INTLBM Issue 5

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CONTENTS...

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Hybrid Learning modules to evolve learning curve

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Metro Brazil sets up new centre at Dubai CommerCity

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Spark Connected and TDK Launch Automotive Wireless Charging Solution

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Amazon Payment Services Opens Its First Fintech Lab In DIFC

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Credgenics unveils CG collect FOS loan recovery app

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Buhl Group announces Point of Sale Solution on android app

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2021

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Velodyne Lidar signs agreement with Renu Robotics for its Puck sensors

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We believe technology fastforwards rural development’: Dilip Modi of DigiSpice Technologies

AppViewX unveils Next-Gen Machine Identity Automation Platform

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What Lies Beyond the Hype of NFTs?

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Leonardo to unveil cutting edge technology at Expo 2020 Dubai

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Growth Sectors For Investors To Consider In 2021

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HSBC announced corporate sponsorship via MoU for India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

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Fitch Changes Saudi National Bank’s Attitude Toward Moneylender’s Strength And Improving Climate

UAE-chaired OIC Summit on Science & Technology issues Abu Dhabi Declaration

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Award Winners 2021

WELCOME

EDITOR’S NOTE

Managing Director Shashank M Co-Founder & CEO Shankar VS Chief Editor Pragnesh Shah

Directing the E-Commerce Innovation

Assistant Editor Ujal Nair Head of Operations Kevin Harris Head of Production Shank Mendez Head of Research Laura Edwards Head of Media Sales Charles Grey Media Sales Manager Chris Young Advertising contact chris@intlbm.com Content Managers: Daniel Edwards, Sumana Shankar Business Development Paul Cooper, Alisha Taylor, Jane Sanders, James Smith, Jason Graphic Designer Flyer Creative Designs Account Manager Agnes Wong Offices: Registered Adddress: Sharjah Media City (Shams), Al Messaned City, Al Bataeh,

In the current world, rapid innovation is fuelled by a massive influx of user data, and remaining relevant is demanding yet crucial. In addition, the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic has altered consumer life overnight, driving retailers to reevaluate how they execute trade and finances.

Without depending on the complications of logistics systems and supply chains, e-commerce makes development possible through optimization.

The expansion of e-commerce services is surging every year and the shifting trends are taking on a wave of new consumers across segments, delivering greater alternatives for enterprises and start-ups to cater to the growing number.

The exponential growth in first-time consumers means brands and companies will need to solidify their presence through marketplace listings or lucrative Direct to Consumer (D2C) channels. These channels will help bring traction to strategize their product categories and increase their brand reach.

Amidst the pandemic, industries have realized the necessity for a digital ringfence to build a resilient enterprise. By using deep-techs such as Artificial Intelligence (Al), Machine Learning, and Virtual Reality (VR), businesses can deliver a personalized experience for their consumers.

The changing rate of the e-commerce expansion exhibits no indications of putting the brakes on. The improved customer experience provided by digital stores guarantees that e-commerce is here for the long haul. In this edition of International Business Magazine, you will see many new changes in the market and how its shifting the whole curve.

Let us know your thoughts!

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, P.O. Box: 515000

Pragnesh Shah Chief Editor

Office Address: Suite No 502, Al Tawhidi 1 Building, Floor 5, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Be sure to check out our website at

www.intlbm.com

Email: info@intlbm.com Phone: +971 55 686 6713 Image Source: www.Istock.com

Connect with us on Twitter: @interna11168480 and Facebook:@intlbm Instagram: @intlbm.

EDUCATION

HYBRID LEARNING modules to evolve learning curve

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here is a huge transition in today’s educational world as it had turned as a catalyst for turning over the outdated educational module and powering forth innovation, not just in the educational standards as well as policies, but also via path which was like approaching an average classroom.

Thanks to pandemic and sudden school closures, innovation- specifically technological innovation, has proved vital as it had mitigated out the gap left via hurdles of an in-person classroom. It was robustly filled via video conferencing tools, learning software, and more.

Such prevailing circumstance have thus, powered way for hybrid learning (part in-person, part online) backed technology-based educational model to power out forthcoming step in the learning experience evolution curve.

Statement from Christopher Petrie, Director of Digital Learning at New Nordic School

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Christopher Petrie, Director of Digital Learning at New Nordic School shared that, “the pandemic has made us question the very purpose of education and the means by which we provide it. There’s a need to modernize, to be aligned with what matters today. Models like hybrid learning are designed to help students have a say in their own learning journey while catering to the needed skills of the 21st century and being relevant to the modern world.”

New Nordic School is altering current systems of education via their pre-K to grade 12 hybrid education system that blends the renowned Finnish curriculum, global pedagogy, and hybrid learning.

The AI-powered system dynamically offers custom-made tools and resources for each student while permitting them to explore their natural creativity, determining their true passions, and shape their own future. New Nordic School’s partner schools are opening around the globe.

As received from a Press Release

COMMERCE

Metro Brazil sets up new centre at

Dubai CommerCity

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etro Brazil, said to be the world’s first e-commerce platform specialized in the global supply of authentic premium Brazilian products, establishes regional headquarters in Dubai CommerCity, reported to be the first and leading free zone dedicated exclusively to e-commerce.

key to regional shipments.

From Sao Paulo, the move to the UAE and to Dubai CommerCity in specific, is strategically placed to benefit Metro Brazil’s growth in the region, and across the world. The company claims that the choice was impacted by the exclusive benefits Dubai CommerCity offers in terms of free zone facilities, scalability, unique design, positioning as a global hub with turn key solutions, and proximity to Dubai International Airport, which is

The announcement was made in the presence of members of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, (Dubai Branch), United Arab Emirates. Metro Brazil, since establishment 4 years ago, has enjoyed a close and active relationship with the chamber. Alaa explains that both continue to mutually commit to increasing trade relations between Brazil and the Arab Countries; and Dubai CommerCity, extended its support to facilitate the move.

Alaa Kara Ali, founder, and CEO of Metro Brazil, announced that the new regional headquarters will boast state of the art offices, world-class warehouses, progressive logistics and a dedicated customer service center, key investments for business expansion.

As Received over a press release from Zawya

2021

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TECHNOLOGY

Spark Connected and TDK Launch Automotive Wireless Charging Solution

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park Connected, a global leader in developing advanced and innovative wireless power technology, announced the launch of The Beast 2.0 – an automotive in-cabin wireless charging solution with TDK’s newest pattern coil technology.

The first-generation Beast 1.0, which was Qi certified and released to market in 2018, was the industry’s first solution to come pre-certified CISPR-25 Class 5, providing unparalleled EMC performance in the market. This technology is currently deployed in model year 2021 vehicles worldwide.

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The new Beast 2.0, together with TDK’s pattern coil, is a 15W automotive in-cabin wireless charging solution that meets Qi v1.3 requirements.

It provides class-leading EMC performance, a wide input supply range with continuous charging even during vehicle stop/start events, and superior user safety including Foreign Object Detection (FOD).

