Discover the 2026 Agenda | Money20/20 Middle East

12:00 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 12:00 PM—12:05 PM (5 min)

Opening Remarks : MC Welcome

The New Financial System

Speaker

Eliott Gotkine

Master of Ceremonies

Capital Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:00 PM—12:10 PM (10 min)

Opening Remarks : MC Welcome & Announcements

Speaker

Natalie Lindo

Founder | NLM

Off The Record Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:00 PM—12:05 PM (5 min)

Opening Remarks : Virtual MC Welcome

The Bridge Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:00 PM—12:10 PM (10 min)

Opening Remarks : MC Welcome

Speaker

Yousef Gamal El-Din

Managing Partner | Stagespring LLC

Plaza

Wednesday 16 September, 12:00 PM—03:00 PM (3 h)

Financial Academy

12:05 PM

Off The Record Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:05 PM—01:00 PM (55 min)

Panel Discussion : Insuring the Future with Intelligence: From AI Hype to AI Value

The real challenge is no longer building AI. It is realizing value from it. Discover how a leading insurer is connecting cloud transformation, business-led AI adoption, value realization, and governance to move from isolated experiments to trusted enterprise-wide impact.

Speakers

Malik Abduljabbar

Director | Al Rajhi Takaful

Ahmad Abuhawi

Data & AI Governance Director | Al Rajhi Takaful

Paloma Rubio Klerian

Senior Data & AI Stategist | DataGalaxy

Alaa Sharaf

Senior Leader, Data & AI | Google

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 12:05 PM—12:35 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Can I Trust You With My Money? The Psychology of Financial AI

AI can already recommend how people save, spend, borrow and invest. The next step is more consequential: allowing it to act. Consumers will not delegate financial decisions because a system is intelligent. They will do it when they understand what it is allowed to do, when it will ask for approval and whether a decision can be challenged or reversed. Opening the day, this conversation examines which financial decisions people are prepared to hand over, where they will insist on remaining in control and what banks and fintechs must build around consent, explanation and human intervention before autonomous finance becomes mainstream.

Speakers

Ilya Kravtsov

Founder & CEO | PILLAR

Yasar Ahmad

Founder,Behavioural Science & Leadership Expert, Content Creator | OVD Lab

Yana Prikhodchenko

CEO & Partner | Cointelegraph

Afzal Hussain Mohammed Nakheeb

Founder & Chairman | T57.AI

12:10 PM

The Bridge Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:10 PM—12:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : What Comes After Payments?

Payments are no longer the end goal, they are becoming the foundation for a new generation of real-time, intelligent, and interconnected financial services. As digital assets, instant payment networks, and programmable financial infrastructure converge, the industry is redefining how value moves, settles, and creates new economic opportunities.

Speakers

Tony Ashraf

Managing Director | BlackRock

Farid Huseynov

CEO | Bir Ecosystem

Salah Hamawi

Senior Management Director | Ankura

Pinar Alpay

Chief Product & Marketing Officer • Product | Network International

Mohammed Alabsi

Chief Product and Technology Officer | FLIP

Capital Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:10 PM—12:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Built in Riyadh. Scaled Everywhere.

Saudi Arabia has rapidly emerged as one of the region's most dynamic fintech ecosystems, supported by progressive regulation, increasing access to capital, and a growing innovation economy. Yet building a successful company at home is only the first step. The next challenge is creating globally competitive businesses that can scale across markets, attract international investment, and become category leaders. Explore what separates regional success from global scale, the role of capital in accelerating international expansion, and how Saudi-founded companies can build enduring enterprise value on the world stage.

Speakers

Mina Vucic

Director of Production & Multimedia | Entrepreneur Middle East

Hamad AlMohaimeed

Head of Value Creation | Foodics

Ibtissam Ouassif

Head of Product | Sanabil Venture Studio

12:30 PM

Intellect Booth

Wednesday 16 September, 12:30 PM—01:30 PM (1 h)

AI-First Islamic Banking

Capital Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 12:30 PM—01:00 PM (30 min)

Fireside Chat : Insurtech: Protecting the Future of Capital

As climate risks, cyber threats and rising healthcare costs reshape the global economy, insurance is evolving from a financial safety net into a strategic investment opportunity. From AI-powered underwriting and embedded insurance to digital health and climate resilience, Insurtech is redefining how capital is protected, deployed and grown across MENA.

