There is a degree of infamy attached to field collections in many Middle Eastern countries. There are many cultural implications to consider, and many an instance of corruption and unscrupulous tactics.
In the Middle East, debt collection is more complicated than anywhere else in the world (with Saudi Arabia and the UAE topping the charts for tough debt collection). This is down to several factors, such as antiquated payment terms, outdated court practices, and needlessly complicated insolvency regulations.
Slow payment is a cultural norm and commercial practice: - Companies' cash flows are impacted by usual long terms - Religious holidays slow down the economy of the entire region.
The Debt collections business is primed for even greater transformation in 2022 -23, which should come as no surprise. The latest modification to Reg F, lenders' digital-first strategy to engaging with consumers, and the improving economy are all going to make things more difficult for third-party collectors. Changes in customer behaviour and the termination of industry-specific moratoriums are exacerbating the situation.
So, what are the most essential trends to watch for in your industry?
Collections and Recovery Summit Arabia 2024 is the First and Only Large-Scale Conference & Exhibition bringing together 600+ top Industry experts from KSA, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain & Egypt to discuss the latest technology and digital transformation strategies to overcome challenges and empower organizations to be future ready, strengthening operations, increasing productivity, and improving customer experience in the Debt & Loan Collections, Subscriptions & Renewals and Credit systems. Join the talks and showcase your solution to the right pool of attendees in the Collections space and connect with most potential decision makers from top organizations from the MENA region.
Weaving Collections and Recovery into Business Strategy
Maintaining a Positive Customer Experience During Collections
Talk Techs: Digitizing Collections for Faster Debt Recovery
Managing Multichannel Debt Collection Model: Rise of E Commerce Subscriptions & Renewals
The Importance of "Self-Service" platformss
Decoding the Scope, Scale and Challenges of the BNPL
Understand consumer sentiment and preferred channels
Ayman Al Wadi is the Group Executive Chairman of the AW HOLDING, an innovative organization with a portfolio of industry-leading entities that span Debt Management, Business Advisory, Risk Management, Legal Services, Investments and Translation services. With years of corporate experience and leadership, Ayman�s vision enabled the organization to stand as a pioneer in the market for the past 10 years with a reputation for achieving real corporate excellence.
In line with his vision, AW HOLDING forged strong affiliations and a formidable global network in order to deliver regional and international reach that guarantees success for its clients and partners beyond geographic limitations.
Prior to establishing AW HOLDING, Ayman worked with the Gulf Finance Corporation wherein he established its Debt Management, Compliance and Legal Affairs department. During his tenure, his valuable contributions went beyond the area of Debt Management, and his involvement stretched across several departments in the organization. On his 9th year with the organization, he became Managing Director and Board member, overseeing the entire scope of activities from local operations to international ventures.
Ayman began his professional journey as one of the establishing members of the Collections Center at Emirates Bank Group in 1996. He occupied the position of Debt Management and Legal Affairs Manager and went on to build an illustrious career marked with profound excellence and a slew of industry accolades. In parallel to his career, he continued to nurture his knowledge in the area of Business Law, acquiring a practical understanding in its numerous disciplines.
ounis bin Hamad Al Sulaimi has more than 17 years of experience in the banking sector. He possesses leadership skills and constantly strives to achieve excellence. Al Sulaimi is known for delivering turnaround performances in a highly competitive environment as well as possessing thorough knowledge of both conventional and Islamic Banking. Younis Al-Sulaimi is a graduate of the University of Bedfordshire, where he obtained a degree in Business and Marketing. He also holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Finance and Management with honours from Durham University, United Kingdom. Additionally he has obtained leadership accreditation from the prestigious Harvard University. He also holds a number of professional certificates from leading institutions both locally and internationally.
Mr. Talal Al Balushi is Senior Vice President and Head of Collection & Remedial management @ Sohar International Bank , hold MBA, TOT. A competent professional with over 18 years of rich experience in the area of Asset based financing, Banking, litigation Support,Process & Team management and Client Relationship Management
Mohamed Jawad is the Chief Financial Officer at Oman Qatar Insurance Co. SAOG, one of the largest composite insurance companies in Oman. With 14 years of extensive experience in the financial sector, Mohamed has developed expertise in Financial Operations & Reporting, Insurance, Auditing, Treasury Management, and Investments. Throughout his career, Mohamed has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic acumen, serving as a key member on various boards and committees within the Finance & Investment industry. His contributions have been pivotal in steering financial strategies that align with organizational goals, ensuring robust financial health and compliance. Mohamed holds a Master’s degree in Professional Accountancy from the United Kingdom and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Sultan Qaboos University. His commitment to continuous professional development is evidenced by several additional qualifications that enhance his financial expertise. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the insurance sector, Mohamed was honored as the Best Insurance CFO in Oman for the Year 2024 by the Global Banking & Finance Awards®
Gabor is an economist with a strong background of banking technology. Spent 5 years as a university teacher at Budapest Economic University and have worked for Erste and Intesa banking groups, both in business and tech areas before switched to the banking software solutions provider side, especially focusing automating the credit lifecycle. During the last two decades he has lived in Riyadh and Dubai for a few years and has worked in 40+ countries of 4 continents helping the financial sector to improve their collection and credit risk related processes and technology solutions. Since 2020 Gabor is running his own advisory activities, sharing time between Middle East and Europe.
