Events

2024 MENA Bank to Bank Forum

Overview
Program
Speakers
Sponsorship
Venue & Accomodations

Overview

Transaction Banking – A Driving Force for Growth in Challenging Times

Be a part of the leading bank to bank forum where transaction banking, trade and payments executives in the region converge. The 2024 BAFT MENA Bank to Bank Forum, set for March 5 – 6, 2024 in Dubai, UAE, will cover a spectrum of topical industry issues with a Middle East and North Africa focus.

Dive into thought-provoking and insightful discussions with esteemed speakers and industry experts, while also facilitating dedicated time for meaningful bank to bank meetings and networking opportunities, allowing you to optimize the value of your time during the two day program.

REGISTER HERE >

Don’t miss the chance to be part of this premier industry conference shaping the future of transaction banking in the MENA region. Refer to the registration page for additional information on registration types and rates for BAFT members and non-members.

Call for Proposals Now Closed

The call for session and speaker proposals is now closed. We appreciate your submissions for the 2024 BAFT MENA Bank to Bank Forum. Notifications regarding accepted proposals and speakers will be communicated no later than the end of December 2023.

Program

March 5, 2024
March 6, 2024
March 5, 2024 - Tuesday

All times are in Gulf Standard Time (GST)

12:00 - 14:00

Badge Pick-up, Pre-Conference Networking & Bilateral Meetings

14:00 -14:30

Welcome

Tod Burwell
President & CEO
BAFT

14:30 - 15:00

Keynote: MENA Banking System - 2024 Outlook

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Mohamed Damak
Managing Director and Sector Lead Financial Institutions Middle East and Africa
S&P Global Ratings

15:00 - 15:20

From Wet Ink to Code: The Potential of TradeTech in MENA and Beyond

Following the adoption of MLETR-compliant regulations by Abu Dhabi Global Market in 2021, a year later the UAE witnessed a landmark transaction involving the issuance, transfer, and surrender of the first electronic bill of lading using blockchain technology. This marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of trade technology in the region. In 2023, the UAE, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, launched TradeTech Global (https://www.tradetechglobal.org/home), to leverage cutting-edge technologies to revolutionise global trade. The question now is whether the UAE is moving at lightning speed and what lessons can be applied to accelerate similar developments in the MENA region and beyond. This session will: look into the Abu Dhabi Customs' efforts in creating a digital trade ecosystem, bringing together customs, ports, transport/logistics, technology companies, and trade and supply chain finance providers to foster a seamless collaboration showcase actionable steps, at the national level, for building an interoperable ecosystem that enables frictionless trade and facilitates access to trade finance shed light on the collective endeavours of regulators, customs, technology firms, and banks in promoting digital trade through regulatory reforms, technical integrations, embedded trade finance, and education address practical challenges, resource constraints, and provide insights on how to measure the success of digital trade adoption highlight how such initiatives accelerate trade digitalisation and the adoption of digital trade solutions across multiple jurisdictions, and promote digital trade finance. Ultimately, this session will explore whether Abu Dhabi's Trade Chain can remove barriers to trade and become a digital trade success story to follow or face regulatory challenges that hinder its progress.

Speakers
Peter Kern
Vice President, Commercial
CargoX

Fahed Ghareeb Alshamsi
Executive Director for Support Services and Customs Technical Affairs (interim)
Abu Dhabi Customs

15:20 - 15:50

Networking Coffee Break

15:50 - 16:40

Unlocking Efficiency in Cross-Border Payments

Navigating the Challenges in the Cross Border Payments Landscape in MENA and Globally. What are the Challenges and Opportunities with Global Collaboration.

Moderator
Saravana Govindarajulu
Head of Correspondent Banking & Networking Management
Emirates NBD

Panelists
Sandeep Dhawan
Regional Head of Product-Payments
J.P. Morgan

Finali Fernando
MD, Regional Head of Products, Business Management and Risk
HSBC Bank

Jean-Claude Ngaboyisonga
Senior Vice-President, Correspondent Banking EMEA
StoneX Payments

Vishal Virmani
Head of Visa B2B Connect – Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa
Visa

16:40 - 17:25

Trade Transformed: Welcoming the Digital Renaissance 

The exchange of goods and ideas is a global practice that’s lasted for thousands of years. The Middle East, with its rich history, has long served as a pivotal trade hub. From ancient trade routes l to modern transportation and logistics, the region continues to thrive. While the trade industry faces new challenges in the 21st century – the practice itself and payments are evolving beyond mere transactions. New tools provide valuable insights into consumer behaviour, offering real-time information about markets and businesses. Consumers now expect seamless, frictionless, and faster processes, prompting the industry to prioritize digital transformation. Join us for this session as we unveil the exciting world of digital trade. Discover how this transformation is revolutionizing the industry and pushing trade into a new era.

Moderator
Vishnu Purohit
Global Head Trade Product Management
Emirates NBD

Panelists
Hussam Alkokhon
Head of Trade Finance
CQUR Bank LLC

Joon Kim
Global Head of Trade Finance
BNY Mellon

Pankaj Mundra
Chairman and Co-Founder
360.tf

Lamia Riabi
Senior Managing Director, Trade Finance
Attijari Bank Tunisie

17:25 - 18:00

Leading with Influence: Strategies for Women in Financial Leadership

Exploring the role of influence in financial leadership positions. Developing strategies to lead with influence and impact decision-making. Leveraging influence to drive positive change within financial organizations.

Moderator
Emily Corfield
EMEA Head of Financial Institutions
StoneX

Panelists
Mehtap Ak-Sisman
Chief Representative GCC
Commerzbank AG (DIFC Representative Office)

Rana Beydoun
Head of Financial Institutions
Commercial Bank of Dubai

Maram Al-Jazireh
Senior Vice President, Head of Financial Institutions
Arab Bank

Sorab Khan
Middle East & Africa FIG Sales Head & Co-Head for J.P. Morgan Payments, MEA
J.P. Morgan

18:00 - 19:30

Opening Reception

Join us at the networking reception to unwind, catch-up and network with colleagues, prospects and clients, while enjoying some appetizers and drinks. It's a perfect way to end the first day of the conference!

