Business & Money | Monday 2 July, 2018 1:27 pm |

The UAE Banks Federation (UBF) today announced that it will host the sixth edition of the Middle East Banking Forum, one of the leading banking conferences in the region, on 11 November, 2018 at The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City in Dubai. 

Held in association with Financial Times and The Banker under the theme, ‘Banking 10 years from now’, the forum will gather more than 400 leading decision-makers from banks, financial services firms, financial regulators, consultancies, technology companies, and law firms as well as corporate treasurers and regulators from the UAE & Middle East under one roof to look deep into the future and discuss major challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

Featuring insightful presentations, keynote addresses, panel discussions and on-stage interviews, the one-day event will explore how advancements in technologies, new developments in regulatory compliance, and an evolving threat landscape will shape the banking system over the next decade. In addition, the forum will examine why sustainable finance is the future and shed light on the region’s strong affinity towards sustainable banking.

“Rapidly evolving technologies, such as cryptocurrencies, blockchain, big data analytics, cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things, continue to disrupt the banking ecosystem. In many parts of the world, including the Middle East, banks and financial services firms are passionately exploring ways to benefit from these digital advancements. However, a number of challenges, including cost, risks, and changing consumer preferences, hinder wider adoption of these technologies. Similarly, cybercrimes and financial fraud continue to grow in magnitude and complexity, become the key challenges emerging in the region’s banking industry,” said HE Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of UAE Banks Federation.

“It has become of significant importance and a top priority for bankers to gain deeper insights about disruptions in the industry. The Middle East Banking Forum 2018 will seek to delve into key issues and promising opportunities facing the sector to help banks thrive in a robust ecosystem in the future. Sustainabilitywill also be a key focus of the forum as sustainable finance is quickly gaining traction in the region,” added HE Al Ghurair.

First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates NBD, ADCB, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Bank of Sharjah, and BOK International have confirmed their support to this year event as lead banking sponsors, while Visa and Emirates Digital Wallet are the exclusive payment sponsor and associate sponsor respectively. 

Furthermore, UBF has launched a dedicated website for the Middle East Banking Forum 2018 as it gears up for the premier annual event. To learn more about the event and view the detailed agenda, visit https://www.middleeastbankingforum.com/.