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CURRENT ROLE
PREVIOUS ROLES (post qualification)
My working with manufacturing companies in the region for around 35 years, has helped in gaining experience in financial management and strategic roles. Trade Finance, Receivables management, Risk Management, Cash Management, Budgeting, ERP system optimization have been the principal areas of expertise during the 12 + years of working as a CFO. During this period, I also had HR, IT, Procurement, Stores, and planning department heads reporting to me and have worked closely with the CEO / Executive Chairman on strategic planning and advisory roles. Aluminium & Currency Hedging, Interest Rate Swaps, General & Credit insurance, Optimization of liquidity, helped in preventing and mitigating the impacts resulting from uncertainties & volatility in the current challenging times. Supporting the CEO in the transformation and streamlining initiatives at Balexco has helped in fortifying the company's position. Collaboration with the collection, sales and planning teams helps in optimization of collection process. Setting adequate criteria and control measures along with rigorous follow-up helps in avoiding or minimizing the loss from Bad Debts. Insuring the receivables or securing them through trade finance options are other useful tools for overcoming the risk of non-payment. Chartered accountant Bahrain Aluminium Extrusion Co (Balexco) BSC Closed – CFO from 2017 Group CFO -Awal Plastics WLL -Group CFO -2015 -17 From 1989 at Midal Cables Ltd -GM, Finance & Administration from 2011- 15
With a robust 18-year tenure in risk management and collections, I currently lead the collections function for international markets at Al-Futtaim Automotive, a vanguard in the global automotive industry. My background is fortified by advanced certifications in leadership and policy design, alongside deep-seated technical and analytical prowess.
At Al-Futtaim, I direct skilled teams across multiple geographies, adeptly managing the recovery of loans and receivables. My leadership is marked by pioneering initiatives that have significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, improved recovery rates, and boosted customer satisfaction. I excel in cultivating collaborative relationships, connecting seamlessly with team members, stakeholders, regulators, and legal professionals to drive forward our strategic objectives.
I am passionate about fostering a culture of resilience, innovation, and excellence within our teams. This commitment not only elevates our day-to-day operations but also propels Al-Futtaim Automotive toward sustained growth and industry leadership.
Senior Credit Risk professional with over 25 years of diversified experience in the entire life cycle of credit from credit origination, analysis, approval, documentation, monitoring, and credit risk review. Have worked in the Canadian and UAE banking industry at leadership roles as Head of Corporate Credit, Head of Commercial Credit and EVP- Risk Manager in ADIB. Currently working in Invest Bank as Head of Credit Risk Review managing audit universe of Credit Risk, Market Risk, Liquidity Risk and Enterprise Risk. As a Credit professional possess extensive experience in credit risk underwriting, portfolio management, Corporate governance, project finance and portfolio review.
Led team of professionals, managing corporate & and commercial credit adjudication, credit risk review, documentation, and analytics functions. Solid team player. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Proven ability to recruit and maintain talent. Successful team builder and motivator.
Sector expertise includes Commercial Real Estate, Hospitality, Project Finance, Trade Finance, and Agriculture credit. Possess exposure to diversified industries and various lending solutions from margined operating lines to asset-backed lending.
Passionate about knowledge sharing and inspiring team members to achieve their full potential. With my full-time Banking job, I'm also teaching a Credit Risk Management course as a Subject Matter Expert at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, (part-time). U of T Ranks #1 in Canada and 17th globally, in U.S. News & World Report university rankings.
Certified from the University of Toronto with Credit and Enterprise Risk Management qualifications and MBA from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) - a premier business school in the region. Completed Banking Diploma from the Institute of Bankers and certification in Islamic Banking from CIMA, UK.
Stefan Cohrs is a Senior Vice President Cross-border at the EOS Group with expertise in international business. Stefan has excellent communication skills, plus the ability to effectively communicate across cultures. After more than 20 years in the car financing industry, working in management positions for banks, Stefan joined the EOS Group in 2015 and is significantly involved in the successful development and expansion of the Cross-border business.
Certified International Credit Professional from the Finance, Credit & International Business Association. CICP (FCIB USA), MBA (Risk & Finance) B.COM
Expertise: Credit & Collection management, People management, Cash Flow Expert.
Total Experience: +15 Years of Extreme Experience in Credit, Collections, B2B & B2C
Industry Exposure: Consumer Credit Banking, Integrated facility management, Catering Services, Building & Construction, Trading of Agricultural & Kitchen Equipment’s, Automotive industry
As the Unit Head of SME at BankDhofar, I lead a team of professionals who provide banking and credit solutions to small and medium enterprises across various sectors and industries. With over 13 years of experience in the banking industry, I have developed strong analytical, management, and financial risk skills that enable me to deliver value to our clients and stakeholders.
I have a MSc in Finance from the University of Strathclyde and a certification in Commercial Credit from Moody's. I also have expertise in both Islamic and conventional banking, having worked as a Unit Head of Wealth Management Credit Relations and a Relationship Manager of Large Corporate at Alizz Islamic Bank. My mission is to support the growth and development of SMEs in Oman and the region, leveraging my knowledge and experience in Islamic and conventional banking and finance.
Head of Credit Control, MIS & Projects – SME & Mid Corporates, Bank Muscat
Over 18 Years of Expertise in Risk Management, Portfolio Management, Credit Collections in SME & Business Banking.
Errol Pereira is a seasoned Credit Risk Professional with over 15 years of extensive experience across the banking sector in both India and the Middle East. Currently, he leads the Credit in SME & Mid-Corporate portfolio at Bank Muscat, managing a $700 million USD portfolio across the Middle East. He plays a pivotal role in ensuring the financial health and risk mitigation of the bank’s SME portfolio, leading initiatives focused on credit control, MIS, and strategic SME automation & digitization projects.
Key Achievements at Bank Muscat
Previous Roles in India
Errol’s career began in India, where he held leadership positions at prominent financial institutions including HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, DCB Bank, and Yes Bank.
Technological Contributions and Innovations
Throughout his career, Errol has been passionate about leveraging technology to enhance risk management.
In recognition of his expertise, Errol Pereira continues to lead and inspire in the fields of credit risk and financial management, driving innovation and stability across Bank Muscat's SME portfolio.
Exceptional Front-runner with 19 years of experience in corporate credit administration, budgets, and compliance with Future Pipe, Bupa insurance, Mondelez (kraft Food), Nokia Siemens, HewlettPackard (HP) and Saad Hospital.
Chairperson and key speaker on the 2nd Annual Kingdom Credit Management & Collections meeting (Riyadh) 15-16 OCT 2018
At Credit & Collections Summit Oman, we honor the pioneering and trailblazing banks and financial services providers in collections and risk management who have demonstrated unparalleled excellence and innovation. These awards recognize the exceptional strategies, cutting-edge technologies, and outstanding leadership that drive industry standards forward from both Public and Private Sector Banks.
