CURRENT SPEAKERS

Jamal Saleh

Director General

UAE Banks Federation

About Jamal Saleh

Jamal Saleh joined UBF (UAE Banks Federation) in July 2018 and became UBF’s Director General on 1st January 2019. Prior to joining UBF, his last role was Head of Credit & Risk and Acting Regional Chief Risk Officer with a leading GCC bank.

Jamal Saleh spent 29 years in banking (Conventional and Islamic) and covered Credit and Enterprise Risk Management (Credit, Market, Operational, Liquidity, and IT Risks).

His first 10 years were in the USA (in Private Banking and Credit) and the last 19 were in the UAE in Corporate Banking, Credit, and Risk Management with three leading UAE banks.

He served as PRMIA’s UAE Director General for 7 years (2007-2014) and was concurrently Member on British University’s Advisory Board.

Jamal Saleh graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude, from New Jersey (USA) in Finance and Banking, and held 6 professional certifications in credit, finance, investment, and risk management.

He was a frequent TV quest on local and international business channels and newspapers, as well as a key speaker at tens of regional and international forums in UAE, MENA, Singapore, Europe, USA, etc., including 11 years at the renowned RiskMinds of Geneva/Amsterdam from 2006-2016, and the Commonwealth of Nations at Westminster Palace’s Central Hall in London.

Alaa AlRousan

Head of Middle East and North Africa Region

SWIFT

About Alaa AlRousan

Alaa AlRousan is Head of SWIFT in the Middle East and North Africa Region. He is responsible for driving SWIFT’s initiatives in the region and working with banking communities and regulators to provide solutions to regional industry challenges such as payments innovation, operational excellence and cyber security.

Alaa specializes in payments solutions design, financial messaging, RTGS, ACH and instant payment networks. Alaa has been with SWIFT for more than nine years, during which he has held the positions of Technical Expert & Solution Designer for the Middle East, Turkey & Africa, and Country Manager of some of the largest markets in the region. Prior to joining SWIFT, he worked in consulting and project management roles across the financial services industry. Alaa holds an MBA degree from Bayes Business School and an Engineering degree in Computers & Control Systems.

Athma N Rai

Chief Compliance Officer

Al Fardan Exchange

About Athma N Rai

Athma is an Executive C-Suite ,CAMS & CGSS Certified Seasoned Compliance Professional and Practitioner with more than 18 years of extensive experience in managing MSB AML & CTF Compliance program.Expertise in conducting AML Risk Assessment, Enterprise Wide Risk Assessment,Correspondents on boarding process, conducting EDD, Sanctions Due Diligence ,AML Transactions monitoring and STR Investigation etc.,Well versed with the Global AML regulations , best practices and specifically CBUAE AML requirements. Digital Assets & Block chain Enthusiastic.

Christos Christou

Group Chief Compliance Officer

Lulu Financial Holdings Limited

About Christos Christou

A professional Chief Compliance Officer with 30+ years in banking and non-banking financial services. A degree holder in Banking and Finance, an MBA from University of Liverpool, and CAMS, CGSS, and CCAS certifications from ACAMS. An executive management record of directing a diversified team of Compliance/RegTech/FinTech professionals and a Board member within Lulu Financial Group, chairing the Compliance, Audit and Risk Committees in all Lulu Financial Group companies in GCC and APAC regions. A specialist in Payment Services, Crypto Assets, Regulatory and AML/CFT Compliance, Sanctions, Advanced Analytics and Forensics. A great career also as an adjunct lecturer for the Chartered Bankers Institute, Professional Academies, and Universities/Colleges in Europe and Middle East. An active member of the Public-Private Partnership Committee (ACPF) of the UAE, and member of the ACAMS Task Force as a subject matter expert for certifications and conferences.