According to Ruwanga Dassanayake, COO at Spark Connected, “After the market success of The Beast 1.0, the Spark team did what they do best, and made a great solution even better. We are excited to introduce the next generation Beast 2.0 and pair it

with TDK’s newest cutting-edge pattern coil technology, providing our customers with advanced features and a level of performance not available in the market today.”

TDK’s pattern coil technology leverages proven mature processes, materials and manufacturing techniques. The copper coil pattern is created by a plating process used in TDK’s power inductors for over 15 years and allows for thinner solutions over traditional wire wound coils. The ultra-thin magnetic shield utilizes manganese-zinc (Mn-Zn) ferrite that provides higher permeability (µ’) and saturation magnetic flux

TECHNOLOGY

density (Bs) values. The ferrite shield construction makes use of a “wet” layering process resulting in thinner and non-rigid shields and eliminating the need for high tonnage pressing.

These features, along with unique multi-layer coil construction, provide a uniform, automotive robust wireless charging coil.

“Wireless charging has become increasingly important for devices like smartphones, and we strive to create a world where you don’t need to carry around a charger or mobile battery, where you can charge devices by simply setting them down – inside cars, on tables in cafes or

restaurants, waiting areas in stations and airports,” said Noritaka Chiyo, Subsection Head of the Communication Devices Business Group, TDK. “Thin coils will greatly contribute to this charging evolution because they can easily be installed almost anywhere – including to power automotive in-cabin charging, such as Spark Connected’s industry leading Beast 2.0 solution.”

● Thinner, lighter weight – down to 0.75 mm thickness for 15W coil ● Removal of charging efficiency “voids” and “valleys” over complete coil pattern As Received in a press release from Business Wire

Highlights of TDK coil technology: ● Single coil pattern that replaces existing tri-coil solutions thus reducing part count and cost

2021

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FINANCE

Amazon Payment Services Opens Its First Fintech Lab In DIFC

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rganization is fostering a program to work with SMEs, new businesses, and controllers to discover answers for instalment problem areas Amazon Payment Services has set up its first worldwide FinTech lab at the DIFC Innovation Hub to help territorial new companies and organizations driving development in digital payments.

The drive means to expand FinTech appropriation in the district by giving a gathering to conversations on digital payments and tending to difficulties clients face in making digital payments, the organization said yesterday.

“The locale is going from a boondocks stage to an arising phase of monetary innovation. Through the Amazon FinTech Lab, we work with pioneers and visionaries to transform innovative thoughts and ideas into ground-breaking and problematic powers in FinTech,” overseeing chief Omar Soudodi disclosed to The National.

We are hoping to help advancements that will help make the payment experience simpler, secure and more reasonable for clients Omar Soudodi, overseeing overseer of Amazon Payment Services

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) welcomes back clients, visitors, retailers, and restauranteurs at the Centre. Image courtesy Dubai Media Office Twitter handle. Image used for illustrative purpose

“We are hoping to help development that will help make the payment experience simpler, secure and more reasonable for clients.”

The digital payments business is blasting, with the Covid-19 pandemic urging more organizations to utilize new innovation.

Universally, computerized payments are set to develop to $8.26 trillion of every 2024, from $4.4tn last year, as per research organization Statista.

The UAE is among the nations driving this selection. 66% of individuals anticipate that the country should turn out to be completely credit only by 2030, as indicated by a survey by Standard Chartered.

A report by US-based TechSci Research additionally discovered the UAE portable wallet market is relied upon to develop at a build yearly pace of 24% to $2.3 billion by 2022. The DIFC Innovation Hub, which opened last month, is a worldwide FinTech focus that has drawn in many FinTech new companies from around the world. “We invite Amazon Payment Services’ first FinTech lab on the planet at the Innovation Hub in DIFC,” said Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority. “We are anticipating cooperating to drive the fate

of money.”

The Amazon FinTech Lab will put together workshops for new companies and different associations in various enterprises, for example, web based business, protection, and travel to see any payment issues they face.

It is likewise hoping to join forces with controllers, payment innovation organizations like Visa and Mastercard, and payment processors.

“We will likewise coach and co-make with FinTech organizations,” said Mr. Soudodi. “We will distribute a plan of exercises that will be coordinated under the Amazon FinTech Lab.” The lab as of late had a co-creation meeting with Value, an Egyptian FinTech organization, to make exchanges less expensive for clients in Egypt and past, he said.

There are right now in excess of 300 FinTechs in the GCC handling cash digitization challenges, among others. The following not many years will be an “energizing time” for FinTech organizations in the locale, as indicated by Mr. Soudodi.

The worldwide digital payment industry is advancing and has arrived at a point where clients can make frictionless payment utilizing voice or biometric palm prints, even without a gadget, he said.

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FINANCE

Credgenics unveils CG collect FOS loan recovery app

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redgenics, a unique SaaSbacked end-to-end debt resolutions as well as legal automated podium, has announced unveiling CG Collect– a mobile application to aid out for the lenders, managers track the collections agents, screen off their activities, and evaluate their performance.

Alongside this, it aids the agents steer to the borrowers’ location with ease, schedule visits with a couple of clicks, showcase legal notices to the borrowers, and access e-receipts for proof of payments, among other benefits.

This Feet-On-Street (FOS) loan recovery application can suggestively improve the productivity of collection agents. The app is now available on Google Play Store, and will soon be live on Apple App Store as well.

Statement from Anand Agrawal, CoFounder & CTO, Credgenics

Commenting upon the launchpad, Cofounder and CTO, Credgenics, Anand Agarwal, stated, “We are really excited to introduce loan recovery FOS application for the collection agents and the managers. Through this CG Platform, managers can benefit from hassle-free loan allocation, easy tracking of agents and cases allocated to them and the corresponding collection cycles. Besides this, collection agents could easily manage and plan the loans in their portfolio. They can check for important parameters against those loans like DPD values, legal notice copies, agents’ distance from the borrowers, and their allocation month. This helps them easily create, track and execute their pending tasks.”

He further added out that, “This application has been carefully designed to renew our promise to digitally transform the collection activities and make it more cost and time efficient. The areas where the traditional means of collections through agents is prevalent, CG Collect will help the agents and the managers use a simple technology to do their work more efficiently. Remaining true to our aim, we would try to bring more offerings in the course of our journey to promote the cause of good assets and digital transformation.”

The FOS mobile app closely join in with the Credgenics web platform and permits features like navigation to the applicant provided address, direct calling of borrowers, geo-tracking of the agent’s live location,

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logging collection details (like recovered amount, collection mode and status for successful and failed recoveries), collection and visit proof, single & multiple loan deposit to the lender’s bank/company branch, and collection receipt’s integration with the communication channels like Email, SMS, WhatsApp, etc.

Credgenics bring about over INR 1,500 crores of debt on its financial platform and helps their clients by suggestively improving the resolution rates by up to 20% and up to 20-days reduction in the resolution time.

The team contains of 150+ members, with a strong 70+ member tech and product team. Credgenics also has 2200+ legal counsels empanelled pan-India for arbitration and legal steps in late-stage delinquencies.