Join us as we celebrate the achievements of professionals who have not only mastered the complexities of collections and risk but have also paved the way for sustainable growth and stability in the financial landscape.
Mohamed Al Zamil is a professional banker with more than 17 years of experience in Islamic & conventional Banking, Corporate & Retail Finance, Banking IT & Operations and Project Management. At Reem Finance PJSC, He oversees Operations & IT, CAD, legal & collections, and HR departments.
During his career, He worked at ADIB, UNB and Al Hilal Bank where he participated in many mega projects including 3 system migrations in addition to lunching new products and centralized services.
He completed his BA degree in Management and Information Systems from Sharjah University, UAE. Further to being a Certified Islamic Banker (CIB), he holds a PMP certificate (Project Management Professional) from PMI institute in Pennsylvania, USA
An impeccable and progressive professional with more than 25 years of comprehensive experience in management and leadership roles with vast knowledge in areas of Collections, Legal Recoveries, Call Centre, Customer Service and Operations including Mortgages. Tenacious and thorough in approach, astute in formulating optimal strategy for each credit portfolio; maximizing credit recovery. Innovative thinker with extensive experience with large financial institutions such as ENBD Group (Emirates NBD, Emirates Islamic & Tanfeeth), HSBC, AND Amro, Mashreq & RAK BANK.
Mai is an experienced CX leader & enthusiast responsible for designing & implementing cross-channel customer engagement strategies, launching relationship deepening programs and improving retention levels who has been at the forefront of helping organizations accelerate their transformation to a “customer obsessed” culture. Her forte lies in driving CX transformational change through human-centric delivery models, innovation and process re-engineering programmes. She is currently the Head of Client Experience at Invest Bank, where she oversees the development & implementation of the bank’s enterprise wide CX strategy & framework across channels. She has also worked with organizations like United Arab Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank & Arab Bank. She also has a demonstrated history of building and managing highly engaged customer facing teams
Ms Faten is a highly collaborative and engaging customer experience passionate with strong communication and management skills demonstrated internally and remotely; effectively working with agents, managers, and executives across all departments.
Having over 15 years of experience, managing teams up to 90+ employees while being responsible for recruiting and interviewing new candidates in different positions in the call center after analyzing the required workforce in every department to achieve account goals. With a sincere passion and obsession for customers' experience, having achieved up to 60% NPS scores and 90% satisfaction scores while maintaining a lean, highly productive operation. Having extensive experience in designing and delivering needed processes and training materials for the call center department based on current gaps, ineffective results or lack of coordination to achieve the company's goals and vision.
A dynamic, highly logical and analytical senior finance management professional with over 8 years of cumulative sold experience in credit control, receivable and collection. Dealing with billions of receivables including B2B, B2C & oversees within dynamic environments through well-known Intl brands and listed companies Tawuniya, AON and currently Medgulf as a Director of Credit Control & Receivable. Leading the implementation of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments and managing four sections Credit Control, Receivable, Corporate Collection, Recovery Collection with a track record of achievements directly linked to P&L.
Sanket has over 25 years of experience in Consumer Credit Risk primarily in MEA region. Currently he is working as a Credit Risk regional expert in Mastercard Advisors for EEMEA region. In his previous roles he has worked with leading Banks in the region such as ENBD, CBI and Barclays and worked in UAE, Saudi and Egypt markets. Sanket has end of end expertise on key risk pillars of Credit Policy and Portfolio Management, Credit Underwriting and Collections and Recoveries Management
He hold an MBA Degree (Australia) with a 20+ years Banking experience, with 3 leading banks in UAE ADIB, One of the founding team of Noor Islamic bank and Ajman bank.His experience is between Consumer banking and Corporate banking. Mahmoud did Branches Management, Sales Management, Mortgages, Cards, Personal loans, Real estate, recently looking after Global Transaction banking and Escrow accounts All across the UAE.Breaking records is always his most joyful moment.Mahmoud believs in Leadership and people management is the key for success. There is no successful leader without a great team.
A leading lawyer with over 10 years of experience. Nirvana pursued her Bachelor's in Law in the year 2007 from the University of Cairo. Moving forward, she completed a Masters in International Commercial Law in UAE in 2010. She is a registered lawyer and a practicing advocate under the Egyptian Bar Association.Nirvana has a detailed eye and has enabled RAALC to position itself as the best in the UAE’s corporate sector. Before devoting herself to RAALC, Nirvana was fortunate enough to bag experiences from different corporate sectors and major law firms in the UAE. She has represented multinational companies with higher corporate and commercial transactions.Nirvana participated and continues to participate in various volunteer and pro bono activities for the past five years. She is bespeaking with her corporate, commercial, and, most importantly, arbitration realms. She has successfully handled critical cases and conducted negotiation settlements. Her persuasive behavior is notable. Nirvana has developed a clean and clear acumen for legal reasoning and an eye for spotting issues. She has excellent client and communication skills, which make her one of the best lawyers that RAALC has. She is a recurrent guest lecturer and has authored full articles addressing emergent and multifaceted business litigation issues.
Mr. Harish B. Parmar is the founder of City Credit Management LLP and has over 30 years’ experience in developing innovative ideas for diverse financial institutions in the United Kingdom and India. He mentored and led a team in developing an integrated debt management program in India and set up a company called SingleDebt.
Mr. Parmar is always focused on developing a global financial model to overcome individual problems, risk factors, and open access to the Debt Management industry in India. He has tirelessly worked to establish a reputation for debt management in India among a large number of global audiences.
Early in his career, he held leadership positions with a variety of financial institutions, including merchant banks and high street banks. He developed a vision for introducing debt management for the first time in the Indian financial industry.
Mr. Parmar pairs a broad range of financial industry experience with leadership qualities. His greatest strength is his ability to spot opportunities, react to them, and introduce creative techniques to the market. All of the success he has today is the result of diligent work from the roots. He has a blend of technical, operational, and people skills, along with a keen business sense and the ability to boil complex issues down to a manageable level. His style is purpose-driven, people-centric, and outcome-oriented.
