SWIFT announces Business Forum Egypt in Cairo on March 20 under patronage of Central Bank of Egypt
SWIFT will host the first Business Forum Egypt in Cairo on 20 March 2017 under the patronage of the Central Bank of Egypt. The event brings together senior representatives from Cairo’s banking and financial industry to discuss the most significant issues facing the region.
His Excellency Tarek Amer, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, said: “The SWIFT Business Forum offers an ideal opportunity to discuss the most important issues faced by Egypt’s financial community in an era of change. As we continue to reform the banking sector, it is critical to remain an integral part of the global community, supporting compliance with local and international regulatory best practices and driving innovation in our products and services. The event will provide a forum during which our banking community can address these opportunities together.”
The agenda focuses on the key challenges and opportunities facing Egypt’s financial community. Discussions with leading industry speakers alongside SWIFT experts, regulators, and policymakers will focus on Egypt’s economic outlook, compliance, de-risking, fintech, innovation, and cyber risk in an interconnected world.
Khaled Moharem, Head of the Middle East & North Africa, SWIFT, said: “There is huge potential for financial sector growth and development in Egypt. SWIFT is working closely with the Central Bank to deliver the latest technologies to Egyptian banks and to help them make the most of these opportunities. This is an ideal time to bring together participants from across the industry for discussion about the topics that really matter to the Egyptian banking and financial community.”
Tarek Fayed, Sub Governor at the Central Bank of Egypt, will deliver the keynote welcome address at the event. Other confirmed speakers include:
Dr. Fakhry Elfiky, Professor of Economics, Cairo University
El Sherif Abd El-Razek, General Manager of Compliance and Group Head of Corporate Governance, National Bank of Egypt
Mohamed Hesham Attia, Head of the Compliance & Corporate Governance Group, Blom Bank Egypt
Sayonara El Asmar, Deputy Chief Operating Officer & Head of Bank Operations, Crédit Agricole Egypt
Mohsen Rashad, General Manager & Head of Financial Institutions, Arab African International Bank
Abeer Khedr, Director of Information Security, National Bank of Egypt
Hussein El-Nakeeb, General Department Manager, Central Bank of Egypt
Akram Youssef Tinawi, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, BANK ABC Egypt
Mr. Abdelhamid Soliman, SWIFT’s User Group Chairperson and former IT Director at Misr Iran Development Bank, Egypt, said: “SWIFT plays an instrumental role in the region’s financial markets and is a trusted partner in Egypt. This Business Forum presents a unique platform for the financial community to come together to shape the future of Egypt’s financial sector.”
Sessions will look at the impact of financial crime compliance regulations in Egypt and analyze the main global and regional trends affecting banks in the country. Delegates will discuss the practical consequences of regulations for banks, and look at how banks can overcome the challenges of de-risking.
With increasing investments in financial technology, banks are investigating how disruptive technologies can support their businesses, improve the user experience and reduce costs for end customers. To look at this topic, another session will ask how financial institutions are responding to new challenges and harnessing the potential of innovative technology to better serve their customers. We will also look at what SWIFT is doing to assist the community in defending its territory.
Cyber security is a global priority for the financial sector. Cyber-attacks are on the rise and becoming increasingly sophisticated. The banking sector is a prime target. Participants will discuss what banks need to do to protect themselves from the ever-growing cyber threat.
The event is free to attend and will provide a platform for discussion and networking.