To simplify the debt recoveries and thereby remedy the sharp rise in the NPA, the firm operates alongside 7 leading private banks like ICICI Bank, IDFC First, Axis Bank and Kotak Bank, besides 40+ marquee NBFCs like IIFL Finance, Loantap, DMI Finance, Clix Capital, Udaan, Moneytap, Moneyview, among others. Lately, Credgenics gathered US$25 Million in Series-A round and reproduced its valuation by 5.5 times to $100 million. The round was powered by reputed investors Westbridge Capital, Tanglin Venture Partners, and Accel Partners, along with the participation of other marquee investors.

FINANCE

Buhl Group announces Point of Sale Solution on android app

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he Buhl Group, a German firm, pioneer in financial as well as tax software, recently announced unveiling of Point of Sale (P.O.S) solutions on the android platform Imprezz, thus, announcing it’s plans for Indian operations, with a vision for empowering and shifting the nation’s diverse businesses. The group states they have an annual turnover worth € 150 million with 13 offices across Europe and Asia with 50 software merchandizes.

Imprezz is a business operations software that bring about accounting, GST compliant invoicing, inventory, customer data, order processing etc for various industries like services, manufacturing, automobile, and more.

The firm claims that Imprezz’s uniqueness is its Point of Sale (P.O.S) solution on the mobile app with 2,00,000 accessible merchandize data for grocery and kirana merchants.

The firm also claimed that, Imprezz software application is accessible on both web as well as android application have aided diverse businesses and industries to generate invoices worth ₹ 600 crores from more than 22,000 small and medium businesses.

The firm also was prompt to announce end-to-end Point of Sale (P.O.S) solution on the mobile app with Imprezz aiding the grocery and kirana stores by providing a feature equivalent to a cash register

popularly used by the retailers to manage their sales, inventory and customer data tested out on over 100 retailers across Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Statement from Moritz Buhl, Managing Director and CEO, The Buhl Group Announcing the group’s plans for India, Moritz Buhl, Managing Director and CEO, The Buhl Group, said, “We are happy to introduce the P.O.S solution on our product Imprezz for the Indian market. India is one of the largest retail markets in the world and yet is unique in that it is characterized by its unorganised retail, primarily kirana stores. The pandemic in the last year has forced retailers to adopt digitisation more than ever before and we feel this is just the right time to offer Imprezz P.O.S to the retail market here. Our test phase in Bangalore has provided us a very positive response and we are looking to scale pan-India soon. We are confident in the leadership spearheaded by our country head Amit and in the team that he has put together for us here.”

in retail sales in 2020. The retail market size in India is expected to grow to 1.7 trillion USD by 2026, according to a report by Statista. Groceries contribute to 65% of India’s retail and more than half of them belong to the unorganized segment – single outlet supermarket and neighborhood provision stores. Therefore, it is only appropriate for us to target this vertical for Imprezz in the initial phase of its launch in India. We have listed over 200,000 brands on the P.O.S mobile app even as we launch and we hope to expand this to another 500,000 in the next three months. Such a large and comprehensive listing of brands and products and the app’s capability to address inventory management, invoicing, payments and customer profile management and overall supply chain, together make it compelling for retailers to adopt it, making their processes more efficient and their lives easier.”

Statement from Amit Mundra, CEO and Country Manager, The Buhl Data Service Pvt. LtdAmit Mundra, CEO and Country Manager, Buhl Data Service Pvt. Ltd. added, “India was among the few countries world over to show growth 2021

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TECHNOLOGY

Velodyne Lidar signs agreement with Renu Robotics for its Puck sensors

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elodyne Lidar, a global leader for lidar-based solutions, has entered into a multi-year agreement to provide its ‘Puck’ lidar sensors to Renu Robotics, an industry leader in autonomous vegetation management systems. Renu Robotics’ Renubot, a fully autonomous, all-electric mower, helps solar and energy facilities cut costs, time and carbon emissions, while maintaining the grounds for maximum performance of the facility.

Velodyne Puck sensors provide rich 3D computer perception data that allows real-time localization, mapping, object detection, classification and tracking to support safe navigation and reliable operation. The Puck is a small, compact lidar sensor that delivers 100-meter range. Its reliability, power-efficiency and surround view make it an ideal solution for affordable low speed autonomy applications.

According to Renu Robotics, Velodyne’s Puck offered superior quality, reliability and performance, including significantly less system interference for optimal positional accuracy.

Velodyne’s sensors are highly efficient in power consumption, which extends the range of Renubot

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and advances its sustainability features.

The Renubot is equipped with Puck sensors for safe, efficient high-precision navigation and to avoid obstacles when conducting utility-scale vegetation management. The mower uses the lidar to navigate the site, along with real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS correction which enables vehicle positional accuracy within 2 cm. Renubot leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for autonomous command and control, and to learn and assess the topography as it conducts highly precise mowing and grooming of facility grounds.

Michael Blanton, Renu’s Chief Technical Officer, said, “Velodyne’s Puck sensors provide an essential ingredient for our robotic autonomy and navigation. The power-efficient sensors enable the Renubot

to deliver an automated vegetation management system that is repetitive and reliable to keep facilities operating at peak performance, while controlling costs.”

Laura Wrisley, VP of North America Sales, Velodyne Lidar, said, “With its sophisticated, sustainable-to-operate autonomous mower, Renu Robotics is revolutionizing the way solar and energy companies conduct vegetation management. The innovative Renubot demonstrates how Puck sensors power precision and safety in autonomous vehicles, operating without human intervention. Renu Robotics is a prime example of Velodyne delivering on its mission to improve safety and sustainability in communities worldwide.”

As received in a press release from Velodyne Lidar

TECHNOLOGY

AppViewX unveils Next-Gen Machine Identity Automation Platform appviewX, a pioneer in the machine identity machine identity management and application delivery automation, recently had announced the launch of it’s Next-Gen Machine Identity Automation Platform, fusing its security automation solution for certificates, keys, IoT security and SSH access management across multi-cloud environments.

The platform empowers microservices and zero-trust with service mesh, building out the entire system more flexible, adaptable, efficient and agile. It is available to all AppViewX users as a service and can also be deployed in the public cloud, private cloud or on-prem environments.

Driven by AppViewX CERT+, the boosted platform addresses security compliance driven by exponential growth in machine identities by empowering certificate and key provisioning via auto enrolment and

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ensuring end-to-end visibility. AppViewX is a foremost choice for enterprises who are looking for machine identity management solutions grounded in security and automation with native workflows.

Statement from Gregory Webb, CEO at AppViewX “In our recent CISO survey, we found 96% of those who say their organization doesn’t hold full awareness of certificates and keys have experienced consequences as a result,” said Gregory Webb, CEO at AppViewX. “Managing Machine Identities has never been more critical to enterprises than right now. Enterprises should pay attention and put these critical application and hardware identities to work without the risk of unplanned outages or security and audit incidents in order to accelerate the journey to crypto agility. I am confident that The Next-Gen Machine Identity

Automation Platform will help users successfully address the increasing demands of Digital Transformation initiatives with increased speed, security and simplicity.”

