Industry Thought Leaders at MEBIS 2026

Jamal Saleh

Norman Tambach

Norman Tambach is a leading voice in modern banking finance. As Group CFO of Mashreq, he plays a central role in shaping how one of the region’s most progressive banks uses technology to strengthen financial strategy and long-term growth. His leadership combines deep financial expertise with a strong focus on innovation, supported by his global experience at ING and KPMG. He was recently recognised among the region’s top CFOs for 2025, reflecting his standing across finance and technology. Tambach has also been a strong advocate for the responsible adoption of AI in banking.
Through interviews, panels, and industry engagements, he consistently highlights how AI can improve decision-making, enhance forecasting, and elevate customer experience — while emphasising the importance of culture, data ethics, and risk discipline when embracing new technologies. Under his guidance, Mashreq has expanded its use of AI tools and automation to improve agility and reinforce governance.
His strategic direction has helped position Mashreq as a leading digital bank in the Middle East, supporting intelligent digital services and advanced financial planning capabilities that simplify processes for retail and corporate clients alike. Through a mix of financial discipline and forward-looking thinking, Tambach continues to guide Mashreq’s transformation and its drive toward the future of banking.

Noman Rasheed

Noman Rasheed's career reflects his dedication and innovation in banking and telecommunications. With over twenty years of experience, Noman has consistently delivered transformative results and led significant digital advancements.

Currently serving as the Chief Information Officer at Dubai Islamic Bank, Noman leads the charge in implementing cutting-edge technology solutions. His previous role as the Chief Information Officer & Head of Operations at Noor Bank showcased his ability to drive operational excellence through digital innovation. Under his guidance, both institutions embraced innovation, enhancing customer experiences and streamlining operations.

Before joining Noor Bank, Noman served as the Director, Regional Head of IT and Operations, MENA at Barclays. During his tenure, he implemented forward-thinking strategies that propelled the bank's success in the region. His role as a Senior Project Manager at Mashreq Bank also saw him overseeing large-scale transformation projects, laying the foundation for his future achievements.

Noman's reputation as a visionary leader stems from his ability to anticipate industry trends and implement practical solutions. His passion for digital transformation has reshaped the banking landscape, setting new standards for innovation and efficiency. As he continues to make strides in his career, Noman Rasheed's impact on the industry will be felt for years to come.

Noman holds the postgraduate degrees of Masters in Computer Sciences as well as Masters in Management.

Fernando Plaza Lopez

With over two decades of experience in the digital and payment industry, Fernando is an accomplished industry expert with a proven track record of driving growth in fast-paced businesses. Throughout his career, Fernando has navigated the digital and payment industries at all levels, from startups to large corporations. He has held senior leadership roles at reputable organisations such as Lloyds Banking Group, Vodafone Group, Emirates Group, Al Rajhi Bank, and Arab National Bank. As the Group Chief Digital Officer at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Fernando leads the digital strategy and execution across the Group. His remit covers Retail, Corporate, and Business banking, as well as ADIB’s subsidiaries and international operations.

Sean Sarginson

Sean Sarginson is the Group Head of Digital Innovation & Partnerships at Emirates NBD, responsible for advancing the bank’s innovation, and enabling fintech strategy across the Group. He leads strategic partnerships, ecosystem engagement, and cross functional initiatives that translate emerging technologies into scalable business outcomes. Working closely with fintechs, technology leaders, academia, and industry partners, Sean drives innovation at scale to enhance customer experiences, strengthen operational excellence, and create sustainable growth. His focus is on positioning Emirates NBD at the forefront of the future of financial services through responsible innovation and strategic collaboration.

Sebastian Walter

Sebastian Walter is the leader of the AI Innovation Hub at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), where he is driving the bank's AI strategy and accelerating enterprise-wide innovation through artificial intelligence. With more than 20 years of international experience spanning consulting and industry, Sebastian specializes in AI, digital transformation, business building, and performance improvement. His leadership experience includes heading the Digital & Consulting division at the Otto Group, including Data Works GmbH, where he spearheaded large-scale digital and data transformation initiatives. Earlier in his career, he served as a Partner at Bain & Company and held leadership roles with global organizations including Olympus Optical and Unilever. He is passionate about translating emerging technologies into practical business value and helping organizations build AI capabilities that deliver measurable impact at scale.

Ross McNaughton

Ross McNaughton is a business-focused Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) with over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and information security within the financial services sector. He is recognized for aligning cybersecurity strategy with business objectives, enabling organizations to manage evolving digital risks while supporting innovation and growth. With deep expertise spanning cyber resilience, threat management, and security governance, Ross brings a pragmatic, leadership-driven approach to safeguarding complex banking environments in an increasingly AI-driven threat landscape.
Currently serving as Chief Information Security Officer at Gulf Bank in Kuwait, Ross leads enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and resilience initiatives. His career includes senior leadership roles across leading regional financial institutions, where he has built and scaled security functions, strengthened regulatory alignment, and enhanced organizational awareness of cyber risk. An active voice in the cybersecurity community, he contributes to industry dialogue on topics such as AI in security, threat evolution, and the future role of the CISO, bringing practical insights grounded in real-world experience.

Ferenc Böle

Ferenc Bole has nearly 25 years of experience in IT. Started his career at EY then moved to banking when joined K&H Bank as senior project manager. Then he moved to CIB Bank to lead Application Development department. He continued at OTP Bank where he was responsible to manage the PMO, Enterprise architecture and IT units of the foreign subsidiaries in 8 countries and participated in the acquisition process of Sociate General subsidiaries. He was member of Board in Sebia, Bulgaria and Russia during the merges. Then he continued at MBH Bank as Head of IT Development during the integration of 3 former banks which led MBH Bank to be the second largest bank in Hungary. He moved to Oman in 2023 to join National Bank of Oman as Head of IT.

