15th November 2023

Unleashing Innovation: UAE's Vigilance to Address Regulatory Compliance Challenges

Venue: Beach Rotana Hotel Abu Dhabi , UAE

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Government Supporting Partner

Supporting Partners

About the Event

7th MENA Regtech Conference is a groundbreaking event dedicated to exploring the innovative applications of regulatory technology (RegTech) in the ongoing fight against money laundering (AML) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With an emphasis on the intersection of technology and compliance, this event aims to bring together industry experts, government officials, technology providers, and financial institutions to discuss the latest advancements, strategies, and best practices in combatting AML using RegTech solutions

Saudi Edition｜February 7th, 2023

Qatar Edition｜February 21st, 2023

Event In Numbers

Speakers

Attendees

Case Studies

Leading Companies

Keynote Speakers

Ms. Fawzia Mohamed Al Ali

National Risk Assessment Department Head, UAE NRA Project Manager
Executive Office of Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing

Mr. Mohamed Alkatheeri

Head of the National Coordination and Follow Up
Executive Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing

Our Speakers

Dr. Ayesha BinLootah

AVP, Licensing, Supervision and Assurance
Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority

Ms. Safeya Alsafi

Director of AML Department
Ministry of Economy (MOE)

Mr. Collin Lobo

Regional Head of Financial Crime, MENAT
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited

Mr. Muhammad Asif Marfani

Head of Business Compliance
Commercial Bank of Dubai

Mr. Stanford Cardoz

AML Director
BitOasis

Mr. Tarek Howayek

Regional Head of AML & Compliance Policies
HSBC, MENAT

Ms. Alina Parfilava

Head of Compliance
Midchains

Mr. Christos Christou

Chief Compliance Officer
Lulu Financial Holding

Ms.Meera Judge

Regional Head of Compliance
Binance

Mr. Brian Byagaba

Head of Tech & Data Governance, Fintech Department
Abu Dhabi Global Market

Mr. Waheed Rathore

Group Chief Compliance Officer
Dubai Islamic Bank

Mr. Amaresh Yardoni

Senior Manager Fraud Operations
Tamara

Dr. Yoonus C Ahammed

Director , Data Science
Transaction Monitoring
Standard Chartered Bank

Ms Kaoutar Abdallah

Director of Legal, Risk & Compliance
Telr

Mr Iain Kennedy

Global Head Of Sales
StarCompliance

Vijayalakshmi Seshadri

Head of Implementations and MEAA
norbloc

Mr Muhammad Shahid Farid

Head of AML/CFT & Sanctions
The Commercial Bank of Qatar

Dr. Ayesha BinLootah

AVP, Licensing, Supervision and Assurance
Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority

Bio: Dr. Ayesha Binlootah is the Assistant Vice President of Licensing, Supervision and Assurance at Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Dr. Binlootah is a highly accomplished and self-driven leader with over 14 years of diverse experience in Licensing, Supervision, Assurance, Inspection, Internal Audit, Risk Management, Information Security, Internal Control, Excellence, Service Improvement, Governance, Business Continuity Management, Crisis Management, and Global & City Crisis Communication. Dr. Binlootah has consistently excelled in steering organisations towards success with a proven track record in various industries, including Financial Institutions, Virtual Assets, Tourism, Hospitality, Economic Development, and the Public Sector.
As an experienced board member, Dr. Binlootah has played a pivotal role at the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) – UAE Chapter, chairing several committees and contributing to the record-breaking International Audit Conference. Additionally, Dr. Binlootah has held committee positions as an independent director in publicly listed companies at the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
In addition to her role at VARA, Dr. Binlootah holds other positions namely Vice Chairperson of Emaar Development, Independent Director of the Risk and Audit Committee at Salik PJSC, Chairperson of the Remuneration Committee, and the Insider Trading Committee of Emaar Development PJSC, and Advisor to the Dubai Economy and Tourism.
Dr. Binlootah holds a Doctorate in Business Administration in Tourism Investments and is a Certified Corporate Governance Practitioner from the UK Affiliation of Corporate Governance Practitioner & COSO Certified. Her academic achievements include executive education from prestigious institutions such as Oxford Said School of Business, London Business School, Jack Welsh Management Institute, and Ashridge School of Business.
Before joining the government sector, Dr. Binlootah gained valuable experience at Dubai Islamic Bank as the Finance & Operations Audit manager, overseeing critical audits and risk assessments, resulting in significant cost savings and operational improvements.
Throughout her career, Dr. Binlootah has been actively engaged in various national federal and international committees, contributing to essential initiatives and government agenda related to anti-money laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism, and more.
With her vast knowledge, expertise, and leadership skills, Dr. Binlootah has consistently driven organisations and government entities towards excellence while making valuable contributions to the professional community, private sector, and public sector through her involvement with industry associations and committees.
Dr. Binlootah served as Director of the sector of Internal Audit, Risk, and Information Security at Dubai Economy and Tourism where she played an instrumental role in positioning Dubai as a global and regional hub for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism. Prior to this, Dr. Binlootah served as the Portfolio Sponsor for Financial Sector Development at the Economic Accelerator Unit – Government of Dubai, where she contributed to elevating Dubai’s financial ecosystem as a global hub for business, in addition to her multiple roles at Dubai government