Speakers

Masoud Alhelou

CEO | Yasmina

Dr. Tamer Asaad

Founder | Ananas Insurance

Richard Dean

Director | Roar Media Services

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 12:30 PM—12:35 PM (5 min)

Opening Remarks : MC Welcome

Speaker

Taghrid Alhowish

Master of Ceremonies, TV Presenter

The Boardroom

Wednesday 16 September, 12:30 PM—02:00 PM (1 h 30 min)

Roundtable : Wiring the Next Generation: Family Offices, Fintech, and Saudi Arabia's Global Financial Bridge

As next-generation wealth holders take the reins of Gulf family offices, capital is shifting decisively toward technology and financial innovation – with Saudi Arabia at the center of that transformation. This roundtable brings together family office principals, fintech founders, and investment leaders to examine how emerging technology is reshaping private wealth strategy, why family offices are becoming pivotal backers of fintech, and how the Kingdom's evolving landscape is positioning it as a node of global financial connectivity. The conversation will explore where the next generation sees opportunity, how cross-border partnerships and co-investment structures are being built, and what it takes to turn regional momentum into lasting international relevance.

Speaker

Ahmed Al Darwish

Founder and Managing Partner | Noa Capital

12:35 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 12:35 PM—01:10 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : When AI Fails: Who Pays?

An autonomous system makes a financial decision. Someone loses money. The argument starts immediately and has no obvious winner. Liability could sit with the institution that deployed the model, the vendor that built it, the team that trained it, or the customer who agreed to delegate the decision in the first place. Most arrangements currently leave the answer implied. This panel refuses the abstract version. Where liability actually lands when financial AI causes harm. What governance looks like when an autonomous system has to survive a real audit rather than a policy review. And which of these responsibilities must be settled before agentic finance operates at scale, not after.

Speakers

Justin Malta

Global Leader, Risk and Regulatory Advisory | KPMG

Claire Harrop

Partner | Freshfields LLP

Balaji Rajagopalan

CTO | State Bank of India

Ratul Ahmed

Managing Director - Lending | Commerzbank AG

Ben Charoenwong

Associate Professor of Finance | INSEAD

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 12:35 PM—12:45 PM (10 min)

Opening Keynote : Building the World’s Next Financial System: From Vision to Reality

Speaker

Nora M. Albakr

Deputy Governor for Financial Innovation | Saudi Central Bank

12:45 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 12:45 PM—12:50 PM (5 min)

Announcement

12:50 PM

The Bridge Stage

Payments and Commerce Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 12:50 PM—01:30 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Building the Trade Rails of Tomorrow

As trade corridors evolve, so must the systems that support them. Explore how digital payments, instant settlement, and cross-border interoperability are reshaping the foundations of regional and global commerce.

Speakers

Laurent Marochini

Chief Executive Officer | Standard Chartered Luxembourg

Ahmad Yaacoub

VP MENA & Country Head | Thunes

Amanda Estiverne

Vice President, Global Strategic Partnerships | Money20/20

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 12:50 PM—01:25 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : Who Owns the Financial Experience?

The future of financial services won’t be defined by who builds the best products, but by who owns the customer relationship. As SuperApps and platform businesses reshape how consumers discover, engage with and access financial services, traditional competitive boundaries are disappearing. This conversation explores how platform competition is redefining customer ownership, business models and the future structure of financial services, and what today’s leaders must do to remain at the centre of the customer relationship.

Speakers

Oliver Hughes

Head of International | TBC Bank Group

Erwan Gelebart

Group CEO | AXIAN Digibank & Fintech

Sarthak Ahuja

Director | Niamh Ventures

Monica Jasuja

Chief Expansion and Innovation Officer | Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA)

Nikhil Joy

Head of Fintech | NOON

1:00 PM

Capital Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 01:00 PM—01:40 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : AI-Native Companies: The New Rules of Enterprise Value

AI is fundamentally changing how companies are built, scaled and valued. AI-native businesses are redefining traditional assumptions around productivity, capital efficiency, operating models and competitive advantage, enabling smaller teams to create outsized enterprise value. As investors reassess the characteristics of tomorrow's market leaders, the focus is shifting from scale alone to defensibility, proprietary data, distribution and long-term value creation. This session explores how AI is reshaping enterprise value, what distinguishes the next generation of category leaders, and where investors see the greatest opportunities for long-term returns.

Speakers

Lexi Novitske

General partner | Norrsken22

Dr. Jonathan Doerr

SVP Venture Building | Disrupt

Tasawar Ulhaq

Shareholder, CEO | Basirah

Off The Record Stage

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

Networking

1:10 PM

Next-Gen Money

Capital Journey

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

Deep Dive : Who Sells Financial Products When AI Makes the Decisions?