As per the latest Next-Gen Machine Identity Management Report specially made by AppViewX in association Vanson Bourne, 96% of those who have fully implemented Machine Identity Managementas-a-Service (MIMaaS) have full awareness of certificates and keys across their digital assets, comparatively to 37% of those who have started to implement it, and 28% of those who have not started yet, but plan to.

This clearly validates the worth of having a solution that scales with an organization’s required to aid and adopt nextgen advancements in machine identity management.

TECHNOLOGY

The Next-Gen Machine Identity Automation Platform is fortified with many compelling attributes for delivering security with simplicity via automation: ●Certificate Lifecycle Automation with Smart Discovery capabilities discovers unknown certificates and keys across varied environments ●Certificate Lifecycle Management-as-aService (CLMaaS) aids rapidly to scale to large volumes of certificates, with instant access to ready-to-consume CLM, anywhere and at any time ●PKI-as-a-Service (PKIaaS) is an easy-toconsume, quick to deploy, scalable and highly secure PKI integrated with enterprise-grade CLM

●Multicloud provisioning and deployment provides complete interaction and integration of CERT+ with various services of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

automates and simplifies managing digital identities based on certificates and crypto keys. Enterprises now have a comprehensive solution for their Machine Identity Management needs.”

Statement from Larry Biagini, former CTO of General Electric and AppViewX Board Member

Clients can now get early access to the new platform, which will be generally available in November. The podium will work hand in glove with AppViewX CERT+, providing a more comprehensive approach for enterprises to scale their machine identity management. Click here for early access and experience firsthand the power of The Next-Gen Machine Identity Automation Platform.

“The move to multi and hybrid-cloud and OT environments is not possible without a comprehensive approach towards machine identity. The volume of OT devices and potential certificate sprawl makes automation an absolute requirement,” said Larry Biagini, former CTO of General Electric and AppViewX Board Member.

“With the launch of The Next-Gen Machine Identity Automation Platform, AppViewX

As received in a Press Release from AppViewX

●Central Management of SSH Keys and Certificates secures and automates their lifecycles across an enterprise ●IoT Certificate Management with onetouch provisioning and self-service device workflows keeps IoT devices secure in untrusted environments 2021

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TECHNOLOGY

Leonardo to unveil cutting edge technology at Expo 2020 Dubai

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talian Leonardo will be displaying their robotic drill at the Expo 2020 Dubai for drilling on the Martian soil.

Besides it, the firm will also be displaying accurate atomic clock built in for the space applications, as well as the solitary tiltrotor in the market set to receive civil certification.

Leonardo’s participation at the Expo 2020 Dubai, commencing on October 1st and taking place for the initial time in the Arabian Peninsula will be centred around the technologies mentioned.

Leonardo, being a pioneer high-tech firm globally and Italy, will be Platinum Sponsors for the Italian Pavilion, are strong to contribute to the event – a global showcase of future solutions – as a catalyst for innovation and sustainability in the strategic technologies of its sectors of operation, both in Italy and in the UK, US, Poland and Germany.

As announced from the firm, Leonardo’s hydrogen atomic clock boasts out being most globally accurate invention, losing just one second every three million years.

European Galileo satellite navigation system as per firm’s announcement is the most precise ever made for the civilian use.

The one on display in Dubai is a new project: the RbPOP (Rubidium Pulsed Optically Pumped) rubidium atomic clock, which provides the same performance but weighs just 10 kg.

The robotic drill organized to blast off to Mars with the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2022 mission, shaped with the provision of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), will also be on presentation.

As per the firm’s announcement the breakthrough innovation is set to break a global record: drilling up to 2 metres into Martian

soil, comparatively to the existing 7 cm reached so far.

With five times less power than a domestic drill (80 watts) and 60 revolutions per minute, it will drill into the ground using a polycrystalline diamond bit. It will hunt for traces of past or present life, which at that depth should not have been ruined by the Red Planet’s cosmic radiation.

As part of the firm’s strategic vision for urban aviation in the near future, Leonardo has built – with its Emirates partner Falcon Aviation Services – a fresh concept helicopter terminal at the Dubai Expo site, displaying the latest frontier in vertical mobility.

The travellers’ spaces are intended to house showrooms where commercial and cultural activities can be offered, within a structure built with sustainable materials. They can effortlessly remodelled or reallocated as the requirements of urban transport and the city itself changes.

The firm also announced that for The AW609 tiltrotor is the firm’s global first in the aviation sector. It is the only aircraft of its kind set to receive civil certification.

Thanks to the ability to transformation of the position of the two drive shafts in less than 60 seconds, it can take-off vertically like a helicopter while flying with the execution of an aeroplane.

passenger transport to medical care, from civil protection to search and rescue, the AW609 can fly at over 500 km/h. It has a range of almost 1,400 km, which upsurges to over 2,000 km with auxiliary tanks.

The firm also was quick to announce featuring in Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores’ ‘Saper Fare’ documentary. This journey via the Italian craft and manufacturing custom, identical with fineness and made in Italy, will be screened in a steadfast area inside the Italian Pavilion.

Indiana Production’s cameras arrived at some of the Leonardo group’s factories, documented as national flagships of innovation: Nerviano (MI) is the home of the world class space technologies on display in the Italian Pavilion; Grottaglie (TA), the site of the progress of innovative aero structures for civil aeronautics; the Fucino (AQ) and Matera space centers are known internationally for their core role in the provision of satellite services.

As received in a Press Release from Leonardo

The firm as well claims that it is capable of execution of diverse types of missions, from 2021

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CORPORATE

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CORPORATE

HSBC announced corporate sponsorship via MoU for India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai The inauguration of India Pavilion was held on October 1st 2021 at the Expo via Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Government of India.

HSBC, a global banking and financial services firm, announced its partnership as a corporate sponsor for India Pavilion Expo 2020 Dubai.

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he MoU signing service, held at The Indian Consulate in Dubai, was joined by Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai & Dy. Commissioner General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai, Mr Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO, HSBC UAE & Head of International Markets, Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI and Mr Sai Narain CDK, Head of International Markets and Customer Channels, Wealth & Personal Banking, EMEA, HSBC. Statement from Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai & Dy. Commissioner General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai & Dy. Commissioner General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai commented that, “We are delighted that HSBC will be partnering with India Pavilion to support various thought leadership events, business seminars and celebrations of Indian festivals. Given HSBC’s strong presence in UAE and India, I am confident that HSBC can be a strong partner for business organizations operating in this corridor and support Indian start-ups to navigate their UAE journey.”

Being one of India’s faces to the world, India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, displays out the golden prospects projecting nation as the next growth and innovation frontier.

India’s Expo 2020 Dubai participation will principally focus on bestowing unlimited prospects for the global community to participate in the nation’s growth story, and benefit from it.