March 6, 2024 - Wednesday

08:00 - 09:00

Badge Pick-up & Networking

09:15 - 9:30

Welcome Day 2

9:30 - 9:40

Keynote

Keynote speaker

Niall Hannigan
Chief Financial Officer
Masdar

09:40 - 10:10

Fireside Chat - BRICS' Influence on MENA's Financial Frontier

Explore the collaborative financial impacts between emerging BRICS association, the MENA countries, and its transformative possibilities. Uncover the evolving trade dynamics and currency operations with a focus on the transaction banking realm; this session delves beyond the political landscape to explore pragmatic business implications of this association and the trending theme of de-dollarization, offering unique insights into its effects on trade finance and cash management. Join us for an insightful and focussed discussion on the evolving financial landscape influenced by this partnership and its potential to shape the future of MENA.

Host
Chavan Bhogaita
MD, Head of Client Outreach & Market Insights
First Abu Dhabi Bank

Speaker
Philippe De Backer
Managing Partner, Head of Global Financial Services
Arthur D. Little

10:10 - 10:50

Trade Distribution's Shifting Trends: The Rise of Alternative Lending and Investing

The session will look at the role of trade finance risk distribution against the backdrop of prevailing market conditions, and the role of trade finance as an asset class.

Moderator
Maninder Bhandari
Director
Derby Group

Panelists
Fatenah El Danab
MENA Head of TWC
Barclays

Thomas Gale
Relationship Manager – Global Trade Debt & Distribution
Bank ABC

Milind Jain
Credit Specialty Leader, MENA
Marsh Emirates Insurance Brokerage LLC

Mattia Tomba
Head of Markets
Tradeteq

10:50 - 11:20

Networking Coffee Break

11:20 - 12:00

Key Trends in ESG + Net Zero and Implications on the Finance Industry

Panel discussion from leaders in MENAT with three main discussion points: 1) Achievement in COP 28 and what to expect next 2) Transition trends in the MENAT region 3) Growth of Sustainable Finance

Moderator
Jenni Himberg-Wild
Head of FI & Non-Bank PSPs, Europe
Barclays

Panelists
Vijay Bains
Chief Sustainability Officer
Emirates NBD

Ibrahim N Al-Zu’bi
Chief Sustainability Officer
Adnoc

12:00 - 12:40

ISO20022 - The New Language of Payments

For financial institutions with a global presence, digital transformation is reducing the cost, complexity and time required to manage cross-border money movement. Over the last decade, payments have evolved to a simple equation of connectivity and data transfer. We have seen the goal of speed and compliance come together through cross-border payments and now the players in this space are being tasked with a new mission: ISO 20022 is the biggest payments change of the last 30 years—if not more. As a single standardization for payments and messaging, the industry-wide movement is well underway. The adoption of ISO 20022 is a catalyst for users to create frictionless payments and to become a more data-driven business. The new payments language is transformative, providing opportunities for businesses to find more efficiencies through data. Its exact contours are still being discovered and there are lessons learnt to share, but ISO 20022 will likely create many new opportunities for payments players and the clients they serve. Come and join this session to learn more about how ISO 20022: the new payments language, has the potential to help financial institutions to leapfrog to a data-driven infrastructure.

Moderator
Hikmet Can Yilmazsoy
Country Manager, Türkiye and Qatar
Swift

Panelists
Bader Al-Hussinan
Senior Vice President, Head of Payments Section
Riyad Bank

Isabelle Bouille
Principal Product Manager
BNY Mellon

Chris Davey
EMEA Head of Clearing Product Solutions Specialists
J.P. Morgan

Anne-Fleur Felissent
Global Head of Sales, Cash Clearing Services
Societe Generale

12:40 - 13:40

Networking Lunch

13:40 - 14:20

CBDC/NFTs - The Motivation of Central Banks to Drive CBDCs in a Deregulated Cryptocurrency World

Central banks around the world are exploring the potential of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). However, the motivations for central banks to pursue these initiatives are not always clear. This session will explore the motivations of central banks to drive CBDCs and NFTs in a deregulated cryptocurrency world. We will discuss the potential benefits of CBDCs for central banks and how NFTs align with that, and the challenges of implementing CBDCs, such as technological challenges, regulatory challenges, and public acceptance.

Moderator
Vishal Tikyani
Head of Cash Product UAE
Standard Chartered

Panelists
Gautam Dutta
MD, Head – Global Cash Product Management & Innovation
First Abu Dhabi Bank

Manish Gadia
Head of Division: Vayana Emerging Tech Platforms Division
Vayana

David Shinkins
Managing Director, Global Head Specialist Sales
Barclays

14:20 - 15:00

Unveiling AI's Regulatory Revolution in MENA Finance

Uncover how AI transforms Business in payments and trade finance. Fraud prevention and also exploring AI's impact on finance regulations in these critical sectors. Discover AI's potential, pitfalls, as well as MENA's role in shaping regulation and sanctions compliance requirements in the region. Join us to navigate the AI landscape and how the use of technology can transform business in MENA

Moderator
Anand Sampath
Managing Director, Head – Payments, Collections & Client Implementation
First Abu Dhabi Bank

Panelists
Ali Imran
Chief Operating Officer
Commercial Bank of Dubai

Rene Klose
Chief Operating Officer
Conpend

Amith Rajan
Executive Vice President, Head, Wholesale Digital Banking & NeoVentures
Mashreq

Waheed Rathore
Group Chief Compliance Officer
Dubai Islamic Bank

15:00 - 15:05

Closing Remarks

15:05 - 17:00

Bilateral Meetings & Networking

Speakers

March 5, 2024
March 6, 2024
March 5, 2024 - Tuesday
Maram Al-Jazireh
Maram Al-Jazireh
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Financial Institutions
Arab Bank

Maram Al-Jazireh is SVP/ Global Head of Financial Institutions at Arab Bank and is responsible for relationships and business development activities with financial institutions globally. She is also a member of the Financial Institutions Credit Committee. Maram grew up in Kuwait and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a major in Accounting. Prior to joining Arab Bank in 2001, she worked at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International, Cairo Amman Bank, Citibank N.A, Amman and ABN Amro Bank, Dubai. She is co-chair of BAFT MENA Council and an advisory board member of Beyond Capital’s governance committee. She is also a fellow of the Middle East Leadership Initiative, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and founder of Mid The Art Reach Project.

Fahed Ghareeb Alshamsi
Fahed Ghareeb Alshamsi
Executive Director for Support Services and Customs Technical Affairs (interim)
Abu Dhabi Customs

He is leading the digital transformation and chairs the Strategic Transformation Committee, in charge of project governance in Abu Dhabi Customs. He graduated from Parks College of Saint Louis University in Aviation Management. He was Director of Logistics at GHQ (2017) and CEO at the Advanced Military Maintenance Repair Overhaul Centre (2010 to 2016), in addition to holding other important positions in the military aviation field in Abu Dhabi.