Mr. Parmar, a man with modern vision and a strong decision maker. He has excelled in his unique skills in expanding his innovative business ideas to the public and financial sectors. He always took his steps forward in achieving success with an optimistic attitude that gave him the ability to communicate the invention of financial strategy to a large audience.
A seasoned banker of 25 years in the area of Credit Risk Management and a Subject Matter Expert in Credit & Collections (Certified Financial Collections Professional (CFCP). He has worked in multiple financial institutions (Citibank, and ABN Amro Network) around the globe during his professional career. For the last 15 years, he has been providing his consulting and training expertise to global consulting companies in particular to Collections Transformation, Automation, and Training. For the last 11 years, he has worked with International Finance Corporation (IFC) – A World Bank Group as a Short Term Consultant (STC) – Credit Cycle Specialist. During this time, worked as a Subject Matter Expert with other consulting companies like PwC, and Bank T&D UK and served as a faculty member for BankerLab® and International Center for Professional Collectors (ICPC) Canada.
What makes him unique in his subject matter expertise is the capability of mastering both the Art and Science of Collections. He has been instrumental in strategizing and collaborating in the implementation of several Automated Collection Systems including CGI’s CACS, FICO’s Debt Manager, and CWX in various banks and he continues to excel in this field.
He is currently associated with EXUS Software Limited and provides advisory and consulting expertise in improving the collections business model for the existing customer and new projects.
Sanjaya is the Founder of XGen Group, an Australian-based fintech solutions provider specializing in Collections & Recoveries Systems, Loan Origination Systems, and Cross Sell & Up Sell Management Systems. Under Sanjaya's leadership, XGen has evolved from a startup to a highly respected company with a global footprint, earning the trust of globally renowned clients in the banking, finance, and telecommunications industries.
Before starting XGen, Sanjaya worked for General Electric (GE) in more than 13 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. During his time at GE, Sanjaya held country-based and global leadership roles in finance, strategy, risk management, six sigma process improvement, and business transformation, managing portfolios in excess of billions of dollars.
Sanjaya's extensive experience allows him to facilitate large-scale cross-border business transformation initiatives to drive growth, productivity, and profitability. His expertise lies in turning around loss-making portfolios by focusing on operational, process, policy, and risk protocols associated with customer onboarding, account management, and servicing.
Ahmed has a proven executive management record and over 8 years successful experience in Sales, Marketing, Strategic and Operations Leadership. His expertise is to lead organization and revamp company images and performance.
Ahmed is a dynamic, results-oriented leader with a strong track record of performance in turnaround and high-paced organizations. Utilize keen analysis and insights and team approach to drive organizational improvements and implementation of best practices. Superior interpersonal skills, capable of resolving multiple and complex (sales, humanresources, legal, finance, operational) issues and motivating staff to peak performance.
Ahmed earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Knowledge Engineering from The Future University Sudan in 2013. Graduated with Latin Honor’s, he came to UAE for higher education and studied Masters of International Business Administration in Wollongong University Dubai. He also studied Diploma of Satellite Engineering in India. ,
Ahmed is currently managing Tafaseel BPO, Tafaseel IT , Salama Healthcare Services , Namaa Agricultural investments , Rannah , Technologia .
Darryl D’Souza is a Credit and Collections professional currently with aafaq Islamic Finance as Senior Vice President - Credit. He has over 30 years experience in the Banking and Financial Services, Consulting and Telecom sector. Prior to joining aafaq Islamic Finance he held senior roles within Credit, Collections and Operations at some of the leading multinational financial institutions in India, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North America at The Royal Bank of Scotland, J P Morgan Chase, Citibank, HSBC, ANZ Grindlays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. He has also worked with du telecom in the UAE and Sutherland Global Services in Canada. He is the author of a book ‘The Art of Quality Debt Collections: Exploring the human side of Collections’ published by AuthorHouse.
Kaushik is the Wealth Management COO for Africa & Middle East with previous roles as an Operations CFO, Venture Capital Finance Lead as well as Chief Product Owner. In his most recent role, he is a champion for digital disruption across client journeys and has transformed the client experience for Wealth Management across the region. Kaushik has been working with Standard Chartered since 2016 where he first joined as an International Graduate in Corporate Banking, after graduating as a computer engineer from the National University of Singapore. He is a Chartered Management Accountant and a double degree MBA graduate from Kelley School of Business (Indiana) and Manchester Business School.
A well-rounded, business savvy and culturally astute Banking Professional, with 18+ years in the corporate arena and a penchant for providing leadership in Credit risk, Retail Banking, Collections, Customer service, CRM & operational excellence by managing business operations with a focus on top-line & bottom-line performance A growth catalyst in designing strategy, formulating business development plan, partnering and establishing rapport with stakeholders, mitigating risks, bringing operational efficiency, building team’s credibility and leading as well as executing quick-witted tactical/strategic initiatives. His core strengths are team management/ collection & recoveries management with the processing of all operational activities as well process designing for customer retention as well as implementation of different process flows. Key competencies lies in successful execution of the goals, growth, leading large teams , leading cross functional teams, lead from the front, People Management, ability to handle large team across the geography. A customer focused professional with high level of interpersonal and communication skills of customer listening, negotiating & resolved their issues within the limits of my organization and up to customer satisfaction.
Certified Risk Professional with over 25 years of experience in banking sector in UAE, KSA & Qatar. Extensive experience in the Collection and Recovery arena at a leadership role with teaching and mentoring many employees. Strategic leadership in achieving business objectives including remediation of critical customers. A focal point of business development with a healthy portfolio under stressed market conditions
Mr. Wassim is a Senior Executive with a proven track record in retail credit scoring, collection analysis, profile analysis and assessment. Dynamic career growth reflecting excellent sales, influencing, negotiating, communication and general client management skills. Extensive experience in consumer lending, collection and credit card industry. Successfully spearheaded and sponsored retail risk and collection projects in all stages. He made sure that all were compliant and upholding to central bank guidelines and regulations. Introduced new product features on retail products that helped in increasing client and customer base.