A consumer asks an AI assistant to find the best current account, the right insurance product or a sensible place to put savings. The assistant compares providers, filters products and recommends. The customer never reaches a website or an app, and the provider never knows the comparison happened. Distribution built on brand, search and branch presence does not survive that intact. The panel gets to the practical version of the problem: what a financial company has to do to remain visible to a machine choosing on someone's behalf, and whether the next generation of institutions will be competing for people or for the algorithms representing them.

Speakers

Christophe Makni

Head of Data, Automation and AI | Migros Bank

Frank Amankwah

Visiting Partner | Sanabil Studio

Omar Alessa

Co-Founder & CFO | Safqah Capital

Leni Andronicos

Co-Founder & CEO | Numi

1:20 PM

Off The Record Stage

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

Deep Dive : Are Traditional Exchanges Becoming Obsolete?

Capital markets are moving toward a world of 24/7 trading, digital assets, alternative venues and increasingly borderless liquidity. As investors gain access to markets beyond traditional opening hours, the role of the exchange itself is being challenged. This conversation asks what happens next. Do exchanges remain the centre of price discovery, trust and market integrity, or do they evolve into infrastructure platforms operating behind a more fragmented, always-on financial system? And as emerging markets modernise their capital markets, could they bypass legacy models and build the next generation of exchanges first?

Speakers

Neo Mooki

Chairperson | Botswana Stock Exchange

Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga

Chairman | Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX)

Alexander Wegner

Head of Middle East | Crestview

1:25 PM

Executive Summit

Financial Inclusion Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 01:25 PM—02:00 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : From Access to Agency: Financial Education as Infrastructure

Financial literacy isn't a nice-to-have, it's a prerequisite for participation. This session makes the case that embedding financial education into platforms and policy is one of the highest-return investments any institution or government can make. Real inclusion starts with knowledge.

Speakers

Mana Al Khamsan

CEO | The Financial Academy

Dr. Jasmin B. Gupta

Global Fintech Academic | University of Wollongong, Australia, GIFT City India

Glauber Mota

CEO, Brazil | Revolut

Yasar Ahmad

Founder,Behavioural Science & Leadership Expert, Content Creator | OVD Lab

Rodrigoh Henriques

Director of Innovation and Strategy | FENASBAC

1:40 PM

Capital Stage

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

Fireside Chat : What Makes a Company Worth Owning?

Capital gets you started. But product, customers, distribution and loyalty are what ultimately create enterprise value. A founder and investor unpack what separates businesses that simply raise money from those that build something customers genuinely want to keep using.

Speakers

Adeola Adedewe

Founder & CEO | Kredete

Omar Renno

Managing Director | Ankura

Bilal Abou-Diab

Co-Founder & CEO | Vault

Next-Gen Money

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

Live Demo : Agentic Commerce: The Future of Payments is Here

A two-part demo session showcasing complementary technologies shaping the future of financial services. Moyasar will demonstrate its digital payments capabilities and solutions for enabling seamless, secure experiences including how agent-initiated transactions are authorised and trusted, through verified agent identity, defined spending limits, and permissions the customer can revoke at any time. HUMAIN will separately showcase HUMAIN Voice, demonstrating how advanced Arabic-first voice AI can support fintech and financial institutions through intelligent customer interactions, automated service experiences, and more natural, accessible engagement at scale.

Speaker

Basem Aljedai

Co-Founder | Moyasar

1:50 PM

Off The Record Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 01:50 PM—02:10 PM (20 min)

Open Discussion : $650B+ in Motion: The New Remittance Cost Curve

Remittance costs remain above the 3% global target, and a younger, mobile-first customer base is shifting volume toward instant, low-cost digital channels. We map what the $650B+ market looks like as fee revenue compresses: who survives, who consolidates, and what new risks replace the old ones.

Speakers

Mohamed Mansour

Regional Director | Wise

Jamie Lane

Founder | FWDstart

2:00 PM

The Bridge Stage

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

Fireside Chat : “The” Inheritors' Blueprint

How the next generation wants the next financial systems built.The people who'll run on tomorrow's rails rarely get to shape them. This session changes that, putting next-gen builders in dialogue about the infrastructure, incentives and governance being designed now. It's a forward look co-authored by the generation it's for.