Islam Gomaa

Islam Gomaa is a distinguished technology executive with more than 23 years of experience in the banking and financial services sector, recognized for leading large-scale digital transformation initiatives and driving engineering excellence across some of Egypt’s leading financial institutions.
As Chief Technology Officer at Arab African International Bank (AAIB), he is responsible for shaping and executing the bank’s technology vision, accelerating digital innovation, strengthening operational resilience, and delivering customer-centric technology solutions that support sustainable business growth.
Prior to joining AAIB, Islam served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait – Egypt (ABK-Egypt), where he led the bank’s digital transformation agenda, overseeing the modernization of critical infrastructure, enhancement of cybersecurity capabilities, and optimization of digital customer platforms.
His career also includes nearly a decade at Commercial International Bank (CIB), where he held the role of Infrastructure Management Head and played a key role in major transformation and infrastructure initiatives. Earlier, he spent almost ten years with IBM Egypt as an Advisory Consultant, delivering complex technology, systems design, and data center transformation projects for leading banking and telecommunications organizations across the region.
Known for his strategic vision and customer-first leadership approach, Islam has a strong track record of delivering technology-driven business value and operational excellence.

Mohamed Roshdy Elbastaweesy

Multi-faceted information technology professional with more than 20 years of extensive experiences in different industries and business segments, financial services (conventional, Islamic), conglomerate, real estate, consulting/advisory services, and software services, attaining 15 years’ experience as a Chief Information Officer (CIO) and CXO advisor in leading organizations in GCC. Demonstrated success leading and fostering teams in completing major business and digital transformation programs conforming to unique and challenging goals and timelines while keeping Customer Experience and Innovations as a key pillar. Solid background and knowledge in Technology, different business industries, financial services as well as strategic management. Charted success constructing the IT organization and systems of four financial services start-ups (Banks) in MENA as well the first conversion ever for conventional to Islamic Bank. Manchester Business School Distinguished Ambassador of the Middle East Centre were obtained MBA degree focusing on strategy management. Experienced professional about Fintech (Payments, SME Finance, BNPL), Proptech and disruptive technologies: Open Banking & Finance, Banking As A Service (BaaS), Banking As A Platform (BaaP), Blockchain & Digital Assets, CBDC, AI/ML, IOT and Big Data, as well one of the main Fintech and Digital Banking contributors in the Middle East, and member of the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) Fintech Working Group (FWG). Proven technology leader equipped with advanced communication and interpersonal skills, fluent in both English and Arabic. Technically proficient in multiple back-office solutions, core banking, ERP, and digital solutions spanning across different industries.

Faiza Alawadhi

Faiza Alawadhi is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Sanadak, the UAE’s Ombudsman Unit for banking and insurance disputes and the first institution of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa.

With more than 25 years of experience across banking, financial regulation, consumer protection, and the energy sector, Faiza is a recognized leader in advancing fair, transparent, and trusted financial services. Prior to joining Sanadak, she led the Market Conduct and Financial Consumer Protection at the Central Bank of the UAE, where she played a key role in strengthening the UAE’s consumer protection regulatory framework and standards.

Under her leadership, Sanadak has been advancing a modern, accessible and technology-enabled approach to financial dispute resolution, placing consumer trust, fairness, innovation and financial inclusion at the heart of its mandate. Faiza actively contributes to regional and international policy dialogue and working groups, including as Chair of the Financial Consumer Protection Taskforce at the UAE Banks Federation, and through her participation in regional and global financial inclusion initiatives. member of the Financial Inclusion Working Group at the Arab Monetary Fund, and member of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion for three years.

She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Business Law from Université Paris- Panthéon-Assas.

Srinivasan Sampathvenkat

Srini is a seasoned financial services professional with more than 25 years of experience in Retail Banking Operations, Services and Digital Transformation, with unbridled passion for delivering exceptional value to customers and stakeholders through innovative solutions. Srini has honed his skills across UK, India and UAE working for world-class organizations like Citibank, Tata Consultancy Services and Emirates NBD.
As the Executive Director and Head of Voice Transformation at Emirates NBD, Srini’s current mandate is to transform voice and virtual banking for the Group across Inbound, Chat, Outbound, Collections and Recoveries operations. His mantra is to successfully co-create and sustainably scale simple, seamless, and intuitive experiences combining Advanced AI, ML, Product and Analytics capabilities with robust process design and deep contextual business operations nuance.

Lula Mohanty

In February 2025, Lula Mohanty has been announced as Managing Partner MEA, IBM Consulting. She previously served as the Global Managing Partner, for Strategic Sales in IBM Consulting.In this role, she was responsible for driving large strategic transformational pursuits with enterprises across multiple industries globally. Organizations today, are looking to apply technology to drive business expansion, create state of the art customer experiences, drive internal efficiencies, reconfigure their operating models and reskill their staff. Lula’s mandate is to help clients create and execute these missions, in collaboration with other partners in the ecosystem. This is a multi-trillion dollar industry and IBM Consulting operates with more than 500 marquee clients globally. 
Lula has been with IBM for 25 years and during this time, has held various leadership positions in different countries. She was responsible for managing the IBM Consulting P&L for all of Asia Pacific during 20018-2023, working out of Singapore. Prior to that , She was responsible for IBM’s consulting business in India and South Asia between 2015 -2018. She returned India and the region to revenue and profit growth, and drove several landmark transformations with her clients during this time. State Bank of India, Indian Oil Corporation, Adani Group of Industries, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea Limited, Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), Defence, Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) Singapore, Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Synapxe-Singapore, Krungthai Bank-Thailand, Indosat-Indonesia, Ministry of Defence-Australia, Energy Australia, HSBC, CTBC-Taiwan, Hongkong Jockey Club - are some of her key associations. 
Lula also led the global delivery centers for IBM Consulting in India and Philippines, where she was responsible for delivery of IT and Process outsourced services. These included setting up the delivery operations, management of SLAs, Skills, utilization of resources and ensuring benefits realization as outlined in the contracts. At the center level, she was measured on Over/under recovery, client satisfaction, employee engagement, delivery excellence and contract GP performance. 
Lula is also the executive sponsor from IBM Consulting on a very strategic enterprise wide IBM process and platform transformation - end to end. The program’s mandate is to review IBM Enterprise operations across all verticals, to standardize process, tools and platforms, to drive productivity and generate savings upwards of a billion dollars. 

Vinod Yadav

Hani Khalil

Hani Khalil is a distinguished banking transformation executive and a recognized leader in digital innovation within the financial services industry. In his capacity as Chief Transformation Officer, he has successfully led enterprise-wide initiatives spanning digital banking, core modernization, and advanced analytics, consistently delivering strategic impact and sustainable growth.

