open Futurist | Raidiam

Monica Jasuja

Chief Expansion and Innovation Officer | Emerging Payments Association Asia

Olugbenga Agboola

Co-founder & CEO | Flutterwave

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—04:20 PM (20 min)

Panel Discussion : FinTech Arabia: The Future of Finance In The Kingdom

This panel brings together leading voices from regulation, venture capital, banking, and fintech to reflect on Saudi Arabia’s fintech transformation.

From policy to product, the conversation explores how the Kingdom is building a globally competitive fintech ecosystem.

Recorded in conjunction with the documentary Fintech Arabia, this session captures the key forces shaping the future of finance in the region.

Speakers

Abdulaziz Alomran

CEO | Impact46

Saeed Abdullah Assiri

Chief Innovation Officer - Innovation Banking | SAB BANK

Somi Arian

CEO | InPeak Time

Saad Almuhanna

Deputy CEO and Co-Founder. | BARQ

Annabelle Mander

Executive Vice President | Tahaluf

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—04:35 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : Digital Identity – Rethinking Trust and Control

Who do consumers actually trust to hold their data? This session unpacks the power dynamics between banks, Big Tech, governments, and regulators, while exploring the upside: faster experiences, smarter security and real ownership.

Speakers

Justin Grooms

President | Bolt Financial

Mario Nobile

Director General | Agency for Digital Italy, Government of Italy

Henk Van Hulle

CEO | Open Banking (OBL)

Chris Skinner

Financial Author, independent commentator on the financial markets and technology trends | The Finanser

4:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 04:10 PM—04:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Will the Emergence of Agentic AI be a Significant Disruptor in Transforming the Financial Services Landscape?

Agentic AI the next evolution of artificial intelligence where systems not only analyze but act autonomously, is beginning to challenge the very foundations of financial services. From enabling proactive remittance flows and predictive compliance to transforming insurance, payments, and banking operations, this new class of AI raises a pressing question: will it be a true disruptor or simply the next enabler of efficiency?

This high-level discussion, moderated by Boston Consulting Group, brings together leaders from global fintechs, central banking, traditional financial institutions, and insurtech pioneers to explore the real-world impact of agentic AI on the financial system.

Key themes will include:

Cross-Border Implications: How agentic AI could reshape remittances, treasury, and always-on liquidity networks.

Payments & Infrastructure: What agent-led automation means for fraud detection, settlement, and consumer trust in global payment rails.

Insurance & Risk Management: How AI-driven autonomy is redefining claims, underwriting, and proactive protection.

Institutional & Regulatory Perspectives: What central banks and traditional banks need to do to manage accountability, ethics, and resilience in an AI-first era.

The Human-Digital Balance: Where consumers still demand human oversight versus where they will embrace full autonomy.

By blending perspectives from Remitly, the National Bank of Pakistan, Curacel, Adyen, and the Saudi Central Bank, this session offers a rare 360° view of how agentic AI could transform the global financial architecture, delivering efficiency, inclusion, and innovation while raising new governance and trust challenges.

Speakers

Amin Manji

Senior Executive Vice President/Group Chief Information Technology Officer | National Bank of Pakistan

Mahmoud Ismail

Chief of Staff & Head of Acquiring, Payments and Operations, MEA | Adyen

Henry Mascot

Founder & CEO | Curacel

Mohamed Mansour

CEO, Head of Region (GCC) | Remitly

Marcin Matyja

Principal | Boston Consulting Group

Khalid K. Alsohaim

Director, Payments Business Operations | Saudi Central Bank

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 04:10 PM—04:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Why Launch in the Middle East? The Region’s Fintech Magnetism Unpacked

Once considered a frontier, the Middle East is now a magnet for global fintech expansion. Fuelled by a young, tech-savvy population, accelerated digital transformation, and pro-innovation regulatory environments from Riyadh to Dubai, the region offers unmatched conditions for fintech growth.

This session unpacks the region’s market opportunity, policy-driven innovation, and the unique strategic value of using the Middle East as a launchpad into wider MENAP and emerging markets. From success stories to cautionary tales, panellists will explore what it takes to win in the Middle East - and why the moment is now.

Speakers

Adil Khan

Partner | Kearney

Ali Abulhasan

Co-Founder & CEO | Tap Payments

Abdulaziz Aljasser

COO & Co-founder | Qlub

Simon Sharp

Senior Partner | Global Ventures

mohammed Akkar

CEO | Jisr

4:20 PM

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 04:20 PM—04:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Digital Dollars: Power, Policy & Platforms

A high-level distillation of Citi’s Digital Dollars Report, exploring how tokenized money, CBDCs and digital dollars could reshape global finance, power structures and financial infrastructure.

Speakers

Ronit Ghose

Global Head, Future of Finance | Citi Group

Hanna Raftell

Partner | Sigmoid Ventures

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 04:20 PM—04:40 PM (20 min)

Interview : Why We Passed on the Deal: Reality and Regret

Join Armineh from Partners for Growth and Michael O’Loughlin from Argonautic Ventures for a candid conversation on the tough calls behind the term sheets. They’ll unpack the thinking behind why they passed on some of today’s biggest “unicorn” successes, offer a behind the scenes look into the decision making process, and reveal one deal they wish they hadn’t let go. A raw and insightful session for founders and investors alike.

Speakers

Armineh Baghoomian

Managing Director | Partners for Growth

Michael O’Loughlin

Managing Partner | Argonautic Ventures

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 04:20 PM—04:50 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Democratizing Wealth: Diversifying Assets and Fractionalized Ownership

Explore how fractionalized ownership and diversified assets are revolutionizing wealth creation, making investment opportunities accessible to all in an inclusive, innovative financial landscape.

Speakers

Sophie Liao

Founding Partner | Republic Ventures

Tarik Chebib

CEO | Capital.com

Manar Mahmassani

Co-Founder | Stake

Rawan Baddour

Co-founder | Zest Equity

Ahmed El Hamawy

CEO | EquiTie

4:35 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 04:35 PM—04:50 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Fireside Chat: Advancing AI Infrastructure, Services and Innovation Locally and Globally

This session will explore how world-class AI infrastructure can transform financial services through deep research, fraud detection, translation-driven analysis, and next-generation security beyond biometrics. With trust and compliance at the core, the discussion will emphasize sovereign AI, transparent in-country deployments, and the strategic partnerships between regulators, banks, and startups needed to drive sustainable innovation.

Speakers

Dr. Yaser Al-Onaizan

Deputy CEO & President of Data & AI Models | HUMAIN

Samrah Kazmi

Professor | New York Professor

4:40 PM

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 04:40 PM—05:10 PM (30 min)

Fireside Chat : Too Fast, Too Free? Why Seamless Payments Threaten the Status Quo

Cross-border payments are moving faster and cheaper than ever, powered by mobile money, digital wallets, and new rails that bypass the old guard. But with every friction removed, new questions emerge: What happens to governments who depend on controlling flows? To banks who profit from fees? To regulators tasked with policing money that now moves at the speed of text?

Speakers

Monica Jasuja

Chief Expansion and Innovation Officer | Emerging Payments Association Asia

Ola Oyetayo

Co-Founder & CEO | Verto

Jorge Carrasco

Managing Director Blockchain and Digital Assets | FTI Consulting

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 04:40 PM—05:00 PM (20 min)

Presentation : Wealthtech for the New World: Building the Future of Investing From MENA

This session explores how MENA-born wealthtech platforms can redefine the investing experience—not just for the region, but for the world. By realigning incentives, rethinking access, and designing with cultural and regulatory nuance, we unpack what it takes to build inclusive, scalable, and globally relevant investing solutions from this fast-growing part of the world.