Speakers

Naif Alajmi

Co-Founder, Board Member, and Head of Arranging | OORI

Cindy Ai

Co-CEO | Dream VC

Capital Stage

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

Panel Discussion : Tokenized Assets: Reshaping Global Capital Markets

The tokenisation of real-world assets is redefining how capital is raised, owned and traded. From private equity and real estate to bonds, funds and alternative assets, tokenisation has the potential to unlock new liquidity, broaden investor access and reshape the architecture of global capital markets. As governments, exchanges and financial institutions continue to explore and implement digital asset initiatives, the opportunity extends beyond technology to the future ownership of market infrastructure.We examine where value will be created, which asset classes are likely to transform first, and what tokenisation means for investors, regulators and institutions shaping the next generation of capital markets.

Intellect Booth

Wednesday 16 September, 02:00 PM—03:00 PM (1 h)

AI-First Lending

Capital Stage

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

Panel Discussion : Tokenized Assets: Reshaping Global Capital Markets

The tokenisation of real-world assets is redefining how capital is raised, owned and traded. From private equity and real estate to bonds, funds and alternative assets, tokenisation has the potential to unlock new liquidity, broaden investor access and reshape the architecture of global capital markets. As governments, exchanges and financial institutions continue to explore and implement digital asset initiatives, the opportunity extends beyond technology to the future ownership of market infrastructure. We examine where value will be created, which asset classes are likely to transform first, and what tokenisation means for investors, regulators and institutions shaping the next generation of capital markets.

Speakers

Tony Ashraf

Managing Director | BlackRock

Senator Osita Izunaso

Chairman, Senate Committee on Capital Markets | Federal Republic of Nigeria Government

Laurent Marochini

Chief Executive Officer | Standard Chartered Luxembourg

Zain Umer

CEO | CFC MENA / MFTA

Fintech Saudi Booth

Wednesday 16 September, 02:00 PM—03:00 PM (1 h)

Workshop : Financial Planning

An interactive workshop covering the fundamentals of financial planning, investment management, financial literacy, and strategies for building current and future assets for individuals and businesses.

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 02:00 PM—02:15 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Preparing Finance for the Post Quantum Era

As quantum capabilities advance, today’s encryption standards that protect payments, identities and financial infrastructure could eventually become vulnerable. This session explores how financial institutions, technology providers and policymakers should prepare now for the transition to quantum-safe systems before the threat becomes systemic.

Speakers

Ray Harishankar

IBM Fellow & Vice President, CTO - Quantum Safe | IBM

Steve Suarez

CEO | HorizonX

2:10 PM

Off The Record Stage

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

Open Discussion : Who Still Uses Their Bank Cards?

You don’t reach for your wallet anymore, it reaches for you. From social platforms to creator ecosystems and embedded retail experiences, finance is no longer a destination, it’s infrastructure. Invisible, frictionless and woven into the scroll, the click and the checkout. As AI agents start making decisions and completing transactions on our behalf, who actually owns the customer relationship when the customer never opens a banking app again?

Speakers

Panagiotis Kriaris

Advisor / Fintech, Payments, Banking

Bessima Bahri

Legal Director, EMEAP | Remitly

Mohammed Alabsi

Chief Product and Technology Officer | FLIP

The Bridge Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 02:10 PM—02:50 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Building the Builders: Who Will Power the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure?

The greatest challenge facing financial infrastructure may not be technology, it may be talent. As AI, cloud, digital identity and real-time payments reshape financial systems, countries are competing to build the skills, partnerships and innovation ecosystems needed to sustain long-term transformation. How should governments, industry, universities and investors work together to develop the next generation of fintech talent and ensure financial infrastructure continues to evolve?

Speakers

Wasim Hamoud

Founder & CEO | Moola

Sumnesh Joshi

Deputy Director General | Government of India

Sanjiv Purushotham

Founder & CEO | Bridge Solutions

Mohammed A. Alhamzah

General Director, Digital Business Solutions | Saudi Central Bank

Saad Abubakr

CTO | Al Rajhi Takaful

Next-Gen Money

Cyber and Trust Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 02:10 PM—02:45 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : The Post-Quantum Deadline: Is Financial Infrastructure Ready?

AI is already embedded in risk models, fraud engines, liquidity decisions and financial operations. Quantum computing could eventually extend those capabilities through new forms of optimisation, modelling and analysis. It could also undermine cryptography protecting financial data, identity and transactions. That creates a deadline long before a sufficiently powerful quantum computer arrives. This conversation separates practical readiness from speculation. It examines which cryptographic dependencies require attention now, where quantum and AI could create financial value first and what banks, regulators and payment networks should already have underway to prepare financial infrastructure for a post-quantum world.