Mehtap Ak-Sisman
Mehtap Ak-Sisman
Chief Representative GCC
Commerzbank AG (DIFC Representative Office)

Mehtap brings over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services sector which she predominantly gathered in the UAE. Currently, Mehtap leads Commerzbank’s DIFC Representative Office, with focus on Financial Institutions within the GCC. Concurrently, Mehtap is a Board Member in the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce (AHK,) where she actively promotes and supports industry and trade relations between Germany and the region. Previously, Mehtap worked for First Abu Dhabi Bank as Executive Director in FI Sales and Advisory, as well as for other reputable organizations.

Hussam Alkokhon
Hussam Alkokhon
Head of Trade Finance
CQUR Bank LLC

Hussam is a trade finance expert with 19 years of professional experience in international trade between Jordan, UAE, and Qatar. He holds a bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance Science from Philadelphia University in addition to a professional certification as a CDCS (Certified Documentary Credit Specialist) from London Institute for Banking and Finance and CBE (Certified Blockchain Expert) from Blockchain Council. With effective leadership he demonstrated the ability to manage organizational, modern and cultural change to create productive teams to meet the organization goals. Hussam's commitment to his profession is underscored by his active involvement in industry associations. He is the Chair of ICC Qatar's Commission on Customs & Trade Facilitation, a member of ICC Qatar Banking Commission, a member of BAFT MENA Council & BAFT Regional Bank Council, & a member of Jordan Expert Banking Association, showcasing his dedication to staying at the top of industry trends & best practices exchanging market knowledge across the world. Beyond his professional achievements, he is known for his passion and dedication to fostering innovation within the banking and trade finance sector. His latest achievement was conducting a conference on the adaption of UNCITRAL MLETR in Qatar enabling the transfer of electronic records in Qatar providing the necessary tools for trade digital transformation journey.

Rana Beydoun
Rana Beydoun
Head of Financial Institutions
Commercial Bank of Dubai

Rana Beydoun is the Head of Financial Institutions at the Commercial Bank of Dubai, managing both Banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions. Prior to that, she lead a similar position at BLOM Bank where she was responsible for relationships and business development activities with banks/ financial institutions globally. Her career spans 20 years in banking. She has been engaged with BAFT during the past 8 years, and currently is the co-chair of the BAFT MENA Council.

Tod Burwell
Tod Burwell
President & CEO
BAFT

Tod Burwell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of BAFT. Prior to being promoted to CEO, he served as the Senior Vice President of Trade Products with oversight of all trade-related initiatives including the Global Trade Industry Council, Trade Committees, and other strategic initiatives of the organization. Mr. Burwell has over 25 years of trade, supply chain and cash management experience as a banking practitioner, as well as serving as a consultant to global corporations and suppliers of strategically integrated trade solutions. Prior to joining BAFT, Mr. Burwell was a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase and held senior global management roles responsible for trade operations, launching the logistics business and managing global product sales for trade finance and logistics management.

Emily Corfield
Emily Corfield
EMEA Head of Financial Institution Sales
StoneX Global Payments

With a decade of experience in the financial services industry, Emily has had the privilege of working in various leadership roles within renowned organizations. Beginning her journey at HSBC in a leadership position in FX marketing, she orchestrated market-leading campaigns that set new industry standards. Transitioning to the Global FX Product team in 2016, Emily played a role in leading FX commercialization efforts and recognized for her expertise, she extended her impact by consulting with global HSBC offices, providing insights to enhance their FX business. In 2019, Emily joined J.P. Morgan’s EMEA FX product team, leading commercialization. Here, she achieved success by orchestrating the most successful FX sales campaigns that generated record-breaking results. Emily developed innovative approaches, leveraging new data tools and pioneering marketing strategies. Emily later embraced the role of Head of UK Payment Sales – Specialty Finance, Loan Agency & Card Schemes at J.P. Morgan, looking after some of the firm’s largest clients and playing a key role in defining and executing a strategy that facilitated significant penetration. Emily's track record and public profile eventually led to an invitation from StoneX to become their EMEA Head of Financial Institution Sales. In this role, she is entrusted with leading the team, defining the strategy, and driving growth in the financial institution book for cross-border payments.

Dr. Mohamed Damak
Dr. Mohamed Damak
Managing Director / Sector Lead Financial Institutions Middle East and Africa
S&P Global Ratings

Mohamed Damak is a Managing Director and the Sector Lead for Financial Institutions in the Emerging EMEA region. Mohamed is also the Global Head of Islamic Finance at S&P Global Rating (SPGR). In this capacity Mohamed leads SPGR’s cross-practice analytical thought leadership initiatives and credit rating activities in the Islamic Finance sector globally. In addition to these responsibilities, Mohamed co-heads the Emerging Market Global Industry Focused Team and is a member of several senior forums and research labs including the Digitalization of the Markets Research Lab. Mohamed’s research interests include emerging markets financial institutions, the digitalization of the financial services industry (including cryptocurrencies, stable coins, tokenization, and digital bonds) and Islamic finance. Mohamed is a regular speaker at industry events and conferences. Prior to joining SPGR, Mohamed worked as a Principal Credit Risk Officer for the African Development Bank in Tunis. From 2006 to 2010, Mohamed worked for SPGR covering conventional and Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Sandeep Dhawan
Sandeep Dhawan
Regional Head of Product-Payments
J.P. Morgan

Sandeep is the Regional Country Product Head for Payments at J.P. Morgan for 2 years and is based out of the Dubai office, leading a team of countries’ product managers for. He is responsible for payments, receivables, liquidity, FX, channels and merchant services products suite for J.P. Morgan in the region. Prior to this, he worked at HSBC Bank for 16 years in Global Liquidity and Cash Management function, with his last position there being Director and Regional Product Head of Domestic Payments. Sandeep was born and brought up in India. He is an engineering graduate and holds an MBA degree in Finance and Strategy from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), as well as holding a certICM (Certificate in International Cash Management). He is a qualified professional from Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT), a chartered institution in the United Kingdom. Sandeep is married and has a 14 year-old daughter. In his personal time, he is always on the lookout to enjoy a competitive game of squash!