It will display a modern, robust India, high on technology while simultaneously exhibiting the beauty of Indian art, culture, and cuisine during the event that will run for 183 days till 31 March 2022.

Statement from, Mr Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO, HSBC UAE & International Markets Mr Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO, HSBC UAE & International Markets, spoke out at the MoU signing ceremony stated out that, “HSBC has been supporting economic ties between India and the UAE since we opened the first bank in the emirates 75 years ago. Our sponsorship of the India Pavilion at Expo2020, in the same year that we celebrate our 75th anniversary and the UAE marks its own Golden Jubilee, demonstrates the enduring strength of our long-standing relationships in both countries and our commitment to ensuring that we use our unique global network to open up a world of opportunity for the customers.”

The India Pavilion will also be hosting and co-creating leadership discussions, globalized trade conferences, and seminars to explore prospects to partner with other participating nations.

The India Pavilion, at the Expo 2020 Dubai will feature an innovative kinetic frontage made up of 600 individual colourful blocks. It is established as a mosaic of rotating panels that will portray different themes as they rotate on their axis. It represents the theme of ‘India on the move’ and is a unique blend of the rich heritage and technological advances of the nation.

HSBC is one of global banking firms having its presence across Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT) specifically in nine nations across the territory: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

For an illustration: – Saudi Arabia Picture: – HSBC is 31 percent shareholders of Saudi British Bank (SABB) as well as 51 percent shareholder for HSBC Saudi Arabia in investment banking in the Kingdom.

As received in a Press Release from HSBC team

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TECHNOLOGY

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TECHNOLOGY

UAE-chaired OIC Summit Summit on on Science & Technology Technology issues issues Abu Dhabi Declaration Declaration

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AE today chaired the second Organistion of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Science & Technology, which was held virtually in the presence of leaders and representatives from OIC member states to discuss ways to promote the advanced technology and science agenda among the member states.

Addressing the summit, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the OIC member should mobilise their energies and resources to open up new prospects for investment in science and innovation to achieve progress, prosperity and stability for their peoples.

In his speech, Sheikh Abdullah welcomed the participants on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and thanked the leadership of Kazakhstan for the efforts it made during its presidency of the first summit, which witnessed the launch of the Ten-Year Action Plan, which focuses on making science and technology the main driver for the development of OIC countries by 2026.

His Highness added: “At today’s summit, we look forward to building on the achievements of the first summit and to proceed together with developing a roadmap for the most important initiatives and future projects to achieve the goals of the Ten-Year Action Plan. It is not enough to define goals and develop action plans, but we have to motivate our peoples to lead the innovation process.”

He noted the most prominent scientific milestones made by the UAE over the

past two decades on making technology, innovation, and applications of the industrial revolution and its solutions a vital element in its various developmental sectors.

“The success in technological advancement culminated in several achievements, including launching the Hope Probe, the first Arab and Islamic mission to explore Mars, in addition to operating the Barakah nuclear energy plant, the first in the Arab world and a significant step toward the country’s goal of emissions-free electricity. It will provide 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs. Other achievements include the launch of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) with the US and with the support of seven countries to intensify and accelerate global innovation, research and development efforts in all aspects of the agricultural sector to reduce the effects of climate change.”

These are not only Emirati achievements, but also Arab and Islamic ones, Sheikh Abdullah continued. “They would not have been achieved without our belief in the importance of building bridges of partnership, cooperation and exchange of experiences with various countries of the world. We have a lot of work ahead of us. This requires us to mobilise our efforts, resources and capabilities, so that we work can together to revive the glories of the golden age of Islamic civilisation when our sciences illuminated the darkness of the world.”

The summit opened with a speech from Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairperson of the first OIC Summit on Science and Technology, who renewed his country’s

efforts to achieve the goals set out in the summit’s first meeting in Astana in 2017. He also expressed an aspiration to increase achievements as the UAE takes over the presidency of the summit. His speech was followed by the announcement of the formation of the Bureau of the Summit, headed by the UAE. Leaders and representatives from OIC member states attended the virtual summit, including Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, who headed the summit’s first session Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan, Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, and Mohammad Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh.

The summit was also attended by Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, Mohamed Bazoum, President of Niger, Muhammad Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan, Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone and Ma’ruf Amin, Vice President of Indonesia.

Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan and Chairman of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), and Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, OIC Secretary General, also took part in the summit.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the importance of investing in the future and in youth. “We share common understanding that the Islamic world has significant scientific potential,” he said. “However, we need to invest more in human capital, especially in high-quality education. It’s vitally important to strengthen and develop our scientific cooperation. It is through these matters

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TECHNOLOGY that we will be able to revive the glory of the Islamic world in the field of science and innovation. The future of our countries depends on whether we succeed in scientific, technological, and innovative development.”

He added: “Today, we are all facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. The fight against the pandemic has become a serious test for scientific and technological policies at both national and international levels.

We should not allow vaccines to be used as a political tool. Otherwise, we run the risk of further deteriorating fragile international relations. As a contribution to the battle against COVID-19, Kazakhstan has developed its own vaccine, Kazvac, which is now in the process of obtaining certification from the World Health Organization.”

For his part, Dr. Yousef Bin Ahmad AlOthaimeen, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Head of the Islamic Summit, the UAE, for hosting the second edition of the OIC Summit on Science and Technology, and the Republic of Kazakhstan for chairing the first OIC Summit on Science and Technology.

Dr Al-Othaimeen praised advancements made in recent years, where the number of scientific publications released by member states increased 34 percent and technology exports from OIC countries increased 32 percent. He warned of challenges that some OIC countries face in the science and technology spheres and called for practical steps in overcoming the obstacles of scientific development.

He also stressed the significance of fostering Islamic collaboration in education through increased academic engagement, knowledge exchange, cross-country scholarships, exchange of researchers and specialists, as well as developing tools for strategic planning and future foresight.

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Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, moderated the summit and called on delegates to work together on “developing a comprehensive ecosystem in which advanced sciences and technology will be the key driver of sustainable development for our people and country in the next five years, until the year 2026 when the results of the ten-year plan of the organization are announced”.

Al Amiri noted the role of science and technology sectors in overcoming current development challenges, including poverty alleviation, advancing sustainable development efforts in the health sector, preserving the environment, and ensuring food, water and energy security.

She said: “We all realise that even though Muslim and Arab countries host almost a quarter of the world population and enjoy abundant natural resources, they still face many challenges. In the past two years, during the pandemic and what it has caused, the world has witnessed an unprecedented transformation. Without technology, we would not have been able to continue our lives normally. We all hope that we will see better cooperation and integration in scientific and technological fields among the organization’s 57 members, and that the Muslim world will become more developed and sustainable.”

The minister also stressed that the summit’s platform has been a “great start to mitigate challenges, find solutions in science and technology in our Muslim and Arab countries, and adopt a unified approach for the next years under the umbrella of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to achieve ambitions and shape a better future for our peoples and next generations”.

She stressed that the pandemic requires everyone to cooperate and strengthen partnerships in order to transfer knowledge and prepare for the future, by investing in science, technology and innovation, which will enable societies

to achieve balanced and sustainable growth.

