Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) announced that it will host its annual FinTech Industry Forum 2018 which will be held under the patronage of the Central Bank of Bahrain on October 31.
The forum is themed under “Opportunities & Challenges for Bahrain’s Banking Industry” and it’s expected to attract more than 300 participants which include senior representatives from BAB’s 52 members, regulators, and related third-party organizations. The forum is going to include a number of influential high-level keynote speakers, and a number of FinTech related panel discussions such as Education & Human Capital requirements, Legal & Regulatory considerations, Customer Readiness and Best Practices on the local, regional and international levels.
Adnan Ahmed Yousif, Chairman of BAB, President and Chief Executive of Al Baraka Banking Group, stated that the upcoming forum falls in line with BAB’s role of encouraging and supporting the FinTech industry. He also adds that they ensured this year’s forum focuses on the importance of banks to develop strategies to harness the power of FinTech. “In cooperation with our members, we are working hard to ensure that the programme covers all areas critical for banks as they move to adapt, drive sustainable growth and better meet the needs of customers in today’s increasingly digital era. The theme of this year’s forum also comes at a time when the Kingdom of Bahrain is not only working hard to continue to reinforce its position as a leading regional banking hub but establish itself as a major center for Fintech innovation,” he said.
Dr. Waheed Qassim, CEO of BAB, said, “For nearly four decades, BAB has been at the forefront of supporting industry growth and the furthering of Bahrain as a world-class financial jurisdiction. With the vast changes being ushered in due to the strong uptake and demand for digital financial products and services, Fintech is high on the agenda for global banks as well as banks in Bahrain and the region. We are delighted to be hosting this Forum, which we intend to make an annual event, with this year’s focus firmly on the opportunities and challenges facing our members with regard to the adoption of Fintech as well as the readiness and impact on customers.”