Hani has been instrumental in forging high-value partnerships across financial services, fintech, telecommunications, and adjacent industries - enabling the creation of scalable ecosystems and pioneering embedded finance solutions that expand access and redefine customer engagement.

With deep expertise in Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), digital payments, and emerging financial models, he has also contributed to shaping forward-looking regulatory and market frameworks, including early-stage Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) initiatives in developing markets.

Driven by a vision to position banks at the forefront of innovation, Hani continues to champion the integration of technology, data, and AI to unlock new opportunities, elevate customer experience, and accelerate the evolution of digital banking.

Shukri Eid

Shukri Eid is a veteran with over 25 years of experience in technology and consulting industry with a proven track record of transforming businesses across the Middle East and Africa region.
As General Manager of IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan, Shukri is responsible for IBM’s overall business operations, driving business growth and client satisfaction. Prior to returning to IBM, Shukri served as Regional Managing Director for the Gulf region at Cisco where he drove the company’s digital agenda, competitive positioning, and business strategy.
During his tenure, Shukri held the position of Senior Director within the Country Digitization Acceleration (CDA) team working with government and industry stakeholders to accelerate the national digitization strategies. He also led a diverse team of senior consulting professionals as Director of Cisco Consulting Services in Emerging Markets, and as Director of Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG).
Earlier in his career, Shukri held senior roles at IBM Global Business Services and PwC where he led the implementation of high-profile strategies and IT transformational engagements.
Shukri is valued for building results-oriented and enthusiastic teams and has established himself as a thought leader and agent of change in fast-evolving, dynamic markets. He is known for his deliberate, strategic approach to complex challenges, his authenticity, and his people management skills.
Shukri has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Strathclyde in UK, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Jordan University of Science & Technology. 

Thiru Pillay

Thiru Pillay is an experienced banking and vehicle-finance leader with more than two decades of experience across South Africa and the Middle East. As Head of Vehicle Finance, his work spans lending, automotive partnerships, predictive analytics, customer strategy, digital transformation and sustainable mobility.
Throughout his career, Thiru has applied predictive analytics to lending and marketing—using customer, credit, behavioural and portfolio data to improve credit decisions, identify opportunities, understand customer needs and develop more relevant vehicle-finance propositions.
His current focus is the development of functional AI agents for customer mobility decisions, operating at the intersection of sustainability, responsible lending, household cash-flow management and total cost of vehicle ownership.
He sees vehicle choice as a particularly compelling challenge for AI. A genuinely useful mobility agent must simultaneously evaluate affordability, financing structures, depreciation, residual values, fuel or electricity costs, maintenance, insurance, reliability, usage patterns and changing vehicle technologies. Yet the final decision is rarely mathematical alone. Cars are deeply emotional purchases shaped by brand, aspiration, identity, design and desirability.
Thiru therefore approaches AI from the perspective of an experienced business and domain owner. His challenge to AI specialists is to move beyond impressive technology demonstrations and work closely with domain experts and real customers to solve complex, multidimensional problems.
His goal is to explore how AI can combine enormous volumes of data, sophisticated financial calculations and predictive models with an understanding of human preference to help customers make better, more sustainable and financially responsible mobility decisions.

Pawel Swiedziewski

Pawel Swiedziewski is VP, Portfolio Delivery & Change at Commercial Bank International (CBI) (former GE Capital, HSBC) in the UAE, where he leads the bank's Project Management Office and its delivery portfolio. Over the past several years he has driven change across Open Finance, financial sector transformation, and CBI's response to new UAE regulatory guidance on AI governance in financial institutions. His work sits at the intersection of large-scale technology transformation, regulatory compliance, and the practical realities of driving change inside a complex, highly regulated organization. Originally from Poland, Pawel has spent over a decade working in UAE banking.

Arvind Kaushal

Arvind Kaushal is a technology leader with over 26 years of experience in banking, payments, digital transformation, and financial technology innovation. As Chief Technology Officer at PayNways Worldwide, he leads the strategy, architecture, and delivery of next-generation payment systems, digital banking platforms, fraud management solutions, and AI-powered financial technologies serving banks, financial institutions, and payment networks globally.
Throughout his career, Arvind has been instrumental in designing and implementing large-scale payment infrastructures supporting real-time payments, card processing, cross-border transactions, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance. His work includes national payment switch implementations, high-volume transaction processing platforms, and digital banking modernization initiatives across multiple regions.

Jonathan Holman

Jonathan is a Digital Executive, Technologist / Banking Enthusiast and a pioneer in Open Finance. He is leading the creation of Open Finance for the UAE, and he runs its centralised operator Nebras Open Finance, a world’s first. This follows his role shaping this initiative with the Central Bank of the UAE, as part of their Financial Infrastructure Transformation. He has held c-suite positions in Open Banking, digital, strategy and operations in addition to banking roles in coverage, 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.

Jonathan and his teams have won nine global industry awards for their work in banking technology and innovation. Jonathan is a Module Tutor and Author for the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School and a Visiting Scholar and Chief Examiner at the LIBF University College, where he authors textbooks, advises, examines and teaches on Open Finance, banking, strategy, alternative data, credit risk, fintech and regtech.

Xi Liang

Xi Liang is Head of Artificial Intelligence at Mashreq, where she leads the bank’s AI transformation and the development of AI capabilities at scale.
With more than 15 years of international experience across artificial intelligence, data science, and digital and data transformation, Xi has built and scaled AI platforms, products, and high-performing teams across financial services, consulting, retail, technology, and research. Her expertise spans AI strategy, product development, enterprise AI platforms, governance, and responsible and ethical AI.
Xi began her career in research, working with institutions across Japan, Germany, Australia, and China, before joining IBM as a Research Scientist, where she worked on IBM Watson and early cognitive technology solutions. She later held roles at IPG and McKinsey & Company, advising senior executives across the US, Europe, and APAC on advanced analytics and AI-led transformation.
As Practice Lead for Data Science, Analytics and BI at Endeavour Group, Xi built a data science capability from the ground up to a team of more than 100 professionals. Her work has delivered AI-driven solutions across personalisation, pricing, supply chain forecasting, and enterprise data strategy, generating significant measurable business impact.
Xi holds four AI patents and has contributed to a number of publications throughout her career. At Mashreq, she is focused on translating the potential of AI into scalable, governed, and commercially valuable capabilities that are helping shape the future of intelligent banking.

