The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Banking and Payments Technology: The Key to National Potential

28 May 2025
VOCO Hotel, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


  • 300+ Banking, Finance, Payments, Fintech and Technology Leaders
  • 30+ Thought Leaders and Market Experts
  • 6 In-depth & lively sessions on technology in Banking and Finance
  • 4.5 Hours of Peer Interaction and Networking

Overview

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is firmly set on its planned path to development, motivated by the aspirations of their Vision 2030.

Banking technology and the modernisation of payments will play a vital role in meeting the targets, the hopes and the potential of the nation in its development ambitions.

The application of technology and fintech in recent years, as well as initiatives and guidance from the Government and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) have transformed the banking and payments sectors in Saudi Arabia - the largest economy in the GCC, bringing economic growth and numerous benefits to society.

Quite apart from the ongoing existential requirements of banks and financial institutions to evolve their technology and provide improved customer experiences, the targets set by Saudi Vision 2030 for economic diversification and to prime the country for the future, are there to be met. A clearly essential component in this is the provision and implementation of banking technology, and the ongoing development of payments.

The MEA Finance Leaders in Tech Innovations and Payments Summit, KSA will proudly gather national leaders in Banking, Finance, Technology, Payments and Fintech from across The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to apply their unique knowledge and foresight in a series of lively and highly topical panel debates. The Summit discussions will focus upon the changes and benefits banking and payments technology will bring the country, as well as the trends that are leading them, and the shape of the tasks ahead that will create the Saudi Arabian banks and payments services of the future.

What to expect

Up to 300 regional banking and technology leaders and an event format attracting the entire spectrum of interested professionals including regulators, technology companies, payments professionals, fintechs, innovators and other stakeholders from the value chains

  • Solid networking and engagement opportunities for your company with key decision makers to directly tell them about your company’s solutions to today’s most pressingindustry issues
  • Exposure to the regional banking fraternity with your brand visibility in the exhibition area during networking breaks and via participation in panel discussions and keynote presentations
  • Opportunity to be recognised and acknowledged by the market as a bank, a technology business or fintech company at the forefront of digital transformation and AI at the MEA Finance Leaders in Tech Innovations and Payments Awards.

Who should attend?

    C-Suite
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Chief Technology Officer
  • MD - Head of Treasury, Capital Markets & FI
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Chairman
  • Chief Audit Executive
  • Chief Commercial Officer
  • Chief Economist and Head of Research
  • Chief of Shared Services Officer
  • Chief Risk Officer
  • Managing Director
    • Department & Section Heads
  • Partner - Financial Services
  • Advisor - Investment Management
  • Commercial Advisor
  • Executive Director
  • Head of Client Relations
  • Head of Payments, Remittances & FX
  • Head of Regulatory Advisory and Assurance
  • Head of Transactional Banking
  • Head Corporate Relations and Strategic Partnerships
  • Head Digital Strategy and Change
  • Head of E-Banking
  • Head of Market Risk
  • Head of AML & Sanctions
  • Head of Bancassurance
  • Head of CAD, Remedial & Collection
  • Head of Central Operations
  • Head of Change Management
  • Head of Client Experience
  • Head of Compliance
  • Head of CRM
  • Head of Disclosure and Issuance Department
  • Head of Enterprise Architecture
  • Head of Enterprise Banking Platforms
  • Head of External Communications
  • Head of Finance
  • Head of Financial Institutions
  • Head of Government Relations & PR
  • Head of Information Security
  • Head of Investment Solutions
  • Head of Issuance
  • Head of Prepaid Cards
  • Head of Regulatory Compliance
  • Head of Retail Banking
  • Head of Risk Specialist
  • Head of Strategic Planning
  • Head of Strategy - Technology
  • Head of Transaction Banking
  • Head Product Manager
  • Manager Audit & Compliance
  • Manager Operational Risk
  • Payments & Contract Manager
  • Portfolio Specialist - Insights & Strategy
  • Project Manager
  • Regional Compliance Manager
  • Regional Manager - Compliance & Risk Retention & Vigilance Manager
  • Senior CRM Project Lead
  • Senior CX Manager
  • Senior Manager - Digital Transformation
  • Senior Manager Treasury
  • Information Security, Senior Strategic Advisor
  • Senior Trade Officer, Strategy & PMO
  • Assistant Vice President - Global Customer Relations
  • Associate VP - Strategic Engagements
  • AVP Agile Delivery - Retail Banking
  • AVP Credit Risk and Portfolio Manager
  • FS Strategy Manager
  • SVP & Head of Compliance - Personal Banking Group
  • SVP & Regional Head - Corporate & Commercial Banking
  • Vice President, Compliance
  • VP Risk and Change Management
  • VP Wealth and Asset Management
  • VP - Strategic Initiatives & Bancassurance

