Current Speakers MENA

Passionate, customer centric & visionary digital tranformation enthusiastic & EPMO/PMO governance consultant supporting organizations in developing and executing digital strategy & transformation, deriving business values & improving customer experience leveraging web 3.0 technologies(AI/ML/RPA). On a mission towards enhancing overall customer experience, streamlining operational efficiency, and propelling the digitization of transactions.
Certified from Stanford GSB in Digital Strategy & Transformation and PMP, PRINCE2 in project management domains. Proven leadership with track record of 25+ years of overall technology, business, digital & project management experience in BFSI(GCC) with diverse organizational domains includes 15+ years in banking, 3 years in insurance and 7 years in govt sectors.

Proven leadership in building digital transformaton strategy & managing transformation initiatives leveraging modern engineering practices(Automation, API, RPA, Agile, Cloud..) deriving value for business & customers. Successfull in establishing EPMO/PMO governance & framework, Portfolio & Program management & delivery, building project governance templates & repository, EPMO/PMO dashboards, CAPEX/OPEX, track benefits realization, manage RFP & vendor governance within banking & insurance.
Worked for reputed banking & insurance giants in middle east(UAE, Qatar & KSA) and successfully led & delivered technology driven business, regulatory, compliance, retail, corporate, risk, infra and info-sec projects portfolio on TEMENOS T24, Oracle FLEXCUBE & TCS BaNCs core banking platforms integrating with third party applications & technologies under SWIFT, ATM, AML, Digital Branch, immediate payment system, UAEFTS, DDS, Collections, Treasury, loan origination, call center, Windows OS upgrade, Data migration, Data Warehouse, ESB, API, STP, Cloud, LC/NC Platform, AI & RPA supported by regional and international vendors.

Technology director with over twenty years predominantly in Banking and Financial Services sector. Strong track record in many aspects of technology including transformation, program delivery, operating model, technology and operations strategy and design, service management, risk management, cost performance optimisation and vendor/outsourcing management. Leading remote teams. Strong leader, team builder, and founder of strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels and in all cultures across the globe

Business driven and provides leadership for the continued development of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment throughout the Group and its 35+ Entities spanning multiple industry segments (Manufacturing, Construction, Contracting, Trading, Medical Services, Oil & Gas Services etc). Spearheaded Ittihad to be a winner of the SAP Quality Awards 2020 UAE in the Cloud Transformation Category, Cloud Champion of the Year 2021 (Holding Group), Best Digital Transformation Project of the Year 2021, CIO of the Year (Diversified Group) 2021, 2022 & 2023, CIO Leadership Award 2022 (Tawahultech), CXO50 of the year 2022, Smart Innovation Award 2022 etc and also was awarded for SAP Quality Awards 2021 Finalist in the Business Transformation Cloud Category for Middle East & North Africa.

An innovative thinker with a strategic vision and always strives to drive the value of Information Technology as a ‘Business Enabler’.

William G. Rich is Chief Sanctions Officer for the Middle East and Africa at Citi. In this role, he is responsible for Citi’s sanctions compliance program and advisory, oversight, and investigations activities in 29 countries including all of the Middle East and Africa, Central Asia, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Turkey, and Pakistan. He manages diverse and talented teams of sanctions experts in Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Poland, Turkey, and Kenya and is based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Prior to Citi, Will was Senior Vice President of Kharon, a technology company focused on data analytics in finance national security. In addition to being managing director of Kharon’s Dubai office, he led Kharon’s public sector activities including relationships with the U.S. Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and National Laboratories. During this time, he was also an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and a visiting scholar in the international relations program at New York University.

Giovanni, widely known as Gio, is a distinguished professional and Harvard Business School alum (GMP21) with an extensive 23-year track record marked by a combination of passion, creative problem-solving, and exceptional people skills in diverse cross-cultural settings. Formerly a strategy consultant, Gio has navigated his career from the position of Chief People Officer in a rapidly growing startup to assuming broader, strategic roles that encompass innovation, Web3 technologies, and traditional business strategy and execution.

Currently serving as the Head of Strategy, Innovation & Ventures for a medium-sized bank, Gio oversees critical areas such as Strategy, Transformation, Customer Experience (CX), Business Intelligence (BI), the Venture arm, Fintech Partnerships & Innovation Lab, Web3, AI, and the Metaverse. His fervent dedication lies in discovering utility and use cases for Web3 and Web2.5, including DeFi, tokenization, custody, ZK proof, and digital assets, within the banking industry.

Gio’s professional journey reflects a commitment to rethinking the role of a bank in the context of Web3. He firmly believes in a fundamental paradigm shift, a new operating model, and a mindset change to align with the evolving landscape. With a passion for innovation and a strategic vision, Gio stands at the forefront of reshaping the future of banking in the Web3 era.

Ahmed is currently the Head of Cyber Defense and Security Operations in a Leading bank, Prior to this Ahmed was the Corporate Chief Information Security Officer, Regional Security Manager and Chief Security Architect in multiple Organizations in Egypt, UAE and Middle East across different segments as Banks, Payment services, utilities, Oil and Gas organizations. Ahmed Nabil has more than 20 years of experience in the field of Information Security, Technology/Systems, Infrastructure, Project Management, Cyber Defense, Application Automation, Cloud Architecture, IT management and holds several professional certification

A senior banker with over 30 years of experience in building Digital Businesses , Innovation and managing large P&Ls . Possess a track record of achievements having worked for some of the largest International banks in the world – Citibank, Lloyds Banking Group and Mashreq Bank in EMEA, Asia Pacific and MENA respectively. Have strong leadership presence and team management capabilities.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Linoy Kidd was the GBM (Global Banking and Markets) CIO for Mexico. Linoy has worked for HSBC for over 14 years in multiple locations including London, HK, China, Mexico and Dubai.

Developing teams to be part of the global strategic lens. She also started Infusion100 a movement 5 years to give back to communities around the world. Since its inception Infusion100 has built 5 schools and 1 house. The 5 schools are in: Malawi (2), Senegal, Haiti, Nicaragua and the house build is in Mexico.

She’s also a mother and a keens sport woman having walked over 2000km for charity.

Frederik Bisbjerg is a highly respected international business developer with expertise in digital transformation and business model innovation. He is Executive Director, Digitisation at the National Health Insurance Company – Daman, one of the largest insurers in the GCC region, where he oversees the company’s digital transformation initiatives, building a ‘digital-first’ flexible and resilient insurance company. In addition to his role at Daman, Frederik holds the position of Head of MENA and Digital Transformation Specialist with the Digital Insurer. Previously, he has been Executive Vice President for Qatar Insurance Group (QIC), the largest composite insurer in the MENA region.