The summit ended with leaders of the participating countries approving the event’s final statement, which was named the ‘Abu Dhabi Declaration’, wherein they affirmed their commitment to all necessary measures to create an environment conducive to achieving progress in science, technology and innovation in the organization’s member states, and to continue working to implement the organization’s program for science, technology and innovation 2026.

The Islamic leaders renewed their commitment to enhance and develop science and technology, revive the leading role of Islam globally, and ensure sustainable development, progress and prosperity across the member states. They also stressed that encouraging science and technology is a key aspect in overcoming many contemporary development challenges, such as the elimination of poverty, providing education to all, and dealing with climate change, noting that technological transformation helps accelerate the growth of the member states, especially the under-developed ones.

The Declaration called for shaping a comprehensive roadmap to create mechanisms for technology transfer among member states. It also mentioned the Covid-19 crisis, which highlighted the importance of global cooperation so that the international community can adopt science-based solutions when dealing with other complex issues, such as health emergencies and climate change.

The leaders pledged in the declaration to encourage innovation, develop local industries in pharmaceuticals and vaccines, and adopt preventive measures and treatments for infectious and non-infectious diseases in line with international laws and standards.

The Declaration also discussed the importance of science and technology in securing future opportunities for the

TECHNOLOGY young generation, stressing the need to provide education for all up to secondary school level and to increase investment in STEM education at the primary, secondary and university levels. It also pointed to the important role of education in empowering women and eliminating poverty.

They also underscored their determined support for agriculture, rural development and food security among OIC member states as a basic strategy for strengthening solidarity within OIC, while mitigating poverty and protecting lives. They hailed the results of the Workshop on the Development of National Gene Banks for seeds and plants in OIC member states, which was organized by the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and headed by the UAE in July 2020.

The Declaration highlighted the importance of providing reliable and sustainable energy supplies as a key factor in the battle against poverty. It called for stronger collaboration between member states to exchange knowledge, expertise and technology in energy, while bolstering local support for R&D activities in energy technologies. These activities include renewable energy among other enabling technologies and all that contributes to reducing CO2 emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.

countries to adopt a circular economy, enhance capabilities and increase innovation capabilities in their economies to be ready for the twin transformation (green and digital) in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It also pointed to the need to cooperate in setting standards for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the advanced technologies associated with it to accelerate their adoption and boost productivity by improving effectiveness, efficiency and supply chain operations to facilitate trade.

The declaration also welcomed the participation of member states in Expo 2020 Dubai, which will be organised under the theme “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future”.

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The declaration calls for large-scale participation to benefit from the unique platform Expo 2020 Dubai provides as the most influential global incubator for new ideas and technologies to build partnerships and drive progress, thus laying the foundation for a robust social and economic legacy.

The document urged the strengthening of infrastructure and human resources in the field of biotechnology and nanotechnology, which can provide solutions in medicine, pharmacy, agriculture and other fields. It also encouraged all member states to formulate digital policies and national roadmaps and to develop programs and initiatives to support in the framework of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The declaration emphasized the importance of digital transformation and the use of smart systems, including digital integration, Internet of things, automation, robotic technologies, cybersecurity and big data.

The declaration called upon all

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FINANCE

We believe technology fast-forwards rural development’:

Dilip Modi of DigiSpice Technologies

C

hildren today are getting their education on mobile phones and computers and a lot of the mhealth companies have grown on the back of smartphone connectivity. The UPI payment activities have scaled significantly with the advent of the pandemic. It is all about seeing what kind of platforms and solutions can be built to solve the problems and making sure to address a larger set of consumers in an economically viable manner. In these challenging times, Digispice Technologies is focusing on leveraging the digital and technology platforms.

In an exclusive interaction with International Business Magazine, Dilip Modi, Chairman and Group CEO of

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DigiSpice Technologies, has shared some interesting insights about the rural empowerment initiative that he has undertaken through the digital platforms, DigiSpice Technologies, Spice Money and similar others.

DigiSpice Technologies is a B2B2C ‘Tech and Touch’ player that leverages data insights, technology, service aggregation and promotions to drive retention, adoption and consumption of services for enterprises. Under its aegis comes Spice Digital, Spice Money and many more. It is currently serving 20+ countries in 20+ languages.

Dilip spoke at large about the Spice Money platform and its abilities to deliver the rural

FINANCE

population the same experience as that of the urban regions. Its service portfolio includes basic banking to credit, insurance and similar others. Dilip has further explained that Spice Money’s merchant network is becoming the delivery point for lots of services for consumers in small towns and villages.

DigiSpice is physically enabling the merchants in rural India to deliver more and earn more. They are looking to create a win-win situation for the banks and the product manufacturers like health, tech companies and others. DigiSpice aims to provide a digital platform through which they can reach millions of consumers, thus becoming an additional source of income for the merchants and an access portal to the basic banking and other financial services to the consumers.

DigiSpice has on-ground officials called as ‘Adhikaris’ who empower the consumers with the products.

Dilip Modi revealed to us that when Spice Mobile first ventured into the telecom industry by becoming the first mobile network service provider in the country, they partnered with Telstra to launch

the network in Calcutta in 1995. He has seen the jump in technology in the past 26 years, from fixed line to mobile and informed us that Spice Mobile enabled the access to the phones for the first time in the rural regions, even before fixedlines came in the region. In a similar fashion, Dilip believes that there exists an opportunity for rural India in the fintech sector to jump technology instead of going to a brick and mortar branch.

“We are very excited to hear about the success story of m-pesa in Kenya and we are happy to see how Africa has embraced the whole digital payment mode.

I think in India, the rural regions provide a great opportunity for us at Spice Money and many other players in the ecosystem to leverage tech and to enable delivery of lots of services in an economically viable manner.”

Covid-19: A story of demand and supply The DigiSpice platform significantly scaled up during Covid-19 and as per reports, its adoption rate significantly accelerated because of the pandemic. During the pandemic, the government had to

support the citizens by putting money into their bank account and since there are not enough bank branches or ATMs in the rural regions, DigiSpice became one of the ways in which the rural population could withdraw money from their own bank accounts. Dilip explains that at Spice Money, it was more challenging in coping up with the demand, rather than creating demand.

“During the pandemic, the challenge was more about how quickly we can roll out more services onto our platform. The challenge is now about scale and innovation.”

Challenge is more that we have to make it happen and opportunity is that if we make it happen then we can create a lot of value for the consumers and the merchants in rural India.

Quality Factor: Millions serving Billions For Spice Money, the quality factor mainly refers to the stability of the platform. Dilip is in constant contact with the banks and the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) to make a great customer experience on the platform. Dilip observed that when more and more merchants and

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FINANCE

consumers across India are taking part on the platform, language is becoming a point of concern as people are more comfortable in their own native language.

The tech team at Spice Money is ensuring that the app does not become too heavy and the ease of use continues and the transactions flow smoothly.

Dilip says, “It is a gradual journey for us where 10 million merchants are serving a billion consumers.”