Speaker

Bilal Abou Diab

Co-Founder & CEO | Vault Wealth

4:50 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 04:50 PM—05:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with: Regulation at a Crossroads: Unlocking Innovation Through Smarter Compliance, Risk, and Security Frameworks

Regulation is no longer just about oversight, it's at the heart of shaping the future of financial innovation. As the industry stands at a crossroads, institutions must strike a critical balance between compliance, risk management, and the need to innovate. In this fireside chat, industry leaders explore how smarter, more adaptive frameworks can unlock innovation without compromising security or stability. What does it take to turn regulation from a constraint into a catalyst? Join us for a forward-looking discussion on redefining the role of compliance and risk in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

Speakers

Stela Willemstein

Credit Risk Director for Global Wealth Management | UBS Group

Malik Alyousef

Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer | MOZN

Samuel Ubido

Chairman | Techinnovate Group

The Capital

Tuesday 16 September, 04:50 PM—06:50 PM (2 h)

MoneySurge : MoneySurge Pitch Competition - Round 2

MoneySurge Round 2 - 15 bold founders. 3 minutes each. One shot to convince the judges their startup is the next big thing. Be there to support our founders as they pitch their ideas to a panel of 3 top judges.

Don’t miss the energy, the ambition, and the startups that could change the future.

Speakers

Scarlett Sieber

Chief Strategy & Growth Officer | Money2020 Global

Faisal Alhajj

Head of MENA | 9900 Capital

Alexandros Bottenbruch

Partner | PayPal Ventures

Mariam Zaidi

Anchor TRT World | Founder MZ Productions

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 04:50 PM—05:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with Senator Ibrahim Hadejia: Unlocking Africa’s Growth: Gulf Partnerships, AfCFTA Momentum & Nigeria’s $1.2 Trillion Opportunity

Africa faces an annual financing gap of over $1.2 trillion, yet new regional frameworks and strategic partnerships are creating unprecedented opportunities for transformation. At the center of this story sits Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy and a key anchor for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In this exclusive fireside conversation, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President in the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria, will share a first-hand perspective on how Nigeria is mobilizing capital, shaping regulatory reforms, and positioning itself as a gateway for cross-border investment into Africa’s fastest-growing markets.

Moderated by Fope Adelowo, Head of Fintech and Financial Services at Helios Investment Partners, this dialogue will unpack:

Gulf-Africa Partnerships: How sovereign wealth funds and strategic Gulf investors are accelerating capital flows into African infrastructure, fintech, and energy.
The AfCFTA Advantage: How a unified African market is creating bold new opportunities for trade, financial markets, and regional supply chains.
Nigeria as a Regional Anchor: The role of Nigeria in channeling blended finance, fostering regulatory innovation, and unlocking sustainable development across the continent.
The Next Frontier: How partnerships between governments, DFIs, and private capital can close the $1.2 trillion gap and fuel inclusive growth.

This fireside chat will provide rare insights at the intersection of policy, capital, and strategy, spotlighting how Africa’s growth story is being rewritten through bold regional collaboration and Gulf partnerships.

Speakers

Fope Adelowo

Investor/ Board Member | Helios Investment Partners/ Thunes/ TPAY Mobile/ Paymob

Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia

Deputy Chief of Staff to the President Office, of the Vice President | Federal Republic of Nigeria

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 04:50 PM—05:10 PM (20 min)

Deep Dive : Platform Power: How Embedded Finance Will Reshape Digital Economies in MENA

This session explores how platform-based models are redefining financial services across the MENA region. Industry leaders will unpack how fintechs, telcos and digital ecosystems are embedding payments, credit and insurance into everyday experiences, unlocking new revenue streams and accelerating financial access at scale.

Speakers

Ashraf Sabry

Co-founder & CEO | Fawry

Ayman Essawy

Co-founder & Executive Chairman / Co-founder & CEO/ Board Member | Lucky ONE / Connect Money/ Dsquares/ Endeavor Egypt/Exits MENA

Nicole Valentine

FinTech Director in the Center for Financial Markets | Milken Institute

5:00 PM

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 05:00 PM—05:20 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Fintech’s Role in the Retail Revolution

Uncover how fintech is transforming the retail experience, from seamless checkouts and intelligent payment orchestration to AI-driven personalization and dynamic loyalty. This session explores how technology is enabling smarter shopping journeys through integrated digital wallets, real-time decisioning and frictionless payment flows that adapt to both consumer behavior and merchant needs.

Speakers

Huda Al Moussa

Country President, KSA | PayTabs Group

Omar Kandil

Head of MENA Public Policy | Stripe

5:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 05:10 PM—05:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with: Fintech Game Changers: Revolutionising the Business of Sports.

In this session, we kick off with exploring how digital wallets, super apps, embedded finance, NFT monetization and cross-border payments are transforming ticketing, digital fan experience and fan engagement, athlete payouts, sports betting, and sponsorship strategies in football, athletics, and major sports leagues.

Learn how fintech platforms, clubs, and payment providers are partnering to unlock new revenue, deepen fan loyalty, and digitize the stadium-to-wallet experience.

Speakers

Fergus Campbell

Director of Corporate Affairs, EMEA | Airwallex

Elliott Gotkine

TV news correspondent | TV news correspondent

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 05:10 PM—05:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Beyond the Wallet: Building Africa’s Mobile-First Financial Future

Africa has become the world’s proving ground for mobile-first financial innovation.
The Continent leads the world in mobile money adoption. but the next frontier goes far beyond basic transfers. This high-impact, powerhouse panel features the trailblazers behind Airtel Money, Onafriq, Paystack and other fintechs turning mobile wallets into full-service platforms for savings, credit, insurance, and commerce; designed for inclusion, scale, and regional interoperability.

Speakers will unpack how telcos, fintechs, investors and infrastructure providers are expanding into new verticals like merchant services, embedded finance, and micro-insurance.

We will also investigate how these stakeholder groups are building the rails of Africa’s digital economy, through interoperability, cross-border payments, and mobile-first infrastructure.

The discussion will also explore how strategic Gulf investments are helping scale Africa's fintech story and accelerating this growth, and what global fintech ecosystems can learn from Africa’s success. The conversation highlights how Africa’s mobile revolution is influencing financial innovation far beyond the continent.

Join us to discover how Africa’s mobile money revolution is setting the benchmark for the next generation of digital finance, one that is borderless, inclusive, and built from the ground up to serve real needs at massive scale.

Speakers

Thami Nkadimeng

Founder, CEO, Host & MC | Thami Nkadimeng Group

Johnson Kunju

Entourage | Ian Ferrao

Simon Black

Chairman | Onafriq

Wale Ayeni

Managing Partner | Helios Investment Partners

Amandine Lobelle

Chief Operating Officer | Paystack

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 05:10 PM—05:30 PM (20 min)

In Conversation ... : Getting The Yes! How I Won The Investment

Speakers

Stefan Klestil

General Partner | Speedinvest

Idriss Al Rifai

Co-founder & CEO | Flow48

Omar Saleh

Co-Founder & Khazna Group CEO | Khazna

5:20 PM

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 05:20 PM—05:40 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Trust, Tokens & Transparency: Rebuilding Finance from the Blockchain Up

Can blockchain rebuild public trust in finance? This spotlight explores how tokenised finance, smart contracts and decentralised ledgers are redefining how we think about transparency, accountability and financial access.