Finali Fernando
Finali Fernando
MD, Regional Head of Products, Business Management and Risk
HSBC Bank

Finali Fernando is on her 29th year with HSBC and 22nd year with GPS UAE. Having joined the bank straight after college, she started her career at HSBC Sri Lanka in 1995 and moved to UAE in 2002 and has been based there ever since. Finali’s GPS experience spans across several teams including the Regional Operations, Client Services, Client Implementation and is currently managing multiple responsibilities of leading Product, Risk, Business Management and the MENAT GPS People agenda. Finali is passionate about coaching and developing the young workforce and has specifically contributed towards the Emiritisation Graduate Programme by grooming UAE talent for over 2 decades. Finali is a certified Springboard Women’s Development Programme Trainer and a mentor of the HSBC UAE Toastmasters Club. In order to make leadership and communication accessible to youngsters from an early age she founded the first ever HSBC Gavel Club in UAE in 2019. Finali’s interests include cooking, baking, teaching kids and travelling. She is a mom of 2 teen girls and a mentor to many more.

Saravana Govindarajulu
Saravana Govindarajulu
Head of Correspondent Banking & Network Management
Emirates NBD, Dubai

Saravana Perumal Govindarajulu, currently works as “Head of Correspondent Banking & Network Management” at Emirates NBD, Dubai. He carries extensive experience in Clearing Products & Correspondent Banking, and well versed in Cross Border Payments & International Clearing and Settlement Systems. His current role includes managing the Group Clearing Product as offered to Financial Institutions clients in all presence locations of Emirates NBD(ENBD), and group’s Nostro relationship as part of his Network Management responsibilities. Prior to joining ENBD, Saravana was associated First Abu Dhabi Bank, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), managing the clearing product and offshore USD/EUR clearing system. Before moving to Dubai, Saravana also worked with banks in Germany and India, managing the High Value Payment Business, and carries deep understanding and experience in managing the risks associated with cross border payment business. Saravana holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce graduated from India.

Peter Kern
Peter Kern
Vice President, Commercial
CargoX

Peter has more than 20 years of relevant logistics experience. His last position was with one of the leading global logistics companies, Panalpina, as Country Manager Croatia and South-East Europe. Prior to that, in the span of 13 years, he has held various positions in different countries with the world's largest container shipping company A.P Moller-Maersk, from Route Management to Country Management. He has worked for container terminal operator ICTSI-Adriatic Gate Container Terminal. He holds a unique combination of sea carrier, freight forwarding, and container terminal background, perfectly suited for driving digitalization in transport, logistics, and supply chain.

Sorab Khan
Sorab Khan
Middle East & Africa FIG Sales Head & Co-Head for J.P. Morgan Payments, MEA
J.P. Morgan

Sorab is a Managing Director with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., based in Dubai, and the Head of FIG Sales for Middle East and Africa (MEA). In October 2023 he took on the role of co-head for J.P. Morgan Payments in the MEA region, joining the EMEA Payments Management Team. His role is to lead the FIG Sales team in driving and expanding the banks footprint across MEA to best serve our clients. He joined the firm in November 2021 from Deutsche Bank in the U.A.E., where he has held various roles across Transaction Services spanning his career of over 25 years. In his spare time, Sorab enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family.

Joon Kim
Joon Kim
Global Head - Trade Finance Product and Portfolio Management
BNY Mellon

Mr. Joon Kim has 25+ years of experience. He has held various senior positions at Standard Chartered Bank and American Express Bank, most recently as Managing Director and Head of Transaction Banking Sales for Corporate and Commodities for the Americas region. His various experiences include leading Trade Sales, Trade Product Management and Relationship Management teams, with an emphasis on development and sales of trade finance, supply chain financing, receivable services, trade processing and cross-border cash and liquidity management solutions to global financial institutions and corporations.

Pankaj Mudra
Pankaj Mudra
Co-Founder & Chair
360TF

Pankaj Mundra, a distinguished Chartered Accountant and Management postgraduate, boasts an impressive two-decade career in finance, notably at ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, ABN AMRO Bank, and Mashreq Bank. Post the 2009 Global Financial Crisis, his visionary approach birthed Nimai Management Consultants, evolving into 360tf, an innovative digital marketplace merging trade finance expertise with cutting-edge technology with the recent achievement of getting a regulated lending license in GIFT city, India. Leading this venture, Mundra's adept guidance garnered accolades like the UAE Superbrand, Cosmopolitan's Fastest Growing Trade Finance solutions provider, and the IFC SME Finance Forum's product innovation award. Noteworthy initiatives, including training 380 graduates in trade finance and fostering talent, underscore his commitment. His leadership roles in prestigious committees like BAFT, board member of ICC UAE Banking Commission, and board member of ITFA MENA showcase his unwavering dedication to reshaping global finance.

Jean-Claude Ngaboyisonga
Jean-Claude Ngaboyisonga
Senior Vice-President, Correspondent Banking EMEA
StoneX

Jean-Claude joined StoneX in 2011 as a trader for the Payments department. In 2013, he moved to the correspondent banking team focussing on West Africa and MENA regions and, since 2016, has also been leading sales and business development in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, looking after various client segments including FIs that need to move funds across the world.

Vishnu Purohit
Global Head Trade Product Management
Emirates NBD
Lamia Sayari Riabi
Lamia Sayari Riabi
Responsable Operations Documentaires, Garanties, et Contre Garanties
Attijaribank Tunisie

Lamia Riabi Sayari is an experienced Trade Finance Professional with over 25 years of expertise in various areas, including Structured Trade Finance, Trade Solutions, working capital, and Supply Chain Finance. Currently, she holds the position of Manager of Operations Documentaires, Garanties, and Contre Garanties at Attijari Bank Tunisia. Lamia also served as a Structured Trade Financial Consultant, collaborating with specialized firms to showcase her proficiency in the field. She is also a Partner at T3i Partner Network, a global collective of industry-leading specialists in trade, treasury, and technology with a focus on digital innovation. Lamia actively contributes to the advancement of the trade finance industry. She serves as a pilot for the International Chamber of Commerce's (ICC) recommendations on digitizing key trade documents. Her commitment to sustainable development and ethical finance is evident through her membership in the ICC Sustainable Trade Framework Pilot Group and her endorsement of the Path to COP28 at the Global Ethical Finance Initiative.

