On the 17th and 18th May at the Jumeriah Emirates Towers, Dubai, UAE, the financial industry will once again congregate at the 14th Edition of the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit (MEBIS).  

Well known as the must attend industry event, the MEBIS Summit will delve into topics of data analytics, multichannel solution platforms, next-gen technology transformation, digital modernization, governance, and how GCC-based banks are proving to be leaders in embracing new technologies and transformation for enhanced sustainability across the banking sector.

The UAE Banks Federation supports this year’s edition, with Jamal Saleh, the Director General of UBF, providing the opening welcome address.

“Amidst the constantly evolving banking landscape, sustainability has emerged as a critical factor in driving the future of our industry. As we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, it is imperative that we remain steadfast in our commitment to social and environmental responsibility, and work collaboratively towards building a more inclusive and sustainable financial ecosystem. And as we do so, we need to ensure that we remain focused on Emiratization, which is not only a strategic imperative for the banking sector but also across all industries. Banks have a pivotal role to play in fostering local talent and providing them with employment opportunities that will enable them to realize their full potential and implement the Central Bank’s Emiratization Plans, hence empowering Emiratis with the skills, knowledge, and resources that they will need to succeed in the industry, as we are not only investing in our future but are also contributing to the overall prosperity of our UAE society.”

 UAE Banks Federation, Director General – Jamal Saleh

The impressive lineup of speakers features a dynamic range of banking professionals and financial experts including a special address from Ahmad Mohmd Fawzi Abu Eideh, from Invest Bank, UAE, and interactive fireside chats with guest speakers Srinivasan Sampath from First Abu Dhabi Bank and, Mohamed Nazih Rashad of the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Sean Langton from Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Nidal Khalifeh, from the Jordan Ahli Bank plus Shaker Zainal, will represent Strategic Partners, Emirates Development Bank 

Tristan Brandt of Rakbank and Aditya Baswan of First Abu Dhabi Bank will be joining the CxO panel discussion on Exploiting Capital in the New Economy with Next-Gen Technology Transformation, Atul Chandorkar from Qatar Islamic Bank and Mehreen Zakaria from Citi will share their thoughts on Data in the Digital Era & Powering the Future. Vipul Kapur from Mashreq Bank will be joined by Anand Krishnan from Emirates Investment Bank and Kaushik Kadayam from Standard Chartered Bank to share their insights on Technology Transformation Redefining the Value Proposition of Modern Relationship Management.  

Soumaya Hissoussi of Bank Lombard Odier & Co Ltd, and Adnan Fasih of Habib Bank will speak about  Islamic Banking for a Rapidly Transforming Economically Stable Digital Economy in the MENA Region, while Zsombor Brommer from United Arab Bank and Abbas Bou Diab of BLOM Bank Qatar of will consider Powering intelligent Risk, Compliance, Governance, Fraud & Audit with Digital Modernization and Transformation, with Vikram Sandhu from Emirates NBD and Alex Bak from Commercial Bank International will participate on the panel entitled:  From CX trends to Metaverse and Multichannel Marketing Hubs – Toolkits for Powering Up an Omni-Channel Dominance.

“As the banking industry in the Middle East, and around the world continues to rapidly evolve with the advancement of technology, the industry must strive to continuously innovate to stay relevant and meet the changing needs of customers. We are honored to be a sponsor of a premier event, such as MEBIS, where we will be chairing a panel session on next-gen technology and digital transformation,” said Bhavya Kumar, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group. “Events like these bring together the brightest in the industry, and is an excellent platform to come together, share ideas, and explore new solutions that will drive growth and success in the years ahead, and I am looking forward to it."

In addition to this, Andrés Bernad  from “Title Sponsors”, IBM Consulting is presenting on the Global outlook for Banking and Financial Markets, Ashwani Arora, from “Powered by” sponsors, Dataiku will share insights on The Power of everyday AI, Puneet Chhahira from Infosys Finacle will speak on Banking-as-a-Service and Embedded Finance:  Leapfrogging with Composable Core Banking Platform. Motaz Ghazi & Soren Benfeldt , Director, Client Technical Architect from Kyndryl, will discuss Building the bank of the future:  unleash collaboration for core banking modernization, and Bharani Subramaniam from Thoughtworks will deliver a presentation titled Moving Beyond Digital Transformation to Build Digital Banking Multichannel Solution Platforms.

"Amid rapid digitization, the Middle East’s banking industry is going through radical transformation to continually enhance customer-centricity through innovation. To compete in this experience-led economy wherein customer and employee experience is becoming a requirement rather than merely a distinction, banks and financial institutions must embrace technology as an ally,” said Fionnuala Morris, Vice President and Managing Director, Kyndryl Gulf and Levant. “Investing in strong IT infrastructure is one thing, however, the question is how can they leverage this infrastructure to extract enterprise value from their technology investments. This is where Kyndryl steps in as a trusted advisor to guide, direct and enable organizations to meet their business goals and growth."

With only a few days to go, don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend the leading banking technology event in the Middle East region, MEBIS 2023.  The summit will bring together over 400+ senior bankers and fintech leaders from across the MENA region, providing you with the perfect platform to have power packed face-to-face business discussions with influential experts and industry leaders.

For more information, visit: mebis.me