Mr. Mohamed Alkatheeri

Head of the National Coordination and Follow Up
Executive Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing

Bio: Mohamed Alkatheeri is Head of the National Coordination and Follow Up at the Executive Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing of the UAE.

The Executive Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing is the primary national coordinating body on AML/CFT efforts within the UAE and aims to enable and better equip the UAE in building a strong and sustainable AML/CFT framework. It is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the UAE’s National AML/CFT Strategy and Action Plan and has a wide-ranging mandate.

As Department Head, Mohamed plays a leading role ensuring that all entities in the UAE working to combat financial crimes are aligned with the National AML/CFT Strategy and Plan and are compliant with all AML/CTF/CPF international requirements and standards.

Mohamed has introduced mechanisms to facilitate national coordination and increase effectiveness, involving close to 150 projects managed between more than 80 governmental entities using dedicated project management tools to accelerate progress within the country.

As a globally certified FATF Assessor, he is the technical expert responsible for submitting the UAE progress reports to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Mohamed also coordinates closely with members of the UAE National Team – consisting of 35 technical experts in the AML/CFT/CPF regime - to produce the UAE National Progress Report.

Mohamed is a co-creator of the FAWRI TICK System, the UAE’s national system for the management of proliferation financing cases and targeted financial sanctions implementation and currently used by more than 80 governmental entities. The FAWRI TICK has many future plans as well to involve multiple different case types due to its initial huge success.

Outside of his role at the Executive Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing, Mohamed is a globally certified FATF assessor, certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, certified Innovation specialist, certified trainer, and sanction implementation expert.

Ms. Safeya Alsafi

Director of AML Department
Ministry of Economy (MOE)

Bio: Safeya AlSafi is the Director of Anti Money Laundry Department at Ministry of Economy (MOE) since 2020. . Safeya is also UAE’s FATF Expert member on supervision and preventive measures, presenting UAE in FATF plenary sessions and other international AML/CFT engagement activities. She has more than 10 years of experience in banking sector, and she handled several managerial positions in banking industry. During her professional career, she established many departments such as the AML department in Ministry of Economy and Private Banking Division in Emirates Islamic Bank. During her career she was a member of The National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Illegal Organizations Committee and some of its sub[1]committees; such as Sub-Committee of Supervisory Authorities in UAE, Sub-Committee for Money Laundering Crimes Investigative Authorities in UAE, Sub-Committee for National Risk Assessment of Money-Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Illegal Organizations Financing Risks in UAE, and The Sub-Committee for Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and the Financing of Illegal Organizations and the Financing of Proliferation in UAE. She is also an Assistant Chairman of the Sub-Committee of Companies Registrars in UAE. Safeya is a Master degree holder in Islamic Economics and Wealth Management from Zayed University and she have a professional diploma in innovation & Government accelerators in future design industry from Hamdan bin Mohamed Smart University. She has two professional certificates from Chartered Institute For Securities & Investment which are certified in international certificate in wealth & investment and the other one is certified in international intro. to securities &investment Safeya has an active voluntary life since 2006. She is a board member of Emirates Down Syndrome Associate since 2018 and selected as a Treasure

Vijayalakshmi Seshadri

Head of Implementations and MEAA
norbloc

Bio: Vijayalakshmi Seshadri (Viji) is an accomplished professional with a diverse and impressive background in the world of technology and finance. Holding an MBA from BITS Pilani and a B.E. in Computer Science from Anna University, she has established herself as a leading force in the field.

