On 12 November, at the Four Seasons Hotel Jumeirah in Dubai, MEA Finance hosted its 2025 Threat Prediction and Operational Optimisation Roundtable in the morning, all made possible by GBM and Splunk, partners and leaders in the increasingly essential banking technology sectors that are driving cyber resilience, threat intelligence and business analytics insights. The occasion brought together more than 30 senior guests from across the region for an in-depth discussion on how financial institutions can better anticipate, manage and respond to operational threats and how data potential can best be best met by maximising accumulated analytics.
Held as a closed-door gathering designed for open exchange, the session ran throughout the morning and concluded over lunch, offering participants both structured dialogue, lively interaction and the opportunity for meaningful networking.
The discussion followed the agenda themes outlined for the day, beginning with a focused exploration of how banks and financial organisations are adapting their operational structures in real time to protect customers, maintain service continuity and ensure business resilience. With guests coming from risk, operations, cybersecurity and technology backgrounds, the conversation quickly established a shared understanding: the pace of operational change across Middle East financial institutions has accelerated sharply, and the ability to predict threats before they materialise is now essential to effective performance.
Threat Prediction – From Monitoring to Anticipation
The morning opened with the discussion focussing on threat prediction. Participants reflected on how institutions are evolving from traditional monitoring approaches toward more proactive models designed to identify vulnerabilities and disruptions earlier in their lifecycle. There was strong consensus that the sector is entering a new phase—one that relies heavily on accurate intelligence, system visibility and the ability to translate data into informed action.
Attendees discussed the growing importance of integrating various streams of operational data, from system performance logs to behavioural patterns, to create a clearer picture of potential weak points. This movement toward predictive insight, they noted, is not only about identifying threats but about understanding their potential impact on customer experience, service delivery, business continuity and company reputation. Several contributors highlighted that banks today must be equipped to detect irregularities in real time, rather than waiting for issues to escalate into service disruptions.
Operational Optimisation
The second part of the roundtable looked more into operational excellence, which today depends on the ability of financial institutions to anticipate and interpret threats before they escalate. Across the room, attendees agreed that the traditional model of reacting to incidents is no longer sufficient. With systems becoming more interconnected and customer expectations rising, banks now require a more predictive operational posture — one shaped by continuous intelligence gathering, rapid data interpretation and clear internal coordination.
A key point of discussion was how threat intelligence is evolving beyond a cybersecurity function and becoming an operational pillar. Participants noted that the most successful institutions are using intelligence not only to identify risks but to guide decision-making, adjust workflows and refine service delivery models. Whether analysing abnormal transaction behaviour, monitoring system strain, or reviewing early indicators of customer-impacting issues, banks are increasingly relying on real-time insight to strengthen performance and reduce operational friction.
Several guests shared how their institutions are breaking down internal silos to ensure that intelligence flows more effectively between risk, operations, technology and customer-facing teams. This shift, they noted, is essential for speed and clarity. When intelligence sits in isolated functions, responses slow down and risks compound. But when teams have shared visibility, organisations can make faster, more informed decisions — often preventing disruptions entirely.
The conversation also highlighted the growing use of automation and intelligent monitoring tools as foundations of operational excellence. Participants discussed how enhanced alerting systems, behavioural analytics and real-time dashboards help operations teams prioritise issues, allocate resources and maintain service continuity with greater precision. Rather than overwhelming teams with endless alerts, modern systems are increasingly capable of filtering, interpreting and surfacing only the most relevant data points, enabling staff to focus on action rather than analysis.
An important theme throughout the morning was the value of preparedness. Guests emphasised that threat intelligence becomes most effective when paired with strong internal processes and well-practised response frameworks. Institutions that run simulations, test scenarios and regularly refine their protocols are better equipped to convert intelligence into meaningful operational outcomes. As one attendee put it, “Intelligence without readiness is information — readiness turns it into action.”
The discussion further explored how customer trust is tied directly to operational excellence. Attendees noted that disruptions — whether minor or major — can erode confidence quickly, making early detection and rapid response not just operational priorities but business imperatives. With reliable intelligence, organisations can protect customer experience, minimise service downtime and maintain consistency even during periods of strain.
Throughout the session, the human element remained central. While technology enables visibility, automation and speed, the guests underscored that operational excellence still relies on people who can interpret intelligence, collaborate effectively and make confident decisions under pressure. Continuous training, cross-team communication and a culture that values transparency and rapid escalation were all cited as critical components of a resilient operating environment.
By lunchtime, the roundtable had delivered what attendees described as a clear, practical exchange of ideas — a chance to benchmark approaches, understand evolving operational expectations and reflect on how intelligence-driven practices can help institutions stay ahead of disruption. The conversation demonstrated that threat intelligence, when embedded into operational strategy, is no longer a defensive measure but a driver of performance, stability and competitiveness.
By the time the roundtable concluded at lunch, the atmosphere reflected both the depth and practicality of the discussions. Guests expressed that the session offered a valuable platform to compare experiences, benchmark internal practices and gain clarity on how peer institutions across the region are navigating similar operational demands.
The event reinforced MEA Finance’s commitment to providing meaningful forums where banking and financial leaders can exchange ideas and collectively improve sector standards. With more than 30 guests engaged in a morning of learning, insight and peer level interaction, the roundtable successfully fulfilled its purpose: to create a space where operational resilience, threat prediction and optimisation strategies could be examined openly and constructively.
As financial institutions continue refining their operational capabilities, the insights shared during the roundtable will contribute to the ongoing development of stronger, more adaptive and more resilient operating environments across the region.
Roundtable panellists included:
- Syed Sajjad, Team Leader – Cybersecurity, Ajman Bank
- Allen Gopinath, Head of Fraud Prevention, Al Etihad Payments
- Maher Al Kaabi, Advisor to Group Chairman & Independent Board Member, UAE Circular Economy Council Member, Al Serkal Group of Companies
- Khalil Fawaz, Vice President – Head of Information Security, Commercial Bank International
- Sarfaraz Ismael, Fintech Expert, e& enterprise
- Hana ElMayergi, Head of Operations and Business Development, e& enterprise
- Dhiraj Sasidharan, Vice President -Threat and Compliance Management, Emirates NBD
- Mohit Bablani, EMEA Head of Mule and First Party Fraud Risk, HSBC
- Gurcharan Chhabra, Executive Vice President, Head of Fraud Prevention & Intelligence I CXC-Fraud Prevention & Intelligence Division, Mashreq
- Thomas Friesleben, Chief Business Officer, Mbank
- Wissam Farran, CIIO, Mbank
- Hariprasad Chede, Chief Information Security Officer, National Bank of Fujairah
- Madhavi Bhatia, Head of Corporate Governance
- Somu Roy, Managing Director and Country Head of UAE, Network International
- Ayman Desouky, Chief Risk Officer, Reem Finance
- Mohamed Rafi Lafir, Head of Risk, ruya
- Wissam Abed, Leader – Global Compliance, Western Union
- Ghezali Hassan, Regional GBM Security Practice Manager, GBM
- Fabian John D’Mello, Security Leader, GBM
- Maria Khaled, Technical Manager, Splunk
- Toby Smillie, Splunk Sales Manager, Splunk
- Lieven Kop, Splunk Solution Engineer, Splunk
- Caglar Dogan, Splunk Security Specialist, Splunk
- Anas Jallad, RSM, Splunk
- Tariq Alkade, Regional Sales Director, Splunk