Malaz Mubaid

Chief Operating Officer

Wall Street Exchange

About Malaz Mubaid

Malaz Mubaid is the Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief Executive Officer of Wall Street Exchange, bringing 20 years of experience in the remittance industry. His expertise encompasses cross-border payments, payment solutions, fintech, sales, and retail operations, with a focus on driving strategic business growth across diverse markets.

Malaz held key positions at UAE Exchange as the Head of Growth Markets for the Middle East and Africa region and at Tiqmo Payments Holding as the Head of Business Development. In these roles, he led the exploration of new business opportunities, analyzed market trends, and established strategic partnerships and services.

Malaz’s visionary leadership has been instrumental in steering Wall Street Exchange toward sustained success and excellence in the remittance industry. Under his guidance, the company has strategically leveraged cutting-edge technology to redefine global remittances, ensuring faster transactions, and superior customer satisfaction.

Mir K Rasool

Chief Business Officer

Index Exchange

About Mir K Rasool

A distinguished leader in the field of growth marketing and business transformation, with over 20 years of experience, Mir has excelled as a Chief Business Officer, Marketing Director, and Growth Marketing Specialist, driving the products and services marketing for renowned brands across sectors of retail, consumer electronics, telecom, cross border payments and payment solutions in India and the Middle East.
Well-connected in the payment solutions industry, he collaborates closely with ecosystem partners, banks, fintechs, startups, accelerators, aggregators, regulators, and established incumbents, leveraging his extensive knowledge of markets in South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. His commitment to innovation and strategic alignment has yielded impressive results, including significant increases in market share and revenue.
His expertise encompasses various domains, including marketing strategies, project management, digital initiatives, brand management, e-commerce, and strategic planning. Recognized as one of ‘Asia’s 100 Power Leaders in Marketing & Communications 2022’ and awarded “CMO of the Year 2021” by the World Marketing Congress, Mir is known for his ability to lead organizations toward sustainable growth while managing P&L effectively.
Among his many accolades, he has also received the SIBA Emirates Business Leader Marketing Award 2023 and was recognized in Forbes Magazine for his contributions in marketing, communications, and business strategies.

Osama Al Rahma

Head of Business Development and Wealth Management

Emirates Investment Bank

About Osama Al Rahma

Osama Al Rahma has performed leadership roles across the financial sector and other organizations and currently at Emirates Investment Bank as Head of Business Development and Wealth Management. He has over 30 years of experience in the financial services.

Prior to Emirates Investment Bank, Osama worked at Al Fardan Exchange LLC and Al Fardan Group since 1993 in many leadership roles and was CEO since 2011 and Director at the Group. He has occupied other roles such as EX-Chairman of Foreign Exchange and Remittance Group ( FERG) under Dubai Chamber of Commerce and currently act as Advisor to the board . He was a former Vice Chairman of Dubai Quality Group. He is an Independent Director and Advisor to other Fintech and payment companies.

He holds a degree in Electronics Engineering and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from the University of Hull. He is also an alumnus of J.F. Kennedy School of Governments Executive Program in Leadership of Harvard University and holds a Harvard Fintech Certificate. HE has Diploma in Corporate Governance from the Corporate Governance Institute in Dublin.

Shafique R Ibrahim

Founder

FXB Payments

About Shafique R Ibrahim

Shafique Ibrahim is a seasoned digital transformation and payments leader with over 22 years of experience in the global payments industry. Having held prominent leadership roles as CIO and CDO, he has contributed to advancing Fintech innovation, particularly in cross-border remittances, multi-currency prepaid programs, wallet and mobile payments, blockchain integration, and process automation.
Shafique has collaborated with leading banks, financial institutions, and government entities, driving seamless and secure digital payment solutions. He led the digital transformation journey at one of the largest remittance and payment organizations in the Gulf, setting benchmarks in innovation and efficiency. As a consultant and advisor, he was worked with renowned exchange houses, fintech startups, and remittance providers in UAE, India, U.S., and Central Asia to launch robust digital payment services.
He holds a Master’s in Information Technology and is certified in project management and cybersecurity. A respected global speaker, advisor, and award-winning CXO, Shafique is widely recognized for his contributions to the evolution of digital financial services.

