From digital banking and fintech architecture to entrepreneurship, investment, foreign policy and the judiciary, each expert is carefully selected for their depth of experience and niche expertise. They bring diverse perspectives and a shared drive to challenge convention.
Sagar has 18+ years’ experience in strategy consulting, ecosystem development, startups, family office investment management, governance, policy development and corporate finance. He has experience in a number of sectors including financial services, public sector, energy, education, entrepreneurship, real estate and wealth management. He has experience working in Saudi Arabia, UK, UAE and Libya. Most recently, Sagar developed and executed the roadmap for Fintech Saudi, an initiative setup by SAMA in collaboration with CMA to support the growth of the fintech industry in Saudi Arabia. He is also an advisor to a digital community business, a co-founder of an energy installation business in the UK, board advisor to Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University and Governor at HollandHouse School, UK.
Previously, Sagar advised a number of family offices on investment strategies, advised the Libyan government on developing a social infrastructure fund, co-founded a small venture capital fund and worked in corporate finance and economic consulting at EY. He was born in London, graduated from the London School of Economics and received his Chartered Accountancy at EY.
Globally recognized expert in future technologies, data scholar, industry advisor, and innovation evangelist.
Michael Clark is dedicated to unlocking human potential through data and technology. He has held senior roles at leading global organizations, including Mastercard and JP Morgan, and has been instrumental in guiding future cities by addressing complex digital and data challenges.
In his groundbreaking book, on the next economy and data as asset Michael introduces a transformative vision for turning data into a real-world asset and reframes the role AI to establish the foundation for a new economy. In addition to working with nations to bring the concept of data as an asset to life and reshape global systems.
Michael advises investors, startups, C-suite executives, and governments on future technologies, AI, and data— helping them cut through the noise, prepare for rapid change, and excel in an ever-evolving world.
Tony has over 20 years of multifaceted, global corporate finance and investment experience holding executive-level roles within large organizations in MENA Region. Analytical, results-oriented, performance-driven CFO and CIO equipped with a proven track record of structuring , planning and managing multi-million-dollar M&A Transactions.
Strategy, Corporate Restructuring, M&A , Fund Raising , Debt Restructuring , Investors Relations , C Suite and Board Members Management.
Master of Science (MSc), Finance, Treasury, Business School ESCP EAP, Paris
Master of Business Administration (MBA), International Business, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon
Bachelor of Administration (BA), Law, La Sagesse University, Lebanon
Bachelor of Administration (BA), Business Administration, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon
Lebanon – UAE – Saudi Arabia – Qatar – Bahrain – France – Turkey Industry
FMCG – Food Manufacturing – Oil& Gas – Hospitality – F&B – Mining
Mohammad has almost 30 years of global expertise with significant leadership experience at the C-level, particularly in strategy, finance, investments & asset management, operations, capital markets, corporate governance, risk management, corporate and debt restructuring. He is result oriented with strong and proven track record to drive growth and maximize shareholder value through asset allocations, operational efficiencies, cross functional collaborations, building and leading high performing teams.
Mohammad is currently serving as a CEO of an investment firm in the UAE and he has previously worked as a Group CFO for several years within the same firm. Prior to coming to the UAE Mohammad worked in City of London with global financial institutions for nearly 15 years.
Mohammad holds various board positions in addition to being a member of the GCC Board of Directors Institute and also completed Senior Executive Leadership Program at the prestigious Oxford University Said Business School, Oxford UK.
A results-driven Executive Leader possessing significant business and technical experience leading and executing transformational change. A recognized innovator in the world of complex solution delivery, Mark’s extensive business achievements span the International and Islamic Banking and Payments sector.
Based in the Middle East for the last 6 years Mark spent two of these in Riyadh as the CIO of Alrajhi Bank, the Worlds largest Islamic Bank in Saudi Arabia and the last three years in UAE leading the Technology and Digital Payments agenda for Network International across GCC, Jordan , Egypt and South Africa. Most recently Mark joined the National Bank of Kuwait as the Chief Technology and Transformation Officer based in Kuwait City.
