Leading Industry experts set to convene for Bahrain’s Fintech Forward 2023

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain is gearing up to host the inaugural Fintech Forward 2023 (FF23) where the first day, October 11, 2023, will be programmed by Economist Impact.

The two-day event is set to be held at Exhibition World, Sakhir, under the patronage of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and in strategic partnership with Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) with the support of Bahrain Fintech Bay (BFB).

Industry leaders in financial services and fintech will gather to share insights, discuss strategies, and debate the challenges - and opportunities - that industry disruptors could bring to their businesses.

The conversations will be driven around the three key themes of the inaugural conference - Regulation, Investment, and Innovation. With over 250 attendees already confirmed for day one, which is preceded by a high-level 2-hour networking session, Economist Impact discussions will bring together 15 leading experts from around the world including Asia, Europe, and North America.

The lineup includes a number of fintech and financial services consultancy players, including household names like Onyx by J.P.Morgan, Volt, MIT, and Visa. The mid-day panel discussion will be on ‘Banking on talent: a future-ready financial services workforce’.

Joshua Roberts, capital markets correspondent at The Economist, revealed: “I am greatly looking forward to hearing about how our panel is faring in this race.” Other sessions will address the future of finance and the evolving role of central banks, the potential of super-apps and instant payment platforms dominating Asia to overtake traditional systems, plus discussions examining the landscape across the Middle East, with a focus on the opportunities and challenges for foreign investment companies.

On day 2, Paulo Goulao, a Partner at Bring, and Tariq Sanad, CFO of Tarabut Gateway, will explore the transformative potential of open banking and embedded finance, emphasising financial inclusivity.

Dania Al Showaikh, Co-Founder of Daleel, will guide the discussion. Additionally, Yanal Jallad, Managing Director of Reboot Coding Institute, and Bruno Martins, Associate Partner at Technology Consulting KPMG, will share strategies for nurturing tech talent in the “Developing the Next Generation of Tech Talent” panel.

Ahmed Fouad Radhi, General Manager of SNIC Insurance, and Frederik Bisbjerg, representing Beyon Digital, will delve into leveraging technology and feedback-driven approaches to redefine and enhance the overall policyholder journey.