Hasan Jaber

Hasan Jaber is the Chief Executive Officer of AlfaNow, where he leads the cross-border payments subsidiary of Al Fardan Group, an Emirati family business with multiple interests established over 55 years. He drives AlfaNow’s strategy and international expansion in digital remittances and payments.
He also serves as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Al Fardan Exchange, playing a key role in the organisation’s digital transformation and entry into strategic partnerships and customer segments. With more than 20 years of experience across strategy, operations, and financial services in the GCC, Australia, and New York, he brings a global perspective to building scalable, customer-centric payment solutions.
Hasan holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Sharjah and a project management degree from the Auckland University of Technology.

Ahmad Jishi

Ahmad Jishi, is a Principal Architect and the Data & AI Squad Leader at Gulf Business Machines (GBM), with nearly 20 years of experience helping organizations across the Middle East unlock value from data, analytics, and artificial intelligence. He specializes in bridging business strategy with emerging technologies, enabling enterprises to transform complex data into actionable insights and measurable business outcomes.
Throughout his career, Ahmad has advised leading organizations across financial services, aviation, retail, and logistics on data platforms, analytics modernization, AI adoption, and governance. His current focus is on accelerating enterprise transformation through Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI, helping organizations identify high-impact use cases and scale innovation responsibly.
A recognized thought leader and industry speaker, Ahmad has presented at major regional conferences, sharing insights on AI-driven innovation, intelligent automation, fraud analytics, AI agents, and the future of data-powered enterprises.

Adil Belhouri

Adil Belhouari has over 22 years of extensive Executive Management and Leadership experience at varying positions in multiple lines of businesses and technologies.

A seasoned Data, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence & Digital Banking Strategist well known in the Industry of Banking Intelligence & Financial Analytics, Digital Banking, Customer Experience & Loyalty, Enterprise Data Management, Data Science & Insight Strategy, Business Planning, Financial Reporting as well as leading solutions in the area of Digital Transformation, Risk Management, Customer Acquisition, Segmentation, Retention, Relationship Management (CRM), Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence (BI), Innovation, Fintech Partnership and Open Banking Strategy.

Proven track records of superior achievements with cash flow and credit driven lending products development, Business planning, Data Monetization, Business Information Strategy, Sales’ Strategy and delivery management.

Adil is currently working as Senior Vice President/ Head of AI, Analytics & Data Science for Riyadh Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Prior to Riyad Bank, Adil was a leading Analytics and Data mining Expert at SAS Institute Inc., one of the largest software and consultancy companies in the world focused on delivering superior software & Solutions in Business Analytics.

Adil also worked as a professor of analytics and statistics at HEC - Montreal. He has contributed in several applied scientific researches and papers published in high-level Journals.

Adil has been a speaker and presenter at many highly rated events, conferences and summits across different countries and continents.

Dr. Nasser S.Al-Azwani

Dr. AlAzwani is working as Head of IT at Alizz Islamic Bank. Previously Director of the Center for Information Systems at Sultan Qaboos University and before this position he worked as Head of Systems Security and Administrations at University Hospital. He is holding a PhD from City, University of London in the field of Cyber Security. MSc from Liverpool University and Diploma from University of Technology and Applied Sciences. He has more than 22 years of experience in the field of Information and Communication Technology (The most recent 12yrs in Cyber Security) and has contributed to the university hospital in developing Information Security Management System (ISMS) aligned with optimizing and strengthening the IT services and efficiency of its cyber security controls.

His areas of academic specialty include but not limited to Cyber Security, Information Security Risk Management, National security and governance, Cyber Deterrence, Strategies and Optimization. He has an interest in conducting research in areas like: 

• Cyber Attack modeling: understanding the methods and strategies of different types of attackers, for the purposes of optimizing penetration testing automation, attack attribution, Disasters Recovery and Intrusion Detection.
• Cyber Deterrence: strategies for discouraging attacks including research issues around attack attribution, coalition strategies, game theory modeling.
• Cyber Conflicts (Terrorism): how terrorists use the Internet (e.g., social networks, websites, Twitter), and their level of capabilities in utilizing the Internet for cyber conflicts.
• Malware: with special interest in state-sponsored malware, for examples, Stuxnet, Duqu, that are much more sophisticated than common malware, and developed by nations (state) possibly for cyber warfare against other nations (state).
• Internet of Things (IoT) security: understanding how to secure IoT devices, and in particular, authentication protocols for IoT.

Technically, he is actively involved in managing technical cyber security procedures with his technical team for a mission of maintaining effective controls all over known cyber threats.  He is deeply involved in conducting on-going optimization in IT services compliance, cyber security controls efficiency and assurance over institute systems, services and its technologies.

Vikram Sandhu

Vikram Sandhu is a digital transformation, AI enablement, and operational excellence leader with a career spanning six countries. He has helped build digital native banks and led large-scale transformations across banking, AI, product design, intelligent automation, and operating model redesign. Known for translating technology and AI into tangible business value, he specializes in driving growth, efficiency, and innovation at scale. Since relocating from Toronto to Dubai in 2019, Vikram is serving as the Group Head of Digital Experience & Transformation at Emirates NBD.

Sarah Al Mageni

Sarah Al Mageni is a banking professional with over 15 years of experience with a strong focus on customer experience and Social & Digital media management. As the Head of Customer Experience Business Development and Governance at Bank Muscat, she leads initiatives in customer intelligence, CX business systems development, CX Maturity, MSP whilst ensuring compliance and governance with regulatory frameworks and CX best practices.
Previously, Sarah served as the Head of Customer Journeys Design & Management, where she aligned customer experience strategies with business goals and addressed key customer pain points. Her earlier experience as Head of Social & Digital Media aided her in establishing the bank as a leader in digital customer care, being the first bank to establish a dedicated X (Previously Twitter) account dedicated to customers, and continued to propel in this area by introducing the first contact center WhatsApp channel available for customer 24/7.
Sarah holds a Masters Degree in E-Business & Innovation from Lancaster University, UK, and a Bachelor of Science in Leadership & Community Communication from the University of Kentucky, USA. In addition to professional certifications such as CCXP, and Certified Retail Banker.