MEA Finance Conferences

Bring together hundreds of banking, technology and fintech leaders for a day of immersive and productive discussion on the latest developments, emergent trends and the most pressing issues facing the banking industry in the Middle East and Africa. The one-day, highly exclusive gatherings include presentations and a rage of panel discussions, featuring over 35 industry-leading experts and distinguished speakers who attend to discuss the future of finance and banking innovation and what it will mean for our region.

Agenda

Wednesday, 28 May 2025, VOCO Hotel, Riyadh, KSA

As global challenges grow, Vision 2030 and the drive to reduce reliance on hydrocarbons are serious objectives unquestionably essential to the future well-being of the nation. The link between a highly functioning economy and the banking markets is obvious. Thus it is vital that the country nurtures a modern and highly efficient financial sector. This can only be done - by designing, developing, implementing and updating banking technology, and encouraging a dynamic Fintech ecosystem. This panel will discuss the role technology plays in Saudi Arabia’s banking and financial markets to ensure they help to successfully achieve the Vision 2030targets to guarantee the nation’s economic future.

Saudi Arabia’s economy, the biggest in the GCC, will continue to grow. Underpinned by natural entrepreneurship, positive demographics, diversifying businesses and increasing global engagement, so also does the Kingdom’s potential to inhabit the top tier of world economies. This potential must be nurtured, and banks’ business clients must therefore be serviced by highly functioning cross-border payments. Technology has a key part in this but what exactly is that role? What are the challenges that it must overcome to ensure that it does what must be done to develop crossborder payments systems that banking clients need, and the nation must have to fulfil its potential.

AI is still often dismissed as hype, but it is here to stay. So given this, how is AI progressing in Saudi Arabia’s financial markets? With the looming targets and national ambitions set by Vision 2030, is AI well enough established in the local banking sector at this stage to ensure that it plays the role it must in the nation’s development? This panel will assess the progress of AI in the Kingdom’s banking and financial markets and decide whether it’s adoption here is ahead of the curve, about where it should be, or in need of a rapid catch up?

Technology has shown it can markedly improve the performance figures and the numbers of customers and their interactions with banks. The benefits for clients and their financial institutions are now clear to see. However, these benefits come with an increasing number of risks and obligations that must be managed by both banks and their customers. It is increasingly evident that only technology can effectively handle this. This panel will take an overview of the regulatory requirements and current cybersecurity risks for banks operating in and with Saudi Arabia, and debate how technology can keep ahead of and successfully address these key concerns.

The Open Banking growth wave in our region is set to continue into the coming decade. To ensure Saudi Arabia benefits from this epochal transformation of banking the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), has established their Open banking Framework - providing legislation and regulatory guidelines, and the Open Banking Lab - a testing environment for banks and fintechs. What potential does open banking promise for banking and the wider Saudi economy? How is Saudi Arabia fairing in comparison with other centres also competing to attract and develop the fintech businesses essential to the banking and wider economy? How can open banking reach its peak beneficial potential across Saudi Arabia?

Payments technology providers and Fintechs must meet many obligations and provide numerous available options in the Saudi world of payments. This panel will discuss what they have collectively achieved, the challenges they face and the future they may bring. What was, and remains their role in the Sarie Instant Payments Platform? How have they ensured Saudi banks readiness for the going live of ISO20022 in November? What is their role in bringing BNPL to Saudi’s consumers? Can they help Payments Gateways anticipate changing consumer behaviours? What are they doing to ensure the country meets the 2027 deadline for the G20 Cross-Border Payments Roadmap?