In her current role as the Head of Implementations and MEAA at norbloc, Viji oversees the global implementations of the company's cutting-edge products. Her responsibilities extend to the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia region, where she takes the helm in business development.

Viji s professional journey began in 2010, and she has worn various hats, each contributing to her versatile skill set. Her past roles included positions such as AVP of Enterprise Digital Solutions, Product Owner, Digital Consultant - Solution Architect, Software Quality Auditor, PMO Analyst, and Software Developer. These roles provided her with invaluable experience and insights into the nuances of the evolving tech space and financial sectors.

Notably, Viji has been instrumental in designing digital platforms for global banks and leading BFSI enterprises. Her commitment to excellence in software quality led her to publish a white paper aimed at improving software quality and delivery. She has also earned the prestigious Six Sigma Green Belt certification, reflecting her dedication to process improvement and efficiency. With her technical expertise, Viji aspires to drive the next wave of transformation in the regulatory and compliance landscape.

The conference will feature keynote speeches from top-tier industry experts sharing their experiences and showcasing the potential of regulatory technology in detecting, preventing, and mitigating money laundering risks.

7th MENA Regtech Conference will provide a platform for industry peers to connect and network during the breakout sessions of the event.

An integral part of 7th MENA Regtech Conference is the exhibition showcase, where leading companies will display their cutting-edge products, services, and technologies aimed at reducing AML risks.

The event also offers a wealth of networking opportunities, enabling attendees to connect with industry leaders, like-minded professionals, and potential partners. 7th MENA Regtech Conference 2023 is the ideal Conference to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones.

15th November 2023

Unleashing Innovation: UAE's Vigilance to Address Regulatory Compliance Challenges

Government Supporting Partner

Supporting Partners

About the Event

Saudi Edition｜February 7th, 2023

Qatar Edition｜February 21st, 2023

Event In Numbers

Keynote Speakers

Ms. Fawzia Mohamed Al Ali

Mr. Mohamed Alkatheeri

Our Speakers

Dr. Ayesha BinLootah

Ms. Safeya Alsafi

Mr. Collin Lobo

Mr. Muhammad Asif Marfani

Mr. Stanford Cardoz

Mr. Tarek Howayek

Ms. Alina Parfilava

Mr. Christos Christou

Ms.Meera Judge

Mr. Brian Byagaba

Mr. Waheed Rathore

Mr. Amaresh Yardoni

Dr. Yoonus C Ahammed

Ms Kaoutar Abdallah

Mr Iain Kennedy

Vijayalakshmi Seshadri

Mr Muhammad Shahid Farid

Keynote Presentations and Panel Discussions

Breakout Sessions

Exhibition Showcase

Networking Opportunities

Who Should Attend

Chief Compliance Officer

Chief Data Officer

Chief Digital Officer

Chief Legal Compliance Officer

Chief Information Officer

Head of Compliance

Chief Innovation Officer

Head of AML & Fraud

Chief Risk & Compliance Officer

Compliance and Financial Crime Director

Conduct Risk Monitoring Senior Manager

Group Data Protection Officer

Focused Industries

Banking / Finance

Insurance Companies

Exchange Companies

IT / Network / Telecommunications

Government

Oil & Gas

Aviation & Transportation

Construction

Tax Audit

Retail / Property

Hospitality / Travel

Healthcare

Sponsors & Partners

Silver Sponsor

Strategic Sponsor

Exhibitor

Media Partners

15th November 2023

Unleashing Innovation: UAE's Vigilance against Money Laundering

Venue: Beach Rotana Hotel Abu Dhabi , UAE

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