Business & Money | Sunday 30 September, 2018 9:45 am |

The event will gather over 400 senior bankers and industry experts gather in Dubai to explore the future of the region’s banking industry

 

The UAE Banks Federation (UBF) has unveiled details of the agenda and speaker line-up for the sixth edition of the Middle East Banking Forum, one of the leading banking conferences in the region. Held under the theme ‘Banking 10 years from now’. The prestigious annual event will take place in Dubai on Sunday, 11 November at Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City.

Organized in association with the Financial Times and The Banker magazine, the Middle East Banking Forum 2018 will gather more than 400 senior banking executives and officials, financial regulators, government entities, consultancies, technology companies, law firms and other stakeholders to explore the future of banking and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

The one-day event will take an in-depth look at how innovations in technology, new developments in regulatory compliance and sustainable banking, and a constantly evolving threat landscape are poised to shape the region’s banking sector over the next decade.

A prestigious line-up of speakers will share their expertise in a series of keynote addresses. Brett King, best-selling author and Founder and CEO of mobile bank Moven, will examine the future impact of mobile payments, open banking, robotics and artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Olli Rehn, Governor of the Bank of Finland and Member of the Governing Council for the European Central Bank, will deliver a speech focusing on digital transformation and regulatory reform. Daniel Klier, HSBC’s Group Head of Strategy and Global Head of Sustainable Finance, is set to shed light on sustainable finance in an on-stage interview.

In addition, the event will feature an array of engaging panel discussions, including ‘Finding a winning retail banking strategy in the digital age’, ‘Financial crime – it can never be eradicated, but it can be contained’, ‘Global financial regulatory reform – time for a breather?’ and ‘The ethical banker’. Attendees can also look forward to opening remarks from high profile speakers representing the Central Bank of the UAE and UBF.

 

“Six years on from its inaugural edition, the Middle East Banking Forum has established itself as one of the region’s preeminent industry conferences. This is reflected in the caliber of guest speakers we have attracted, whose participation is key to creating an engaging and insightful event,” said HE Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of UAE Banks Federation. “The banking industry continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate, with ongoing disruption from emerging technologies, shifting regulatory conditions and the changing face of security in the digital age presenting both challenges and exciting opportunities. Forums such as these enable industry experts and thought leaders to come together, share knowledge and ideas, and help shape a robust future for the region’s financial ecosystem. We look forward to welcoming participants and delegates to Dubai in November.”

The list of sponsors for this year’s forum features some of the region’s leading financial institutions, including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, the Commercial Bank of Dubai, Bank of Sharjah, and Bank of Khartoum. Visa Inc. is the exclusive payments sponsor, while Latham & Watkins are legal sponsors for the conference. Other sponsors include Emirates Digital Wallet, Old Mutual International, DarkMatter, and Etisalat Digital. Al Bayan Publishing House, Daily News Egypt and the Oxford Business Group are the official media partners for the event.

Building on five years of successful events, the Middle East Banking Forum 2018 is attracting considerable interest, with a large number of registrations received from delegates two months in advance of the conference.

To view the latest updates and a detailed agenda, please visit www.middleeastbankingforum.com

About UAE Banks Federation:

 

Established in 1982, the UAE Banks Federation is a professional representative body comprising 50-member banks operating in the UAE. The Federation advocates all banks' interests, and enhances cooperation and coordination among them, in order to promote and upgrade the UAE's banking industry for the benefit of the banking sector, its customers, and the national economy.

The UAE Banks Federation's mission and objectives are focused on representing its member banks and defending their interests and rights. The federation provides a platform for cooperation and exchange of ideas and opinions among member banks and plays a major role in raising public awareness around the beneficial role and distinctive financial, economic and social contribution of the banks to the UAE.

The Federation has an Advisory Council consisting of 28 Bank CEOs which oversees the implementation of the policies, follows up on UBF's activities and makes necessary decisions, and 20 specialized technical committees who discuss all relevant banking issues.