Previous Speakers


  • KEYNOTE

    Mohammed Alsarrani Deputy Director General of the Financial Sector Development Program (FSDP)Ministry of Finance, Saudi Arabia

Highlights

MEA Finance Leaders in Technology Innovations & Payments Awards 2025

MEA Finance was established with the goal of serving the regional banking and financial services sector operating in our exciting and dynamic region. We are committed to providing dedicated news, insightful interviews, the highest-level events and well deserved recognition to the region’s financial service providers, banking technology, payments and fintech leaders. MEA Finance is best placed to cover the full range of the banking and financial sectors, and the fast-developing technology that powers the industry today. As part of our integral role in the region’s banking sector, we benchmark, recognise and actively encourage excellence within institutions.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of developing and digitising their growing banking and financial sectors, with the modernisation and enhancement of payments taking a leading role in this generational transformation. Their recent and ongoing initiatives, along with the encouragement of a burgeoning Fintech ecosystem, all powered by innovative technology has placed Saudi Arabia among the leaders in new world of finance.

The MEA Finance Leaders in Technology Innovations & Payments Awards 2025 will bring due recognition, and celebrate the achievements of the region’s leading banks, technology providers, fintechs, the essential services providers, and the leaders in payments who have had standout roles
NOMINATE NOW REGISTER NOW

Key dates

February 1 2025 -
Open for Entries
April 30 2025
Submission Deadline
May 6 2025
Judging Process
May 28 2025
Awards Ceremony

Categories

Click below to view individual award categories and submit nominations.

Financial Institutions

Awarded to the bank or financial institution judged to have provided the most innovative or ground breaking digital services in the Saudi Arabian market over recent times.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the Islamic bank or Sharia financial institution judged to have provided the most innovative or ground breaking digital services in the Saudi Arabian market over recent times.
Nominate Now

This award will recognise the digital only bank in Saudi Arabia that can demonstrate that its products and services put it at the head of this growing sector in the country.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the financial institution that demonstrates their risk and cybersecurity implementation provides unparalleled security, discernment and adaptability; safeguarding the business and clients.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution that has in recent years, implemented the most innovative and clearly beneficial to the business, core banking system.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution that through the application of technology provides market leading data management resulting in enhanced benefits to the business and its customers.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution that through the application of technology provides market leading analytics gathering, interpretation, insights and management to the best advantage of the business, clients and customers.
Nominate Now

This award will be presented to the bank judged to provide the most efficient, adaptable and effective means for customers to engage with and perform a wide range of financial transactions on a mobile device.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank of financial institution that has been judged to have developed and implemented the most innovative technology in recent times.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or Financial that completed and has most successfully and significantly enhanced operations as a result of implementing, upgrading or adapting cloud usage.
Nominate Now

This award goes to the bank or financial institution that most clearly shows products development and/or service delivery placing the customer at the forefront, and thus noticeably improving experiences.
Nominate Now

This award recognises the bank that through the implementation of technology, can show they have most successfully improved services for retail customers while also improving its own performance metrics.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution providing innovative systems, thinking and practices in corporate banking and finance that has noticeably benefitted clients.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the financial institution that has put in place a platform that has actively helped to accelerate and improve delivery trade financing services across the entire supply chain.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the financial institution that has implemented and operates a platform that effectively and efficiently ensures and maintains adherence to regulation and compliance requirements.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the financial institution that has developed, implemented or best upgraded or transformed its trading platform to best optimise traders and/or consumers trading activities.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution demonstrating their AML/KYC solution leads the market, being most effective in terms of speed, accuracy and compliance.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution that can show that they have implemented an AI solution that has improved and enhanced systems and functionality internally while also having clear positive outcomes for customers and clients.
Nominate Now

This award goes to the bank of financial institution demonstrating an implementation of Open Banking and the use of APIs that through innovation and has proved to be most beneficial in providing improved utility to the business and customers.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or financial institution demonstrating market leading effectiveness, innovation and flexibility in the application and deployment of a risk and compliance management system.
Nominate Now

This award goes to the financial institution applying the overall most effective, efficient, innovative and successful implementation for general banking collections systems.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the bank or Financial Institution that can show that their treasury management system that most effectively address clients requirements while intuitively addressing the individual needs.
Nominate Now

This award will honour the individual that has been judged the best technology leader in the country at a bank or financial institution, through their planning, implementation and deployment of systems that have had the best all-round benefits for both their business and their clients.
Nominate Now

This is awarded to the individual working either in a financial institution, a technology vendor or a fintech that has carved a clear path in the industry and is set to make further impacts upon the region’s banking technology landscape.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the senior executive in a bank or financial institution that has successfully lead change with innovation, positivity, enthusiasm and with a growth mindset that has born fruitful results and created greater efficiencies.
Nominate Now

