Over the past two days, the 3rd and 4th of May, the 3rd Annual Middle East WealthTech Forum & Awards was concluded, leaving behind the resonance of the copious knowledge and insight shared during the course of its duration. “Technology will create new paths in investment decisions and asset management which probably don’t exist today.” A statement made by Robert Hahm – Chief Executive Officer at Mashreq Capital (DIFC) Ltd. perfectly reflects the purpose of this year’s forum.
Captivating discussions during the summit focused on the future trajectory of wealth & asset management and the dynamic characteristics of the market, opening it to a world of innovation. “I think we are on the cusp of experiencing something (in the wealth management space) that is truly revolutionary.” Enthralling words said by Michael Makdah – Director of Market Intelligence at The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum & Seed Group. Martin De Heus – EMEA Director at Moxo, one of our valued gold sponsors for the event, shared thought-provoking ideologies and insights at this year’s edition of the forum, “Wealth management firms need to leverage the robust development of technology and use it to add value to their current operations.” This was the epitome of a lively discussion about how businesses operating in today’s market are expected to adapt, innovate and welcome the ‘disruptive’ technologies in the wealth sector, to maximize consumer interaction and satisfaction.
The summit featured a diverse range of speakers, including industry experts and thought leaders, who covered a wide variety of topics including the evolution of wealth management and the fears associated with welcoming the technology that is transforming the industry today. The lively and interactive panel discussions created opportunities for gripping discussions and conclusions to be reached regarding where the Wealthtech industry is seen to go. Anand Krishnan – Director, Head of Technology at Emirates Investment Bank, during his panel discussion on the role of technology in navigating business operations and encouraging customer-centric approaches, pointed out the relative development technology has undergone, “We are currently, and will always be, on a journey to find newer areas where banking can transcend.”
Christopher Flinos – Chief Executive Officer at HAYVN provided notions during his panel discussion on the biggest threats and opportunities wealth management sees on its horizon. Christopher’s words created an impact during the forum where he stated, “The challenge in our industry is the difficulty in giving advice to independent investors who choose to favor technology over wealth management professionals.” An intriguing thought was put forward, to which Ajit Joshi – Managing Director at SHUAA Capital, highlighted, “We will not be able to give up the human involvement when it comes to investment decisions, that is key.”
The composition of the knowledge and perspectives gathered over the course of the two days at the 3rd Annual Middle East WealthTech Forum & Awards, shined a great light on the future of wealth and asset management and the scope this industry truly has for its exponential growth.
This year’s summit was also supported by some of the leading experts within wealth management and technology such as MOXO, Objectway Spa, Temenos, AG Delta, Futora, IntellectAI, Winsoft Technologies, and Wealth Dynamix who actively participate in the provision of transformational technologies in the wealth management arena and more.
– Nisha Zakkir (Marketing Executive), Verve Management DMCC
