As the open banking movement gathers momentum and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to proliferate across the industry, 25% of financial institutions worldwide will be capable of processing transactions initiated by third-party digital personal assistants by 2022. That's according to the latest predictions from global technology research and consulting services firm International Data Corporation (IDC), which believes the Middle East's banking and finance players must act now if they are to keep pace with rapidly evolving customer demands.

"The banking and finance sector is being redefined by the rise of AI, automation, blockchain, and fintech," says Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "While standards of service previously differentiated one financial brand from another, it is the provision of a compelling digital experience that now separates the industry's winners and losers. As such, financial institutions across the region must look to redesign their customer interactions and seamlessly integrate physical and digital elements to deliver hyper-personalized services that truly set them apart from the competition."

With its focus firmly on exploring the future of the customer experience, the IDC Banking & Finance Congress 2018 will serve as the perfect platform for beginning this critical journey. Hosted at Dubai's Jumeirah Creekside Hotel on December 11, the event will combine thought-provoking presentations, robust case studies, and essential insights from influential industry thought leaders to provide attendees with the strategic guidance needed to stay ahead of the customer experience curve.

Targeted exclusively at C-level executives from across the UAE's banking and finance industry, the IDC Banking & Finance Congress 2018 will facilitate one-to-one meetings between the providers of cutting-edge tech solutions and the influential decision makers responsible for driving their implementation, while informative panel discussions will showcase the thoughts of industry luminaries such as:

Jameel Khan, Head of Strategy, Mashreq Bank
Anshul Srivastav, CIO, Union Insurance Company
Mudit Saxena, Former Head of Retail, Commercial Bank of Dubai
Shyam Kesarwani, Head of Enterprise Architecture, Digital Strategy, & Delivery, RAKBANK

Expert speakers will provide an in-depth examination of the latest trends shaping the digital transformation of the UAE's banking and finance industry, highlighting global best practices and offering advice on leveraging emerging technologies to enhance business processes, create dynamic consumer engagements, and open up new information-based revenue streams.

IDC's partners for the IDC Banking & Finance Congress 2018 include Red Hat, Intel, Riverbed, Software AG, FireEye, Palo Alto Networks, and Nutanix as Gold Partners; Quinnox as Exhibit Partner; and Financial IT and International Business Magazine as Media Partners.

To learn more about the IDC Banking & Finance Congress 2018, please visit: www.idc.com/mea/events/65285-banking-finance-congress-2018  or contact Sheila Manek at smanek@idc.com or on +971 4 446 3154. You can also follow all the latest updates about the event by using the hashtag #IDCBFSI.