Speakers

Dominic Longman

Global Head of Markets & Managing Director - MENA | Zodia Custody by Standard Chartered

Serena Sebastiani

Senior Director | PwC Middle East Virtual Assets Consulting Lead, Fintech, Assets & Wealth Management

5:30 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 05:30 PM—05:45 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : How SAMA's Strategy is Driving the Future of Sector Development

Speakers

Nora M. Albakr

Executive Director, Strategy & Planning | Saudi Central Bank

Piyush Dubey

Partner | Kearney

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 05:30 PM—06:15 PM (45 min)

Networking : Networking Session

Off The Record

Tuesday 16 September, 05:30 PM—06:15 PM (45 min)

Networking : Brett King Book Signing / Networking Session

Speaker

Brett King

Founder/ Board Member / Advisor | Moven / barq / Central Bank of the UAE

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 05:30 PM—05:50 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Asset Management Reinvented: The Dynamic Dance of Human Insight and Algorithmic Precision

The investment management landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer preferences. This panel discussion brings together experts from traditional relationship-based investment management and cutting-edge robo-advisory services to explore the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Our panellists will discuss the current state of the industry, the benefits and challenges of human advisors versus robo-advisors, and what the future holds for investment management. We will investigate the potential opportunities that arise from using data analytics and AI to enhance wealth management and asset management practices, such as rebalancing strategies, sophisticated asset allocation and adapting to real-time market changes. We will also be investigating the opportunities presented to us through the uses of AI based hedging and CRM platforms for financial advisors, as well as the application of new technologies in aiding investment advisors with the tools to manage risk and make better informed decisions.

Speakers

Roger Rouhana

Founder & CEO | Alpheya

Ziad Mabsout

Co-founder & CEO | Vennre

Petr Stransky

Founding Partner | IDAP Global

5:40 PM

MoneyPot

Tuesday 16 September, 05:40 PM—06:20 PM (40 min)

Podcast : Paymentology’s The Issuer Academy

Paymentology’s The Issuer Academy Host: Merusha Naidu Built for Saudi, Connected to the World: Local Roots, Global Impact in Digital Payments Guests: Jeff Parker, CEO, Paymentology, Bassam Suliman AlEidy CEO, Enjaz and Ibrahim Ahmed Farag, Chief Product & Growth Officer, Enjaz

Speakers

Jeff Parker

CEO | Paymentology Ltd

Ibrahim Farag

Chief Products & Growth Officer | Enjaz

Bassam Suliman AlEidy

CEO | Enjaz Payments

Merusha Naidu

Global Head of Network Partnerships | Paymentology Ltd

The Pulse

Tuesday 16 September, 05:40 PM—06:00 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Embedded Finance 2.0: The Rise of Trading-as-a-Service

As embedded finance matures, trading and investing are becoming seamless features within consumer apps, digital wallets, and super apps—especially across the rapidly digitizing MENA region. In this fireside chat, we sit down with founders of the leading investing apps. Together, we’ll unpack how embedded investing is shaping user acquisition, driving new monetization strategies and expanding financial access across a diverse and mobile-first population.

Speakers

Sultan Alkhayal

CEO | Drahim

Tarun Ajwani

Chief Revenue Officer | Alpaca

5:45 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 05:45 PM—06:15 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Agents of Change: AI’s Role in Autonomous Finance

From personal finance copilots to self-executing contracts, AI agents are becoming central to the financial experience. Industry & academic leaders explore the architecture, ethics and opportunities behind agent-led innovation in fintech.

Speakers

Georgios Kolovos

Payments & FinTech Leader, EMEA | NVIDIA

Daniela Braga

Founder and CEO | Defined.ai

David Birch

Global Ambassador | Consult Hyperion

Jim Marous

Co-Publisher, The Financial Brand Owner/CEO | Digital Banking Report Host, Banking Transformed Podcast #1 Banking Influencer

5:50 PM

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 05:50 PM—06:10 PM (20 min)

Keynote : The Airwallex Story: Rewiring Global Money Movement: Designing the Digital Infrastructure for a Connected World

In a world where borders are increasingly digital, but finance is still constrained by legacy infrastructure, Airwallex set out to redesign global banking from the ground up.
In this keynote, Kai Wu, Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager for Asia-Pacific at Airwallex, shares the journey of building one of the fastest-growing global fintechs to serve modern businesses in a borderless world. From the company’s launch in Melbourne to its rapid expansion across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, he takes the audience behind the scenes of scaling a fintech that now powers the financial operations of thousands of companies worldwide.

This story will unpack:

• How Airwallex identified the broken links in global money movement and set out to fix them
• Strategic partnerships across emerging markets that fueled scale and local relevance
• Lessons in navigating complex regulatory landscapes while remaining agile and customer-centric
• Why global connectivity, embedded finance, and infrastructure innovation are the new cornerstones of banking for the next billion users

Whether you’re an entrepreneur building in frontier markets or a policymaker shaping the future of finance, Kai Wu’s story offers insights into what it truly takes to bank the world without borders.

Speaker

Kai Wu

Chief Revenue Officer | Airwallex

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 05:50 PM—06:10 PM (20 min)

Deep Dive : Crossing Borders, Shaping Futures: A Bold Dive into Tomorrow’s Global Finance

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the diverse approaches to solving cross-border challenges, insight into regulatory impacts, and foresight into the future trajectory of global payment solutions.

Speakers

David Cunningham

Director, Head of Strategy & Partnerships for Digital Assets, Treasury and Trade Solutions | CITI

Samrah Kazmi

Professor | New York Professor

Otto Williams

SVP, PayPal World, Regional Head and GM, Middle East and Africa | Paypal

6:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Tuesday 16 September, 06:10 PM—06:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with the Saudi Credit Bureau: Can we use Open Finance to Create More Accurate Lending Scores and Personalization?

Banks are collecting more data than they had been historically.
Can these open doors to new levels of data analytics and insights, not just for lending, but also for increased consumer personalisation.
What can we do with these data insights from open banking?
Are we looking at an effective alternative basis to credit lending?

Speakers

Abdullah Almeshir

Chief Data and Product Officer | SIMAH

Samrah Kazmi

Professor | New York Professor

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 06:10 PM—06:30 PM (20 min)

Deep Dive : Latin America’s Fintech Boom: Opportunities and Challenges

This topic will examine the significant growth of fintech startups in Latin America, highlighting key players like Yuno and Movii, and discuss the regulatory and market challenges they face.

Speakers

Juan Pablo Ortega

Co-founder & CEO/ Co-founder | Yuno/ Rappi

Hernando Rubio

CEO & Co-founder | Movii

Steve Suarez

CEO | HorizonX

6:15 PM

Executive Summit

Tuesday 16 September, 06:15 PM—06:50 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : Building a Financial System That Works for Everyone

The future of finance is equitable, sustainable and inclusive. From digital wallets to decentralised finance, this session examines the technologies and policies driving equitable access and building scalable, secure and inclusive ecosystems that empower individuals and communities.

Speakers

Ralf Germer

CEO | Pagbrasil /pix

Abdullah Binghannam

Deputy, Financing & Investment | Capital Market Authority

Tino Waked

CEO - Middle East | TapTap Send

Nicole Valentine

FinTech Director in the Center for Financial Markets | Milken Institute

Olugbenga Agboola

Co-founder & CEO | Flutterwave

6:30 PM

The Bridge

Tuesday 16 September, 06:30 PM—06:50 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Diaspora Capital and Alternative Investments Unleashed: Unlocking Borderless Growth for Emerging Markets

As traditional banking models fall short of meeting the financial and investment needs of fast-growing populations, a new wave of diaspora-driven capital flows and alternative investment platforms is reshaping the financial landscape across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.

This fireside chat explores how fintech and VC leaders are bridging capital gaps by combining diaspora remittances and community-driven finance with cutting-edge investment platforms such as crowdfunding, tokenized ownership, and peer-to-peer models. The discussion will highlight how these forces are converging to democratize access to capital for SMEs, startups, and individuals who were once excluded from formal financial systems.

Key themes include:

Diaspora as Catalysts: How diaspora communities are fueling growth beyond remittances, channeling funds into real estate, startups, and local innovation.
Crowdfunding & Alternative Finance: Platforms and models opening new routes for investors and entrepreneurs.
Tokenization & Micro-Ownership: How fintech is enabling small-ticket, borderless participation in large opportunities.
Trust & Regulation: Navigating cross-border governance, risk management, and building investor confidence.
From Remittances to Investment: Turning diaspora flows into structured, scalable investment vehicles.