Luca Piezzo

Luca Piezzo is a technology executive with extensive experience in banking technology transformation, IT operations, and large-scale digital transformation programmes. As Vice President of IT Operations at Bank ABC, he brings a strong track record of helping organisations navigate complex technology environments and align IT strategy with evolving business needs.
Having previously worked with Deloitte and Accenture, Luca has supported organisations across banking, insurance, retail, and manufacturing, with particular expertise in cloud computing, real-time analytics, AI and machine learning, and enterprise technology transformation.
Since 2016, he has been actively helping medium and large enterprises navigate their cloud journeys, with a firm belief that technology should be an enabler of business rather than an end in itself. His approach focuses on translating emerging technologies into practical, tailored solutions that address genuine business challenges, drive innovation, and create measurable value.
With experience spanning both executive and advisory roles, Luca brings a pragmatic perspective to technology transformation, combining strategic vision with a deep understanding of the operational realities involved in modernising complex IT environments.

Gyan Prakash Srivastava

Technology leader in AI , Big data , Analytics strategy & Data Governance with more than two decades of experience In banking & financial industry . Transforming Data into value & self-service analytics . Implemented enterprise scale Data , Analytics & AI strategy projects including Data Mesh , Data Fabric , AI /GenAI across multiple geographies.

Islam Nabil Awad

Islam Nabil Awad is a recognized Enterprise Architecture and Digital Transformation leader with 20+ years of experience in banking and technology. He specializes in Enterprise Architecture, Technology Strategy, and Business Transformation, helping organizations align business strategy, capabilities, and technology to deliver sustainable value.
He currently leads architecture initiatives within the Enterprise Architecture and Digital domain at Saudi Fransi Bank (BSF), driving strategic transformation across digital banking, Open Banking, BaaS, and modern technology platforms.

Moataz Gad

Moataz Gad is a core banking technology leader with a track record of driving large scale digital transformation across major financial institutions. He brings deep expertise in core banking platforms and regulatory delivery. His work sits at the intersection of technology strategy and execution, shaping how banks navigate transformation in an increasingly complex regulatory and digital landscape.

Srikanth Doranadula

Shorouk M. Ali

Shorouk M. Ali is a Customer Experience Manager at Boubyan Bank, Kuwait, with over 15 years of experience in customer experience management, consumer behavior analytics, behavioral science, customer insights, and market research across the GCC and MENA region.

As a Certified Customer Experience Professional, Recognized Training Provider, and Regional Council Member of the Customer Experience Professionals Association, she is passionate about advancing the customer experience profession and building CX capabilities across the region. To date, she has trained more than 750 customer experience professionals, helping individuals, organizations, and entrepreneurs strengthen their customer-centric thinking and practical CX competencies.

Her expertise focuses on the evolving relationship between customer behavior, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and behavioral economics. Through her work as a practitioner, speaker, trainer, and advisor, she helps organizations better understand changing consumer expectations and design experiences that drive both customer value and business growth.

Salwa Bseis

Salwa Bseis is a Customer Experience Manager at Bank al Etihad, with 10 years of experience in Customer Experience within the banking and financial services industry.
Throughout her career, Salwa has focused on understanding and improving the customer experience across key areas including Customer Voice (VoC), churn, automation, customer journeys, service design, digital experience, and customer insights. She is passionate about turning customer insights into meaningful action and driving a truly customer-centric culture across organizations.
Her perspective on CX is rooted in the belief that exceptional customer experiences should be effortless, relevant, and built on trust. She is particularly interested in how data, technology, and AI can enable more personalized and predictive customer journeys while reducing friction and strengthening the human connection between banks and their customers.

Antanas Daujotis

Antanas Daujotis is the Head of AI UK for Synechron, where he leads AI strategy, architecture and delivery for tier-1 banking and insurance clients. He has spent over twenty years in engineering, cloud, data and AI, and remains a hands-on architect rather than an observer: he builds the reference architectures, guardrails and agentic accelerators he advises on. His current work focuses on what it actually takes to run AI agents safely inside regulated institutions, spanning identity and access, governance, evaluation and observability.

Mohammad Shooqur

Mohammad Shooqur is an AVP - Data Science in the Chief Data Office at the National Bank of Kuwait. Leads AI and advanced analytics initiatives that translate data into real business impact.
With deep experience in machine learning and applied AI, he focuses on responsible and scalable AI adoption. Mohammad works at the intersection of technology, strategy, and execution.
His passion lies in demystifying AI and turning innovation into value.

Naveed Minhas

Naveed is a financial sector focused Payments with Digital and AI Transformation leader with 25+ years in financial services across MENA and Europe, holding partner-level roles at IBM, PwC, Deloitte, Teradata, Siemens and Wamid (Saudi Tadawul Group). He led the team that rolled out Saudi Arabia's Sarie instant-payments programme in 2019 - an ISO 20022-native rail that now carries over 1.6 million transactions a day - and remains an IBM partner focused on GCC Central Bank’s including SAMA and CBUAE , driving payments innovation for the region. As Chief of Ventures Development at Wamid he led the technology stream of Tadawul's acquisition of a majority stake in DirectFN and the Tadawul data-monetization programme behind its 3-year fintech and data-hub roadmap. Today he leads IBM's payments modernisation and innovation pursuits with central banks and financial institutions across EMEA — instant rails, digital assets and tokenisation, and turning regulation into new revenue - with a track record of first-of-a-kind wins, national programmes and market-share growth for his clients. He is a recognised technology evangelist in the region.

Manoj Bhojwani

Zsombor Brommer

Board-level compliance and governance executive with 25+ years of international banking experience across the UAE, UK and Europe, operating in complex, multi-jurisdictional environments.
Recognised for building regulatory-credible operating models that align growth, innovation and supervisory expectations. A trusted partner to CEOs, Boards and Executive Committees on regulatory risk, supervisory engagement and transformation.
Recipient of Chief Compliance Officer of the Year (2024 - Middle East Banking AI & Analytics Summit). Increasingly focused on AI governance, digital risk architecture and public-sector-grade regulatory frameworks.