Vishal Virmani
Vishal Virmani
Head of Visa B2B Connect – CEMEA
Visa Business Solutions

Vishal Virmani leads Visa B2B Connect, across Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA). Visa B2B Connect is a cross-border payments network and platform, that provides financial institutions a secure, fast and predictable way to process their cross-border business-related payments. Vishal joined Visa in June 2019 to assist financial institutions in CEMEA enhance their payments proposition for Corporate, NBFI, Government and SME clients and improve efficiencies in cross-border payments processes. Prior to joining Visa, Vishal spent over 20 years at financial institutions across multiple geographies leading sales & advisory and product & solutions teams that consulted and designed payments, foreign exchange, cash management and liquidity management solutions for various customer segments and industry verticals.

March 6, 2024 - Wednesday
Bader Al-Hussinan
Bader Al-Hussinan
Senior Vice President, Head of Payments Section
Riyad Bank

Mr. Al-Hussinan has more than 20 years of experience in Operations and Payments,working with SAMA representative for all Saudi payments projects related to Remittances same as SARIE RTGS, sarie IPS and GCC RTGS (AFAQ). SARIE manager at Riyad bank and the vocal point of contact with SAMA. Act Riyad Bank in the annual Sibos conference and awarded for the correspondent STP processes also one of the main stakeholder in Riyad bank ISO20022 Project

Ibrahim N Al Zubi
Ibrahim N Al Zubi
Chief Sustainability Officer
Adnoc

Ibrahim N. Al Zu’bi oversees ADNOC’s sustainability strategy and performance and provides strategic direction for its environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures and reporting. Prior to joining ADNOC, Al Zu’bi served as Chief Sustainability Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Group where he led the efforts to achieve net positive performance across the Group’s operations and raised its sustainability impact and profile in the Middle East and globally. Al Zu’bi currently serves as Chairperson of the Global Council on UN SDG 13, Vice Chair of UN Global Compact Network, UAE and Chairman of the MENA CSO network. Additionally, he is a Senior Associate at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Al Zu’bi is former Chairman and Vice Chairperson of the Corporate Advisory Board of the World Green Building Council and has served as a Fellow at the Posterity Institute, UK, and as West Asia Coordinator for the Youth Xchange Project of UNEP and UNESCO. He has held the role of UAE private sector representative at the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction and was a member of the UAE’s Circular Economy Council, Emirates Green Building Council, World

Vijay Bains
Vijay Bains
Group Chief Sustainability Officer
Emirates NBD

Vijay Bains is the Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Emirates NBD. Reporting to the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Shayne Nelson, Vijay is responsible for the bank’s end-to-end ESG strategy including the introduction of more sustainable practices based on a thorough review of policies, processes and procedures across the Group. In his role, Vijay works closely with various business units across the bank to increase sustainable finance offerings and investments and provide customers with advisory services to support their net-zero transition. In addition, Vijay is also responsible for all the corporate governance requirements of the Group. Vijay has over 15 years of sustainability experience across the Middle East, UK, Europe and North America. Prior to joining Emirates NBD, Vijay served as Sustainable Finance Lead with KPMG, UK. He has held senior Sustainable Finance roles across leading organisations including Ernst and Young and Lloyds Bank and has extensive experience building and implementing ESG strategies and teams. Vijay has designed and marketed highly successful sustainable finance products including sustainability loans and green bonds, while advising on sustainability for IPOs, as well as designing and building ESG finance products such as mortgages, loans and insurance.

Maninder Bhandari
Director
Derby Group
Chavan Bhogaita
Chavan Bhogaita
Managing Director & Head of Market Insights and Strategy
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)

Chavan Bhogaita currently works as Managing Director & Head of Market Insights and Strategy at First Abu Dhabi Bank. Earlier, he worked with the Alternative Investments and Fixed Income teams within the bank’s Global Markets Division. He joined NBAD in 2009, specialising in GCC credit markets (bonds and sukuk) across all sectors. He has over 25 years of professional experience in banking and finance, of which 20 years have been in credit research and analysis. His previous roles include Head of Middle East Credit Research at HSBC (Dubai), Head of Credit Research at Commerzbank (London), and senior credit analyst at Bear Stearns (London), and 6 years prior to his time in financial markets were spent in the areas of corporate recovery & insolvency, audit, and corporate finance in the UK.

Isabelle Bouille
Isabelle Bouille
Principal Product Manager
BNY Mellon

Isabelle Bouille is a Director and Principal Product Manager in Payments & Transaction Services for Treasury Services at BNY Mellon. She joined BNY Mellon in June 2020 and co-leads the bank’s ISO 20022 Migration strategic program from a product management capacity. Isabelle is the US representative in the CBPR+ (Cross Border Payments and Reporting Plus) Working Group and has a seat in various industry groups. Other responsibilities include ISO 20022 internal and external communication, training and testing. Isabelle joined from SWIFT where she led the SWIFT Standards Market Practice Team where she was responsible for the High Value Payments Plus (HVPS+) initiative which plays a key role in the harmonized ISO 20022 implementation by Market Infrastructures worldwide and led the Cross Border Payments and Reporting Plus project (CBPR+) which is a major pillar for a successful ISO 20022 migration in the many to many space. She also conducted several ISO 20022 consultancy missions for major RTGS Systems. Prior to joining SWIFT, Isabelle was a Corporate Product Manager for France and Belgium at Deutsche Bank.

Chris Davey
Chris Davey
EMEA Head of Clearing Product Solutions Specialists
J.P. Morgan

Chris Davey is a Senior Product Manager within Treasury Services’ Global Clearing & FX team, based in J.P. Morgan’s EMEA Headquarters in London. With over 18 years’ experience in transaction banking, Chris returned to J.P. Morgan in 2018. A specialist in Clearing solutions for Financial Institutions, Chris started his career within J.P. Morgan’s Treasury Services in 2000, working within Client Services before moving into Financial Institution Sales, where he covered a range of markets in EMEA. Prior to his return to J.P. Morgan, Chris was Head of Financial Institutions Product Management for EMEA within Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Global Transaction Services business.