Stanford Cardoz

Chief Compliance Officer

BitOasis

About Stanford Cardoz

Stanford is a seasoned AML Director with a passion for demystifying crypto and the Blockchain, bringing over 15 years of experience in designing, embedding, and managing effective compliance systems. He is an expert in navigating the complexities of the crypto landscape, adept at crafting robust compliance frameworks and processes that safeguard businesses and their customers. He is driven by a commitment to fostering a culture of compliance and ethical practices within the crypto industry.

Surendra Dwivedi

Chief Representative Officer

ICICI Bank

About Surendra Dwivedi

Surendra Dwivedi is an experienced banker with over 20 years of expertise in banking and investment. Currently serves as the Chief Representative Officer and Head of NRI Services at ICICI Bank in UAE. Hailing from Lucknow, India, he holds a strong academic background with a B.Tech and an MBA.

Zameer Punjabi

Vice President – Remittances

Mashreq Bank

About Zameer Punjabi

Zameer has more than 20 years of experience in Remittance Industry ranging from Money Exchange houses to Banks in UAE and Saudi Arabia.

He has been involved in setting up the remittance products, managing them and bringing various innovations to it.

With Mashreq, for the last 7 years, he has been Heading the Remittance Business for Mashreq Retail Banking Group in his current position.

Ahmed Allam

Senior Financial Expert

H.H. Ruler's Court of Dubai

About Ahmad Allam

Ahmed Allam is a Senior Financial Expert at H.H. the Ruler’s Court of Dubai, he specializes in financial fraud investigation especially related to virtual assets and cryptocurrencies, Allam got his Doctorate in Finance, and his research focuses on Cryptocurrency as a new generation of money and its impact on the monetary system. Allam is a lecturer for finance and professional certificates at different universities. He initiated feasibility studies and business valuation to identify the fair value for multiple companies within the MENA region.

Sauod Abdulaziz Khalil Almutawa

International AML/CFT Consultant

IMF and UNDP

About Sauod Abdulaziz Khalil Almutawa

Sauod Almutawa is a seasoned leader in financial crime investigation and analysis, currently serving as an international consultant specializing in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorism Financing (CFT), and Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML). With over a decade of experience in financial crime compliance, forensic analysis, and regulatory assessment, he is recognized as one of the UAE’s foremost AML/CFT experts.

Throughout his career, Almutawa has held pivotal roles in law enforcement and regulatory compliance, including serving as a Senior Public Prosecutor, where he led high-profile investigations and prosecutions of financial crimes. He later became the Head of the Criminal Financial Analysis Centre, overseeing multi-disciplinary teams engaged in tracing illicit financial flows, forensic financial analysis, and asset recovery. His strategic leadership in this role positioned him at the forefront of combatting financial crime in the UAE.

Mohammed Wassim Khayata

Chief Executive Officer

Al Maryah Community Bank

About Mohammed Wassim Khayata

Founder and CEO of Al Maryah Community Bank, the first independent digital bank in the UAE.

During his 29 years in senior positions with leading banks and innovative financial institutions in the UAE suchas National Bank of Abu Dhabi, First Gulf Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Finance House and CAPM investment,he has delivered exceptional retail banking products like the first Credit Card in the UAE back in 1994, anddeveloped progressive and out of the box corporate banking solutions for diverse segments.
Mr. Khayata has very significant presence in the capital and equity markets. He has lead formation of multiplegreenfield entities in financial sector and has managed multiple corporate transformations. He has been inequity and IPO market for over 25 years, with special focus on IPO Advisory, IPO Management and participatedin starting Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange. In most recent IPO for Fertiglobe, he handled all external stakeholdersand provided strategic, professional and operational guidance to Al Maryah Community bank team. He ensuredthe vision of the first fully digital IPO is achieved and ensured great investor / customer experience.
With strong footing in customer orientation, blended with focus on technology and blockchain, Mr. Khayata isnow continuing his journey to make Al Maryah Community Bank a premier hub of innovation and prestige.
Mr. Khayata holds Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Hull (UK), and is an Alumna ofHarvard Business School in Leadership Management.

