Speakers
Advisory Board 2026
Some of our Esteem Speakers
Osama Al Rahma
Alaa AlRousan
Christos Christou
Mir K Rasool
Hasan Fardan Al Fardan
Melike Kara Tanrikulu
Melike joined e& (previously known as Etisalat Group) in September, 2021 to lead the development, transformation, and expansion of financial services, and build up the leading financial Superapp in the UAE and subsequently the region. She is also playing an instrumental role to expand e&’s financial services portfolio via organic and inorganic growth initiatives. Since 2021, she is leading Fintech business with an ambition to become top player in the region offering comprehensive consumer and business solutions.
Melike has over 20 years of experience in the payments and fintech domain, including 9 years as a CEO in two leading telco groups, where she built successful fintech businesses from the ground up with tailor-made strategies for each market. She has extensive experience in payments, digital banking, e-wallets, remittances, microfinance, ecosystems, and expertise spanning technology, customer propositions, and analytics.
Melike completed her degree in Business Administration from Middle East Technical University in 2004. She also completed a financial inclusion program from Harvard Business School, Leadership Program in Digitization and Transformation from IMD Business School. In 2019, she was given “The Leading Woman in Tech Award” by Facebook and Deloitte.
Rashed Al Ansari
Jamal Saleh
Ruben Bombardi
Ruben Bombardi brings over two decades of legal expertise and strategic insight to the Virtua Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) as General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Enablement.A dual-qualified lawyer, Ruben has a wealth of experience spanning financial markets, fintech, and regulatory compliance, positioning him as a key player in shaping VARA’s legal and regulatory frameworks. His career has seen him lead cutting-edge initiatives at some of the world’s most prominent financial institutions, including Standard Chartered, MUFG, Barclays
Capital, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
At these institutions, Ruben played a pivotal role in advising on complex legal matters, overseeing cross-border transactions, and driving forward major fintech projects aimed at transforming traditional financial services. His deep understanding of regulatory environments and commitment to fostering innovation in finance are instrumental as VARA continues to establish itself as a leader in the virtual assets space. Ruben’s experience in balancing regulatory compliance with innovation ensures that VARA’s legal frameworks support responsible growth, investor protection, and the sustainable development of Dubai’s burgeoning digital economy.
Preetham Prabhu
Preetham Prabhu, heads Aani – UAE Instant Payment Scheme at Al Etihad Payments. A senior leader in payments and digital banking sector, with 20+ years of deep expertise in Digital Payments, Transaction banking, Payments Market
Infrastructures, cross-border payments, Payments modernization and transformation. He has led large-scale initiatives helping central institutions, banks and financial institutions modernise payment infrastructures, enable real-time domestic and cross-border payment capabilities, and adopt future-ready digital architectures.
With a strong background spanning payments strategy, market infrastructures, integration architecture, and emerging payment rails, Preetham brings a practical, execution-focused perspective to the evolving global payments landscape. He is also a recognised industry contributor and innovator, with multiple U.S. patents to his
credit in the payments and banking domain.
Finali Fernando
Finali Fernando is a HSBC life banker and is on her 30 th year with HSBC with over 24 years’ experience specialising in
payments in the UAE and MENAT region. Finali is currently the Regional Head of Products for Global Payment
Solutions in MENAT.
Finali is also the Chair of the UAE Banker Federation (UBF) – Transaction Banking Committee, the Co-chair of the
MESA Banking Committee and a board member of the Women in Payments (WiP) Middle East chapter.
Abdulla Kanoo
Abdulla is Co-CEO and Co-Founder at ARP Digital and a fifth-generation member of the Kanoo Group, GCC’s 135-year institutional family with deep roots in trade, shipping, and finance across the Gulf.
He co-founded ARP alongside his twin brother Abdulaziz Kanoo.
His technical background is distinct: he specializes in statistical arbitrage and delta-neutral strategies in the digital asset space, holding an MS in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering.
Abdulla leads ARP’s product and technical architecture. The quantitative rigour behind ARP’s netting engine, rate optimisation, and settlement infrastructure reflects his background in financial engineering applied to digital asset markets.
Syed Muhammad Ali
Syed Muhammad Ali is Co-Founder and CEO of myZoi, a UAE-based fintech focused on advancing financial inclusion for underserved and underbanked communities.
He brings more than 24 years of financial services experience spanning fintech, corporate banking, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, and trade finance. Prior to myZoi, Syed held senior roles with Standard Chartered and Emirates NBD, covering clients and markets across Asia and the Middle East.