Technology Providers

Awarded to the technology company that can demonstrate that their digital banking solution and service provision has been the market leader in Saudi Arabia.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology company that can demonstrate that their digital Islamic banking solution, adherence to Sharia finance tenets and service provision has led the market in Saudi Arabia.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology provider that demonstrates their risk and cybersecurity products and service provision provides unparalleled security, discernment and adaptability; safeguarding their customer’s business and clients.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology provider that has in recent years, supplied and implemented for their clients the most innovative and clearly beneficial core banking system solutions.
Nominate Now

This award recognizes the technology provider demonstrating innovation and agility in catering to the complex needs of corporate banking, showing innovation and commitment to offering a broad range of technology solutions for corporate banks.
Nominate Now

This award goes to the technology provider that most clearly shows products development and/or service delivery placing their client’s customers at the forefront, and thus noticeably improving experiences.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology company that has developed and applied technology that has successfully provided market leading data management resulting in enhanced benefits to their clients business and customers.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology vendor that can demonstrate that their risk management solutions are leading the market in all key areas of concern to banks and financial institutions.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology vendor that can demonstrate that their risk management solutions are leading the market in all key areas of concern to banks and financial institutions.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology company that can show they provide a market leading analytics gathering, interpretation, insights and management to the best advantage of their client’s business and their customers.
Nominate Now

This award goes to the technology vendor with the overall most effective, efficient, innovative and successful implementation for general banking collections systems.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology company that has developed and implemented the most successfully performing trading platform to best optimise traders and/or consumers trading activities.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology company demonstrating their AML/KYC solution leads the market, being most effective in terms of speed, accuracy and compliance.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology business providing the most innovative, flexible and secure solutions and service in this highly important and competitive market.
Nominate Now

This will be awarded to the CEO of the technology who has been judged to have led his or her business to noticeable market success though building growth, positive results and inspirational leadership.
Nominate Now

Payments

Awarded to the technology or Fintech that can demonstrate market leading innovation in the development and provision of payments solutions.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the Payment Gateway business in Saudi Arabia, clearly providing the best service across factors including payment options, reliability, security, market integration, pricing and currency support.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology provider that demonstrates their risk and cybersecurity products and service provision provides unparalleled security, discernment and adaptability; safeguarding their customer’s business and clients.
Nominate Now

Nominees for this award will be companies that have shown the most innovation in making quick clearance and settlement of payments a reality, using underlying payments rails.
Nominate Now

Nominations for this award will be from business that, in addition to providing leading edge technology in payments has, through their implementation also helped to advance their local payments environment.
Nominate Now

The award will be presented to the financial institution, fintech or technology company that can show it has brought the best ease of process and delight to users of their payments systems or methods.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the technology provider in Saudi Arabia that can demonstrate the best solutions and services for the provision of cross-border payments.
Nominate Now

This award will go to the business or organisation that has been judged to have made the most significant contribution to Saudi Arabia’s payments landscape in the recent past.
Nominate Now

The winner of this award will be users or providers of payments solutions that brought easier access for third party providers or enabled financial institutions to comply with the regulations and increase their services.
Nominate Now

This is awarded to the company or financial institution that best demonstrates both the specific intention and results in bringing all communities the opportunities to transact and create improved life options.
Nominate Now

The award will be presented to the company that demonstrates clear leadership in the provision of anti-fraud security solutions, while successfully balancing the need for frictionless services and managing key user experience KPIs.
Nominate Now

This award goes to remittance payments and over the counter foreign exchange services company providing the best access via a broad branch network, digital services, speed of service and readily available range of currencies, meeting the needs of the communities depending on these services.
Nominate Now

In the highly populated and diverse payments services space, this award will go to the company or institution judged as having made the most successful and beneficial contribution to this sector.
Nominate Now

Nominations are welcome from companies, financial institutions, organisations, associations or individuals that, over the past year to eighteen months, can demonstratively define an innovation of note in the local payments market.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the business that provided a payments technology implementation that enhanced the services offered to their clients’ markets but also, through the overall commission of their activities, contributed to the wider national payments and banking technology development objectives.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the business that provided a payments technology implementation that enhanced the services offered to their clients’ markets but also, through the overall commission of their activities, contributed to the wider national payments and banking technology development objectives.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the Bank, Technology Company of Fintech that can demonstrate that they have delivered the most innovative payments solution, product or service in Saudi Arabia.
Nominate Now