Linoy Kidd

MSS Chief Information Officer, MENAT Technology

HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

About Linoy Kidd

Linoy Kidd is an accomplished and award-winning technologist with extensive experience spanning five countries. With over 18 years at HSBC, she has made significant contributions across the globe, starting her journey in the UK in Foreign Exchange Options as an analyst, before moving on to roles as Head of FXO APAC based out of Hong Kong, She then went on to build the Murex Centre of excellence in China, before moving to Mexico to take up the role of; GBM CIO, and currently serving as the MSS CIO of MENAT based in the UAE.

Linoy is renowned for her proactive leadership approach; Linoy excels in cultivating teams in diverse locations. Beyond her corporate responsibilities.
Linoy is deeply committed to philanthropy, dedicating her time to building schools in underserved regions. To date, she has established nine schools in Africa, Haiti, Nicaragua, Nepal and a house for the homeless in Mexico, demonstrating her passion for making a tangible difference in communities worldwide.

Linoy’s exceptional achievements have earned her several prestigious accolades, including: Global Enterprise CIOs from the ICMG, Top Global Women Transforming Enterprises from the ICMG, the Exito Award for Digital Excellence, recognition as CIO of the Year at the CXO DX awards for her innovative approach to sustainable work practices, and the Finnovex Award for her influential role in the financial sector. Additionally, she was honoured as Qatar’s CIO of the Year at the Finnovex Awards, she was also published in the DT50 honouring powerful leaders driving technology forward.

Linoy Kidd continues to inspire through her technological expertise, philanthropic endeavours, and commitment to driving positive change on both local and global scales.

Sultan AlMahmoud

Chief Executive Officer

Instant Cash

About Sultan AlMahmoud

Sultan AlMahmoud is a seasoned leader with over 22 years of experience spanning management, payments, digital transformation, marketing and branding, strategy, and business development. Since his appointment as CEO of Instant Cash in 2020, Sultan has been instrumental in driving the company’s substantial growth and spearheading its global expansion. His focus on integrating advanced technologies has enhanced the company’s operational efficiency and expanded its global reach.

Before entering the remittance and payments industry, Sultan held various leadership positions at 7X (formerly known as Emirates Post Group Company PJSC, including Director of Sales and Retail. He also holds a Master’s in Quality Management from the University of Wollongong in Dubai.

As a visionary leader and key player in the fintech space, Sultan continues to shape the future of financial services, driving transformation, growth, and success across the organizations he leads.

Andrew McCormack

Chief Operating Officer

Al Etihad Payments

About Andrew McCormack

Andrew McCormack is an experienced payments executive with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Al Etihad Payments, the national payment system operator in the United Arab Emirates. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and is recognized as a thought leader in the payments space.

Prior to joining Al Etihad Payments, Andrew served as Centre Head of the Singapore BIS Innovation Hub, where he led a research portfolio on cross-border payments, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and regtech/suptech.

Andrew holds an Executive MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business and a Bachelor of Computer Science from Carleton University.

Aruna Bhalla

Head of Open Banking UAE & Embedded Finance

Arab Bank

About Aruna Bhalla

Aruna Bhalla is the General Manager for Arab Bank’s Banking-as-a-Service business. Enabling businesses to embed financial services seamlessly into their platforms. With extensive experience in fintech, digital banking, and financial innovation, Aruna has been instrumental in driving growth, expanding partnerships, and shaping the future of embedded finance for Arab Bank.