Speakers

Folajimi Daodu

Founder/Lecturer/Board Member & Chief Strategy Officer | Vaulthill/Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance/Nigerians in Diaspora Chamber of Commerce

Maya Horgan Famodu

Bruno Batavia

Director | Valor Capital Group

Day 3

12:00 PM

MoneyPot

Wednesday 17 September, 12:00 PM—12:30 PM (30 min)

Podcast : The Bank Tellers with Micky Tesfaye

The Bank Tellers Hosts: Scarlett Sieber, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Money 20/20 Global & Micky Tesfaye, Head of Audience Development, Money 20/20 Global Guest Glauber Mota, CEO, Revolut Brazil

Speakers

Glauber Mota

CEO - Brazil | Revolut

Micky Tesfaye

Head of Audience Development | Money20/20

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 12:00 PM—01:00 PM (1 h)

Saudi Arabia Algo Trading Challenge 2025

Join the world’s largest algorithmic trading competition at Money20/20 Middle East- Riyadh, where 800 participants from 49 countries have battled their way to 9 finalist teams competing for the Best Return, Best Sharpe Ratio, and Best Strategy Design Awards, showcasing the future of AI-driven finance

Speakers

Mariam Zaidi

Anchor TRT World | Founder MZ Productions

Rex Tsang

Chairman | Algo Challenge Association

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 12:00 PM—07:00 PM (7 h)

Live Stream : Livestream Executive Summit Stage - Day 3

12:05 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 12:05 PM—12:15 PM (10 min)

Announcements

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 12:05 PM—12:45 PM (40 min)

Fireside Chat : Stablecoin saturation: What's required to survive the crowded marketplace?

At a time when it seems like every financial institution and company is launching its own stablecoin, this panel will explore the essential qualities that will lead to lasting success in a crowded landscape. This panel will delve into which stablecoins are set to endure, highlighting the importance of real-world utility, issuer credibility, regulatory compliance, ecosystem adoption, transparency and resilience when it comes to separating the transient players from those built to last.

Speakers

Dr Petra Janez

Financial Councilor – General Financial Office, Directorate for Supervision | Ministry of Finance of the Republic, Slovenia

Hatem Hachicha

Group Head of Innovation | Qatar National Bank

Jorge Carrasco

Managing Director Blockchain and Digital Assets | FTI Consulting

Tony Ashraf

Managing Director, Head of Technology & Operations Middle East & Africa | Blackrock

Mohamed Fairooz

Middle East Lead | SC Ventures

12:10 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 12:10 PM—12:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Connected by Code: The Rise of Fintech Collaboration Across Asia’s Eastern Frontiers

From Singapore to Seoul, Jakarta to Tokyo, a wave of cross-border fintech partnerships is reshaping financial services across Asia’s Eastern frontiers. This session explores how regulatory harmonisation, shared digital infrastructure, and tech-forward talent ecosystems are powering regional expansion for digital banks, payments innovators, and embedded finance startups.

Panellists will highlight key fintech corridors, such as Singapore-Indonesia, Japan-Vietnam, Cambodia-Malaysia and South Korea-Philippines, and unpack how joint ventures, data-sharing agreements, and cross-licensing models are fuelling inclusive innovation. The session will also examine how Asia is setting a global benchmark for interoperable finance through code-based collaboration.

Speakers

Elizabeth Yin

Investor | Hustle Fund

H.E. Dr. Vin Pheakdey

Deputy Director General | Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia

Pratyush Prasanna

Group CEO | Flip

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 12:10 PM—12:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Ethical AI in Action – Governance Beyond Guidelines

Highlight C4IR’s leadership in embedding ethics into AI policy and unpack key governance frameworks and real-world safeguards that align innovation with societal values .

Speakers

Dr. Basma Albuhairan

Managing Director | C4IR - Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia

Marie Walker

Open Futurist | Raidiam

12:15 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 12:15 PM—12:45 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Accelerating Financial Innovation: How Institutions Are Shaping the Next Financial Era

This panel focuses on exploring the next generation of infrastructure – where distributed ledger technologies, programmable assets, and AI-driven risk frameworks are no longer theoretical, but foundational. A lively discussion of how forward-looking institutions are not only adapting to this shift but actively architecting the frameworks that will define capital markets for decades to come.

Speakers

Sabih Behzad

Global Head of Digital Assets & Currencies | Deutsche Bank

Fahad Bin Hamdan

Assistant Deputy, Investment | Capital Market Authority

Riad Hamoui

Head of Marketing | Jeel

12:30 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 12:30 PM—12:50 PM (20 min)

Keynote : Founder’s Story: From Wall Street to the Gulf: A New Dawn in Wealth-tech

Roger Rouhana’s journey from leading corporate strategy at America’s oldest bank to founding a disruptive wealthtech platform in the UAE. A personal conviction brought him to the UAE: that the future of wealth should be built where it’s earned, spoken in the language of the people, and accessible to all.

In this keynote, Roger would share the story behind Alpheya: a homegrown wealthtech platform created to reshape financial access in the Middle East, a region where the tech was outdated, innovation was stifled by legacy systems and the landscape was overly relying on Europe and US-based advisory support.

He’ll speak to the three layers of inclusivity that inspired its founding:

• Designing in the region for the region, with Arabic-native interfaces and culturally relevant financial guidance

• Creating access to investment tools and assets previously out of reach for most in a ‘financial supermarket’ format

• Reclaiming wealth sovereignty and bringing the capital ‘back home’ at a time when over 70% of the region’s capital is still managed offshore

This is a story about challenging the status quo and about coming home to give back.

Speaker

Roger Rouhana

Founder & CEO | Alpheya

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 12:30 PM—12:50 PM (20 min)

Live Demo : Building the Future with AI Agents in Finance

Discover how AI is powering a new era of autonomous finance, from real-time decision-making to fully automated financial journeys. This live showcase demonstrates the latest in AI agents, revealing how they’re reshaping everything from personal finance assistants to intelligent infrastructure.

Speaker

Ahmed Alsagob

AI Lead | GOOGLE CLOUD

12:40 PM

Off The Record

Wednesday 17 September, 12:40 PM—01:00 PM (20 min)

Interview : Breaking Barriers in Cross-Border Finance

This candid conversation unpacks the real challenges of expanding cross-border payments, from regulatory frictions to building trust with new customer bases. Attendees will gain behind-the-scenes insight into how fintechs navigate fragmented markets to create seamless global financial solutions.

Speakers

Marie Walker

Open Futurist | Raidiam

Joyce Lau

MEA Expansion Lead & UAE Country Manager | Wise

12:45 PM

MoneyPot

Wednesday 17 September, 12:45 PM—01:45 PM (1 h)

Podcast : CLO Fintech Files by BCG Platinion

CLO Fintech Files by BCG Platinion Host: Annika Melchert SE Guests: Dr Basma Albuhairan, MD, C41R and Abdulaziz Fahad Al Jouf, Founder & CEO, Pay Tabs Group

Speakers

Annika Melchert

Co-host / Principal | FinTech Files / BCG

Abdulaziz Al Jouf

Founder & CEO | PayTabs Group

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 12:45 PM—01:30 PM (45 min)

Panel Discussion : Discussing the Role of Fintech in Developing Financial Literacy for Consumers

• We will discuss how fintech is equipping customers with tools and insights to make better financial decisions.
• It is essential to also explore the effects gamification and AI are having in enhancing financial literacy.

Speakers

Martin Blechta

Partner | Boston Consulting Group

Yasmine El-Mehairy

Co-founder & CEO | Dija

Sara Alshaikhmubarak

CX Solutions Manager | Ejada Systems Company

Gaurish Korgaonkar

Associate Vice President/ Head of Partnerships | National Payments Corporation of India/ NIPL

Mohammad Yahya Refaie

Senior Director – Partnership | STC Bank

Mohammed Alotaibi

Head of Digital research & UX Design | BSF

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 12:45 PM—01:05 PM (20 min)

Deep Dive : Creditworthiness Reimagined: From Traditional Scores to Financial Identity

As financial ecosystems evolve, so must the way we assess, build and extend credit. This session explores how fintech is rethinking access—from leveraging alternative data and open finance to designing products that reflect real-world financial behavior. Hear how innovators are moving beyond static scores toward dynamic, inclusive systems that better serve underbanked, youth and emerging segments across MENA and beyond.