Speakers

Achille Yomi

CEO & Co-Founder | Scenario X SA

Samuel Ubido

Chairman | Techinnovate Group

Dr Arif Ahmed

Professor and Director | South Asian Management Technologies Foundation

Dr. Saad Alowayyed

General Manager and Project Lead | KACST / C4IRKSA

Mohamed Abo-ElEzz

Resilience and Security BDM | Dell Technologies

2:15 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 02:15 PM—02:30 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : Building the Capital Markets of Tomorrow

Capital markets are entering a new phase as technology, new sources of capital and changing investor expectations reshape how markets are built and accessed. This conversation explores who will shape the next generation of capital markets, what infrastructure and partnerships will be required, and how today’s decisions can create deeper, more connected and globally competitive markets.

Speakers

Neo Mooki

Chairperson | Botswana Stock Exchange

Scarlett Sieber

Chief Strategy & Growth Officer | Money20/20 Global

2:30 PM

Capital Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 02:30 PM—03:00 PM (30 min)

Live Demo : Can AI Investment Decisions Be Trusted?

A compliance officer can't take an AI's investment call on faith. This session opens one live recommendation and walks it backward: explanation, portfolio logic, signal, data - exposing exactly where the evidence trail holds and where it quietly comes apart.

Speakers

Ivan Chelebiev

CEO | Chicago Global

Ben Charoenwong

Associate Professor of Finance | INSEAD

Executive Summit

Cyber and Trust Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 02:30 PM—02:45 PM (15 min)

Fireside Chat : The Boardroom Cyber Agenda

Cybersecurity has become one of the defining strategic priorities for today's business leaders. As financial institutions navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape, boards must balance innovation, resilience, regulation and risk. This discussion will explore the leadership decisions shaping cyber strategy and what it takes to build resilient organisations in an era of constant disruption.

Speakers

Edgar González Lugo

CISO | Ualá

Rini Laskar

Former Head of Transformation and Governance | RAKBANK

Saud Swar

SVP & Country Manager for KSA, Bahrain, Jordan & Other Levant | Mastercard

2:40 PM

Off The Record Stage

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

Fireside Chat : Match Made in Heaven: The New Creator & Bank Alliance

The creator economy is now a $250B network of micro-businesses and banks, platforms and fintechs are racing to serve them. Are creators just a new customer segment, or the next frontier of banking entirely? We look at who builds the winning relationship over the next decade.

Speakers

Glauber Mota

CEO, Brazil | Revolut

Aydan Al-Saad

Founder | Creator Leaders

Afua Hagan

Journalist & Broadcaster | News Central

2:45 PM

The Boardroom

Wednesday 16 September, 02:45 PM—04:30 PM (1 h 45 min)

Roundtable : The Enablers of Open Investment: Connectivity, Data, and the Future of Capital Markets

As digital connectivity continues to reshape financial services, new opportunities are emerging to transform how investors access information, products, and investment services across capital markets. Open Investment has the potential to create more connected investment journeys, unlock new business models, and foster greater collaboration between investors, capital market institutions, fintechs, and market infrastructure providers. This closed-door high-level roundtable will explore the key enablers of Open Investment, including data access, connectivity, APIs, and collaboration across the ecosystem, while bringing together industry leaders to discuss the opportunities, challenges, and practical steps needed to move from concept to market-led action.

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 02:45 PM—03:25 PM (40 min)

Panel Discussion : Stablecoins and the Future of Money: Where Do They Fit?

Stablecoins are attracting growing global attention as potential tools for cross-border payments, settlement, treasury and digital commerce, while adoption, regulation and use cases continue to vary significantly across markets. As banks, payment networks, fintechs and policymakers assess where stablecoins may add value, the bigger question is how they fit alongside existing payment rails, tokenised deposits and other emerging forms of programmable money. This panel examines where practical use cases are developing, what conditions would be required for broader use, how financial institutions are responding, and whether stablecoins could become a lasting part of the financial system or one element within a wider evolution of digital money.

Speakers

Nicole Sandler

Chief Ecosystem Officer | Ubyx

Jorge Carrasco

Managing Director Blockchain and Digital Assets | FTI Consulting

Ramana Kumar

President | ADI Foundation

Dr. Efi Pylarinou

Global Fintech & Tech Thought leader & Advisor | GrowFin

Simon Hardie

Co-founder & CEO | Findexable

2:50 PM

The Bridge Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 02:50 PM—03:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Trust Hand-off

The financial architecture for a generation that never powers down.Always-on isn't a feature, it's becoming the default state of an economy. This session unpacks the infrastructure, governance and trust models that an always-on economy depends on. It keeps the future-facing energy while staying firmly on the systems beneath it.