Jonathan Holman

Head of Open Finance for the UAE

Nebras Open Finance

About Jonathan Holman

Jonathan is a Digital Leader, Technologist and Banking Enthusiast, he is currently leading the creation of Open Finance for the UAE, working for its central operator Nebras Open finance following his role shaping the initiative with the Central Bank of the UAE. He has held c-suite and executive positions in digital, strategy and operations in addition to banking roles in coverage (relationship banking), credit risk and change. He has been selected in the top 60 Fintech leaders in the world, on more than one occasion.

He’s a mechanical engineer by undergraduate degree and has a masters’ in banking management and practice. He researched and wrote his masters’ dissertation, using scale social data in credit risk modelling, using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), which was a global first.

Sarfraz Gill

Chief Compliance Officer

Orient Exchange

About Sarfraz Gill

Sarfraz has 19 years of diversified experience in Banking & Finance industry with direct experience in Financial Crime Compliance, anti-money laundering, combating terrorist financing, countering proliferation financing, risk management and legal units. I am the Chief Compliance Officer of Orient Exchange Co. (L.L.C.) and a member of AML Sub-committee and authorized FCC trainer at Foreign Exchange Remittance Group (FERG). During my tenure at Orient Exchange, I have headed the Internal Audit, Fraud and Risk Departments in the past. I have also represented my financial institution at various Central Bank of the UAE projects in the recent past. I have been attended FinCrime, Governance, Risk & Compliance and the Correspondent Banking related conferences globally.

Rohan Joshi

Head of Sales & Distribution

Aditum Investment Management

About Rohan Joshi

Rohan Joshi joined Aditum in August 2021 and brings 17 years of Financial Services experience across Strategy, International Business, Products and Corporate Legal. In his previous role, Mr. Joshi spent over 5 years with TATA Asset Management where he was Regional Manager & Principal Representative – Middle East and was responsible for setting up the firm’s presence in DIFC. Prior to that he worked with SBI Funds Management, the Indian asset management arm of State Bank of India and Amundi, where he managed International Business, Offshore and Fixed Income Funds. He started his career as an in-house counsel at Kotak Mahindra Bank and in his last role he was Senior Manager – Corporate Legal.

Mr. Joshi holds an MBA from ESADE Business School, Spain and BBA LLB (Dual degrees in Business & Law) from Symbiosis Law School, India.

Azam Razzaq

Regional Director Middle East and Pakistan

Facephi

About Azam Razzaq

Azam hails from Hertfordshire County in the UK and has 15 years experience helping clients with AML, KYC and Fraud challenges in the Middle East region. He has worked for several leading AML/Fraud Prevention vendors including BAE Systems, Fiserv, Feedzai, Moody’s Analytics and currently Facephi. He spent 7 years living in the Middle East and enjoyed the lifestyle there, as well as the hospitality of his clients. In particular he found satisfaction in providing solutions that solved his clients’ challenges. Facephi are growing their footprint in the Middle East and his team are in Dubai to assist.

Neeraj Malhotra

International Relations

Salispay

About Neeraj Malhotra

As the leader of SalisPay’s strategic initiatives, I have successfully expanded our presence across the Middle East and Africa with the launch of our innovative processing platform, CenterFirst, revolutionizing payment experiences. The key partnerships forged under my direction have been instrumental in our growth, aligning seamlessly with our mission to provide cutting-edge, customer-centric financial technologies.

At SalisPay, we pride ourselves on delivering secure, scalable, and highly customizable payment solutions that meet the evolving demands of businesses worldwide. My expertise in managing international payment operations enables us to offer platforms that drive reliability, efficiency, and user satisfaction. These competencies empower businesses to thrive in the increasingly complex digital economy, further solidifying SalisPay’s reputation as a leader in the financial technology sector.

Lisa Nyman

Chief Revenue Officer

Pay10

About Lisa Nyman

Lisa Nyman serves as Chief Revenue Officer at Pay10, a leading digital payment solutions provider. She leads global sales strategies, leveraging her expertise in digital partnerships and the payment sector. With a proven track record in leadership, Lisa enhances Pay10’s innovative offerings, including digital wallets and integrated payment systems. Her strategic vision strengthens partnerships. Lisa contributes to Pay10’s global expansion, fostering secure and efficient payment solutions for businesses worldwide.