Previously Mark spent 15 years spanning Investment and Retail Banking Executive leadership roles with both Deutsche Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland / NatWest.
Having lead and executed various technology and customer strategies from business transformation, digitisation, integration mergers and acquisitions , Mark brings to Mingzulu a proven Executive track record of enabling business innovation and delivering transformational change on an international scale.
Michael is the founder of oloughlin.io, a global business advisory firm. His company specialises in global finance, technology and regulation across the whole market spectrum from central market infrastructures to consumer channels - working extensively with new, cutting edge payments technologies.
He has deep knowledge of MENA regulatory and innovation landscape and has deep domain experience in the FS Sector, working with leading Banks and Regulators across Europe, Middle East & US markets.
Previously Michael spearheaded global solutions at Token, led crypto technology activities at CGI, and was chief of staff at Citi.
He has recently completed writing CFTE's 'Payments in Digital Finance' college course and is a regular contributor to Forbes magazine.
Martin Ewart is a results-driven executive with deep expertise in leading organisational transformations and delivering exceptional outcomes in complex and dynamic environments. With a proven track record of driving cultural change across multi-geographical regions, Martin has consistently scaled both small and large enterprises, achieving significant revenue growth even in challenging markets.
As a seasoned leader in buy- and sell-side M&A, he brings strategic insight and operational rigor to every transaction. A trusted coach and mentor to senior executives, Martin is passionate about achieving measurable results while inspiring and empowering teams to thrive.
Bill combines the ability to understand individuals and businesses and endless curiosity with an ability to deconstruct complex business systems and share the discovery with others at all levels. The result is a distinctive mix of deep insight, collaborative engagement, and an innovation mindset that leads to accelerated results.
Bill’s life apprenticeship spans roles, areas, and disciplines. Roles include cross-cultural leadership, coaching, mentoring, and subject leadership. Areas of expertise include technology, product management, relationship management, operations, investment banking, and finance. Disciplines involve innovation, transformation, design, execution, advisory, and strategy. His collaborative approach to success spans a range of roles that includes consulting, coaching, C-suite leadership, and as a Non-executive Board Member.
Bill’s experiential lessons includes the following.
Bill’s commitment includes engaged and upwardly moving employees, resilient client loyalty, improve capabilities and resiliency, and profitable business growth. He is an active mentor and coach with the Founder Institute with more than a decade of experience.
Nosaibah is Building a Fintech that’s redefining financial well-being. As the trail blazer within the fintech industry, Nosaibah founded the first licensed, female-led Fintech in Saudi Arabia. Forus Financial is a debt crowdfunding marketplace, where you can Invest in debt & Alternative Assets.
With over SAR 500 M in funding and SAR 2B in pipeline. The future of Islamic investing, one platform to manage your alternative investments in the debt market. Forus Financial allows you to earn attractive returns, create a diversified portfolio that you control, all is a safe State-of-the-art system.
Before being named CEO in October 2019, Nosaibah was Head of Securities at Albilad Capital managing over SAR 1 billion in Assets. Further, Nosaibah is an avid angel investor in innovative tech start-ups from around the globe, such names include Pipe, Float* and Signal Wire
Mauro Romano is SVP and Member of the Board at Symax Group. He is also the Chief Labs Officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technology. With a long standing successful track record in business development, Mauro has guided various endeavors in Europe and the MENA region to fruition, working with establishments and firms across Europe, UK, USA, UAE, KSA, India, Peru, among others.
Mauro’s experience includes working with the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange, London Stock Exchange Group and The Bank of New York. Aside from working with such esteemed institutions, Mauro is also an entrepreneur at heart. In 2018, he co-founded ArabClicks (Morexa DMCC), in Dubai, UAE, the first Arabic performance marketing network. ArabClicks was effective in boosting online traffic to sites like Amazon, Noon, Emirates Airlines, Adidas, and many more.
