recently hosted an influential gathering of executives and thought leaders from across the EMEA and APAC regions. The event brought together representatives from government entities, central banks, financial institutions, technology firms, venture capital, and startups to drive discussions and collaboration around key topics in fintech, digital banking, AI, data analytics, financial education and inclusion.
The impressive roster of attendees demonstrates commitment to fostering dialogue and innovation in the rapidly evolving world of finance and technology. As a global education platform, empowers professionals to start and advance their careers in fintech through industry-recognized online courses and certifications.
About CFTE: Leading Fintech Education for Professionals
is at the forefront of fintech education, offering cutting-edge courses in domains such as Open Banking, Payments, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Digital Assets. With expert instructors from leading companies like Mastercard, UBS, Societe Generale, IBM, and Google Cloud, provides learners with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the era of Finance 2.0.
mission is to help professionals future-proof their careers and drive innovation in the face of technological disruption. As next-gen technological advancements disrupt traditional finance roles, equips learners with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the era of Finance 2.0. The courses offered reflect the latest industry trends and megatrends, including machine learning, APIs, and big data.
Whether you’re looking to rapidly advance your career, lead digital transformation projects, or launch your own fintech venture, practical, real-world focused education will help you achieve your goals. brings exclusive insights from leaders steering the future of finance, from global CEOs to disruptive entrepreneurs. Learners gain not just theoretical knowledge but also grasp real-world applications to immediately apply their new skills in the workplace.
By joining global community of finance professionals, learners benefit from the experience of studying alongside peers from leading banks, fintechs, and technology companies. With flexible, online programs that fit your schedule, you can future-proof your career and position yourself for success in the digital finance revolution.
Bridging the Skills Gap at Country Level Roundtable
As part of the Future Skills Forum, hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Bridging the Skills Gap at Country Level,” chaired by Dr. Allen Baby MBA, PhD, M.IOD, Acting Chief Learning Officer at the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF). The roundtable focused on the challenge of reskilling adults in the face of rapid technological transformation, which presents both opportunities and challenges for nations seeking to accelerate development through a highly skilled workforce.
Key topics of discussion included defining national skills gaps, identifying crucial stakeholders, and exchanging best practices in talent development. The roundtable brought together esteemed discussants from various organizations:
Agnès Bastaert, Head of Government Affairs, EMEA, Ant Group
Dr. Amira Abdelaziz, Senior Advisor – Data & Advanced Analytics, Central Bank of Egypt
Ingrid Naranjo, Geopolitical Strategist, Labiana Health
Iqbal Noor, SVP & Group Head L&D, ENBD
John Rwangombwa, Governor, National Bank of Rwanda
Khaled El Bialy, Chief Executive Officer, Banque Misr
Maryke Luijendijk-Steenkamp, Assistant Vice President, DIFC Academy
Nadeem Mujtaba, CEO, Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMA Pakistan)
S. Magagula, Deputy Director – Talent Management, Central Bank of Eswatini
Sultan Khalifa Al Ali, EVP & Head HR, RAKBANK
Victor Yim, Head of Fintech, Cyberport Hong Kong
Yasin Bhatti, Senior Director – Outreach & Partnership, ADGM Academy
The diverse perspectives and insights shared by the roundtable participants underscore the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in addressing the skills gap challenge at a national level. By bringing together key stakeholders from government, academia, and industry, is helping to drive the conversation and action needed to prepare workforces for the future of finance and technology.
The Role of Central Banks and Regulators in Upskilling Roundtable
also hosted a roundtable titled “The Role of Central Banks and Regulators in Upskilling,” chaired by Nouran Youssef, Senior Financial Sector Specialist at the Arab Monetary Fund. The roundtable explored how the evolving industry landscape is driving a shift in skill requirements and examined the potential risks and opportunities this presents from the perspectives of central banks and regulators.
The roundtable brought together a distinguished group of discussants:
Christian K., Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, DIFC
Elisabeth Wallace, Associate Director, Policy & Legal, Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)
Fatima Abukar, Data, Algorithms and AI Ethics Lead, FCA UK
Julia Cillikova, Executive Director, Central Bank of Slovakia
Michael O’Loughlin ☘️, Founder, OLOUGHLIN Global Business Advisory
Mike G., Chief Executive Officer, Guardtime
Paul Kayrouz, Chief Fintech Officer, Central Bank of The UAE (CBUAE)
Peter Faykiss, Director, Digitalisation Directorate, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB)
Rajkumar Kanagasingam, Founder, Fintech Association of Sri Lanka(FASL)
Dr. Rasha Negm, Assistant Sub-Governor Fintech & Innovation, Central Bank of Egypt
Takeshi Kito, Co-Founder & CEO, ELEVANDI Japan
Thammarak Moenjak, Chief Representative London Office, Bank of Thailand
Participants had the opportunity to learn about the most effective practices for central banks and regulators to support and enhance workforce skills in response to technological advancements.
Future Skills in an AI World Roundtable
Another roundtable, “Future Skills in an AI World,” was chaired by Imane Elmajdoubi, Director of Financial Services Industry – UAE at Microsoft. This session focused on the hurdles individuals face when adapting to new professional demands in the face of technological transformation, exploring skill requirements and strategies for effective adaptation.