Philippe De Backer
Philippe De Backer
Managing Partner, Head of Global Financial Services
Arthur D. Little

Philippe, currently based in Dubai, is a Managing Partner leading Arthur D. Little’s global Financial Services Practice. He is a core member of the “Strategy & Organization” Practice. Prior to joining Arthur D. Little, Philippe worked for Bain & Company, where he served as Partner & Global Head of Financial Services. He worked in leadership positions in its Boston, Brussels, Paris, and Dubai offices. From 1993 to 2016, he supported clients across many geographies, with particular emphasis on large-scale bank transformations. In addition to his consulting experience, Philippe founded a New York-based investment firm and successfully IPO a large SPAC with BlackRock on NASDAQ to deploy growth capital in domestic US community banks. Philippe holds an MBA from Tuck School at Dartmouth and a BA from Colgate University. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He is fluent in French, Dutch, and English. Philippe has published several books on management and financial services and is widely published.

Gautam Dutta
Gautam Dutta
MD, Head - Global Cash Product Management & Innovation
First Abu Dhabi Bank

Gautam Dutta is the Global Head of Cash Product Management and Innovation and part of Global Transaction Banking (GTB) at FAB. He has over 25 years of experience and held various banking & finance roles in Sales & Distribution, Operations & Delivery, Consultancy Technical implementation, Project & Product Management. Prior to joining FGB, Gautam worked at HSBC for over 7 years where he worked with clients in building innovative solution and drive Channel transformation. He joined FGB in 2013 to manage Global Transaction Banking Operations and after the merger with National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Gautam heads up the Cash Management Products function. Gautam has supported Clients in establishing and building centralised Treasury functions and in house banks. He has worked in developing leading capabilities within the payments, collections and Liquidity management space including areas on Treasury centralization & Advisory services and helped clients to carve out strategic propositions across multiple geographies.

Fatenah El Danab
Fatenah El Danab
MENA Head of Trade and Working Capital
Barclays
Anne-Fleur Felissent
Anne-Fleur Felissent
Global Head of Sales, Cash Clearing Services
Societe Generale

Anne-Fleur FELISSENT is Global Head of Sales for Cash Clearing since 2022. She joined Societe Generale in 2006 in the International Audit Division, where she held different positions, before moving to Global Transaction Banking in 2012. As Corporate Cash Management Global Sales, she was in charge of Large Corporates for Media & Telco, and Insurance. In 2018, she joined the Cash Clearing business line, first as deputy Head of sales for Western Europe, with a focus on French-based banks, then as Head of Sales for Western Europe and Americas in 2019.

Manish Gadia
Manish Gadia
Head of Division: Vayana Emerging Tech Platforms Division
Vayana

Manish Gadia is a seasoned MNC Banker with 20 years of experience in leadership roles across Banks such as HSBC & DBS. He has led teams in product building, strategy & sales. Supply Chain Finance is where Manish had the most experience and is responsible for setting it for DBS India grounds up as part of his Product role. Throughout his tenure, he has been a builder at heart and instrumental in structuring key deals in Trade Finance, Cash Management & Supply Chain Finance. Following his adage of “Every company will be a Tech Company”, he joined Vayana Group to head the newly created “Emerging Domains” division. Vayana is amongst Asia’s largest Fintech for Supply Chain Finance. Offering Private debt Platform for RWA using DeFi rails as SaaS offering, CBDC propagation & developing stacks over world CBDC Infra, Tech & Smart Contracts for Financial Inclusion - Low Medium Income Segment, and Regulated Tokenization are some stacks his team has been working on.

Thomas Gale
Thomas Gale
Relationship Manager, Global Trade Debt & Distribution
Bank ABC

Based in London, Thomas covers trade finance asset origination and distribution across the MENA region as part of the Global Transaction Banking team in Bank ABC. He has extensive experience in transacting Trade, Supply Chain and broader working capital products and is a senior member of Bank ABC's dynamic and successful Global Trade Debt & Distribution team. He holds an MSc degree from SOAS (University of London) in International Management focusing on the MENA region.

Niall Hannigan
Niall Hannigan
Chief Financial Officer
Masdar

In his capacity as Chief Financial Officer of Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, Niall Hannigan brings to the CFO role more than 30 years’ experience in accounting, auditing, financial management, risk management, business and financial strategy, financing, commercial negotiation and business development. He is a qualified chartered accountant and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Having worked in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and on the Indian subcontinent, Mr Hannigan has strong international and multicultural experience, and thrives on working in diverse geographies and marketplaces. He is a business-focused finance executive with a strategic mindset and a commercial outlook, having developed his skills across a variety of sectors, including renewable energy, real-estate development and services, asset management, and manufacturing sales and distribution. Prior to joining Masdar, Mr. Hannigan served as CFO for Zabeel Properties from 2008 to 2010 and was responsible for advising the board on the medium to long-term development strategy, including asset positioning, funding, development phasing, optimal development mix (across asset classes and income streams), and asset disposition strategies. He also directed business development, risk management and commercial asset management activities, while heading key commercial and financial negotiations on behalf of the company.

Jenni Himberg-Wild
Jenni Himberg-Wild
Head of Financial Institutions and Non-Bank PSPs for Europe
Barclays

Jenni is the Head of Financial Institutions, FinTech and Broker Dealers for Barclays Europe. Based in Frankfurt, she leads a pan European team of dedicated coverage bankers who provide cash management, FX risk management, debt and partnership opportunities to a wide range of established and fast growth clients in these sectors. Jenni is responsible for setting the European strategy for the sectors, as well as key driver of the global Business Appetite spanning US, UK and Europe. She is also a regularly featuring as a key note speaker in leading industry events and as a guest lecturer in London Business Schools. With over 17 years of Corporate Banking experience her prior roles include heading fintech sector in the UK where she was responsible for setting the governance structures as well as driving growth. She has also held various client coverage positions within the Barclays UK Corporate Bank including hospitality & leisure industry where Jenni also led the delivery of strategy and governance processes associated with related high risk sectors.

Ali Imran
Ali Imran
Chief Operating Officer
Commercial Bank of Dubai

Ali Imran is the Chief Operating Officer at Commercial Bank of Dubai and is a member of the Bank’s Executive Committee. He is responsible for designing and delivering digital capabilities, technological innovation, operational efficiencies and strategic change within the bank. Previously, Ali has held various leadership roles at ABN AMRO and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Most recently, he was a Partner at PwC, leading the customer advisory practice for Middle East Region. In addition, Ali has driven the evolution and establishment of greenfield transformation programs, developing digital delivery capabilities and fintech partnerships that connect CBD to the emerging technology ecosystem and innovation for clients.