Mauro obtained a BA and MS in Economics and International Markets at Parthenope University in Naples, Italy. He later pursued an MA in Quantitative Finance and Risk Management at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. In 2017, Mauro took part in the Senior Executive Leadership Program Middle East at Harvard Business School in Boston, US. Mauro’s interests cover real estate investment, consumer goods, financial strategy and forecasting, start-up investments, and spends his me-time reading, swimming, and traveling.
Darko Atijas serves as a non-executive board member for several emerging technology companies in both the UK and UAE. Over his career, he has successfully led high profile business exits, including the sale of Temando to Neopost in 2015 (100m TEV), Attco Global Services to Tech Data in 2017 (50m TEV), and Showpony Ltd to the Kevin Murphy Group in 2021 (33m TEV).
Darko is also the co-founder of True Altitude, a boutique investment bank that specialized in supporting B2B technology companies which has since merged with a Abu Dhabi merchant bank Al Liwan Group and is no longer on the board.
Throughout his career, Darko has personally completed 41 investments, while his advisory teams have played a role in the growth of over 130 fast-growing businesses across multiple regions, including the UK, EU, GCC, US, and APJ. Historically Darko’s collaborative advisory has syndicated approximately $300M USD in equity investments and M&A, secured $110M in asset-based financing, and facilitated over £1Bn in debt financing, with a focus primariy on the B2B technology sector.
Darko is particularly skilled in forging strategic partnerships between well-established businesses and innovative, emerging technology firms. His passion lies in helping these businesses future-proof their core propositions through the integration of cutting-edge technologies and solutions. His deep industry knowledge and strong global network make him a sought-after leader in the world of tech investment and business growth. He is currently operating in an independent capacity and a senior advisor to Mingzulu, whilst also working within his own and external B2B tech portfolio.
With over 20 years of experience in MENA capital markets, Sofia is an accomplished Investor Relations professional with a strong track record of collaborating with executive level and cross-functional teams to develop and implement effective investor relations strategies. Based on the 2022 Institutional Investor Survey, Sofia was recognized as the Best Investor Relations Professional amongst Emerging EMEA Financials and was named Best Investor Professional in the UAE several times in the span of 10 years.
In her current role as Group Head of Investor Relations at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Sofia is overseeing all investor-related activities, generating significant value for the Group through investor targeting, shareholder diversification and effective engagement with credit rating agencies. She is actively participating in various strategic projects and was part of the working group that led the historic merger between FGB and NBAD. To-date, Sofia has conducted +15,000 interactions with the sell-side and buy-side, and participated in over 150 investor conferences, roadshows and events.
In addition to equity research and investor relations, Sofia is skilled in financial modeling and analysis, strategic communications and sustainability. She holds postgraduate degrees in financial management from Paris Dauphine University, and a master’s degree in international management from the American University in Washington, DC. Sofia also currently serves as the vice-chair of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA), which she first joined as a board member in 2014.
Outside of the office, Sofia loves to spend quality time with her two young children. She is also a fitness enthusiast and an ashtanga yoga practitioner.
Simon is co-founder and CEO of Findexable – the digital platform for benchmarking fintech innovation globally, and home to the Global Fintech Index.
findexable’s platform makes it easier to benchmark fintech activity, powers unmoderated, real-time insight on global fintech ecosystems and helps organisations & investors understand the ingredients of fintech success.
Simon has two decades of experience supporting the growth of fintech ecosystems and building meaningful connections between investors, institutions, and innovators through his work with global intelligence brands including The Economist, Euromoney Institutional Investor Thomson Reuters, and Global Data.
He was previously a director of financial services events and data business Global Data PLC before setting up findexable in response to growing customer demand for an easier, more efficient means of gathering insight and analytics.