DigiSpice has equipped its digital platform for incubation, education, adoption and growth of its on-ground merchants.

It is staying committed to its digital first, contactless, paperless mode of service even with its merchants. It has created an end-to-end digital journey from mer-

chants discovering Spice Money, joining the platform, onboarding, growth in products and adoption and education.

Everything has been set up between its online and call centres. Apart from video tutorials, Spice Money has also set up a learning platform called ‘Adda’ where the adhikaris could learn from each other and share their experiences. It has set up on-ground teams at every district level who work very closely with the adhikaris.

Keeping the communication live DigiSpice had recently announced the

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Korero platform. It is an omni-channel communication platform. Korero allows one to take a single view of the customer as an enterprise and then be able to engage with the customer through multiple channels of communication, whether it is sms, voice, email, whatsapp, social media and many others. Digispice uses the Korero platform to enable communication among the Spice Money adhikaris.

In the future, Korero has the potential to become the communication platform between the Spice Money adhikaris and their customers. Korero platform is targeting an opportunity as the Communication as a Service (CaaS) industry grows. Korero enables the enterprises to engage across the board, digitally and mobile. “Korero has been built to cater to all, from a Fortune 500 company to a small startup.”

Dilip believes that more than cryptocurrency, blockchain technology is a great technology. Spice money and Korero platforms are both incorporating blockchain technologies extensively.

Dilip reveals:

ment opportunities for its clients and on the other hand it has a lot of credit products for them.

●Banks could use it for sending OTPs. If the sms fails, then we can move to OTP on voice like an OBD (Outbound Data) and then the email also. It also aids in customer service. The customers could connect through the calls with a customer service agent. ●The customers could also connect via whatsapp. The call centre agents could interact with the customers using whatsapp.

“Blockchain, Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence is the platform for all the solutions at Digispice technology.”

International Collaborations In Israel, the Tarya group had been gaining grounds in the digital lending space, especially in the P2P lending space. It is a completely technology-driven platform, where they are able to help their customers both on the saving and investment side and the lending side. Dilip observed that Tarya has a lot of saving and invest-

“Tarya is very successful in the P2P lending space with over 70 percent market share in Israel. They have a very strong community-led module.”

Reports suggest that Tarya is already running a pilot project in Ghana as part of their initiative to enter the emerging markets of Africa and India. Tarya aims to incorporate technology to drive financial inclusion. They were building platforms

FINANCE

to enable lending to farmers.

“In our ambition to drive financial inclusion in rural India, we need to work on a platform for lending and savings that is future-proof.” With the Tarya JV Spice Money looks to provide a lot of financial products to consumers and businesses in rural India.

When asked about any partnerships with any of the banking institutions, Dilip explained that Spice Money is actually serving the customers of the banks itself. It enables the customers to connect to the banks. So a customer of the State Bank of India is withdrawing money from his/ her account, but through the Spice Money platform. “Spice Money is rolling out a network of customer touch points without the actual brick and mortar branches.”

In every country there are one or two dominant players with a digital vision towards better services. DigiSpice’s strategy outside India is very much linked to the telcos. Across Africa, Middle East, SouthEast Asia and South Asia, Digispice partners with leading telcos and ventures into digital empowerment of their retail and business consumers. Digispice technologies provides its partners with a platform that includes services for fintech, health tech, entertainment products like music apps, gaming and many more.

“Our strategy outside India is to partner with the leading telcos in every country to leverage the digital platform to offer solutions to their consumers and enterprises in that country.”

Dilip Modi has revealed to the International Business Magazine that it is working very closely with Etisalat in Afghanistan.

Digispice has been a partner to Etisalat for many years in Afghanistan. Digispice is also working with Du in Dubai, which is the number two operator in Dubai.

Speaking about the 100% foreign ownership of businesses in UAE, Dilip

commented, “It is a welcome development. The entire region is full of opportunities and Digispice is always keen on serving the Middle East region. We are studying the recent developments and are looking into strategies for rolling out businesses in that region. The business hubs in UAE are also great hubs for serving the Africa region. The way we have Singapore as the hub in Southeast Asia, the African, especially the East African regions have Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the hub. We hope to work very closely with the players in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to be able to serve the Middle East as well as the African countries.”

Working with Sonu Sood For working, connecting and delivering the right message to the populace in rural India, Digispice found out that Sonu Sood has embarked on that same journey of helping the people in the villages of India.

He is still helping out people in every kind of problem. He has a very strong connection with the people and Spice Money is only happy to help him in his quests.

The partnership started with the realization that there needs to be job opportunities for the rural population and that is where Spice Money is helping Sonu Sood by introducing the concept of adhikaris.

Spice Money became an opportunity for the people in the village to become entrepreneurs within their community.

“We do not see Mr Sood as a brand ambassador, we see him as a partner in this journey. In us, he finds someone who could help them in many of their needs.

We are two people on the same path of empowering the people of rural India so that they do not have to step out of their community to earn a living or get access to services.”

looking budget and obviously it has created an opportunity with the pandemic and the issues associated with that. The business across the board has been very encouraged by the budget. If we have to achieve the vision of our PM, then the only way to grow is if rural India grows. So, the way mobility became a big enabler for the GDP growth in India, technology could be a big enabler for the rural Indian economy.”

In terms of the government’s forward-looking initiatives as well as the platform that it is building for semi-urban and rural India, Digispice believes that there are lots of opportunities ahead and plans to take these learnings to other countries in Africa and Asia as well.

One of the reasons why the rural economy of India has been excluded was because of the lack of data and Digispice is creating a lot of proprietary data by enabling the customers to transact with their banks in a way they could not previously. Earlier, a rural person was not able to withdraw money because of the absence of an ATM or a bank branch in his/her vicinity. The transactions that are happening on Digispice is generating a lot of data that is all going into ‘Machine Learning’ algorithms. Dilip further explains that this form of data collection is actually helping a lot of the entrepreneurs and enterprises in the rural parts of India.

This is an excerpt of the full interview on our youtube channel.

Article by Ujal Nair Scan the QR code to watch the full interview

Aspirations from Government Speaking about the Indian union budget for 2021, Dilip shared, “It is a very forward

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CRYPTOCURRENCY

What Lies Beyond the Hype of NFTs? The Sudden Emergence of NFTs In March 2021, digital artwork from Mike Winkelmann was auctioned by Christie’s Auction House for $69 million. In July 2021, Sotheby’s auction house sold the source code of the World Wide Web for $5.4 million. At first sight, these auctions are ordinary and unremarkable; however, what’s unique about them is that none of the buyers received anything tangible from their rather expensive purchase.

originality of their content. Creators could sell their art digitally; however, in digital form, multiple exact replicas of an art piece could be created with no easy way of identifying the original copy.

Therefore, there is a need for a traceable method of transferring ownership of digital assets and verifying their authenticity. The problem of unverifiable claims of ownership of digital art has restricted revenue opportunities for digital artists for a long time, so NFTs gained instant interest and the attention of content creators when they emerged.