Milind Jain
Milind Jain
Credit Specialty Leader, MENA
Marsh Emirates Insurance Brokerage

Milind Jain is leading Marsh Credit Specialty business for Middle East & North Africa, and this includes Credit Insurance solution such as Trade Credit, Political Risk & Structured Credit and Surety. Milind joined Marsh in 2016 to lead its Trade Credit Business for MENA, which further expanded to other Credit Specialty solutions in early 2020. Milind has more than 17 years of experience in banking and credit insurance industry and have worked in India and UAE. Prior to joining Marsh, Milind worked with Coface as head of Banks & Broker Channel and with HSBC Bank India in Transaction Banking.

René Klose
René Klose
Vice President, Growth
Conpend

René Klose is the Vice President of Growth at Conpend. Previously he was the Chief Product Owner for Trade Finance at Commerzbank AG. In this role he was responsible for all digitization activities and defined the strategic direction of products, processes and services. Mr. Klose is SAFe certified. Before joining Trade Finance, Mr. Klose had several management positions including Audit, Finance and in the Business Process Outsourcing area. He was part of the BAFT Future Leaders Class 2019 of BAFT and was a mentor for the BAFT Future Leaders Class of 2020.

Amith Rajan
Amith Rajan
Executive Vice President, Head, Wholesale Digital Banking & NeoVentures
Mashreq

As EVP, Head Wholesale Digital Banking & NeoVentures, Amith leads the transformation of Mashreq Bank into a more digital and analytics[1]driven organization. He has deep business knowledge and exceptional ability to bridge the gap between business and technology realms, resulting in a seamlessly integrated approach to strategic decision making and delivery. Amith continuously seeks opportunities to digitize, automate and improve the Banks digital business models through a digital-first mindset. He looks to monetize data through AI/ML and advanced analytics, and drive digital transformation in the Wholesale Bank. A key focus for Amith is to break down silos within the Bank and create better customer experiences through digital onboarding, eKYC, and best-in-class client digital channels for internal and external clients. As CEO of NeoVentures, he is keen to explore opportunities to innovate, partner with and invest in Fintech partners and grow the ecosystem. In a 23+ year career, Amith has moved seamlessly between business and technology. Prior to Mashreq Bank, Amith was in Standard Chartered, Singapore for close to 10 years in diverse roles. Before that he was in Consulting in the US, UK and Germany and began his career as a Derivatives Trader in India. Keynote speaker and active panelist for industry events, he enthusiastically mentors fintech startups and students in Dubai through startup bootcamps and incubators programs. Amith has successfully completed an Engineering from Pune University India, a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from SCMHRD India, and an MBA from University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

Waheed Rathore
Waheed Rathore
Group Chief Compliance Officer
Dubai Islamic Bank

Waheed Rathore is the Group Chief Compliance Officer at Dubai Islamic Bank, with over 30 years of experience in Banking. In the last 24 years, Waheed has established himself as a thought leading Compliance practitioner combined with valuable experience as banking regulator. Waheed has built regulatory and financial crime compliance functions in multinational banks as well as local DSIB’s in multiple geographies, positioning Compliance as a strategic business enabler. He has proven himself to turn around ailing Compliance functions by leading the board of director’s strategic Compliance transformation agenda at different Banks. Prior to joining DIB, Waheed was the Global Chief Compliance Officer at HBL – Habib Bank Ltd, Pakistan. He has also held the position of the Executive Director Supervision - Banking and Insurance, Abu Dhabi Global Markets, UAE and previously worked with ADCB, UAE as Group Chief Compliance and Anti Money laundering officer.

Anand Sampath
Anand Sampath
Executive Director, Head – Payables & Receivables, Global Cash Product Mgmt, GTB
First Abu Dhabi Bank

Anand Sampath has more than 25 years of experience in a combination of leading National and Multi National Banks, handling multiple roles with Cash Management and Payments domain. As part of FAB’s Global Cash Product Management within GTB, Anand is Head of Payables & Receivables. He has been involved in regulatory/payment industry shaping initiatives like BUNA/AFAQ(formerly GCC-RTGS) and also was part of the pilot project between SAMA and CBUAE in the Cross Border Digital Currency (CBDC) transfer through Blockchain technology, and also involved with local regulators in other payment/economy shaping initiatives.

Vishal Tikyani
Vishal Tikyani
Head of Cash Product UAE
Standard Chartered, UAE

Vishal has 20 years of professional experience in large multinational firms (Standard Chartered, ICICI Bank, P&G, American Express) as a Product Specialist, Transaction Banker and a digital transformation catalyst. Vishal holds a master’s degree in Management. He is leading Cash Product Management for UAE with Standard Chartered Bank based in Dubai and works closely with corporate clients, regulators and fintech, playing role of a business manager, adviser, market manager and an innovator. He brings a fresh and comprehensive perspective on the entire value chain of payments, from initiation to settlement and from collection to cash application with keen focus on newer technologies. Vishal has extensive experience in the Middle East as he was leading Cash Product Management for MENA markets before taking up the current role. In MENA, was actively involved with the set-up of product infrastructure and led several successful & complex product rollouts in an agile environment. Vishal brings to the table diverse experience gained handling Sales and Product Management. Prior to joining Standard Chartered in the Middle East, he was managing regional Cash Sales for Commercial clients’ segment in India. In his past roles he has worked with ICICI Bank and American Express Bank in the areas of Trade Sales and Corporate Cards before joining Standard Chartered Bank in 2007.

Mattia Tomba
Mattia Tomba
Head of Markets
Tradeteq

Mattia Tomba has experience in evaluating, negotiating, and structuring direct investments globally across all parts of the capital structure, in public and private markets. He has been a founding investor and the head of International Markets at Tradeteq since 2017. He served as an Investment Manager at Qatar’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (Qatari Diar), where he managed an equity portfolio and worked on large private equity and real estate transactions worldwide from 2008 to 2016. Prior to that, in 2003, Mr. Tomba joined the Goldman Sachs group, where he was involved in the investment and portfolio management of the real estate funds managed by the bank until 2008. He began his private equity and investment management career in 2002 with the Private Wealth Management team of Merrill Lynch. He is a research affiliate at the Middle East Institute in Singapore (MEI), while from 2015 to 2018, Mr. Tomba was a senior fellow, at MEI, where he has been focusing on Asia — Middle East relations. He has also been sitting on the Advisory Council of the Center for Sovereign Wealth and Global Capital at The Fletcher School, Tufts University, since 2013.

