Sheikh Ahmed Bin Khalid Al-Thani
Assistant Governor for Financial Instruments and Payment Systems
Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Doha, Qatar – December 6, 2024, The MENA Fintech Festival 2024 successfully concluded its third edition on December 5 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) in Doha. The three-day event, held from December 3 to 5, brought together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to explore the latest trends and future opportunities in the financial […]
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Event Agenda
9:00 am - 9:30 am
The Concourse (Lobby)
9:30 am - 10:00 am
The Main Stage
Malik Shishtawi
President
MENA Fintech Festival
MENA Fintech Festival
10:00 am - 10:45 am
The Main Stage
Overview of the Fintech landscape in MENA
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 10:45
10:00
10:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Muhannad Ebwini
Founder & CEO
HyperPay
HyperPay
Safarudheen Farook
CEO
Spendwisor
Spendwisor
Mohammed El-Ahwal
Executive Partner
Fintekrs Egypt
Fintekrs Egypt
Maximilian Plank (Moderator)
Venture Partner GCC
Tenity
Tenity
10:45 am - 11:30 am
The Main Stage
Digital assets & the emerging CBDC network impact on regulation
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 11:30
10:45
11:30
Asia/Qatar
Details
Mazen El-Masri, PhD
CEO
Genesis Technologies
Genesis Technologies
Bryan D'Souza
Head of Business Development & Partnerships - Middle East
R3
R3
Dr. Andrew Dahdal
Associate Professor
Qatar University
Qatar University
Rohit K R (Moderator)
Director New Venture
Risin Ventures
Risin Ventures
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Food Arena
Networking Break (Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena)
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 13:00
11:30
13:00
Asia/Qatar
Details
Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
The Main Stage
The Growing Preference for Islamic Fintech
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 13:45
13:00
13:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Sami Mian
Co-founder & CEO
Blade Labs
Blade Labs
Mohamad Khawaja (Moderator)
Founding Partner
Fikr Ventures
Fikr Ventures
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
The Community Stage
Workshop: The Future of Digital Finance
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 14:45
13:45
14:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Join us for a workshop tailored for those who want to excel in UX design in the fast-growing fintech sector. Focusing on real-world applications, this session is designed to inspire and prepare you for the future of digital finance. What you’ll learn? – Best practices vs. common mistakes in fintech UX design – Aligning design […]
Henryk Klawe
CEO
Together
Together
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The Community Stage
Gamified Networking Session: Lego Serious Play(R)
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 16:00
15:00
16:00
Asia/Qatar
Details
Emad Saif
Founder
Play Meetup
Play Meetup
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Food Arena
Networking Break (Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena)
30
2024-12-03
2024-12-03 17:00
16:00
17:00
Asia/Qatar
Details
Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena
9:00 am - 9:30 am
The Concourse (Lobby)
9:30 am - 10:15 am
The Main Stage
Unlocking the Potential of Open Banking in MENA Region
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 10:15
09:30
10:15
Asia/Qatar
Details
Barry O’Donohoe
Co-Founder & CEO
Raidiam
Raidiam
Maria Guseva
Director - Global Technology Innovation
Accenture
Accenture
Mohammad Shoubaki
Regional Sales Manager - MENA
Brankas
Brankas
Gaurav Sachdev (Moderator)
Co-Founder & CEO
The Founders Majlis
The Founders Majlis
10:15 am - 11:00 am
The Main Stage
Women in FinTech: Navigating Challenges, Driving Change
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 11:00
10:15
11:00
Asia/Qatar
Details
Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari
Board Member
Ooredoo Fintech
Ooredoo Fintech
Khadijah Amusat Wuraola
Founder, Nuva
Ambassador ,Avalanche
Ambassador ,Avalanche
Małgorzata Filipowska
Portfolio & Platform Manager
Seedstars
Seedstars
Vanessa Rameix (Moderator)
Country Manager- Qatar
The Business Year
The Business Year
11:00 am - 11:45 am
The Main Stage
Financial Inclusion Initiatives: Accessibility to Underserved Population
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 11:45
11:00
11:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Hanane Sbai
Division Lead - Fintech and Digital Enablers Partnership
Mastercard
Mastercard
Federico Travella
Founding CEO
Novicap
Novicap
Kamran Ullah
Country Head, Qatar
Ooredoo Fintech
Ooredoo Fintech
Omar Nasser Al-Emadi