Speakers

Alaa AlMashhadi

Chief Business Development Officer | SIMAH

Dr. Khalid Al Karimy

CEO | Abdul Latif Jameel United Finance

Mark Walker

CEO and Editorial Director | The Fintech Times

12:50 PM

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 12:50 PM—01:10 PM (20 min)

Presentation : Decoding Blockchain’s New Global Playbook

Explore how blockchain is moving from hype to infrastructure, powering digital identity, ESG tracking, and financial access — and what that means for emerging markets like the Middle East.

Speaker

Sandra Ro

CEO | Global Blockchain Business Council

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 12:50 PM—01:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Unlocking Capital Frontiers: An Analysis of VC, LP, and Alternative Investment Trends in Emerging Fintech Markets

As fintech ecosystems in Africa and Southeast Asia continue to evolve, a new wave of capital formation is reshaping how innovation is funded.

This session will explore how venture capitalists (VCs), limited partners (LPs), and alternative investment platforms. including crowdfunding, syndicates, and revenue-based financing are fuelling the growth of digital finance in underserved and underbanked regions.

We’ll assess how global investors are navigating regulatory landscapes, local risks, and currency volatility while backing promising fintech startups, infrastructure enablers, and embedded finance solutions.

The discussion will also highlight how diaspora-backed crowdfunding platforms and tokenized assets are democratizing access to capital and unlocking new opportunities for local founders and micro-investors alike.

Speakers will share insights on:

• How VC and LP strategies are evolving for emerging fintech markets

• The role of mission-aligned capital and blended finance in fintech expansion

• The rise of equity and debt crowdfunding platforms tailored to local markets

• Emerging regulatory frameworks enabling or hindering alt-investment innovation

• Case studies of fintech startups that scaled through non-traditional funding

This panel offers a lens into the future of fintech funding, where traditional and decentralised capital meet to power inclusive, high-growth ecosystems across the Global South.

Speakers

Nataliya Gorbunosova

Principal | AT Kearney Saudia Arabia Limited

Idris Ayodeji Bello

Managing Partner | LoftyInc Capital

Elizabeth Yin

Investor | Hustle Fund

1:00 PM

Hall 3 - Investor & Startup Zone

Wednesday 17 September, 01:00 PM—02:00 PM (1 h)

Investor & Startup Activities : Investor Office Hours

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 01:00 PM—01:20 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Sandbox to Powered Growth : HALA Co-Founder and Investors Share the Journey

Discover how strategic funding, sandbox innovation, and expert guidance transformed HALA into a fintech powerhouse, empowering founders to navigate and conquer the dynamic fintech landscape.

Speakers

Esam Alnahdi

Chairman & co founder of Hala | Hala Payment

Ahmad Alshammari

Head of Venture | Sanabil Investments

Ahmed Helal

Principal | TPG

Karim Samakie

Senior Advisor | Fintech Saudi

Off The Record

Wednesday 17 September, 01:00 PM—01:20 PM (20 min)

Networking : Networking Session

1:05 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 01:05 PM—01:35 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : From Claims to Code - The Future of the Insurance Industry

This session unpacks how the smartest players are using data, AI and embedded models to thrive.

Speakers

Yashish Dahiya

Chairman & Group CEO | PB Fintech Limited

Ali Sheneamer

Chief Business Development Officer | Bupa Arabia

Yousef Amin

Corporate Development Chief | Al Rajhi Takaful

Sasha Qadri

Journalist & Presenter | Presenter

1:10 PM

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 01:10 PM—01:50 PM (40 min)

Presentation : Fraud-Proof Futures: Why Financial Literacy is Our Strongest Defense

This spotlight session explores how financial and digital literacy are essential tools in tackling fraud, scams and misinformation at scale. From empowering users to detect red flags to designing inclusive tools that build confidence and control, this talk makes the case for education as infrastructure and the need for trust, clarity and awareness.

Speaker

Douglas Arner

Associate Director - Research Programmes, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance | Cambridge University & University of Hong Kong

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 01:10 PM—02:00 PM (50 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Xchange: Power, Policy, and Platforms: Who’s Shaping the Future of Finance in Emerging Markets?

In emerging markets from Lagos to Jakarta and Riyadh to São Paulo, a quiet power struggle is underway over the future of digital economies. Governments are tightening regulations to protect sovereignty, big tech is embedding itself in everyday financial lives, and fintechs are racing to innovate faster than policy can keep up.

This panel explores a high-stakes question: Who really controls the digital economy of tomorrow?

With special focus on Africa and the Middle East, we’ll explore how regulation, infrastructure, capital, and customer data are becoming the new battlegrounds across payments, credit, insurance, and investment. Can emerging economies build self-sufficient, inclusive, and locally controlled platforms, or will global tech giants dominate the rails?

Key themes include:

• Fintech vs. big tech: Are local platforms strong enough to compete?
• Governments as regulators and ecosystem builders - is control consolidating?
• Infrastructure independence: Why digital sovereignty begins with owning the rails
• Credit, identity, and data: The new oil of emerging market finance
• Public-private partnerships: Collaboration or competition?

Speakers

Sami Roumani

Partner | Kearney

Obong Idiong

CEO | Heirs Technologies

Ahmed Aly

Head of Middle East, South Asia & Asia Pacific | MoneyGram

Andries Smit

Chief Growth Business/ New Venturesn Lead | InDrive

Pratyush Prasanna

Group CEO | Flip

Shahzad Shahid

Group CEO | TPS Arabia

1:20 PM

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 01:20 PM—01:50 PM (30 min)

Debate : Investment Dilemmas: Profitability or Growth at All Costs?

Investors and founders discuss whether fintech startups should prioritize scaling rapidly and capturing market share, or focus on sustainable, profitable growth.

Speakers

Islam Shawky

Co-founder & CEO | Paymob

Hala Siraj

Managing Partner | FENA Holdings

Faisal Aftab

Founder & General Partner | Zayn VC

C. Nichole (Grice) Rush

Managing Director | First Rate Ventures

Mike Sigal

Founder | Sigal Ventures

Off The Record

Wednesday 17 September, 01:20 PM—01:50 PM (30 min)

Debate : Profits vs. Planet: Should Finance Pick Sides?

Advocates claim ESG aligns profit with purpose; skeptics argue it dilutes fiduciary duty and punishes emerging markets. This fiery debate forces finance leaders to confront the uncomfortable question: when push comes to shove, which side should money really serve?

Speakers

Azleena Idris

Head of Strategy | Paynet

Gautam Jain

Operating Member | SC Ventures Holdings Limited (Registered No.: 17651), Branch of a Foreign Company

Anu Chaudhary

Partner & Global Head - ESG | Uniqus Consultech

Gihan Hyde

CEO | Saafah Foundation

Chris Skinner

Financial Author, independent commentator on the financial markets and technology trends | The Finanser

1:30 PM

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 01:30 PM—01:50 PM (20 min)

Regional Insights : Fintech Trends from Asia

Keep abreast of Asia’s buzzing fintech scene with insights on the latest advancements in hyper-personalised customer experiences, border-agnostic payment solutions and improved tokenization methods.

Speakers

Monica Jasuja

Chief Expansion and Innovation Officer | Emerging Payments Association Asia

Simon Wong

Head of Platform Development | Goldhorse Capital

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 01:30 PM—01:50 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : In Conversation with: Discussing How Financial Institutions are Responding to the Deepfake Threat

This session will explore the rise of deepfake-related risks and how financial institutions are defending against them and protecting their customers.