The roundtable featured an impressive lineup of discussants:
Ali Khan, Head of Data and Artificial Intelligence, Commercial Bank of Dubai
Amith Rajan, EVP, Head Wholesale Digital Banking & CEO NeoVentures, Mashreq
Arushi Goel, Policy Lead, Chainalysis
James Chouffot, Partner, EY
Kelly Forbes, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Institute
Ken Coghill, Head of Innovation, Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)
Mahmoud AbuEbeid, CEO and Co-Founder, Global Software Solutions
Dr. Merouane Debbah, Senior Scientific AI Advisor, Technology Innovation Institute
Phil Watson, Former Chief Innovation Officer for Citi and Wealth expert
Rima Semaan, Data & AI UAE Lead, Microsoft
Dr. Rudeon Snell, Group Chief Operating Officer, Sirius International Holding
Shashank S., Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company
Participants explored alternative methods for maintaining relevancy in one’s career amidst the rise of AI and other emerging technologies.
Creating the Workforce of Tomorrow Roundtable
The “Creating the Workforce of Tomorrow” roundtable, chaired by Arun Mehta, Head of Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), focused on identifying the key characteristics of a future-proof workforce and discussing how these traits have evolved over the past decade.
The roundtable featured a stellar group of discussants:
Amany M. Atran, Head of L&D – CAFU
Bart P., Chief Data and AI, HSBC
Carl Manlan, Vice President, Visa EMEA
Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director of Research Engagement, MBZUAI (Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence)
Dr. Ljubica Tomic, Head of Employability, Alumni and Industry Partnership, The American University in the Emirates (AUE)
Fariha Salahuddin (She/ Her), Founder, Farihas.com
Jacqueline Whitehead, Head of Learning and Development, Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)
Kamran Ahsan, Senior Director, e& enterprise
Martinette Van Vuuren, Group HR Director, Sirius International Holding
Paul Hunter, Head of AI and Consumer Analytics, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
Prashan Agarwal, Founder, FanTV
Sharif El-Badawi, CEO, Dubai Future District Fund
Participants explored various strategies for creating a highly competitive workforce, including upskilling, reskilling, incorporating new hires, and outsourcing.
Women Leadership in a Tech World Roundtable
co-founder Tram Anh Nguyen chaired the “Women Leadership in a Tech World” roundtable, focusing on the challenges and opportunities the tech-driven shift presents and examining how gender dynamics are influenced by advancements in AI.
The roundtable featured an outstanding group of discussants:
Klaus Miserra, Managing Director, Grow.ME
Latifa Saleh AlShehhi, Head of Data UAE Women in AI
Lilian Poilpot, Partner, Erevena
Maisoun Selim, Senior Director – People Business Partner NALP, Visa
Melissa Guzy, Managing Partner and Founder, Arbor Ventures
Muna Al Zaabi, Assistant Director- Fintech Innovation, Central Bank of The UAE
Olga Miler, Co-Founder & CEO, SmartPurse – Financial Education Platform
Reem AlMusabbah, Serial Tech Entrepreneur Ecosystem Builder Women in AI
Sarah Abuagela, Head of Investments, Ceras Ventures
Shafique R Ibrahim, Founder, FXB Payment Summit
Shradha Chopra, Founder & Lead Coach, 237 Ventures
Vladimira Briestenska, Founder, Neem
Yasmin Al Enazi, United Arab Emirates Ambassador Women in AI
Participants explored whether the integration of AI in the workplace poses further challenges for women in leadership roles or opens new opportunities for their advancement.
Skills for Fast Growing Startups Roundtable
The final roundtable, “Skills for Fast Growing Startups,” was chaired by Nameer Khan, Chairman of MENA FINTECH ASSOCIATION and Founder of Fils, and Luke Eley, Co-Founder of cander. This session explored successful strategies and shared lessons learned in talent development, aiming to provide actionable recommendations for stakeholders engaged in nurturing startup ecosystems.
The roundtable featured an esteemed group of discussants:
Danyaal Z. Abdul-Khaliq, Director of Innovation, e& enterprise
Gaurav Sachddeva, Co-Founder & CEO, The Founders Majlis
Maryam AlMansoori, General Manager, Rebound Plastic
Nida Sumar, CFA, Founder & CEO, 60 Day Startups
Dr. Nousheen Zakaria (Ph.D), Co-Founder & MENA region Head, Weddified
Omair Ansari, Chief Executive Officer, Abhi (YC S21)
Rishabh Singh, VP of Products, Astra Tech
Sagarika Sahoo, Director – Middle East, Indian Investors Federation
Saqr Ereiqat, CEO, TDMM | TradeDog Market Manager
Sophie GUIBAUD, Co-Founder, Fiat Republic
Yana Leonova, PhD, MBA, Director of the Dubai Chapter, VNTR Capital
Participants delved into the main gaps in skills that startups encounter and how these impact their growth and innovation potential.
Conclusion
The ‘s recent Future Skills Forum brought together an impressive array of executives, thought leaders, and experts from across the global finance and technology landscape. The event provided a platform for critical discussions on bridging the skills gap and preparing workforces for the future in the face of rapid technological transformation.
Through a series of roundtable discussions, participants explored key themes such as the importance of collaboration between government, academia, and industry in addressing skills gaps; the need for continuous upskilling in the face of AI and emerging technologies; strategies for creating future-proof workforces; challenges and opportunities for women in leadership roles in the tech-driven world; and the crucial role of talent development in nurturing startup ecosystems.
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As a leading provider of online fintech education and training, is at the forefront of empowering professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the era of Finance 2.0. By fostering dialogue and knowledge-sharing among influential stakeholders, is driving the conversation and action needed to future-proof the global finance and technology workforce.
For professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve and gain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving world of finance and technology, ‘s cutting-edge courses and certifications offer a valuable opportunity to learn from industry experts and gain practical, real-world knowledge. With a commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible, and industry-relevant education, is helping to shape the future of finance and technology.
To learn more about ‘s offerings and start your journey towards a successful career in fintech, visit today and explore the wide range of courses and certifications designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in the digital finance revolution.