Senior FinTech Analyst
Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Farah Abdul Sater (Moderator)
Arabic Editor
FinDev Gateway
FinDev Gateway
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Food Arena
Networking Break (Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena)
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 12:45
11:45
12:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena
12:45 pm - 1:30 pm
The Main Stage
Ahmed Abdeen
Founder & CEO
ElGameya
ElGameya
Mostafa Abd Elkhabir
Founder & CEO
Masroofi
Masroofi
Mohammed El-Ahwal
Executive Partner
Fintekrs Egypt
Fintekrs Egypt
Fadi Saab (Moderator)
Chairman and CEO
Trans Capital Finance
Trans Capital Finance
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
The Community Stage
The Pitch Pit (5 Startups, 5 Minutes Pitch, 5 Investors)
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 14:30
13:30
14:30
Asia/Qatar
Details
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
The Community Stage
Liquifying Illiquid Assets for Investments Through Asset Tokenization with Fractionalization *Advanced (Technical & Executive) Workshops Are Available ONLY for QATAF Pass Holders for more details contact +974 3003 8007
Dr. Jalal Qanas
Assistant Professor - College of Business and Economics
Qatar University
Qatar University
Dr. Youcef Maouchi
Assistant Professor - College of Business and Economics
Qatar University
Qatar University
2:45 pm - 4:30 pm
Exhibition Area
Opportunity to explore the Exhibition, Country Pavilions & Startups Hive
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 16:30
14:45
16:30
Asia/Qatar
Details
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm
Workshop: The Leadership Formula (Coaching+FinTech+AI)
30
2024-12-04
2024-12-04 17:15
16:30
17:15
Asia/Qatar
Details
Tassos Kotzias
Executive Holistic Coach
Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation
Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation
9:00 am - 9:30 am
The Concourse (Lobby)
9:30 am - 10:15 am
The Main Stage
Compliance Challenges in Fintech: AML & Cybersecurity
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 10:15
09:30
10:15
Asia/Qatar
Details
Hamad Hadeed
Founder
Cytomate Cybersecurity
Cytomate Cybersecurity
Andre Leung
Co-Founder & CEO
Aereve
Aereve
Puneet Gambhir
Head of Risk
Grab
Grab
Abbas Bou Diab
Head Of Compliance & AML
BLOM Bank Qatar
BLOM Bank Qatar
Lauren Jones (Moderator)
Strategic Advisory Partner
Raidiam
Raidiam
10:15 am - 11:00 am
The Main Stage
Shady Abubakr
Founder & CEO
Bawales
Bawales
Mohamed Gadhoum
CEO
PAYDAY TAKAFUL
PAYDAY TAKAFUL
Iman Arastoo
CEO
Plannet Fintech & Insurtech Innovation Center
Plannet Fintech & Insurtech Innovation Center
Greg Loayon (Moderator)
Representative for Qatar and the Philippines
Latvian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Latvian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
11:00 am - 11:45 am
The Main Stage
AI & Blockchain Integration in Fintech Products
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 11:45
11:00
11:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Khadijah Amusat Wuraola
Founder, Nuva
Ambassador ,Avalanche
Ambassador ,Avalanche
Hussam Alkokhon
Head of Trade Finance
CQUR Bank LLC
CQUR Bank LLC
Giorgio Torre
Technology and Business Advisor
European and GCC Governments
European and GCC Governments
Mohammed Al-Jemaishi
Senior Manager - Data Integrity and Internal Controls
QNB
QNB
Fernanda Braz (Moderator)
Country Director, Qatar
Oxford Business Group
Oxford Business Group
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
The Community Stage
Workshop: Financially Fearless - Breaking Barriers and Building Wealth for Women
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 12:45
11:45
12:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Malu Marsault
CEO & Founder
This Mama Invests
This Mama Invests
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm
The Community Stage
Workshop: The power of coaching for leaders
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 13:45
12:45
13:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Yasmine El-Ballouli
Corporate Leadership Development Coach
Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation
Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm
Food Arena
Networking Break (Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena)
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 13:45
12:45
13:45
Asia/Qatar
Details
Opportunity to support the local food & beverage vendors at our Food Arena
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
The Community Stage
Unlocking New Asset Classes for a Sustainable and Circular Economy *Advanced (Technical & Executive) Workshops Are Available ONLY for QATAF Pass Holders for more details contact +974 3003 8007