Speakers

Sumnesh Joshi

Deputy Director General, Ministry of Communications | Government of India

Samuel Ubido

Chairman | Techinnovate Group

Haruna Jalo-Waziri

CEO and MD | Central Securities Clearing System PLC (CSCS), Government of Nigeria

1:35 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 01:35 PM—01:55 PM (20 min)

Deep Dive : Built-In, Not Bolted-On: The Rise of Contextual Finance

From ride-hailing to retail, embedded finance is redefining how consumers pay, borrow and earn. This session showcases how brands and fintechs are partnering to deliver frictionless financial tools that create stickiness, trust and new revenue streams, without ever leaving the user experience.

Speakers

Nauman Mian

CFO | Bayt.com

Ahmad Al-Zaini

Co-Founder and CEO | Foodics

Sophie Guibaud

Fintech Growth Advisor & Co-Chair - Saudi Chapter | MENA Fintech Association

1:50 PM

Off The Record

Wednesday 17 September, 01:50 PM—02:20 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Survivors, Disruptors, or Allies?
Who Will Shape the Next Era of Banking?

Speakers

Glauber Mota

CEO - Brazil | Revolut

Sanjiv Purushotham

Founder & CEO | Bridge Solutions

Osama Alshathri

Senior Director - Retail Baking - Business | D360

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 01:50 PM—02:20 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Crafting Compelling Narratives for Fintech Success

In 2025’s cutthroat capital race, your story can make your fintech shine. Join a dynamic conversation with top storytellers who’ve shaped iconic pitches and driven blockbuster success. Learn how to craft a narrative that captivates, builds trust, and secures funding-honing your pitch deck and market vision for maximum impact.

Speakers

David Barton-Grimley

Director of Strategy | 11:FS

Dipesh Savani

CEO | S60 Ventures

Gbite Oduneye

Managing Partner | ODBA

Brittany Mcdonough

Venture Partner | Launch Africa Ventures

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 01:50 PM—02:20 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Fintech Loyalty Unlocked: How Platforms Cultivate Enduring Consumer Trust in the Digital Age

In an era of endless financial and digital options, why do consumers choose and stay loyal to specific fintech platforms? Whether it’s an investment app, a payments ecosystem, or a wealth manager, the competition for consumer trust has never been more intense.

This session explores the evolving psychology of loyalty in fintech, bringing together insights from global payment leaders (Mastercard) and regional investment innovators (Awaed). Together, they will examine how design, transparency, and personalization create sticky user experiences, and how trust triggers vary across wealth management, retail finance, and digital-first platforms.

Key Themes:

Behavioral finance & digital trust: What makes investors and consumers commit to one platform over another.
UX and loyalty loops: Turning first-time users into lifetime clients, whether in trading, investing, or digital payments.
Trust & Transparency: The role of performance, security, and governance in retention for both retail and high-net-worth segments.
Human vs. Digital Journeys: When investors prefer the reassurance of a personal advisor versus fully digital solutions.
Loyalty Metrics that Matter: From LTV, churn, and NPS in retail fintech to long-term client retention in investment platforms.
Cross-sector loyalty levers: Embedded finance, gamification, rewards, and community-building across payments and wealth.

Speakers

Sultan Alkhayal

CEO | Drahim

Andras Kovacs

Senior Vice President, Eastern Europe Middle East and Africa | Mastercard

Yousef Alburaq

Head of UX | Awaed

Mohammed Zain Alabidien

Marketing & Corporate Communication Director | Al Rajhi Takaful

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 01:50 PM—02:10 PM (20 min)

Regional Insights : Proptech & Fintech Synergies in Saudi Arabia*

Explore how the convergence of Proptech and fintech is transforming the housing market, from digitized lease agreements to seamless rent payment solutions and flexible financing models. This session highlights the work being done to drive smarter, more accessible rental ecosystems aligned with Saudi Arabia’s digital economy vision.

Speaker

Yazeed Al-Shamsi

Co Founder & CEO | Ejari

1:55 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 01:55 PM—02:15 PM (20 min)

Keynote : Digital RICHES: The Race for Customer Loyalty

In a landscape where Real-time, Intelligent, Contextual, Human, Extendable and Social (RICHES) define consumer value, financial institutions are rethinking how they serve, retain and delight. This session unpacks how banks, fintechs and platforms are competing (and collaborating) to win on service in the age of digital expectations.

Speaker

David M. Brear

Group CEO | 11:FS

2:00 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 02:00 PM—02:15 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Breaking the Code: Women Leading the Next Fintech Revolution in Emerging Markets

Are fintech ecosystems in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East truly empowering female entrepreneurs, or is it just PR?

Speakers

Yasmine El-Mehairy

Co-founder & CEO | Dija

Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro

Advisor to the President of Nigeria on Economic and Financial Inclusion | President’s Office, Federal Republic of Nigeria Government

2:10 PM

The Pulse

Wednesday 17 September, 02:10 PM—02:30 PM (20 min)

Presentation : Blueprint for a Fintech Nation: The MENA Opportunity

MENA is shaping up as the next global fintech frontier. This session will share the critical ingredients, bold bets and regional collaborations shaping a financial ecosystem built for the future.

Speaker

Nameer Khan

Chairman | MENA Fintech Association

2:15 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 02:15 PM—02:35 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : The Future of Digital-First Islamic Finance

This session will shine a light on the Shariah-compliant digital products gaining traction, the role of cross-border harmonization and how businesses are preparing for a globalized Islamic finance ecosystem.

Speakers

Fernando Plaza Lopez

Chief Digital Officer | Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB)

Mark Walker

CEO and Editorial Director | The Fintech Times

MoneyPot

Wednesday 17 September, 02:15 PM—03:00 PM (45 min)

Podcast : VC Reacts

VC Reacts with

Hosts: Ahmad Takatkah, Managing Partner, Diwan Capital & Jamie Lane, Co-founder, FWDstart

Guests: Armineh Baghoomian, Managing Director, Partners for Growth and C. Nichole Rush, Managing Director, First Rate Ventures

Speakers

Ahmad Takatkah

Podcaster / Managing Partner | VC React /Diwan Capital

Jamie Lane

Podcaster / Co-Founder | VC React / FWDstart

Armineh Baghoomian

Managing Director | Partners for Growth

C. Nichole (Grice) Rush

Managing Director | First Rate Ventures

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 02:15 PM—02:35 PM (24 h 20 min)

Panel Discussion : Regional and International Development Funds: A Blueprint for Sustainable Economic Transformation Across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East

Featured Markets: Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan

With Africa facing an annual development financing gap exceeding $1 trillion, the Middle East undergoing large-scale economic diversification, and Asia accelerating green and digital transitions, regional and international development funds have become pivotal engines of transformation.

From the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and sovereign wealth giants like Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the UAE’s ADIA, Singapore’s GIC, and Indonesia’s INA, capital is being deployed not only to finance infrastructure, but to accelerate financial inclusion, climate resilience, SME growth, and innovation ecosystems across emerging markets.

This session convenes global fund managers, DFI executives, policymakers, and public-private stakeholders to explore how regional economic commissions and multilateral institutions are deploying blended finance, concessional capital, and catalytic investments to achieve inclusive, sustainable development. It will spotlight cross-border investment strategies in key markets including Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, while also unpacking how fintech and digital infrastructure are reshaping the funding landscape.

