Organized by global conference producers, Expotrade, the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit, with mada by Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority as lead sponsor got underway today at Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa.

Across two days, the agenda covers topics pertaining to the latest banking technology trends ranging from digital disruption to blockchain revolution, opti-channel banking to customer experience, amongst many others. With over 20 sessions featuring more than 40 subject matter experts from the region and across the globe, the seventh edition of the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit is being held on a bigger scale.

Ziad Al-Yousef, General Manager - Payment Systems, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) opened the summit, followed by an address by Naveed Minhas, Banking Industry Leader MEA, IBM Global Business Services on Innovation: The Opportunity for Middle East Banks.

During his session, Bruno Ferreira, Managing Director, Alior Bank S.A., Poland emphasized on the banks need to deliver a seamless customer experience. SAMA’s Ziad Al-Yousef emphasized on the current payment services industry and how the national payment service has been a runaway success, while the topic of the Emergence of a Data Driven Bank – Reinventing Customer Relationships was covered in a joint presentation by Mariano Capezzani, Senior Digital Product Manager, HSBC Digital Solutions, London and Simon Thompson, Global Head - Digital Commerce, HSBC Global Retail Banking & Wealth Management, London.

With technology revamping the banking sector and the dominant focus on mobile banking, Maciej Sałata of Comarch, Marten Kruisinga of Backbase and Nucleus Software’s Daragh O’Byrne spoke of digital transformation in the banking domain during their sessions.

The panel discussion on the role of a CIO as an innovation driver witnessed six industry experts delve into a discussion on how Chief Information Officer’s are leading technology based business transformation. Naveed Minhas of IBM Global Business Services moderated the discussion with Nitin Bhargava, CTO, Head - Business Technology, Mashreq Bank; Sanjay Khanna, Chief Information Officer, RAKBANK; Sanjeev Mulay, Head of IT Integration & Transformation, First Abu Dhabi Bank; Tariq Al Osaimi, CDO, National Bank of Kuwait and Bruno Ferreira of Alior Bank S.A participating as panelists.

The blockchain panel discussion saw Brian Meenagh, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP, K Srinivasan, President & Head - Emerging Markets, Intellect Design Arena Limited, Naimish Shah, Senior Vice President - Innovation & Emerging Technologies, Emirates NBD, Ramana Kumar, Head - Payments, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Saif Mohammed ALKaabi, Head - Information Technology, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) engage in a discussion on how the blockchain technology will transform the banking industry, its benefits and impacts.

Over 400 senior bankers from the GCC and around the world attended the first day of the summit. The Innovation lounge at the summit had more than 25 technology providers including IBM, Backbase, Nucleus Software, Comarch, Dorsum, MDS ap, Appian, ERI, Intellect Design Arena Limited, ApPello and Dephix, amongst many others showcase its cutting-edge solutions for the banking domain.

Day 2 of the summit will begin with a session on the future of customer experience with Peter Smith, Senior Vice President and Head, Nordea Kredit, Denmark. Sagheer Mufti, Chief Operating Officer, ADIB will deliver a presentation on Islamic banking in the digital age. During the course of the day, the event will include two panel discussions on customer-centric approach in banking and cyber-security with industry experts.

For more information on the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit Dubai 2017, please log on to http://www.bankinnovation-me.com/. Follow the Summit on social media with the hashtag #MEBIS2017. 

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About Expotrade  
Expotrade is a global conference and event organizer with its head office based in Melbourne, Australia and a regional office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Expotrade has delivered some of the largest, most successful B2B industry conferences and events. For almost 15 years, our unique blend of knowledge, experience and flexibility has accomplished an array of consistently top quality events. Today, Expotrade events enjoy such a distinctive edge, they are amongst the best patronized in the calendar.

For more information, visit www.expotradeglobal.com

Contact information 
Lakshmi Ramarajan
Expotrade Middle East FZ-LLC
Tel: +9714-4542135 | Email: marketing@expotrade-me.com

© Press Release 2017