Hande Erbay

Hande Akdede Erbay is the Market Head for IBM Data Platform in the Middle East and Africa, leading strategy, sales, revenue, and client advocacy for IBM’s Data & AI and Security software division, including watsonx, IBM’s enterprise AI platform. She is a visible champion of Agentic AI and AI Security, positioning enterprises to innovate with trust and scale.
With more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, she is at the forefront of driving AI adoption and data-driven transformation across the region.
Previously, Hande served as the Market Head for IBM Sustainability Software, where she spearheaded the region’s AI for Sustainability strategy and accelerated conversations on how AI can address global sustainability challenges. Throughout her career at IBM, she has held multiple leadership roles, consistently delivering innovation and measurable impact.
A passionate advocate for the transformative power of AI, Hande is committed to guiding organizations through the complexities of generative and agentic AI adoption, while fostering strong client partnerships to deliver meaningful, real-world solutions.
She holds a degree in Political Science from Istanbul University. A proud mother of one son, she enjoys traveling and exploring diverse cultures in her leisure time.

Hamza Zaheer

Hamza is a digital transformation leader with 13+ years of international experience delivering large-scale data, AI and operational transformation across complex banking environments. At Saudi Awwal Bank, he leads a multi-year COO Data & AI Transformation programme, focused on building scalable data foundations and delivering data and AI capabilities across Operations, Procurement and Business Management. Alongside Data & AI, Hamza also leads Corporate Operations Transformation, combining process re-engineering, intelligent automation and data-driven performance management. His transformation work has delivered more than SAR 2 million in annual savings, automated 20+ SAMA-compliant processes, and introduced performance dashboards supporting improved operational productivity.
Prior to SAB, Hamza worked with Accenture UK, delivering complex enterprise cloud transformation programmes for major UK banks, including the delivery of new cloud payments platforms. Earlier in his career, he worked with Lloyds Banking Group, where he developed digital-twin solutions to support operational planning during COVID-19 period. With an engineering background and a strong interest in emerging technology, Hamza brings a business and operational perspective to technology transformation. His experience sits at the intersection of data, AI, cloud, process transformation and banking operations, with a particular focus on translating modern technology foundations into measurable business outcomes.

Christos Panagopoulos

Christos has been working within Business Solutions Group for Temenos over the past 16 years, having served through several positions. He is currently heading the Business Solutions Group for Middle East and Africa, with more than 32 seasoned professionals, who design and propose Banking Solutions that bring value and simplify the IT landscape.

He has developed and grown the Technical, Digital Channels, and SAAS teams in the region for Temenos.

Before that, he worked as Pre-Sales engineer and as part of Delivery teams in the Balkans, Central & Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS. having implemented Core Banking Solutions for various Clients.

He is a domain expert in Technology, SAAS, Channels, AI, Analytics and Architecture.

Christos has a BSc in Physics and a MSc in Information Technology

Atul Chandorkar

Atul Chandorkar is a seasoned Data & AI leader with over 20 years of experience in the banking industry across the Middle East. He currently leads Data Science and AI initiatives at a leading financial institution in Qatar, where he drives enterprise-wide AI strategy &  delivering impactful, data-driven solutions across business functions.

Atul has a strong track record of translating advanced analytics and AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes, including customer personalization, risk analytics, and digital transformation initiatives. He has worked closely with senior executives to enhance data-driven decision-making and establish robust data and AI governance practices.

His expertise spans AI strategy, machine learning, data engineering, and analytics transformation, complemented by hands-on experience in implementing large-scale data platforms and AI solutions.

A certified AI Governance professional (AIGP) and CDMP Practitioner, Atul brings a rare combination of technical depth and strategic leadership. He holds a Master's degree in Data Science from Liverpool John Moores University and an Executive MBA from Bayes Business School, City University of London.

Haishan Wu

As the Head of AI, Data, and Innovation at Zand, Haishan Wu leads the bank's efforts in leveraging AI and advanced technologies to enhance digital banking solutions. With a rich background in AI and data science, Haishan brings a wealth of experience to Zand, having previously served as Deputy General Manager of the AI Department at WeBank. 
Before joining Zand, Haishan held prominent leadership positions, including Director of AI and Data Science at BlackRock and CTO of Baidu Capital. His dedication to innovative projects has earned him recognition by MIT Technology Review as one of the 35 Innovators Under 35 in China and a spot among the Top 50 Data Scientists in China. 
Dr. Wu completed his doctorate at Fudan University and conducted research at Princeton University, further cementing his expertise in the field. His role at Zand involves driving the strategic integration of AI and data-driven insights, positioning Zand as the AI-powered bank for the digital economy.

Josh Weisman

Josh has spent more than 15 years building and scaling technology companies, leading across strategy, operations, go-to-market, and some of the most critical stages of company growth. At Monstro, he leads the company’s operating and commercial strategy and works with financial institutions on how AI can fundamentally reshape the role banks play in their customers’ financial lives.

Ananth Srivatsa

Ananth Srivatsa is a senior payments executive with nearly two decades of experience spanning digital payments, cross-border remittances, and financial inclusion across the MENAT and APAC regions. Ananth currently leads RAKBANK's digital payments business with end-to-end P&L accountability - spanning cross-border transfers, domestic payments, bill payments, and strategic partnerships. He also oversees the financial inclusion agenda delivering digital financial services including wage disbursement, remittances, and micro credit to the UAE's large migrant workforce - one of the most underserved segments in the region's financial system.

Ananth has previously held senior leadership roles at First Abu Dhabi Bank and MoneyGram International, where he led Marketing across 65+ countries. His experience straddles both sides of the global remittance equation - having directly managed the world's largest outbound remittance markets in the Middle East, as well as the world's largest inbound destinations in South and Southeast Asia such as India, China and the Philippines.

Thomas Boele

Thomas Boele is Global Director, Solutions Engineering – AI Security at Check Point Software / Lakera, based in Munich. He leads the global solutions engineering team for Check Point's newly formed AI Security pillar, building the technical go-to-market function for a category that barely existed two years ago.
With over 20 years of solutions engineering leadership across EMEA, Thomas has guided technical teams through several shifts in the security landscape — from network and cloud security to the current wave of AI-driven threats and AI-native attack surfaces. His focus today is on securing large language model applications and agentic systems: prompt injection, data exfiltration through AI interfaces, and the governance questions enterprises face when AI moves from pilot to production.
Thomas is an accredited press spokesperson and a regular keynote speaker on cybersecurity, known for cutting through vendor noise with a practitioner's view of what actually works.