Dr. Ahmed Khalifa
Professor - College of Business and Economics
Qatar University
Qatar University
Dr. Rami Zeitun
Professor - Finance and Banking
Qatar University
Qatar University
2:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Exhibition Area
Opportunity to explore the Exhibition, Country Pavilions & Startups Hive
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 16:00
14:45
16:00
Asia/Qatar
Details
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
The Main Stage
Fireside Chat: Estonia’s journey to becoming a European and global leader in the digitalization of public services
30
2024-12-05
2024-12-05 16:30
16:00
16:30
Asia/Qatar
Details
H.E. Mr. Margus Tsahnka
Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Republic of Estonia
The Republic of Estonia
Malik Shishtawi
President
MENA Fintech Festival
MENA Fintech Festival
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
The Main Stage
Malik Shishtawi
President
MENA Fintech Festival
MENA Fintech Festival
Speakers & Panelists
Assistant Governor for Financial Instruments and Payment Systems Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Minister of Foreign Affairs The Republic of Estonia
Division Lead - Fintech and Digital Enablers Partnership Mastercard
Founder & CEO HyperPay
Board Member Ooredoo Fintech
CEO Spendwisor
CEO & Founder This Mama Invests
Co-Founder & CEO Raidiam
Managing Partner Tenity
Co-Founder & CEO Aereve
Director - Global Technology Innovation Accenture
CEO Genesis Technologies
Founder & CEO Bawales
Portfolio & Platform Manager Seedstars
Founder Cytomate Cybersecurity
Founder, Nuva Ambassador ,Avalanche
Founding CEO Novicap
CEO Together
Founder & CEO ElGameya
Founder & CEO Masroofi
Executive Partner Fintekrs Egypt
CEO PAYDAY TAKAFUL
CEO Plannet Fintech & Insurtech Innovation Center
Country Head, Qatar Ooredoo Fintech
Co-founder & CEO Blade Labs
Head of Risk Grab
Head of Business Development & Partnerships - Middle East R3
Head Of Compliance & AML BLOM Bank Qatar
Senior FinTech Analyst Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Head of Trade Finance CQUR Bank LLC
Professor - College of Business and Economics Qatar University
Professor - Finance and Banking Qatar University
Associate Professor Qatar University
Technology and Business Advisor European and GCC Governments
Senior Manager - Data Integrity and Internal Controls QNB
Assistant Professor - College of Business and Economics Qatar University
Assistant Professor - College of Business and Economics Qatar University
Regional Sales Manager - MENA Brankas
Country Director, Qatar Oxford Business Group
Venture Partner GCC Tenity
Arabic Editor FinDev Gateway
Representative for Qatar and the Philippines Latvian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Country Manager- Qatar The Business Year
Chairman and CEO Trans Capital Finance
Director New Venture Risin Ventures
Founding Partner Fikr Ventures
Strategic Advisory Partner Raidiam
Co-Founder & CEO The Founders Majlis
Corporate Leadership Development Coach Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation
Executive Holistic Coach Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation
Founder Play Meetup
President MENA Fintech Festival
Testimonials
As a Platinum Sponsor of the event, Mastercard was proud to support the Arab Fintech Forum. Events like these are vital to fostering dialogue, deepening relationships, and driving innovation across our industry. The organizers brought together regional leaders from across the financial technology space to drive conversations that will ultimately fuel the ongoing evolution of MENA’s fintech ecosystem.
Erdem Çakar
Country Manager Qatar and Kuwait, MastercardIt was a great pleasure to be part of the first Arab Fintech Forum to take place in Qatar, along side industry leaders and key FinTech players from all around the region. The AFF’s mission to create a strong, enabling environment for FinTech companies has fast-tracked HyperPay’s expansion plan into the Qatari market.
Muhannad Ebwini
Founder & CEO, HyperPayOfficial Venue
Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC)
Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, QatarOne of the largest and most technologically advanced venues in the Middle East, Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) hosts state-of-the-art production and presentation facilities accompanied by staff that provide tailor-made experiences for all kinds of events, conferences, and programs. QNCC was recognized as the “Best Events Venue” at the Middle East Event Awards 2013, “Middle East’s Leading Exhibition & Convention Centre” from World Travel Awards and “Best Congress and Convention Centre, Middle East” from Business Destinations Travel Awards, and “Best Convention Centre in Middle East” by MICE Report Awards in 2012.