Peri Ozdemir

Global Head of Product

Pay10

About Peri Ozdemir

Peri Ozdemir is a senior product management leader with16 years of international experience in financial services industry. She has a track record of managing successful teams, launching innovative digital products, setting product strategies and influential leadership. Peri has designed and launched award-winning innovative digital products throughout her career and has been a key player of winning global success in digital banking innovation at large multinational banks. She is currently the Chief Product Officer of Pay10 Global, overseeing the end-to-end product strategy and driving scalable payment solutions worldwide.

Bernard Dadzie

Global Expansion Manager

Pay10

About Bernard Dadzie

Experienced Legal and Regulatory Specialist with over six years of practice in financial services regulation, compliance, and legal enforcement across the UAE, UK, and MENA regions.

Biswas Dhakal

Founder and Chairman

F1Soft Group

About Biswas Dhakal

Biswas Dhakal is a visionary leader and a driving force in the fintech landscape in South Asia, renowned for his transformative contributions to the industry. As the Chairman of F1Soft Group, a leading fintech conglomerate in South Asia, Mr. Dhakal has been instrumental in revolutionizing digital payments, financial technology, and innovation across the region. He pioneered fintech solutions in Nepal with now over 90% of the nation’s BFIs leveraging F1Soft’s innovative platforms. The Fintech solutions developed by Mr. Dhakal and his team at F1Soft since the past 2 decades have reached out to every corner of the country and serves over 20 million people with transaction worth over $40billion + in a single year.His contributions have won him many accolades including Rest of World’s Global Tech Changemaker. The F1Soft Group comprises of several innovative wings namely F1Soft International, eSewa, Fonepay, eSewa Money Transfer, Foneloan, FoneNXT, Foneloan and eXtensoData.

Arunn Varriyath

Director Channels & Program

Unity Infotech

About Arunn Varriyath

Arunn Varriyath brings over two decades of experience in the payments industry, working with banks, regulators, and technology partners across the GCC. He has played a key role in designing and implementing regulatory-driven payment solutions, including fund transfer systems and Open Finance frameworks, through the IT firms he has contributed to. A keen follower of global trends in fintech and payments, Arunn is passionate about applying emerging ideas to regional challenges. An alumnus of MIT and IIM, he combines strategic insight with practical execution to support secure, innovative, and compliant financial solutions across the evolving digital landscape. He is one of the co-founders of Unity Infotech.

Sadiq Ansari

Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer

Al Ansari Financial Services

About Sadiq Ansari

Sadiq Ali Ansari is the Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, bringing extensive experience, predominantly in financial crimes compliance and supervision. Before joining the Group, he served as a Compliance and Examination Manager at the Central Bank of the UAE within the Financial Crime Supervision Department and as a Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa region at FTI Consulting.

Sadiq brings a wealth of experience when it comes to managing regulatory landscapes and implementing robust and risk-based compliance frameworks. His focus areas are Regulatory Compliance Management, Anti-Financial Crime Compliance, Financial Crime Prevention Technology and Policy Making.

Sadiq is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant, and a Certified Financial Risk Manager.

Muhammad Waqar Ashraf

Director

Swift

About Muhammad Waqar Ashraf

Muhammad Waqar Ashraf is Director at SWIFT for MENA Region. He is responsible for driving SWIFT’s initiatives in the region and working with banking communities and regulators to provide solutions to regional industry challenges such as payments innovation, operational excellence and cyber security.

Waqar is expert in remittance and payment industry with 17+ years of experience in Middle East. Prior to Swift he has worked with Bank Alfalah UAE as VP-Home remittance business, UAE Exchange – Head Pakistan corridor business and sales channel marketing and FAB- Sales Manager – Employee Banking