Hassan Aiman is a professional with an expertise of bringing value through utilizing extensive customer service experience and excellent communication and business skills. Hassan's current position in Al Hamra Group of Companies is at the collections department as Assistant Vice president within the group business in Real estate development , Property management , owners association , facilities management , malls and retail , constructions , hospitality and hotels , marina , golf clubs & super vision of other business related to the group.His aim is to increase paid invoices and amounts by a huge number through guiding, monitoring, suggesting, and providing creative ideas and methods to his team and to the organization . Hassan was honored many times due to his achievements and talent in communications, personal skills, convincing and analyzing traits.
As the company's CEO, Ricardo Campos brings to ITSCREDIT a profound understanding of conventional banking to the digital/technology side. He excels at both strategy and execution. Ricardo is a digital transformation expert with a track record of success in the development of the digital transformation at Bank Millennium in Poland, founder of the most popular mobile payment system in Poland (BLIK), CEO of a startup e-commerce digital platform called "Goodie," and CEO of ActivoBank, the benchmark in digital banking in Portugal. With an MBA from NYU - Stern, LSE, and HEC Paris, Ricardo is supporting ITSCREDIT in becoming a recognized global brand.
Frederik Bisbjerg (born 1973 in Denmark) is a highly respected international business developer with expertise in digital transformation and business model innovation. His proven and numerous successes with worldwide business transformations come from his belief in enabling and empowering people to execute the change strategies. He is a highly sought-after senior advisor in the fields of digital transformation, digital-first corporate strategies, and C-level consulting, focusing on “the art of the possible” to secure business and digital transformation success. He holds the position as Head of MENA and Digital Transformation specialist with the Digital Insurer, the world’s largest knowledge base on digital insurance with more than 35,000 active members. With The Digital Insurer, he is part of the World’s first mini-MBA in Digital Insurance, where he lecturers on the topics of Strategy and Transformation, Big Data, and Best Practice Tech Architectures.
He has been Senior Vice President, Digital Transformation & Innovation, at Daman National Health Insurance company, one of the largest insurers in the GCC countries, where he managed the company’s digital transformation initiatives, building a ‘digital-first’ flexible and resilient insurance company.
He worked as Executive Vice President for Qatar Insurance Group (QIC), the largest composite insurer in the MENA region and one of the largest insurers in Asia. Based in the Middle East since 2013, he’s a sought-after keynote speaker and expert for local and international business innovation and development, working with companies seeking to leverage digital opportunities. Before joining QIC, Frederik was running the worldwide operations of SOS International, then the World’s largest travel claims and emergency assistance provider. With SOS International, he established companies in China and expanded SOS International’s Asian operations, securing the company a consistent two-digit growth. Frederik has strong business acumen and is recognized for his ability to build businesses and create new, often previously unseen, alliances between business partners for mutual benefits; a skill refined and honed through many years of working internationally for a top-tier management consulting firm.
Brijesh Chedayan, is a CollectionTech entrepreneur based in Dubai with 25+ years of expertise in emerging technologies. He is an authority in Legal and Collection Technology consultancy with great knowledge of technology trends and its effective application in collection domain. He has practical experience in delivering corporate wide Legal and Collection-Tech solutions across the Middle East, Africa and Indian Sub continents region.He is an author of numerous articles on Collection Technology. He is the CEO of Dubai based LegalTech firm, Beveron Technologies and author of ‘Building Smart Lawyer Office’, first of its kind book on LegalTech in the region. His second book ‘Smart Debt Collection’ provides comprehensive guidelines for collection professionals. Brijesh is also serving as the Industrial Advisory Board member of University of Bolton, UAE Academic Centre.He has acted as Customer Project Manager with Hewlett Packard Enterprise Service division and played key role in the delivery of large E-Government and Banking solutions projects in Middle East, prior to his jump in CollectionTech entrepreneurship. He has worked with Computer Sciences Corporation as Software Developer in his early career. He is located in Business Bay area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and reachable on his email : brijesh.c@beveron.com
Jai Mulani is a visionary CEO who transformed IBT from a Startup into a Thriving Global Business and built IBT from 2 Employees to workforce of 800 Employees Globally.With over 20 years of experience in the BPO Industry, Jai's Leadership and Strategic Thinking have Propelled IBT to Unprecedented Success.By Prioritizing Innovation and Customer Satisfaction, Jai Spearheaded his team's Development of Revolutionary Technologies and Services that have Revolutionized the BPO Industry.He is a Passionate for Innovation and Growth, and is committed to driving positive change in the Business World.
Inclusive, mission-driven, and transformative Senior Finance Executive with 17+ years of experience in executing innovative corporate restructuring strategies and envisioning game-changing turnaround of multi-division organizations, fueling holistic and integrated change across business operations for diverse industry verticals. Experience includes defining, building & establishing global credit & collections SOPs as well as implementing internal controls, ensuring on-time collections while optimizing the organization’s cash flow.Well-versed in all the facets of Credit & Collections Management, Cashflow Forecasting, Risk Management, Regulatory Compliance, and Process Automation. Recognized as a visionary strategist and tactician with high proficiency in devising and administering sound operational and credit management procedures, and forging strategic partnerships, resulting in enhanced profitability and sustainable business growth. Charismatic and Inspirational Leader with a democratic leadership style that generates trust, loyalty, and respect.Working with Choitrams from past 3 yrs handling GCC credit operations.
Dr. Abdulrahman Abukhalid is a Saudi ex-banker with 18 years in 4 major banks in Saudi Arabia; and is a Master Trainer and Practitioner in the fields of Credit Management, Debt Collection and Selling Skills; and is the considered as the leader in the Middle East in his field.
He has real-world practical experience in the fields of Credit Management, Debt Collection, Compliance and Risk Control, Marketing and Sales Management, Training, and 3RD Party Debt Collection with offices in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Dr. Abdulrahman is currently the CEO of The Arabian Giant Group; specialized in Consultancy, Training, and 3RD Party Debt Collection for and on-behalf of his corporate clients � B2B2C: Business-to-business-to-customers.