Tameem Samawi

Tameem began his career working on advanced AI research for DARPA, went on to build mission-critical financial systems processing more than $130 billion in daily securities-lending activity, and later led the development of AI fraud systems deployed across 38 million users. Today, he leads Monstro’s AI engineering organization and the architecture behind bringing governed, institution-controlled financial intelligence into banking.

Shahnawaz Sheik

Cybersecurity expert and strategic leader with 13+ years of international experience across India, Spain, the Middle East, and Africa. Experienced in building and leading Security Operations Centers (SOC), Managed Security Services (MSSP), SIEM, IAM, cloud security, threat intelligence, incident response, and cyber risk management. As Head of Cybersecurity for the MEA region, has led security transformation initiatives, strategic partnerships, and service innovation, contributing to 65% regional revenue growth while strengthening cyber resilience and regulatory compliance.

Zainual Bhutto

Zainual Bashar Bhutto is a BFSI Transformation and Innovation Leader with 15+ years of experience working at the intersection of banking, technology and emerging intelligence. Based in Dubai, he leads Nagarro’s BFSI business across the Middle East, partnering with leading financial institutions across the GCC and wider MENA region.
Zain is focused on how AI, Agentic AI and intelligent engineering are reshaping the way banks operate, innovate and compete. His work spans digital banking, AI-led transformation, digital factories, modern technology platforms and intelligent operating models, with a particular focus on moving financial institutions from traditional technology-led transformation toward AI-native, outcome-driven organisations.
He is a strong advocate for rethinking the conventional boundaries between people, technology and intelligence. Rather than viewing AI simply as another technology layer, Zain believes the next generation of financial institutions will be built around fundamentally different ways of working - where intelligent systems augment human decision-making, software becomes increasingly autonomous, and technology transformation is directly connected to business outcomes.
A frequent speaker and commentator on the future of financial services, Zain brings a pragmatic yet forward-looking perspective to conversations around AI, Agentic Banking, digital transformation, innovation and the changing competitive landscape of financial services. His perspectives challenge banks and technology leaders to look beyond incremental digitisation and ask what an inherently intelligent bank could actually look like.
He is also the author of SELLGORITHM – Decoding the Algorithm Behind Winning Deals and is passionate about writing, mentoring and contributing to the evolving conversation around technology, innovation and the future of work.
Areas of focus: AI & Agentic AI | Intelligent Banking | Digital Transformation | Digital Factories | AI-Native Organisations | Innovation Strategy | Future of Financial Services | Intelligent Operating Models

Zahra Eid

A Customer Experience leader with expertise across financial services, telecommunications, and consultancy. She has led transformative initiatives that turn customer insights into meaningful experiences and business value.

A Founding Board Member of CXA Bahrain and Treasurer, Zahraa is the first Bahraini CCXP across financial services and telecommunications, and an Erasmus Mundus Scholar with an MSc from City, University of London.

She believes exceptional experiences begin with understanding people and turning insight into lasting impact.

Nisha Chatlani

Nisha Chatlani is a Director of Delivery at Nagarro with 15 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across the BFSI sector, spanning banking, insurance, and financial services. She brings extensive experience in translating business strategy into technology-led transformation, with expertise across digital platforms, customer experience, omnichannel solutions, product transformation, AI and emerging technologies, and large-scale technology delivery. Nisha is passionate about helping financial institutions navigate the evolving digital landscape by combining technology innovation with business outcomes and customer-centricity. Her interests include the future of financial services, intelligent digital experiences, AI-led transformation, and the adoption of modern technology approaches to create more agile, scalable, and sustainable financial institutions.

Niraj Naetsawan

Niraj currently serves as General Manager and Head of Middle East at additiv, a global fintech leader which enables financial and non-financial institutions globally to unlock new revenue streams and increase efficiency through their API-first platform. At additiv, Niraj is responsible for driving the company's growth in the ME through strategic partnerships with clients, assisting them in creating new profit pools through complementary business lines and enhanced efficiency. Niraj’s extensive background in financial markets, both in the Middle East and globally, is marked by his senior roles at prominent consultancies and financial service organizations such as EY, Deloitte and Standard Chartered Bank, where he delivered large scale digital transformation programs and led the setup of two digital banks in the region.

Hamza Soldi

Finance transformation and AI leader with 12+ years of international experience across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the United States. 
Founder and Director of AI Financial Intelligence at Crowe specializing in financial reporting, forecasting, treasury, risk management, data analytics, and AI-powered decision support. Experienced in developing enterprise finance solutions, leading complex digital transformation engagements, and building strategic partnerships with advisory firms and major organizations. 
Known for translating complex financial and operational data into actionable intelligence that strengthens control, accelerates decision-making, and improves business performance.

Dr. Mohamed Hamed

Dr. Mohamed Hamed is a seasoned strategic executive with over 20 years of experience across leading financial institutions in the UAE, KSA, and Egypt. He specializes in translating corporate vision into actionable, measurable strategies, with deep expertise in strategy development and execution, enterprise transformation, balanced scorecards, and business intelligence. Known for his data-driven approach, Dr. Hamed enables executive decision-making through advanced analytics, KPI frameworks, and enterprise-wide performance systems, consistently driving organizational alignment and performance optimization.
Currently serving as Head of Strategy at National Bank of Umm Al Quwain, Dr. Hamed leads enterprise strategy, transformation initiatives, and PMO functions while advising executive committees on strategic direction and governance. His career includes senior leadership roles where he has successfully built corporate strategies, implemented real-time intelligence platforms, and enhanced operational efficiency across complex organizations. A recognized thought leader in performance management and strategic execution, he brings a forward-thinking perspective on building agile, insight-driven organizations equipped for sustainable growth.

Mohamed Hussein

Mohamed Hussein is a banking technology leader with extensive experience in core banking transformation, digital banking solutions, and enterprise delivery management. As Head of Banking Solutions – Center of Excellence, he leads strategic initiatives across core banking, payments, and enterprise platforms, with strong expertise in Temenos Transact (T24), digital transformation, and operational excellence.
Mohamed is recognized for building high-performing teams, driving innovation, and aligning technology delivery with business growth and customer experience objectives within the banking sector.

