The art of replacing disjointed systems with digitized processes. Join us on Couchonomics with Arjun as we sit down with Vikram Suri, Managing Director for the Middle East and Turkey region at FIS. In this episode, Vikram and Arjun explore FIS’s significant impact in the GCC region and their constant drive for innovation and reinvention.  We discuss the ever-evolving world of fintech and payments, covering topics such as Payment Trends and Financial Inclusion, Banks and Payment Infrastructure, Biometrics and Contactless Payments, and FIS’s Approach to Security.  Don't miss this ins ..read more

In this episode, we’re joined by Christoph Koster, CEO of Ruya Bank, a digital-first Islamic community bank in the UAE. Ruya Bank is dedicated to bringing ethical Islamic banking practices to all communities in the UAE, supporting SMEs, startups, and low-income groups. Christoph and Arjun explore Islamic finance and banking, the potential for growth and collaboration in Islamic fintech, Ruya’s adoption of new technologies, and more. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of community banks, Islamic banking, and Ruya’s efforts to reshape banking in the UAE with its ethical approach. #DigitalB ..read more

Can you rely on AI to invest in real estate globally? Joining us this week on the #couch is Ranime El Skaff, the co-founder of PropAI—a platform that uses AI to simplify Dubai’s real estate investments. In this episode, we uncover the evolution of PropTech in the region, real estate trends, and how her company is revolutionizing real estate investment with cutting-edge technology. Ranime and Arjun also discover the challeges in real estate invetsment, the dynamics of Dubai and Saudi Arabican RE market, future plans for Prop-AI and more. Don't miss out on this episode—learn how Prop-AI is trans ..read more

What is the state of CVC, and why is now the inflection point for CVCs to grow in the MENA region? Joining us on the #couch to explore these questions is Kushal Shah, Managing Director of e& capital, the CVC arm of the e& group. In this episode, Kushal shares his expert insights on e& capital's investment areas, focus, post-investment involvement, and future plans. We delve into the growing CVC scene in the region, discussing the differences between Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) and Venture Capital (VC), e& capital's investment strategy and governance, and the challenges and ..read more

This week, we shift our focus to telecommunications. What once was a booming and developing sector is now seen as more traditional, showing how fast things are changing. ? Joining us on the #couch is Dina Tsybulskaya, the CEO of ESIM Plus. Dina shared her insights on the future of telecommunications, the impact of 24/7 connectivity, and how blockchain is revolutionizing decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). Don't miss this conversation about what lies ahead for the telecom industry and what it means for consumers! ? This episode is now live on YouTube and all major podcasting ..read more

Season 3 of Couchonomics with Arjun, a podcast dedicated to dissecting the seismic shifts which are rearchitecting the global financial system.  Our journey transcends the MENA region's boundaries, focusing this season on Saudi Arabia, exploring the innovation that is shaping commerce and society as we know them today If you are in this industry or eager to get educated, tune in weekly for exciting new episodes. Couchonomics with Arjun is brought to you by our partners from Adyen, Mastercard, Thunes, ToYou, Geidea and M2P Fintech. Our website ? https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0 Couchonomics with A ..read more

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Digital Transformation of the banking value chain is a key challenge for every Banking CEO - doesn’t matter where in the world they are operating.  In our latest episode, joining Arjun on the #couch is Jouk Pleiter, CEO of Backbase—a platform that specializes in helping banks modernize their customer interactions by transforming their technology stack from front to back. Jouk shares his candid insights on how changing consumer expectations and the influence of challengers entering the banking sector from multiple sectors are raising the bar for innovation and encouraging banks to moderni ..read more

Welcome back to Couchonomics with Arjun! This week, we're diving into Pakistan's financial services with Kabeer Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Microfinance Network. We explore the dynamic interplay between traditional banks, microfinance institutions, and fintechs, and discuss the digital transformation of Pakistan's financial ecosystem. Plus, we cover key topics like microfinance, regulatory advocacy, digital vs. traditional banking, and the challenges of serving MSMEs. Don't miss this insightful conversation! Available now on YouTube and all podcast platforms. Tune in!  #Podcast #Fint ..read more

Welcome to a new episode of Couchonomics with Arjun! This week, we're diving into Banking as a Service (BaaS) with Kelvin Tan, CEO of Audax. Kelvin shares insights on Audax’s “bank in a box” solution, helping banks scale and modernize rapidly. We discuss the potential and challenges of BaaS, open banking, and the future of embedded finance. Don't miss this insightful conversation on digital banking! Couchonomics with Arjun Season 3 is brought to you by our partners: Adyen https://www.adyen.com/ ToYou https://toyou.io/ar Mastercard https://mastercard.com/ Geidea https://geidea.net/ M2P https ..read more