Hikmet Can Yilmazsoy
Hikmet Can Yilmazsoy
Country Manager, Turkiye and Qatar
Swift

Can is Swift’s country manager for Türkiye and Qatar, where he manages relations and establishes collaboration with key stakeholders including banks, market infrastructures, regulatory bodies and corporates. Prior to his current role, Can was leading business development and project management activities at the intersection of cash management, payment systems and digital banking domains with a leading bank in Türkiye. In addition to his cash management and transaction banking experience, Can drove high-impact strategic initiatives in the customer experience management, retail banking and corporate finance areas throughout his over 16 years of banking career.

FAQ's

Sponsorship

Connect with Transaction Bankers in the Middle East and North Africa

Join the transaction banking community along with others involved in cross-border payments and trade as they gather to discuss key issues and best practices at the 2024 BAFT MENA Bank to Bank Forum. The Forum will focus on pertinent regional topics including correspondent banking and de-risking, Islamic banking challenges and opportunities, the evolving trade and payment landscapes, and regulatory reform within transaction banking.

Get Your Brand in Front of Your Target Audience

The MENA Bank to Bank Forum is your opportunity to position your organization as a thought leader amongst 225+ leading bankers and financial services professionals in the region. Network with your colleagues or have uninterrupted meetings with current, prospective and future clients during dedicated bilateral meeting times included in the program schedule.

Premier Levels


Diamond Sponsor – 1 available
  • Recognition as the Exclusive Diamond Sponsor with keynote speaking opportunity in the conference program (subject to planning committee approval)
  • 15 complimentary conference registrations
  • Bilateral meeting space
  • Provide custom giveaway to attendees (sponsor provides giveaway)
  • Pull-up banner in registration area (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Exclusive Diamond Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Platinum Sponsor – SOLD OUT
  • Recognition as a Platinum Sponsor with speaking opportunity in the conference program (subject to planning committee approval)
  • 10 complimentary conference registrations
  • Bilateral meeting space
  • Provide custom giveaway to attendees (sponsor provides giveaway)
  • Pull-up banner in registration area (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Platinum Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Gold Sponsor – 2 more available 
  • Recognition as a Gold Sponsor with speaking opportunity in the conference program (subject to planning committee approval)
  • 7 complimentary conference registrations
  • Option to add bilateral meeting space for additional $1500
  • Pull-up banner in registration area (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Gold Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Silver Sponsor – 4 more available 
  • Recognition as a Silver Sponsor
  • 3 complimentary conference registrations
  • Option to add bilateral meeting space for additional $3500
  • Pull-up banner in registration area (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Silver Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event

Featured Events


Forum Opening Evening Reception – 1 available 
  • Sponsor provides welcome remarks at the Tuesday Evening Forum Kickoff Reception
  • 6 complimentary conference registrations
  • Pull-up banner at sponsored reception and in registration area during duration of event (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Evening Forum Reception Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Networking Lunch – 1 available 
  • 4 complimentary conference registrations
  • Pull-up banner at sponsored lunch and in registration area during duration of event (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Conference Lunch Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Conference Breaks – 1 more available 
  • 3 complimentary conference registrations
  • Pull-up banner at sponsored break and in registration area during duration of event (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Conference Break Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event

Additional Opportunities


Conference Wi-Fi 
  • Sponsor logo on WiFi password cards provided to all attendees
  • 4 complimentary conference registrations
  • Pull-up banner in registration area (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Conference WiFi Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Conference Q&A  + Slido Password
  • Sponsor logo on Slido password cards provided to all attendees
  • 4 complimentary conference registrations
  • Pull-up banner in registration area (sponsor provides banner)
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Conference Q&A/Slido Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Conference Notepads  
  • Sponsor supplies logoed conference notepads
  • 3 complimentary conference registration
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Notepad Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Conference Bags SOLD OUT
  • Sponsor provides bags for attendees
  • 3 complimentary conference registration
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event
Conference Lanyards  
  • Sponsor supplies logo lanyards
  • 2 complimentary conference registration
  • One-page flyer/insert for conference registration desk
  • Recognition as Sponsor during event opening and logo displayed on event PowerPoint slide
  • Logo included on conference website and registration page
  • Logo included on all email promotion pre- and post-event
  • Registration list with contact details (name, company, title, email) pre- and post-event

Interested in sponsoring the 2024 MENA Bank to Bank Forum?

For more information, please contact:

Matthew Kaitz
Director, Business Development
[email protected]
+1 (703) 200-9071

Venue & Accommodations

2023 BAFT MENA Website 2917x417

Conference Venue


The 2024 BAFT MENA Bank to Bank Forum will be held March 5 – 6 at the Habtoor Palace in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel is centrally located in the landmark lifestyle development on the banks of the Dubai Water Canal and minutes from DIFC, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and other local attractions.

Habtoor Palace Dubai
Al Habtoor City
Sheikh Al Zayed Road
Dubai, UAE

Room Accommodations


We pre-negotiated a special number of hotel rooms at a discounted conference attendee price. Both hotels are connected to each other for easy access to the conference room. Book your room early to guarantee your space!

1. Choose from either of the hotels below:

All room prices include breakfast and taxes with cancellation until February 15, 2024.

2. Need optional add-ons?

  • Airport transfers can be arranged from Dubai International Airport (DXB) at a charge of $60 USD per car each way, up to 3 adults per car.

3. Download the hotel reservation form to reserve your room and any optional add-ons, then email it to [email protected].

Testimonials

“It was a great event, well organized and well attended.”

Conference Attendee

Dubai, UAE

“There was a good mix of topics during panel discussions and the possibility for networking.”

Conference Attendee

Zurich, Switzerland

“Very useful from a networking perspective and the subjects discussed in the panels were interesting.”

Conference Attendee

Abu Dhabi, UAE

“The quality of the participants was very high, which provided a great opportunity for networking. ”

Conference Attendee

Frankfurt, Germany

“The topics of discussion were good and panelists were very knowledgeable.”

Conference Attendee

Dubai, UAE

“Interesting subjects and discussions, well animated. Very good opportunity to network with regional peers.”

Conference Attendee

Beirut, Lebanon

“The BAFT MENA Forum was an excellent event with high quality speakers presenting on important issues in banking both for the region and globally.”

Conference Attendee

Saint Paul, Minnesota


Sponsors


Interested in sponsoring the 2024 MENA Bank to Bank Forum? We can tailor your sponsorship package to meet your goals.

To discuss your sponsorship options, please contact:

Matthew Kaitz
Director, Business Development
[email protected]
+1 (703) 200-9071