Marco Lopes

Marco has 20+ years of experience in the Enterprise Business Automation industry. As Lead Evangelist at Camunda, he champions Enterprise Agentic Automation across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Marco's objective is to inspire and educate: showing leaders how to orchestrate AI agents, people, and systems into single, end-to-end processes - with the transparency, auditability and control enterprises demand.

Kamran Khan

As the Executive Director of Product Innovation & Implementations at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Kamran Khan is responsible for delivering transaction banking products across the EMEA and international regions. With well over a decade of experience in transaction banking, Kamran has a strong track record of launching innovative solutions that improve financial lives and deliver best-in-class customer experiences.

Kamran is currently leading the implementation of the CB UAE Open Finance framework and UAE central bank digital currencies (CBDC) initiative, ensuring FAB Payments achieves market-leading capabilities. He is also a member of the MENA FinTech Association and The Berlin Group openFinance Advisory Board, actively engaging with startups and enterprises.

A proven digital product leader and strategic thinker with a broad range experience in working with Engineering, Design, and GTM teams, passionate about launching new businesses and deliver best-in-class customer experiences.

Faidh Feisal

Faidh Feisal is a Senior Manager in Data Analytics Consulting at EPAM, where he leads delivery of large-scale agentic AI platform programmes in the region.
He has spent a decade leading the teams that put AI into production inside regulated institutions. Most recently he was Head of Technology for a London single family office, accountable directly to the Principal for technology across the group and its portfolio companies — strategy, security, platform decisions, spend, and the governance model under which autonomous agents were allowed to operate on private data.
Before that he led the AI stream at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, where his team took the bank's first customer-facing conversational AI to a huge user base and established the evaluation and assurance framework behind it, working across compliance, security and retail banking. He has also led teams within a large-scale AI programme at ADNOC and in enterprise AI for the insurance sector, and began his career at JPMorgan Chase.

Mais Kayed

Mais Kayed is a well-recognized expert in customer experience, digital transformation, business excellence and customer care. As an expert Mais has been helping organizations and individuals deliver remarkable customer experience for over 20 years.
Mais works with Telcom organization and Banking institution to create extraordinary customer experiences, streamline contact center operations, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Where she has been instrumental in designing and implementing strategic initiatives that enhance customer engagement, optimize digital touchpoints, and improve operational performance. Her expertise spans across customer journey mapping, service excellence models, retention strategies, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI-driven chatbots and CRM enhancements, to improve customer interactions and internal workflows.
She is a member in FWOC (Female Wave of Change), she is also a volunteer in INJAZ Program to support Jordanian youth sector to support entrepreneurial business and its practices.

Ashish Gupta

Ashish Gupta is the Head of Digital, Retail SME and Sales at BankDhofar, bringing over 19 years of experience in digital banking, payments, and customer channel transformation. He holds an MBA in Marketing from the Institute of Management Technology and has built an extensive career leading digital innovation across retail banking and financial services.
His expertise spans mobile banking, mobile wallets, internet banking, payment gateways, cards, e-commerce, ATMs, CDMs, kiosks, branch transformation, and IVR solutions. Throughout his career, he has successfully conceptualised and delivered a range of digital banking and payments initiatives, including mobile wallet platforms, mobile banking applications, digital branch solutions, bill aggregation and presentment systems, and customer engagement applications.
Ashish has a proven track record of driving business growth, revenue generation, operational excellence, and profitability through strategic leadership and effective execution. Recognised for his ability to identify opportunities and deliver successful transformation programmes, he combines deep industry knowledge with a strong understanding of the evolving digital banking landscape. His experience in developing customer-centric digital ecosystems continues to support innovation and growth within the banking sector.

Ghina Dani

A Data and AI professional with 9 years of experience helping organizations turn complex data into actionable insights. My work spans data management and governance, analytics automation, and AI, with a strong emphasis on making advanced technology accessible and impactful. My goal is to collaborate across teams to solve complex problems with practical, data-driven solutions and bridge the gap between business understanding and technical execution.

Suyash Bele

Suyash Bele is a Solutions Engineer at Guardsquare, where he works closely with customers to bridge the technical gap and deliver effective mobile application protection solutions. With over 12 years of experience in the software industry, he is passionate about mobile application security and helping organizations stay ahead of evolving security threats.

Yasir Siddiqui

Yasir Siddiqui has been focusing on the regional financial sector since the past 17 years. He joined Snowflake in 2021 and is now successfully leading FinServ for META, while making UAE banks and institutions become increasingly data-driven every day.

Ahmed Khidhir

Ahmed Khidhir is Regional Director for the Middle East at Finshape, where he focuses on digital engagement, personalization, and loyalty solutions for banks across the region. He has 20 years of experience in banking technology, spanning enterprise sales, business development, and consulting. Ahmed works closely with financial institutions on digital transformation initiatives, helping them improve customer experience, accelerate innovation, and deliver more personalized customer engagement.

Bindesh Pandey

Bindesh leads International Business at FinBox, an AI-first credit infrastructure platform powering digital lending for leading banks, NBFCs and embedded-finance players across Asia and the emerging world. With 20+ years across BFSI, fintech and lending automation, he has witnessed, and often driven, digital transformation across eras, from monolithic systems through platform-versus-point-solution debates. He is a vocal advocate of composable, embedded and AI-led transformation in credit.
At FinBox, Bindesh helps banks and fintechs deploy embedded lending journeys, alternate-data decisioning and AI-powered underwriting at scale, focusing on how mobile-first economies across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa are leapfrogging legacy lending paradigms.

Alona Shevtsova

Alona Shevtsova is the Director and CEO of Sends, a UK-based fintech company focused on delivering payment solutions for both B2B and B2C clients across the EU and UK markets. With over 15 years of experience in the financial technology and payments industry, she has played a pivotal role in shaping Send's development strategy and expansion.
Alona began her career by founding and leading LEO, a major Ukrainian payment system, where she spent over a decade building and scaling operations. Under her leadership, LEO became the second-largest payment system in Ukraine by 2021. Following this success, she expanded her expertise into the banking sector, deepening her knowledge of international finance and regulatory frameworks.
In 2024, she took on the role of CEO at Sends, where she is driving the company's vision to simplify cross-border payments and support modern businesses with secure, scalable financial infrastructure.