MEFTECH 2017 ANNOUNCES STRONGEST EVER LINE-UP

• Trio of global thought leaders announced as headline speakers for the region’s most prestigious financial technology exhibition.
• MEFTECH 2017 will see over one thousand executive level decision makers from the region’s banks and financial services institutions descend on Abu Dhabi.
• Dozens of the world’s most advanced and exciting financial technology solutions will be on display at the Abu Dhabi government backed event
• USD13billion is spent per year in the Middle East on financial services technology and 95% of this is controlled by delegates at MEFTECH

Abu Dhabi, January 2017 – MEFTECH has announced its strongest ever line up for this year’s financial technology exhibition.

Chris Skinner CEO of Balatro Ltd, Jim Marous the Owner of the Digital Banking Report and Bank Innovation Consulting Expert JP Nicols, three of the world’s leading lights on financial technologies, head an impressive cast of keynote speakers who will also offer face to face advice over the course of the two-day exhibition at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on 13-14 March.

The stellar speaker line up is bolstered by the latest cutting-edge technology solutions that will be on display, which are disrupting the financial services industry across the globe.

Over one thousand executive level delegates are expected at this year’s event – it’s largest ever. Board level guests from some of the leading banks in the region have already confirmed their attendance including FGB, ADIB, Qatar Islamic Bank and Bahrain Islamic Bank.

MEFTECH has brought together more than 8,000 financial industry executives and over 1,000 technology providers to meet, network and do business since its inception. The delegates attending this year’s event are estimated to control 95% of the USD13billion spent on financial technology in the Middle East every year.

Chris Fountain, Managing Director of organisers Turret Media, said: “MEFTECH is the definitive platform where top decision-makers share insights with technology providers and collaborate to rethink financial services. Year after year, it attracts the financial industry’s best and brightest minds, serving as a conduit for innovative ideas and thinking.

“The 2017 event is shaping up to be particularly special due to the calibre of our three headline presenters. Chris Skinner is a noted banking industry futurist, Jim Marous is one the most influential people in banking and JP Nicols is a top 5 Fintech influencer, therefore we know executives from financial firms throughout the region will want to hear what they have to say.”

Building upon MEFTECH’s rich pedigree of success, it will be expanded this year with a host of features including, a bespoke appointments-scheduling service enabling exhibitors to pre-arrange one-to-one meetings with hosted delegates and VIPs, on-site networking tools to maximise interaction between participants and a world class conference programme featuring a mix of keynote presentations, case studies and live demos.

Some of the world’s most advanced financial technology solutions will also be exhibited at the event including blockchain technologies, machine learning, and cyber security tools with some of the biggest global players snapping up a chance to showcase products to the hugely influential audience.

Speaking after the 2016 event Krishnan Gopi, CIO, Qatar Islamic Bank said: “MEFTECH has been getting better every year and this year was the best yet, with the participation of so many organisations across the spectrum of Fintech and great presentations from renowned speakers.”

MEFTECH is an invite only event taking place the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on 13-14 March. For more information and to apply for a place visit http://meftech.ae/visiting.

ENDS

ABOUT MEFTECH

MEFTECH is the premier international platform dedicated to innovation in financial services.

MEFTECH is the largest and most prestigious event that convenes the entire financial technology community from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Featuring industry-leading conferences, a tightly focused trade exhibition and much more, MEFTECH is the definitive platform where top decision-makers share insights with technology providers and collaborate to rethink financial services. Year after year, MEFTECH attracts the financial industry’s best and brightest minds, serving as a conduit for innovative ideas and thinking.

ABOUT CHRIS SKINNER

Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, the Finanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club, which he founded in 2004. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand, a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal’s Financial News.

Chris has written many books covering everything from European regulations in banking through the credit crisis to the future of banking. He is also Chief Executive of Balatro Ltd, a research company, and a co-founder of the website Shaping Tomorrow, as well as a regular commentator on BBC News, Sky News and Bloomberg about banking issues. He is a Judge on many awards programs including the Card Awards and the Asian Banker’s Retail Excellence Awards, as well as having worked closely with leading banks such as HSBC, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Citibank and Société Générale and the World Economic Forum.

ABOUT JIM MAROUS

Named as one of the most influential people in banking and a top 5 Fintech influencer to follow, Jim Marous is an internationally recognized financial industry strategist, co-publisher of The Financial Brand and the owner and publisher of the Digital Banking Report. Marous advises on innovation, portfolio growth, customer experience, marketing strategies, channel distribution, payments and digital transformation within the financial services industry.

As a sought after industry speaker, author and recognized authority on disruption in the financial services industry, Marous has been featured by CNBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Financial Times, The Economist, The American Banker, Accenture and Forbes and has spoken to audiences worldwide.

Jim has also advised the White House on banking policy and is a regular contributor and guest host for the Breaking Banks radio show on Voice America. He can be followed on Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT JP NICOLS

JP Nicols has been internationally recognized as a leading voice for innovation, strategy and leadership, and his work has been featured in leading conferences and publications all over the world.

He is the founder of the Bank Innovators Council and director of Next Money. He is a trusted advisor to both early stage and enterprise companies, an instructor at the Pacific Coast

Banking School at the University of Washington, and a regular guest host of the podcast Breaking Banks.