Nikoletta Kovacs is a Transformation Leader with a diverse financial industry background spanning over 17 years. Originally from Hungary, most of her career has been within the financial industry including banking and insurance. Nikoletta has held numerous strategic roles across a diverse range of areas, including banking strategy, product strategy, sustainability, and digital transformation. Nikoletta has been a key player in creating business strategies that drive growth and innovation across the sector in more than 15 markets in Central and Eastern Europe. A firm believer in the power of technology and innovation to create a sustainable future, Nikoletta is dedicated to supporting customers and businesses in their quest to build and use technologies, products, and services that contribute to the betterment of our planet.
As a Sustainability Leader in the financial industry, Nikoletta is committed to facilitating the green transition and fostering environmentally conscious practices. Nikoletta designed and executed numerous strategic initiatives to expedite the transition toward sustainable practices. Among her contributions, Nikoletta collaborated on authoring the framework for “retail green and social loans”, and spearheaded the development of innovative, sustainability-centric, and impact-driven solutions for customers, including carbon footprint application.
A devoted Rubik's Cube enthusiast and thrives on the challenge of solving this complex puzzle, consistently seeking to improve her skills and beat her personal best times. Alongside her love for the Rubik's Cube, Nikoletta is also an avid blogger, using her platform to share other thoughts, experiences, and insights.
Gert built a career in audit, enforcement, legal & risk management (Dutch Central Bank, Philip Sidney, OneLogistics, FCI-factoring).
He holds a Master degree in law from Amsterdam Law School and a post-graduate degree in accounting and (forensic) auditing from Rotterdam Erasmus University.
Gert set up and headed the Enforcement function of the Central Bank in the United Arab Emirates till end of 2023 and is member of the advisory board of Safe Trade Corridors in The Hague and of Castellum in New York.
Currently, Gert is a Judge in Amsterdam.
Callum is a pioneering strategist and advisor at the forefront of AI, cloud, and digital infrastructure transformation. With 20+ years of experience driving innovation and growth across EMEA and MENAT, he brings a unique blend of technical acumen and commercial leadership to high-stakes environments.
As a senior executive at Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the world’s leading hyperscalers, Callum led AI, machine learning, edge computing, and security strategies across multi-billion-dollar portfolios. He built and scaled the AWS AI Innovation Centre, cutting deployment cycles dramatically and tripling customer success rates by accelerating the co-creation of real-world AI solutions. His work empowered governments, financial institutions, telecom leaders, and critical infrastructure players to move faster, smarter, and with greater resilience.
Callum is recognized for his ability to translate complex technologies into executable business strategy. He has shaped national digital transformation agendas, led cross-functional teams across regulated markets, and delivered impact at scale. Whether advising C-level stakeholders or engineering go-to-market strategies, he brings a pragmatic, mission-focused approach to ecosystem development and sustainable innovation. With a track record of delivering in both public and private sectors, Callum is now focused on advising forward-looking organizations ready to lead the next era of intelligent infrastructure and digital acceleration.
Martin has almost 30 years experience in industry. The majority of his career has been in the technology sector but he has also worked with a large investment firm and as an entrepreneur, founding and running his own business venture.
Most recently he has spent 6 years leading the Europe Middle East & Africa and Asia Pacific - Japan Go To Market for Rubrik. Rubrik have just recently had a very successful IPO on NYSE. Rubrik have brought a completely new approach to the Data Security market, which has been the catalyst for outstanding ARR growth, world class NRR and true customer value.
Martins knowledge encompasses a vast breadth of enterprise wide technology offerings. Deep customer engagement has been a key pillar to Martins success, which has been across all vertical markets and sectors, from the to Fortune 100 to the Mid Market.
Key to his success has been his ability to recruit, build and lead high performing teams, this is centered around ensuring the talent, cadence and culture of the team is right.
His unique approach has delivered incredible results for some of the largest technology companies beyond Rubrik globally including, Cisco, EMC, Dell and CA.