Dr. Abdulrahman is double majored: a doctorate degree in Marketing from the USA, and in 2023 he completed his bachelor�s degree with first honors in �Law� from Saudi Arabia. And he is the main author of �Happy Customers, Faster Payment�, an English book with over 500 pages in Credit management and Debt Collection Skills � soon to be found on Amazon.
Dr. Abdulrahman has received Seven International Awards (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2020, 2021 and 2022) and is recognized as the Top Master Trainer in The Middle East, specialized in delivering his own training programs, personally designed with best practices (copyrights protected) in Management, Debt Collection Skills, and Selling Skills.
Seasoned professional banker with over 20 years of experience in the fields of corporate banking, corporate credit risk, enterprise risk management, financial restructuring, credit operations & administration, structured/project finance & syndications, financial advisory, & operations of none-banking financial services company.
Exceptional Front-runner with 19 years of experience in corporate credit administration, budgets, and compliance with Future Pipe, Bupa insurance, Mondelez (kraft Food), Nokia Siemens, HewlettPackard (HP) and Saad Hospital.
Chairperson and key speaker on the 2nd Annual Kingdom Credit Management & Collections meeting (Riyadh) 15-16 OCT 2018
Ayman Al Wadi is the Group Executive Chairman of the AW HOLDING, an innovative organization with a portfolio of industry-leading entities that span Debt Management, Business Advisory, Risk Management, Legal Services, Investments and Translation services. With years of corporate experience and leadership, Ayman�s vision enabled the organization to stand as a pioneer in the market for the past 10 years with a reputation for achieving real corporate excellence.
In line with his vision, AW HOLDING forged strong affiliations and a formidable global network in order to deliver regional and international reach that guarantees success for its clients and partners beyond geographic limitations.
Prior to establishing AW HOLDING, Ayman worked with the Gulf Finance Corporation wherein he established its Debt Management, Compliance and Legal Affairs department. During his tenure, his valuable contributions went beyond the area of Debt Management, and his involvement stretched across several departments in the organization. On his 9th year with the organization, he became Managing Director and Board member, overseeing the entire scope of activities from local operations to international ventures.
Ayman began his professional journey as one of the establishing members of the Collections Center at Emirates Bank Group in 1996. He occupied the position of Debt Management and Legal Affairs Manager and went on to build an illustrious career marked with profound excellence and a slew of industry accolades. In parallel to his career, he continued to nurture his knowledge in the area of Business Law, acquiring a practical understanding in its numerous disciplines.
Badr Alyamani is a seasoned leader with an illustrious 13-year career spanning Debt Collections, Credit Risk, Procurement, Contracts Management, Project Management (PMO), and Finance Digital Transformation. Having dedicated over 5 years to the National Commercial Bank (now SNB), he has been a pivotal part of Bupa Arabia since 2016, currently serving as the Director of Finance Support Services.
Badr has actively championed the integration of advanced technologies in digitizing collection and credit departments through strategic implementation of process automation, sophisticated credit scoring and collection behavioral models, and predictive auto dialer systems.
Badr has adeptly overseen significant operation centers, managing multibillion-dollar receivables and multimillion-dollar CAPEX and OPEX expenditures.
His accolades include recognition for team inspiration, operational excellence, and the delivery of exceptional client experiences, contributing to substantial and unparalleled business growth.
Mr. Wassim is a Senior Executive with a proven track record in retail credit scoring, collection analysis, profile analysis and assessment. Dynamic career growth reflecting excellent sales, influencing, negotiating, communication and general client management skills. Extensive experience in consumer lending, collection and credit card industry. Successfully spearheaded and sponsored retail risk and collection projects in all stages. He made sure that all were compliant and upholding to central bank guidelines and regulations. Introduced new product features on retail products that helped in increasing client and customer base.
Hussein Shohdy is an Internationally Certified Credit & Collection professional, with over 23 years of operational & leadership experience. Most recently, leading the Credit Management transformation at Bupa Arabia and earlier at G4S & Mobily in Saudi Arabia. Previously worked at MobiNil, TechData, Etisalat Misr, EFG Hermes (Asset management) and is a well-rounded expert who has developed and implemented agile Credit Mgnt and Collections strategies whilst holding full organizational responsibility and accountability. He earned his MBA from NYIT. Additional expertise in developing and leading high-performance teams, while working across the Middle East in Egypt, Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. He strongly believes and lives by this quote: �What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal' - Albert Pike
Abdullah Mukhtar is a professional with over 18 years of Collection and recovery operation & leadership experience in customer care for both sectors B2B and B2C. Now leading the collection and recovery at the Saudi mining company and Previously worked at ( Bupa - Mobily - King Abdullah economic city - Al Rajhi holding ( Real estate - Industrial ) expert who has developed and implemented collection strategies and policies (Insurance - Telecommunication - Real estate - Mining ). with a degree in ITC Additional expertise in developing and leading high-performance teams in KSA.)
Waleed is an Industry Expert with over 22 years in Operation Management, Collection Dept., Credit Dept., Team Building and Training, Complaint Handling and Resolution, Cost Reduction Strategies. 15 years as Dedicated Admin Executive operation and credit management, experience in admin process of marketing and sales, credit banking, and dealing with internal and external suppliers. Consistently achieve high record in budget, improvements to the bottom line and turnaround of underperforming operation as worked at SAMBA financial group and ALISSA group in ALYUSR Installment Company. 12 years experience in Credit, Individuals and Companies National Medical Care Co., Morabaha Marina Finance Company, SAMBA)
ounis bin Hamad Al Sulaimi has more than 17 years of experience in the banking sector. He possesses leadership skills and constantly strives to achieve excellence. Al Sulaimi is known for delivering turnaround performances in a highly competitive environment as well as possessing thorough knowledge of both conventional and Islamic Banking. Younis Al-Sulaimi is a graduate of the University of Bedfordshire, where he obtained a degree in Business and Marketing. He also holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Finance and Management with honours from Durham University, United Kingdom. Additionally he has obtained leadership accreditation from the prestigious Harvard University. He also holds a number of professional certificates from leading institutions both locally and internationally.