Key themes:

• Sovereign wealth funds beyond oil: Investing in fintech, green tech, and financial inclusion across emerging markets

• Asia’s development playbook: What Africa and the Middle East can learn from ASEAN’s catalytic fund models

• Blended finance in practice: How DFIs like AIIB, AfDB, and ADB are co-investing with private capital for scale

• Financing connectivity and digital infrastructure: As a foundation for innovation, trade, and job creation

• Cross-border development corridors: Case studies of ASEAN-Africa-GCC partnerships, from G2G funds to co-managed investment vehicles

• Islamic finance as a regional enabler: Exploring sukuk and sharia-compliant structures driving sustainable funding

Speakers

Tukeer Hussain

Senior Financial and Professional Services Advisor - British Embassy, Riyadh | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK Government

Rina Neoh

Co-founder and Partner | Ficus Venture Capital

Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro

Advisor to the President of Nigeria on Economic and Financial Inclusion | President’s Office, Federal Republic of Nigeria Government

2:20 PM

Off The Record

Wednesday 17 September, 02:20 PM—02:40 PM (20 min)

In Conversation ... : Are We Designing Systems for People or for Machines?

This open session explores AI’s impact on trust, identity, fairness, and financial systems.

Speakers

David Birch

Global Ambassador | Consult Hyperion

Andries Smit

Chief Growth Business/ New Venturesn Lead | InDrive

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 02:20 PM—03:00 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Breaking the Money Taboo: Transparency, Tech & the Future of Financial Empowerment

This panel will explore how open conversations about money, from TikTok interviews to fintech dashboards, are radically reshaping how people engage with work, wealth, and personal finance. From creators demanding pay transparency to fintechs building salary benchmarking tools, this session examines the cultural and technological forces behind the new financial empowerment movement.

Key Themes:

• Salary transparency and its implications for employers, job seekers, and fintech platforms
• How social media is reshaping financial literacy and money culture
• Fintech tools enabling pay equity, personal financial planning, and income visibility
• The Gen Z lens: expectations around openness, side hustles, and financial autonomy
• Bridging financial knowledge gaps through digital content and tech

Speakers

Elliott Gotkine

TV news correspondent | TV news correspondent

Tunji Andrews

CEO | Awabah / PenPay

Aydan Al-Saad

Influencer | Creator of “What’s Your Salary?” Series

Rotimi Merriman-Johnson

UK Personal Finance Educator & Content Creator | Mr. MoneyJar

Gabriel Nussbaum

Influencer, Financial educator and content creator | “That Money Guy”

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 02:20 PM—03:00 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Cap Tables and Consequences: What Founders Overlook When Thinking About Exits

From founder dilution to investor dynamics, the earliest decisions around equity can echo all the way to IPO or kill the journey before it begins. A sharp discussion on what fintech founders need to know about ownership, structure, and scale before it’s too late

Speakers

Elizabeth Yin

Investor | Hustle Fund

Victor Alexiev

Strategic Partnerships and Venture Investing, Alternative Lending and Private Credit | Citi Ventures

Rabih I Khoury

Managing Partner & Chief Exit Officer | MEVP

Timur Daudpota

Founding Partner | 2080 Ventures

Tugce Ergul

Managing Partner | hypernova capital

2:35 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 02:35 PM—02:55 PM (20 min)

Keynote : Money, Confidence & Control: Why Now Is Every Woman’s Moment

Women now control roughly a third of retail financial assets today, and that’s expected to double by 2030. Yet only around 36% of women invest, even though female investors tend to outperform men. And while women’s investing is rising fast. but still not widespread.

In Saudi Arabia, about $36 billion of women’s investable income is left in the table each year and nearly $66 billion in the UK. Confidence, not capital, is the biggest barrier: women worry more about finance and crave relevant education tailored to their values. This moment is about normalizing investing for women, building comfort, shifting norms, and unlocking real societal and economic potential.

Speaker

Yasmine El-Mehairy

Co-founder & CEO | Dija

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 02:35 PM—03:05 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : The Future of Global Finance is Local + Digital

This session dives into how best to deliver digital banking at scale while tailoring financial experiences to the needs of local markets and regulatory environments.

Speakers

Jahanzeb Khan

President & CEO | Easypaisa Digital Bank

Rob Cameron

Global Head of Acceptance Solutions | Visa

Ahmad Alhaddad

Senior Director – Delivery | STC Bank

2:55 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 02:55 PM—03:35 PM (40 min)

Deep Dive : Gaming the System: How Digital Entertainment is Driving Cross-Border Commerce and Financial Inclusion

In many emerging markets, gaming is more than play, it’s the on-ramp to the digital economy. For millions of first-time online consumers, buying a game upgrade, subscribing to an eSports platform, or participating in a virtual marketplace is their first experience with digital payments.

This phenomenon is transforming gaming into a strategic gateway for financial inclusion and a testing ground for cross-border commerce infrastructure. From local payment rails and currency conversion systems to digital ID and fraud prevention frameworks, the gaming sector is pushing payment innovation that benefits the wider economy.

This session will explore:

Gaming as Digital Infrastructure: How the sector drives adoption of mobile wallets, prepaid cards, and digital IDs.
Cross-Border Microtransaction Infrastructure: Scaling compliant, low-cost payments for global gaming platforms in diverse regulatory environments.
Public-Private Partnerships in Digital Entertainment: How fintechs, gaming companies, and regulators can co-create safe, accessible, and inclusive ecosystems.
From Players to Participants: How gaming transactions create financial identities that can be leveraged for credit, savings, and broader e-commerce participation.

Speakers

Jorge Carrasco

Managing Director Blockchain and Digital Assets | FTI Consulting

Adebiyi Aromolaran

VP Operations, ME-NA-Turkey | Dlocal

Billal Yamak

Head of Growth GCC | The Sandbox

Abdulrahman Alageel

Chief marketing and customer experience officer | BARQ

Sergei Zykov

Payments Partnerships | Xsolla

3:00 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 03:00 PM—03:40 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Scaling Secure AI-Driven Finance: From Core Banking to Cloud-Native Intelligence

As AI shifts from experimentation to enterprise scale, the real question is not what AI can do, but how to deploy it securely, efficiently, and at scale across financial ecosystems. For banks, fintechs, and investment platforms, this means transforming legacy infrastructure into cloud-native, AI-ready systems that can power real-time payments, hyper-personalized investment services, and regulatory compliance without compromising trust.

This panel brings together Dell Technologies, Dyna AI, and Derayah to explore how financial institutions and fintech platforms are building the foundations for the next era of AI in finance. Together, they’ll unpack:

Core to Cloud Transformation: How financial institutions are modernizing systems to handle AI-driven workflows and real-time data.

AI for Risk & Compliance: Leveraging predictive AI for fraud detection, cybersecurity, and regulatory reporting.

Hyper-Personalized Finance: How AI insights are reshaping customer journeys in investment, wealth management, and retail finance.

The Infrastructure Factor: Why resilient, scalable cloud + edge systems are the backbone of trustworthy AI in finance.

From Pilots to Scale: Lessons on operationalizing AI across thousands of workflows in regulated environments.

By combining the perspectives of a global tech infrastructure leader (Dell), an AI innovation firm (Dyna AI), and a regional investment platform (Derayah), this discussion moves beyond hype to focus on the practical, scalable, and secure integration of AI into financial ecosystems, from wealth platforms to core banking.

Speakers

Pedro Marques

Partner, Financial Services | AT Kearney Saudia Arabia Limited

Tomas Skoumal

Chairman & Co-President | DYNA.AI

aurelien buissonniere

Head of Digital Factory | Derayah Financial

Antonio Roulet Magides

CEO, FOUNDER | SOLVENT LIFE

Ayman Elmarazky

Pre Sales Director SEL (Saudi egypt levant ) | Dell Technologies

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 03:00 PM—03:30 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Fintech Horizons: AI and Lending for Cross-Border Growth - Risk, Regulation & Returns

Learn how AI fuels BNPL and SME expansion worldwide, with Middle East case studies and VC guidance for navigating 2025’s opportunities.

Speakers

Osama Alraee

CEO | Lendo

Baraa Koshak

CEO | Abwab.ai

Abdulaziz AL Rammah

CEO | Muhlah

3:05 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 03:05 PM—03:35 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Fintech Ecosystems and the Next Wave of Financial Innovation

From fostering trust and resilience to enabling new business models, this session will unpack how Saudi Arabia’s fintech ecosystem can scale globally while driving inclusive, sustainable growth at home.