Speaker

Fahad Anteet

Founder & CEO | Lite

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 02:50 PM—03:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Rewriting the Risk: Insurance's Role in Strengthening MENA’s Financial Future

For too long, insurance has been treated as a regulatory obligation rather than an economic engine. This is changing fast. A combination of Vision 2030 mandates, rising climate exposure, an expanding middle class and the arrival of AI-powered underwriting is creating conditions for the region's most significant insurance transformation in a generation.Hear first-hand from the leaders setting the terms for the next decade.

Speakers

Muhammad Imran Bashir

Chief Corporate Development Officer | Al Rajhi Takaful

Richard Dean

Director | Roar Media Services

The Bridge Stage

Banking Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 02:50 PM—03:10 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Creating Value in Connected Financial Ecosystems

Amex Saudi Arabia brings value to merchants joining its networks & acquiring partners (banks and fintechs), thanks to initiatives and services aimed at increasing business & satisfaction for both partners and customers. Amex Cards are accepted at more places than ever before, meaning there is greater choice of businesses where Cardmembers can pay with Amex. We support the local tourism and economy through dedicated local projects and initiatives that bring unique value for merchants and consumers.

Speakers

Sanjiv Purushotham

Founder & CEO | Bridge Solutions

Abdullah Alassaf

Deputy Chief Commercial Officer | American Express Saudi Arabia

3:00 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 03:00 PM—03:45 PM (45 min)

Panel Discussion : Next Capital Market: Automation, Tokenisation, and the Future of Investing

Automated investment tools, tokenised assets and fractional ownership are changing who can invest, what can become investable and how opportunities reach the market.These technologies promise wider participation, but access alone does not guarantee suitability, understanding or better financial outcomes.This conversation examines how investment products will be created, selected and distributed in a more automated market, and whether the next capital system will expand meaningful ownership or simply expose more consumers to products they do not fully understand.

Capital Stage

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

Fireside Chat : HOT SEAT: The Founder Playbook That Doesn't Exist

There is no universal blueprint for building a successful fintech company. Every founder faces unique decisions around hiring, fundraising, regulation, expansion and product strategy. This session brings together founders who have taken very different paths to explore what worked, what failed and the lessons they wish they had known earlier.

Speakers

Brad Maasdorp

FinTech Growth Partner | TMC (The Member Company)

Nauman Ali

Co-Founder | Orbii

Abdulkareem Alkhiary

Co-Founder and CTO | Eddkhar

Mohammed Alsolami

Founder & CEO | Rabeh

Off The Record Stage

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

Open Discussion : If AI Manages Your Money, Do You Still Need To Understand It?

AI is rapidly evolving from a financial assistant into a financial decision-maker. As intelligent agents begin recommending investments, choosing credit products, managing budgets and automating everyday financial decisions, the role of financial education is being fundamentally challenged. Will AI democratise better financial outcomes, or will it create a generation of consumers who trust algorithms without understanding the consequences? If technology becomes the expert, what financial knowledge remains essential, and who is ultimately accountable when AI gets it wrong?

Speakers

Prof.Dr. Ahmed Ebada

Professor, AI Strategist & CEO | HOPn

Christophe Makni

Head of Data, Automation and AI | Migros Bank

Tolani Abere

Influencer & Investment Professional | Tolani Talks Money

Azeem Khan

Co-Founder | Miden

Fintech Saudi Booth

Wednesday 16 September, 03:00 PM—04:00 PM (1 h)

Workshop : Monsha'at Services Supporting the Sector

An overview of the strategic programs, solutions, and initiatives offered by Monsha'at to empower small and medium-sized enterprises in the financial and insurance sectors and support their growth and sustainability.

3:10 PM

The Bridge Stage

Banking Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 03:10 PM—03:30 PM (20 min)

Panel Discussion : Monetizing Openness: The Future of Financial Ecosystems

Open finance was built on access. The next phase is about value. As data, identity, payments, and financial services become increasingly interconnected, where will the biggest commercial opportunities emerge and who will capture them?