Awarded to the company that most definitively demonstrated their leading prowess in the provision of open banking systems that safely and smartly allow banks and fintechs to partner in bringing agility, flexibility, delight and inclusion to the market.
Nominate Now

This award will be presented to the company that in the past twelve to eighteen months has shown the most original and dedicated focus in supplying technology that has offered the most potential or definitively improved the payments experience for the market.
Nominate Now

Winning this award will be a bank or financial institution in the region that has shown market leading initiative in commissioning and implementing quick clearance and settlement of payments using new or underlying payments rails.
Nominate Now

This award is presented to the individual that through their efforts has been assessed to have made the most noticeable contribution to the technological advancement of the payments sector in Saudi Arabia.
Nominate Now

This award is presented to the individual that through their efforts has been assessed to have made the most noticeable contribution to the advancement of service and management in the payments sector in Saudi Arabia.
Nominate Now

Submission Process

MEA Finance conducts its own research to ensure that our awards categories accurately reflect the current payments ecosystem and comprehensively recognise the achievements of the industry.

As a result, we have determined award categories that provide regional recognition to exceptional banks, financial institutions and technology providers who are shaping the new digital financial landscape and have made outstanding contributions to the future of the industry. Institutions can nominate themselves in all relevant categories as deemed appropriate, provided the submission is sent in before the deadline, and in the required format.
NOMINATE NOW

 

HOW TO ENTER

STEP 1: Choose your category.
It is important to review the individual descriptions and criteria before choosing your category.
STEP 2: Upload relevant financial performance documents or other relevant information.
STEP 3: Confirm submission of your entry.

*Submissions deadline 30thApril 2025.

Judging Process

The awards will feature a rigorous two-step judging process by a panel of industry experts in collaboration with the MEA Finance editorial team.

  1. All nomination entries will be meticulously evaluated and analysed based on relevant market knowledge, industry research, and accurate company financial statements. The MEA Finance editorial team will then create a shortlist which will be given to the judging panel.
  2. The judging panel will be composed of senior executives from professional services firms working with the banking industry. They will review the shortlist and the submitted materials for each category and place a score from 1 to 5 for each category nominee. All scores will be sent back to the editorial team.
  3. The MEA Finance editorial team will independently score shortlisted institutions per category. Score values will be from 1 to 5. All scores will be kept confidential and will not be released publicly, nor will they be discussed with any individual applicants.
  4. Scores from both the judging panel and the editorial team shall be collected and combined. The editorial team will hold an official tabulation of the scores to determine the highest scoring institution per category which will be declared winner

Sponsors


TBA

FOR SPEAKING, SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITION ENQUIRIES:

Nap Estampador
+971 50 100 5488
nap.estampador@mea-finance.com

Andrew Cover
+971 50 931 3236
andrew.cover@mea-finance.com

Kenneth Mitchen
+971 55 289 1739
ken.mitchen@mea-finance.com

FOR SPEAKING & AGENDA ENQUIRIES:

Natasha Cristi
+971 58 527 1219
natasha@mea-finance.com

Venue




VOCO Hotel, Riyadh, KSA


Warm hospitality and comfort combine at voco® Riyadh. An award winning hotel and the preferred destination for Riyadh Season. You’ll find us on King Fahad Road, close to government offices and Riyadh Park Mall, with fast access to King Khalid International Airport.

Spacious rooms offer our hallmark voco™ styling, with powerful rain showers in marble bathrooms, plus media hubs for all your devices, and there’s a choice of global dining in six restaurants.

You can swim in our pools or work out in the Fitness Centre, and we have separate facilities for treatments at the award-winning Soul Spa & Wellness. Our twenty two versatile event spaces include banqueting for 1,200, theatre-style conference rooms and an impressive ballroom for parties.

Swift & MEA Finance Leaders in Technology Innovations & Payments Summit & Awards 2025 | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
28 May 2025
VOCO Hotel, Riyadh,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
CONTACT US
Contact No. +971 50 100 5488
Office 404, Building B, Al Saaha Offices, Old Town Island
Burj Khalifa District,
PO Box 487177
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
www.mea-finance.com