Bahrain hosts major fintech forum today

MANAMA: More than 400 delegates are set to attend the second Middle East and Africa Fintech Forum today at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.

Being held under the patronage of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), it is hosted by Bank ABC and Arab Financial Services (AFS).

CBB Governor Rasheed Al Maraj will be inaugurating the conference discussions, while the opening address will be presented by Sael Al Waary, chairman of AFS and deputy group chief executive of Bank ABC.

Representatives from the central banks of Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt as well as 40 banks and financial institutions from the region will attend the forum, which has Beyond Disruption as its theme this year.

It brings together leading and well regarded global experts and industry leaders in a highly engaging format of talks and discussions addressing the most pressing issues in the fast-evolving fintech landscape.

The conference will tackle the biggest disruptors for banks in the near future – from the emergence of challenger banks to the cutting-edge advances in artificial intelligence to the rise of cryptocurrencies and the drive for greater financial inclusion across the globe.

Keynote speakers include Anthony Thomson, founder of the first UK digital bank, Atom Bank, and the award-winning Metro Bank; Michael Jordaan, co-founder of Bank Zero; and Greg Cross, chief business officer at Soul Machines, in addition to industry experts and leading fintech commentators.

Other major speakers are: Maris Strategies CEO Prof Joe DiVanna, who will moderate the forum, Economic Development Board executive director Tala Fakhro and AFS CEO B Chandrasekhar.