24th June 2026, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| 9:00 - 9:15 | Welcome Note: Jamal Saleh, Director General, UAE Banks Federation |
| 9:15 - 9:30 | Opening Address |
| 09:30 - 10:15 | PANEL 1: The Age of Agency - How Agentic AI will change regional banks and open new routes to growth In banking genAI earns its keep in risk management, interpretation and utilisation of data analytics, regulatory and compliance adherence etc., but still needs human direction, and can come up against limitations like bias or hallucinations. Agentic AI, however, goes beyond the reactive nature of gen AI, providing independent action in collaboration with human users. What does this mean for regional banks? What parts of the world of banking will get tangible benefits from the workings of agentic AI and how can it improve those already using older iterations of AI technology. For example, could agentic AI add to growth by freeing up RMs to spend more time with clients, and will early adopters secure lasting and unassailable advantages over slower movers? |
| 10:30 - 11:15 | PANEL 2: Making it Happen - How far has Open Finance progressed in the region? Open banking has revolutionised retail banking, bringing previously unimagined convenience to its operations. However Open Finance promises to extend open banking's scope into much broader parts of the financial ecosystem to include mortgages, pensions, insurance, investment, loans and crypto, as well as noticeably enhance operational efficiency for businesses. What are the regional strategies and strategic visions of Open Finance and what roles can and will banking technology play in bringing it mainstream? What will be the top considerations and challenges for banks, technology vendors and fintechs in making Open Finance function? How will all concerned parties engage with regulators and stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcomes? How far has Open Finance progressed in the region |
| 11:15 - 11:45 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 11:45 - 12:00 | PRESENTATION |
| 12:00 - 12:45 | PANEL 3: The Future of the Nexus - How the technology trio of banks, fintechs and technology vendors will evolve? Modern-day collaboration between banks, fintechs and technology vendors can be characterised by words such as cooperation, competition, disruption, trust, efficiency and integration. Currently this nexus implies a hybrid future for banking and financial services with success hinging on combining traditional banking's strengths with the agility and innovation of fintechs and technology companies. But how will these players continue interacting in the coming years? Will their balance remain largely the same or could parts of this trio grow more dominant, absorbing one of both of the others? How will customers and clients directly or indirectly affect how these components intersect, and will regional regulators play a role in the future development of their relationship? What is the future of their nexus? |
| 12:45 - 13:30 |
PANEL 4: Technology and Payments - The challenge of payments technology growth in the Middle East and Africa While the modernisation of payments, the implementation of instant payments platforms and the application of technology in payments is advancing at pace, it has not nearly peaked. Payments, and the technology behind it still has a way to go, and is still experiencing rapid and transformative growth. Indeed, according to a Mastercardcommissioned report by Genisis Analytics the digital payments economy is forecast to reach US$1.5Tn across Africa alone. What new developments and initiatives are we likely to see in payments over the coming years? Other than the challenges of innovation, what are the likely hurdles that will have to be overcome by those involved? What will be the effects of this growth on the technology companies and fintechs that will be part of this expansion? |
| 13:30 - 14:30 | LUNCH |
| 14:30 - 15:15 | PANEL 5: Working in Harmony - How Composable Banking enhances both banks and customers experiences The global composable banking market is set to grow by a CAGR of more than 22% by 2033. Driving this growth is the quest for competitive advantage among banks through the modernisation of legacy systems. Composable banking, by applying modular architecture, allows banks to quickly build and deploy new products and services, and to provide hyperpersonalisation for enhanced customer experiences. What potential does composable banking promise for regional banks in the light of rapidly evolving AI? How can it be applied to give banks a distinct competitive advantage in our crowded regional banking market? By which parameters should banks choose a partner when implementing a composable system? With the inevitable growth of open banking and open finance, is composable banking now the only realistic option for banks success? ? |
| 15:15 - 16:00 | PANEL 6: Safety in Numbers - Cybersecurity and Regulatory Compliance Technology has shown it can markedly improve banks performance figures as well as increase numbers of customers and their interactions with banks. The benefits for clients and their financial institutions are clear. However, these benefits come with increasing risks and obligations that must be managed by both banks and their customers. It is evident that while only technology can effectively handle this, bad actors are deploying their questionable technical skills without the hinderance of regulatory obligations. How can banks and financial institutions safely protect their clients, their profit margins and their reputations while both tackling unrestricted cybercriminals and remaining compliant with regulators? What can technology do to ensure banks successfully maintain this balance and keep ahead of the ill intended? |
| 16:00 - 16:30 | COFFEE BREAK |
| 16:30 - 16:45 | PRESENTATION |
| 16:45 - 17:30 | PANEL 7: Special Effects - What have been the standout banking technologies of the past five years? 2026 marks five years since the ending of Covid 19 restrictions, the pandemic that, among its many effects is to some degree credited with highlighting the need for implementing technology in regional banking. What are the main technology led developments that have taken place across in the region in the past 5 years? How many of these changes or innovations can be directly or indirectly attributed to the pandemic, and which would have naturally come about without it. Would open banking and instant payments or the use of AI be as advanced as it is in our region, or would the pandemic have made zero difference, or maybe even hindered its advance? How has the implementation of technology over the last five years affected the way banking is done across our region? |
| 17:30 - 17:40 | CLOSING REMARKS / END OF SUMMIT |
| 19:00 - 21:00 | AWARDS CEREMONY |