Israa is a dynamic results-oriented and strategic individual delivering results with an innovative approach and perseveres with reaching the best possible outcome for her clients.Israa is a native English, Arabic, Danish, and Kurdish speaker who possesses an Intermediate knowledge of German and Persian.Israa has achieved top-tier legal degrees from Select UK Institutions. She completed her Bachelor of Laws from Middlesex University in London with Honors (LLB Honors). She then pursued and completed a Master of Laws in International Law from the University of Nottingham (LLM in International Law) and a Master of Laws in Islamic Law from SOAS University of London (LLM in Islamic Law).Israa is a JAMS Certified Mediator who began her legal career as an Associate Mediator at the Arab Mediation Center in Cairo. She had the privilege of learning from the best mediators during her shadowing experience in JAMS office in New York. She developed a keen interest in International Dispute Resolution and moved on to initiate the work on some of the first structures inside the Iraqi Government.Israa has rich experience in drafting and vetting legal documents from various legal fields such as Sports Law, Corporate Law, Contract Law, and Property Law.Israa is an IICRA Certified Islamic Arbitrator and Expert who works closely with financial institutions on Islamic Financial Products. In addition to her work on the Corporate Team in RAALC Law Firm, Israa is also responsible for arbitration proceedings conducted in the English language. Israa is interested in legal research and has previously written for the Arab Mediation Journal. Her fields of legal research include, but are not limited to, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Islamic Law Reform.
Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Mahran is a distinguished legal professional with a robust background in law and an extensive career as a legal consultant. Graduating from the Faculty of Law and Political Science in 2009, he has since become a renowned expert in various branches of law, solidifying his reputation as a leading international law professor.
Despite his relatively young age, Dr. Mahran has achieved notable recognition for his expertise in conflict resolution and arbitration. He possesses a wealth of experience, having served in front of arbitration bodies such as the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) and holding the esteemed position of State Lawyer in the Arab Republic of Egypt. Additionally, he is a member of the Arab Union for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights and has earned a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Alexandria.
Dr. Mahran's academic prowess extends to multiple degrees, including a Master's in General Law, diplomas in Arbitration, Public Law, Administrative Sciences, and an MBA. His commitment to continuous learning is evident through various specialized courses he has undertaken.
As a founding member of the Arab Union for International Arbitration, a member of the American Society of International Law, and the European Society of International Law, Dr. Mahran actively contributes to the global legal community. He serves as the Secretary-General of the International Committee for the Defense of Water Resources (ICDWR) and lectures at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alexandria and other institutions.
Dr. Mahran is not only an accomplished academic but also a sought-after legal consultant for numerous entities. His expertise has been featured in various television interviews and daily press dialogues, further solidifying his standing in the legal field. To explore more about Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Mahran, the distinguished professor of international law, you can find additional details through online searches and references.
Specialized in Industrial Credit with working experience in banking, Credit Insurance, Collection & Recoveries for more than 30 years. One of the founders of Export Credit Insurance Agency know as Credit Oman SAOG . Remarkable roles in strategic planning, risk management, collection.
Mr. Ihab Aboulezz is a highly accomplished business leader with a rich educational background and extensive experience in the financial sector. Born in 1967, he embarked on his academic journey at the Faculty of Commerce in Cairo University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1989. Recognizing the importance of continuous learning, he pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Liverpool in 2011.
In 2018, Mr. Aboulezz solidified his expertise by completing a Master's Degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting and Finance from Creek Ford University. His commitment to academic excellence laid a strong foundation for his subsequent achievements in the business world.
Mr. Ihab's professional journey commenced in 1992 when he ventured into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) job market. Over the years, he contributed his skills and knowledge to prestigious institutions such as Emirates NBD (formerly Emirates Bank), HSBC Bank, and Amlak Financial Corporation. His roles in these organizations provided him with valuable insights into the intricacies of the financial industry, shaping his strategic vision for the future.
In 2010, Mr. Ihab established the Green Lines Group of Companies, a groundbreaking venture that operates in the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Lebanon, Morocco and India. The group specializes in providing comprehensive loans collection and rescheduling services. Leveraging partnerships with various banks, Mr. Aboulezz played a pivotal role in the success and expansion of the Green Lines Group.
One of Mr. Aboulezz’ s notable contributions to the industry is the creation of the GLScan system. This innovative platform revolutionized the process of searching and retrieving official notices published in newspapers from 2012 onwards. Covering all seven Emirates of the UAE, GCC Countries and Jordan, GLScan serves as the first and only available database of official notices, encompassing government departments, corporate entities, and the private sector.
Recognizing the imminent implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) in the UAE in 2018, Mr. Ihab Aboulezz strategically expanded his business portfolio. In 2017, he introduced Green Lines Tax Consultants LLC, assembling a team of chartered accountants, auditors, and VAT professionals. This specialized team, highly qualified and certified, offers tax advice, consulting, reporting, compliance services, and accounting management to individuals and businesses in the UAE.
In summary, Mr. Ihab Aboulezz stands as a visionary entrepreneur and business leader who has left an indelible mark on the financial landscape. His commitment to education, innovation, and business excellence continues to drive the success of the Green Lines Group and its associated ventures.
Hassan Musalli, a Seasoned professional experienced in both Corporate Credit Banking and FMCG industries, with previous experience in Credit Documentation in FAB (first Abu Dhabi Bank, UAE)., and various FMCG companies (AMS Baeshen, PepsiCo, SADAFCO, KSA) Currently Mr. Hassan positioned as Head of Credit department on SADAFCO JSC, with 12+ years of experience on credit, Mr. Hassan gained the level of professionality on understanding the collection recovery cross markets and Legal requirements to protect organizations’ assets and credit sales, and give a strategic decisions from commercial finance point of view. His leadership style and skills proven to position his team at best practice for team building, develop and improve team skills, motivating and encouragement the team awarded him to be nominated to 'Outstanding Leadership Award' MoRE 2.0 Conference. Mr. Hassan graduated with an honorable degree on Business & commercial studies – Accounting & Finance (Double Major) from Liverpool, UK.
Philippe Lescroart is a seasoned professional in the field of sales and data management, currently serving as the Head of Sales at Cedar Rose in Dubai, UAE. Philippe's career reflects a strong track record of leadership and expertise in sales management, contract negotiation, and data analysis across various industries and regions.