At myZoi, he leads the development of digitally enabled payroll, payments and cross- border remittance solutions designed for low-income workers and their families. His work sits at the intersection of financial inclusion, responsible innovation and the evolving payments ecosystem, with a particular focus on making essential financial
services more accessible, affordable and transparent.
Haseeb Ansari
Zameer Ajaz 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.
Fares Al Ansari
As the General Manager of Redha Al Ansari Exchange, one of the leading exchange houses in the UAE, I oversee the strategic direction and operational performance of the company. I lead a team of more than 700 employees across 62 branches, ensuring the highest standards of customer service, compliance, and risk management.
With a bachelor’s degree in Finance and a minor in Economics from San Jose State University, I have a strong foundation in financial analysis, markets, and regulations. I also have extensive experience in financial audits, having worked as a Senior Auditor at EY for five years before joining Redha Al Ansari Exchange. I have completed multiple certifications in money markets, foreign exchange, and business culture, which have enhanced my skills
and knowledge in the industry.
My goal is to leverage my expertise and leadership to drive innovation, growth, and excellence at Redha Al Ansari Exchange, while contributing to the economic development and financial inclusion of the UAE. I value teamwork, integrity, and customer satisfaction, and I strive to foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and diversity within the organization.
Mo Ali Yusuf
Mo Ali Yusuf is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fuze, where he leads the company’s commercial strategy, partnerships, and institutional adoption across digital assets and payments infrastructure in the Middle East. He works closely with regulators, banks, and large enterprises to enable compliant deployment of digital asset capabilities at scale.
An active speaker across industry events and regulatory roundtables, Mo has helped to shape the digital assets landscape across the MENA region. Prior to founding Fuze, he held senior leadership roles at Checkout.com, where he led commercial expansion across MENAP, and at Visa, where he worked on digital commerce, fintech partnerships, and payments innovation for the Middle East and North Africa.
Speaker topics
Selected speaking engagements and roles (non-exhaustive)
Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem Al Zaabi
Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem is a distinguished expert in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, now serving as the National Risk & Policy Director for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF). With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Al Alkeem has consistently demonstrated leadership and innovative thinking in various significant roles
His scholarly contributions to the field are substantial, with numerous articles published in esteemed research centers and academic journals. He has also served on various advisory boards, underscoring his dedication to advancing industry standards and disseminating knowledge.
A respected voice in the AI community, Dr. Al Alkeem is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist at top-tier international conferences and summits, where he shares his forward-thinking perspectives and expert insights, influencing contemporary discussions in technology
Dr. Al Alkeem holds a Ph.D. in Engineering with a double major in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity from Khalifa University. His academic achievements are complemented by a suite of global AI certifications, reflecting his commitment to continuing education and mastery of his field.
Arjun Vir Singh
Arjun Singh is a Partner with Arthur D. Little’s (ADL) Global Financial Services Practice, specializing in Fintech, Payments, and Digital Assets.
Beyond consulting, Arjun is a prominent voice in the MENA finance & technology ecosystem, contributing as an angel investor, advisor, mentor, and commentator. He hosts the acclaimed podcast Couchonomics with Arjun, which explores trends shaping financial services, and serves as a Senior Advisor to the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN). As an Advisory Council Member of Fintech Tuesdays, the largest grassroots fintech community in MENA, Arjun fosters innovation and collaboration across the industry. In recognition of his influence, LinkedIn named him the “Voice of the Gulf Region” in 2022.
Rishabh Singh
Arsalan Siddiqui
Arsalan Siddiqui is Chief Product Officer at myZoi, where he focuses on scaling the company’s financial inclusion proposition and building strategic relationships across markets and the financial services ecosystem.
With more than 18 years of experience, Arsalan has worked across financial services, consumer banking and operational risk, including roles with Standard Chartered and Citi. His career has involved leading complex programmes across multiple markets and geographies, giving him a strong understanding of both established financial institutions and emerging fintech models.
At myZoi, Arsalan is closely involved in expanding access to digital financial services for underserved communities, including payroll, payments and cross-border remittances. He has also represented myZoi in the UAE’s National Financial Inclusion Task Force, contributing to industry discussions on advancing financial inclusion at a national level.
Dishang Patel
Leading the banking charge for RAKBANK in the world of Digital Assets. With a background in Banking, Consulting, and Venture, Dishang brings a very rounded perspective whilst considering DeFi enablement possibilities to TradFi environments.