Speakers

Amira Abdelaziz

Senior Data, AI & Fintech Innovation Leader | Central Bank of Egypt

Bassel Ojjeh

CEO | LigaDATA

Todd Schweitzer

Founder & CEO | Brankas

Khalid K. Alsohaim

Director, Payments Business Operations | Saudi Central Bank

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 03:10 PM—03:45 PM (35 min)

Panel Discussion : The Local Advantage: How the Region is Winning the FinTech Race

As financial services continue to evolve, the region is emerging as one of the world's most dynamic fintech markets. Driven by ambitious strategies, progressive regulation and rapid digital adoption, the region is accelerating innovation and redefining the future of financial services. This session explores the competitive advantages positioning MENA as a global fintech leader and what it will take to sustain its momentum.

Speakers

Basem Aljedai

Co-Founder | Moyasar

Mohamed Aladdin

General Partner | Development Partners International (DPI) VC

Nameer Khan

Chairman and Founding Board Member | MENA Fintech Association

Abdullah Alzayni

Chief Growth Officer | Tamam

Dr. Yaser Alonaizan

Deputy CEO - President, Intelligence BU | HUMAIN

3:25 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 03:25 PM—03:55 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : Next Capital Market: Automation, Tokenisation, and the Future of Investing

Automated investment tools, tokenised assets and fractional ownership are changing who can invest, what can become investable and how opportunities reach the market. These technologies promise wider participation, but access alone does not guarantee suitability, understanding or better financial outcomes. This conversation examines how investment products will be created, selected and distributed in a more automated market, and whether the next capital system will expand meaningful ownership or simply expose more consumers to products they do not fully understand.

Speakers

Hanna Raftell

Founding Partner | Stratum 3

Maha Al-Saadi

Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Expert | Independent

Nawaf Almaskati

Co-Founder and CEO of KSA | Tanami

Joshua Klayman

Firm-Wide Co-Lead of Digital Assets, Blockchain & Custody | Ashurst Perkins Coie

3:30 PM

Off The Record Stage

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

Fireside Chat : Keep Your “AI” On The Prize

AI is booming, cybersecurity is essential, and fintech is evolving. Explore what top investors are backing, what sectors are being overlooked and where they see the next billion-dollar opportunities

Speakers

Anmol Goel

CEO & Managing Partner | Gacs Multi-Family Office Ltd

Tasawar Ulhaq

Shareholder, CEO | Basirah

Faisal Aftab

Founder & CEO | Zayn Venture Capital

Plaza

Wednesday 16 September, 03:30 PM—05:00 PM (1 h 30 min)

National Center for Family Businesses

Capital Stage

Capital Journey

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

Panel Discussion : From Private Infrastructure to Public Ownership

Can public markets finance the next generation of economic infrastructure?

Some of the world’s most important infrastructure and industrial assets are built with private, institutional and strategic capital, but increasingly, public markets can provide the next stage of their growth.

As major infrastructure, energy and industrial businesses consider public listings, exchanges are becoming more than venues for liquidity: they can become engines for financing national development while opening strategic assets to broader ownership.

What makes a strategically important business ready for public markets? Can IPOs unlock the long-term capital required to finance expansion? And as major companies move from private ownership to listed markets, could a new generation of investors gain ownership in the assets powering economic growth?

Speakers

Mareme Dieng

Head of M&A, Strategy & Fintech Future | Axian Group

Neo Mooki

Chairperson | Botswana Stock Exchange

Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga

Chairman | Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX)

3:45 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 03:45 PM—03:55 PM (10 min)

Announcement

3:50 PM

The Bridge Stage

Cyber and Trust Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 03:50 PM—04:30 PM (40 min)

Fireside Chat : Cyber as systemic resilience

Securing What Comes Next Agent-driven, always-on finance opens attack surfaces that didn't exist a year ago. This session looks ahead at how security must evolve to protect autonomous, real-time systems. It frames resilience as the work of staying ahead, not catching up.

Speakers

Samuel Ubido

Chairman | Techinnovate Group

Sultan Altukaim

CISO Head of Secuirty & Compliance - KSA | Google Cloud

Mohamed Abo-ElEzz

Resilience and Security BDM | Dell Technologies

3:55 PM

Next-Gen Money

Wednesday 16 September, 03:55 PM—04:30 PM (35 min)

Deep Dive : From Access to Prosperity: Is the Financial System Delivering Better Outcomes?

Access stopped being a sufficient measure of success some time ago. A person can hold an account, use a wallet, qualify for digital credit and buy a fractional investment while remaining exactly as financially fragile as before. AI, embedded finance, digital identity and new investment products are all reshaping participation. Whether they produce economic mobility or simply more financial activity is a different question, and rarely the one being measured. The session pushes on measurement itself: what the new financial system has to deliver beyond access, which outcomes are worth reporting, and who answers for the gap when inclusion statistics improve and household prosperity does not move.