Before joining Cedar Rose, Philippe worked at Moody's Analytics from March 2019 to December 2022, where he served as a Data Sourcing Manager for Global Datasets. In this role, Philippe managed over 50 information partners worldwide and led the customization of a contract management platform (Birdseye), showcasing his ability to leverage technology for business optimization.
Philippe's career in sales began in earnest at Bureau van Dijk where he held various key positions from January 1997 to February 2019. As the Sales Manager of the Middle East, Country Manager for Switzerland and later as the Regional Sales Director, he demonstrated a keen understanding of customer needs and market dynamics in the European and Mediterranean regions. His responsibilities included leading sales strategies for Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and parts of the Mediterranean.
With a career spanning over two decades, Philippe Lescroart exemplifies dedication, skill, and a forward-thinking approach to sales and data management. His diverse experiences and commitment to mentoring the next generation underscore his leadership in both professional and community spheres
Sachin Seth oversees the overall business of EbixCash Financial Technologies as a Managing Director and CEO as well as Non-executive director of BSEEbix JV He has over 27 years of expertise in banking, insurance, payments, wealth management, and NBFCs in India and overseas markets. Prior to this, he was a Partner at Ernst and Young LLP (EY), where he led the financial services sector's Digital and Fintech practice. In a comparable profession, he worked nearly a decade at IBM Global Business Services.
Adam originally graduated in Finance at the Budapest University of Economics. He did his MBA in the United States at Eastern Illinois University in 2001 and became a CFA charter holder in 2004. He worked as a credit analyst at Cole Taylor Bank in Chicago in 2002 and 2003, then between 2003 and 2005 he worked as a senior risk management analyst at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Adam joined Loxon in 2005. Since then, he has mostly focused on the collection product line of Loxon and has gained experience from a wide range of collection project implementations in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Results-focused, quality-driven finance professional with 14 years of experience in Credit Management involving control over B2B collections. Expert in providing critical prescriptive financial analysis and foresight to enable effective receivables strategy implementation. Worked with Saudi American Glass which is a Subsidiary of Dubai Investments and currently managing credit for Basic Chemical Industries which has Joint Ventures with HENKEL and HUNTSMAN. I believe in being proactive to foresee potential credit risks and navigate our organization safely through economic turmoil. I am member of ACCA and earned my Masters in Professional Accountancy from University of London.
Serial Entrepreneur | Transformation Business Leader | Sustainability Enthusiast | Investor | Opportunity and Talent Architect|Mentor | Key Note Speaker @COP28 | Lifelong Learner @Hult Business School, @Stanford University, @LSE
Ankur Srivastava has a decade+ expertise in setting up tech-driven debt collection businesses both in India and Europe. He has hands-on experience in deploying tech solutions for collections life cycle management and financial literacy. He is currently the Chief Business Officer at Creditas Solutions.
Career Highlights:
Sagarika acts as the CEO to IIRIS and comes armed with both legal and risk mitigation strategies. She has niche experience in risk and investigative practice and has worked on diverse engagements dealing with security management, risk advisory, fraud investigations, financial analytical services, integrity due diligence, strategic business intelligence, commercial due diligence, and brand protection. Her key area of interest lies in risk advisory, analysis of behavioral sciences, and homeland security and she has also acted on the Advisory Board of Gujarat Forensic Science University.
Sagarika has acted as the Chief Security Officer for Mumbai Film Festival since 2015 and has also led various executive protection and risk mitigation exercises for various companies including Disney, Netflix, Anand Group etc. She has also led assignments pertaining to geopolitical risk advisory and risk mitigation mapping for various corporate travelers.
Sagarika is an experienced trainer and has trained various corporates on topics pertaining to POSH, Employee Grievances, Gender Sensitization, Basics of Investigations, Vigilance and Surveillance, OSINT, Due Diligence, Fire Safety, Employee Safety / Safety at Workplace, Trainings against Drug Abuse, Body Language, Homeland Security, Crisis Communication, etc.
Stefan Cohrs is a Senior Vice President Cross-border at the EOS Group with expertise in international business. Stefan has excellent communication skills, plus the ability to effectively communicate across cultures. After more than 20 years in the car financing industry, working in management positions for banks, Stefan joined the EOS Group in 2015 and is significantly involved in the successful development and expansion of the Cross-border business.
Kjell is Head of gen AI and Transformation at Cirruslabs. Kjell was a co-founder of ING Direct USA disrupting the banking industry and got to ring the bell on NYSE due to being the fastest bank to 1 Million mobile customers. Capital One acquired ING Direct and Kjell was head of mobile and emerging tech focused on transforming the culture from analog to digital while building a new mobile platform for 45 million customers. He has won awards from Apple, Wall Street Journal and Webby Awards. As an advisory consultant to executive level management at Fortune 500’s across many industries and Globally, Kjell has planned, launched & operated Global A.I. & digital Factories and built supporting ecosystems. Kjell is a certified Digital Disruptor from Harvard, certified in AI Strategy from MIT and certified in human centered design from Stanford with an MBA from Thunderbird. When not volunteering at his local STEM academy, Kjell also likes to cook meals for first responders and shoot sporting clays.
Armin Anklesaria is Head of Domain Consulting Practice at EbixCash Financial Technologies. Having been associated with BFSI segment for close to three decades he has deep domain knowledge of the finance industry, both domestic and international. He works closely with the Finance and Operations teams and designs strategies to enrich the functionality of the Product suite. Armin is an alumnus of Wadia College, Pune and a certified Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
Ammar spent years working at a $800m VC fund in MENA, STV. As one of the first hires, he led many initiatives beyond core investment and portfolio work including accounting, strategy, compliance, financial reporting, marketing, and HRM. He received his Bachelor's in Mathematics and Philosophy from Yale.
Motasim brings years of product management experience from his early career working in Silicon Valley startups & VCs. Recently, he was a Product Lead at Mozn and built a SaaS AML platform for the financial sector from scratch and led sales and marketing. He received his Bachelors in engineering from Stanford.