Speakers

Abdulla Almoayed

Founder and CEO | Tarabut

Fares M. Alsaleh

General Director, Fintech Development | SAMA

Dr. Majid Malaika

Lead for Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity Risk | IMF

Mohammed AlThbiti

Chief Information Officer | Gulf International Bank

Brittany Mcdonough

Venture Partner | Launch Africa Ventures

3:10 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 03:10 PM—03:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Bridging Markets, Building Trust: The Rise of Fintech Alliances Between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

As fintech adoption accelerates across the Global South, new corridors of collaboration are emerging between South Asia and the Gulf. This session will explore how Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are forging deeper fintech ties, from remittance innovation and cross-border payment infrastructure to venture capital flows and regulatory harmonisation.

We’ll examine how key partnerships, such as between Pakistan’s State Bank and Saudi fintech hubs, are catalysing joint ventures, talent exchange, and scalable digital financial products. The discussion will also unpack how Islamic fintech, digital identity frameworks, and open banking regulations are shaping a shared financial future between the two nations.

Key Talking Points:

• Saudi - Pakistan collaboration in cross-border payments and digital wallets
• Shared priorities in Islamic fintech, Sharia-compliant financing, and digital banking licenses
• How Gulf capital is backing Pakistani fintech startups
• Bilateral government support, sandbox frameworks, and tech transfer
• Opportunities for talent mobility and dual-market scaling

Speaker

Abu Bakar

CEO | Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB)

3:30 PM

The Bridge

Wednesday 17 September, 03:30 PM—04:10 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Global Xchange: Unlocking Access - The Story Behind Financial Inclusion’s Rapid Rise in Across 2 Continents

Africa and Asia have become the world’s fastest-growing regions for digital finance adoption. From mobile money in Africa surpassing $900 billion in annual transactions to Asia’s booming super apps and embedded finance platforms, digital tools are transforming financial participation at an unprecedented scale.

This panel brings together policymakers and fintech leaders to explore how regulatory frameworks, technological innovations, and financial policies are enabling inclusion, investment, and economic transformation. It will also unpack the lessons Africa and Asia can learn from each other as they continue to expand digital wallets, mobile payments, and cross-border financial solutions.

Speakers

Sanjiv Purushotham

Founder & CEO | Bridge Solutions

Sumnesh Joshi

Deputy Director General, Ministry of Communications | Government of India

Cindy Xu

Managing Director, Head of Asia Fintech and China FIG | J. P. Morgan

Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro

Advisor to the President of Nigeria on Economic and Financial Inclusion | President’s Office, Federal Republic of Nigeria Government

Nicolai Eddy

Co-founder & COO | Nala/ RAFIKI

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 03:30 PM—04:00 PM (30 min)

Keynote : Venture Truths & Exit Plays: A Candid AMA with Mike Sigal

A candid, no-holds-barred AMA (Ask Me Anything) where Mike Sigal draws from his journey as a successful founder with multiple exits, turned venture investor, to unpack the realities of building and scaling in the fintech world. This interactive keynote blends sharp industry foresight with personal anecdotes, hard-earned lessons, and unfiltered advice for founders, investors, and ecosystem leader

Speaker

Mike Sigal

Founder | Sigal Ventures

3:35 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 03:35 PM—04:00 PM (25 min)

Fireside Chat : What’s Next? The Future of Money, Markets, and Innovation

A closing fireside that looks beyond today’s challenges to the big questions shaping the future of finance from tokenization to AI-driven financial services.

Speakers

Yazeed A. Alnafjan, CFA

Deputy Governor for Financial Innovation, Saudi Central Bank and Chairman of Fintech Saudi | Saudi Central Bank

Zeeshan Khwaja

Partner | Kearney

3:40 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 03:40 PM—04:10 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : The Evolution of Contactless Payments

• Exploring how contactless payments are driving innovation in retail experiences and what could potentially follow next.
• We will also assess the growth of contactless payment technologies such as QR codes, NFC, wearables.

Speakers

Aamir Aftab

Chief Product Officer | Jazz Cash

Abdulaziz Aljasser

COO & Co-founder | Qlub

Ahmed Alben Saleh

Head of liquidity & Cash management solutions | BSF

Jan Malas

Principal | AT Kearney Saudia Arabia Limited

4:00 PM

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 04:00 PM—04:20 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Pioneering Global Investment: Unlocking Saudi Arabia’s VC Landscape with the First Foreign Fund License

This fireside chat explores the impact of Saudi Arabia’s first foreign venture capital license, highlighting how new regulations are opening the market for global investors. Gain insights into the evolving fintech ecosystem, regulatory changes, and opportunities for startups and investors in the Kingdom.

Speakers

Hayfa Alhedeithy

Director, Market Institutions Development Department | Capital Market Authority

Mohammed Alzubi

Founder and Managing Partner | Nama Ventures

Karim Samakie

Senior Advisor | Fintech Saudi

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 04:00 PM—04:10 PM (10 min)

MoneySurge : MoneySurge Stage Prep

4:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 04:10 PM—04:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Evaluating the Impact of Generative Finance on Credit Advice

We will assess how generative finance is transforming credit advice from a one-size fits all approach to a dynamic, tailored experience, opening the way to a more empowered and financially astute society.

Speakers

Deep Singh

Founder & Group CEO | CrediLinq

Zaid Kamhawi

Chief Research & Development Officer | Simah

Abdallah Dahhan

Chief Risk Officer | Al Yusr Leasing & Financing

Samuel Ubido

Chairman | Techinnovate Group

Ullas Puntambekar

Director - Global Partnerships | Veefin

Executive Summit

Wednesday 17 September, 04:10 PM—06:00 PM (1 h 50 min)

MoneySurge : Start of MoneySurge Pitch Competition Finale

Join us for the fierce finale of MoneySurge. Over the past two days 30 of our strongest fintech founders have taken to the stage to share their story. Now watch as 10 advance to the finale, to pitch in front of our Finale judges. 4 Awards on the table, $400K prize fund up for grabs. Join us and support our founders.

Speakers

David M. Brear

Group CEO | 11:FS

Dr. Osama Al Amri

Chief Business Development Officer | SME Bank

Armineh Baghoomian

Managing Director | Partners for Growth

4:20 PM

The Capital

Wednesday 17 September, 04:20 PM—04:30 PM (10 min)

Live Demo : Powering Fintech-Financial Institutions Partnerships with Finbridge Global

Join Barbara Gottardi, for a compelling 10-minute demo showcasing how Finbridge’s AI-powered Assessment Engine transforms partnerships between fintechs and financial institutions. Discover how proprietary data and automated RFI tools evaluate fintech scalability, compliance, and tech stacks, enabling banks to onboard innovative solutions in payments, lending, and wealthtech faster than ever. With a nod to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its thriving regulatory sandbox, see live how Finbridge bridges trust gaps, accelerates collaboration, and drives growth for both fintechs and FIs in the MENA region and beyond.

Speaker

Barbara Gottardi

Co-founder & CEO | Finbridge Global

4:50 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 17 September, 04:50 PM—05:30 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : The Future of SME Finance: Intelligent Infrastructure, Inclusive Growth

This session explores how fintechs and digital-first banks are solving longstanding SME pain points - from access to working capital and real-time insights, to onboarding and credit scoring. The panel will debate how tech can personalize service at scale, the role of AI in underwriting and financial planning, and what a truly “next-gen” SME bank looks like.

Speakers

Omair Khan

Partner, Financial Services | AT Kearney Saudia Arabia Limited

Hani Ibrahim

Chief Investment Officer | Lendable

Deep Singh

Founder & Group CEO | CrediLinq

Salem Aljawini

Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer | Tarmeez Capital

Salman Akhtar

CEO | Adalfi