Speakers

Bassel Ojjeh

CEO | LigaDATA

Laura Estefania

Founder & CEO | Conquista PR

Howard Chang

Chief Strategy Officer | EssentaTor Inc.

Naseer Ahmad Akhtar

CEO | InfoTech Group

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 03:55 PM—04:15 PM (20 min)

Closing Keynote

Speaker

Abdulaziz S. Abanmi

Deputy Governor for Payments | Saudi Central Bank

4:00 PM

Fintech Saudi Booth

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

Workshop : Funding and Investment

A discussion of venture capital mechanisms and funding opportunities for fintech startups, including how to prepare for investment rounds and attract investors.

Capital Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 04:00 PM—04:05 PM (5 min)

Closing Remarks

Speaker

Natalie Lindo

Founder | NLM

Off The Record Stage

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

Panel Discussion : AI vs Crime: Who gets Smarter First?

The next frontier in financial crime isn't detection, it's prediction. As AI enables institutions to anticipate fraud before it happens, criminals are harnessing the same technology to launch faster, smarter, and more sophisticated attacks. In a race where every second matters, who will outsmart whom, and can AI stay one step ahead of the criminals it's designed to stop?

Speakers

Angaj Bhandari

Senior Vice President, EMEA | Fime

Charles Lobo

SVP & Risk & CEMEA | Visa Inc

Petra Janež

Financial Controller | Ministry of Finance, Republic of Slovenia

Andrew Morfill

Director | Alvarez & Marsal

4:10 PM

The Bridge Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 04:10 PM—04:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : Everyone's an Investor Now

Wealth-Building Foundations for the Many, Not the FewRobo-advice, fractional access and private-market platforms are opening wealth-building to everyone.

The Bridge Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 04:10 PM—04:30 PM (20 min)

Fireside Chat : When Agents Pay Agents

The transaction architecture behind autonomous commerce. Soon the buyer and the seller may both be software, settling value without a human in the loop. This session explores what that does to payment infrastructure, authorisation and network design. The focus is the rails being built for machine-to-machine money, not the shopper.

Speakers

Nicole Sandler

Chief Ecosystem Officer | Ubyx

Dinara Abdizhaparova

CEO & Co-founder | askAlem

Richard Dean

Director | Roar Media Services

4:15 PM

Executive Summit

Wednesday 16 September, 04:15 PM—06:00 PM (1 h 45 min)

Pitch Finale : MoneySurge

Speakers

Lizzie Chapman

Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer | Baystreet Advisors

Arthur Brunschwig

Head of Innovation Economy Payments, Middle East & Africa | J.P. Morgan

Arien Alwabil

Investment VP | SVC

4:30 PM

Off The Record Stage

Wednesday 16 September, 04:30 PM—04:35 PM (5 min)

Closing Remarks

The Bridge Stage

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

Fireside Chat : From Garage to Tadawul: Building the on-ramp for the next generation of listings

What does it actually take to move a company from founding to public markets? Saudi has quietly built one of the region's most complete on-ramps to public capital, and the Nomu parallel market is its beating heart. This session follows a company's journey from equity crowdfunding and private rounds through a Nomu listing to a main-market graduation. The focus is the system that makes capital formation reachable, not just the IPO at the end.

The Bridge Stage

Financial Inclusion Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 04:30 PM—05:00 PM (30 min)

Deep Dive : The End of the Credit Score?

Credit without a credit score is already a reality for millions who never fit the traditional model. This session unpacks how alternative data and AI are rewriting who gets access and how fairly. The lens is system design: the rails, signals and safeguards behind the next generation of lending.

Speakers

Anshul Johri

Group CTO | Validus Investment Holdings

Valerie Kontor

Founder | Black in FinTech

Sanjib Subba

Founder | Kathmandu Fintek

Next-Gen Money

Payments and Commerce Journey

Wednesday 16 September, 04:30 PM—05:00 PM (30 min)

Panel Discussion : Beyond Cards: Will QR Become the Default Way the World Pays?

Cards became dominant because they created a familiar experience across merchants and markets. QR payments are now challenging that model, particularly in economies where wallets, bank accounts and super apps connect directly at checkout. This panel examines whether QR-based payments can move from strong domestic adoption to become a global consumer payment model. It explores why merchants and consumers choose QR, whether cards can retain their position as account-to-account payments expand, and what the next dominant checkout experience will look like.

Speakers