As with blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, NFTs have struggled to attain mainstream adoption after promising to revolutionize the concept of digital asset ownership. Although, before unpacking the future of NFTs, it is vital to understand what propelled the hype and why NFTs are still relevant.

As the world digitizes, a wide range of digital assets are being created and monetized. Forms of expressions such as digital art, blogs and even social media posts are gaining more eyeballs than ever.

Creators in the digital space currently have limited options to monetize their content.

While sponsorships and brand integrations in the art are an option, creators usually feel that these options curtail their creative freedom and influence the

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NFTs could simplify the process of tracking identity and ownership records without the need for centralized authorities to enforce contracts. Especially in the content creation industry, provided that content sharing platforms support it, creators can open up new revenue streams by selling their content to individuals who can further monetize their purchased content on the platform of their choice.

What Role will the Middle East Play?

NFT is a highly promising concept, and the recent hype has conclusively proven that NFTs are technically feasible and can be used in digital asset transactions.

However, the current concept of NFTs is in its early form, and multiple pain points need to be ironed out before large-scale consumer adoption.

They received a digital certificate or token of ownership that ties the digital asset to the owner. These certificates are called non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and they have been the subject of tremendous hype in the first half of the year. A variety of digital assets have been transacted on the internet, leaving most of us wondering if there are any lessons to be learned from the whole phenomenon.

Why Did NFTs Gain so Much Hype?

contracts are being made in real estate, the music industry or even in e-commerce.

Image caption: Non-fungible token hologram on virtual screen, nft with network circuit and numbers. Downtown cityscape on background. Concept of cryptoart and technology What Lies Beyond the Hype?

However, now that the hype over NFTs has ebbed and the sale of art as NFTs is slowing down in numbers and values, people have started wondering if NFTs are a sustainable model to continue and if there are more NFT applications beyond digital assets. The simple answer would be: no, NFTs are only hype for now, and there is no tangible, scalable use case for NFTs. However, such an answer would be simplistic and misleading. In their current form, NFTs might not have the vitals to enable commercially viable use cases, but future iterations of NFT-based systems have the potential to reshape how

Just as well-known institutions such as the NFL have bought into the NFT ecosystem, major content creation and sharing platforms would also need to participate in the NFT ecosystem to accelerate widespread adoption. There has been some traction on this front, and the Middle East has even been an active participant in the early adoption of NFT. Alex Alexandrov and Saudi Arabian artist Abdullah Qandeel collaborated this year to create artwork that was later auctioned as an NFT. The Middle East has even seen the emergence of a startup, Jumy, which established a marketplace for NFTs in the region. While there are countless examples of promising initiatives across the globe, widespread adoption of NFTs is far away. The Middle East will play a critical role in making it happen with its patronage of arts and culture.

About the Author Hiten Shah is the Senior Analyst, TechVision, Frost & Sullivan. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Alliance University, Bangalore.

INVESTMENT

T

he scope for investing in 2021 is huge, but where are you best investing your money? We have delved into some of the key growth sectors that investors should consider in 2021, so you can get the most out of your money.

industries, AI is said to become a part of everyday life.

Artificial Intelligence

Virtual Reality

The rise of AI has spread into many areas of society within recent years. From homes to business operations, the trend of artificial intelligence will continue to develop as the technology itself progresses.

As it becomes more adaptable for various

Just as AI is a rising technology with unlimited potential for integration, VR is already well and truly here. This is especially true within the video game industry.

Augmented reality is creeping into various industries such as, entertainment, retail, security and healthcare.

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This spans from the health sector to the automotive industry. As AI becomes more ingrained with everyday life, investors too should capitalize upon this and get in fast.

Additionally, there are also virtual reality entering into sectors like academia, with online teaching, as well as within the government sector. It is safe to say that VR is not simply a trend that will pass us by and is certainly here to stay.

Renewable Energy Renewable energy is not a new concept, but with upsurged societal pressure due to the climate hurdles, much more traction is being gained within this industry. The demand for renewable energy sources has now exceeded the demand for coal for the first time, so this is certainly one to watch.

INVESTMENT

Big Data Big data is the term on tip of any investor’s tongue. As organisations look to review large amounts of data, they are able to save time, money and make decisions on a more highly informed basis.

When combined, all these aspects mean more acumen for companies that use this technology.

Cyber Security Keeping data safe is one of the most important elements of any organisation., With the rise of digital, every successful

company now operates online, which leaves potential risks when it comes to cyber attacks, data breaches and loss of confidential information.

shift continuing to increase, any investors would be wise to get involved with this industry as more and more organisations begin to utilise upon these services.

AI links directly into this industry too, with a combined approach being made and a growth projection of over £100 billion within 2021 itself.

When choosing the right industry to invest in, using an expert network can help you build your portfolio proficiently. It is important to keep your eyes on the market and never miss potential opportunities – they might be right in front of you. Stay informed, find the investments that are right for you and make money like never before.

IT and Cloud Computing Cloud computing has become compatible with any and every online industry. From private, public and hybrid cloud solutions, cloud infrastructure allows data to be accessed anywhere at any time. With this

https://thirdbridge.com/

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BANKING

Fitch Changes Saudi National Bank’s Attitude Toward Moneylender’s Strength And Improving Climate

S

olid financing development will keep on supporting the bank’s measurements in 2021, the rating organization says

Fitch Ratings redesigned Saudi National Bank’s standpoint from negative to stable, referring to its tough monetary measurements and an improving working climate. The FICO assessment office additionally attested the loan specialist’s drawn out backer default rating at “A-”. It’s anything but a public long haul venture grade rating of “AA+(sau)” with a steady standpoint.

“The modification of the standpoint mirrors our view that pressing factors on the working climate from the pandemic and lower oil costs have facilitated adequately, and that the monetary measurements of the bank have been tough in the past quarters, in spite of these pressing factors,” Fitch said. “Solid financing development will keep on supporting the bank’s measurements in 2021.”

The bank’s first-quarter net benefit bounced 20% to 3.4 billion Saudi riyals ($907 million), helped by higher expense pay and lower impedance charges as the realm’s economy recuperates from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brent, the global benchmark for up to 66% of the world’s oil, rose by 0.59 percent to close at $73.51 on Friday, the finish of exchanging week. West Texas Intermediate, the measure for US unrefined, was up 0.84 percent to close at $71.64. Fitch said SNB’s “A-” feasibility rating, which addresses its perspective on the loan specialist’s reliability, was supported by “a solid organization profile supporting very much differentiated and tough income, solid financing and liquidity, just as strong resource quality and capitalisation”.

SNB, Saudi Arabia’s greatest loan specialist, was made through the consolidation of National Commercial Bank and more modest opponent Samba Financial Group. It started to work on April 1 and has more than 896bn riyals ($239.2bn) in resources. The bank’s openness to the retail section tumbled from 50% to 39 percent of all out advances toward the finish of last year because of Samba’s solid corporate center, the credit score organization said.

SNB’s retail credits are relied upon to ascend between this year and 2022 because of a high hunger for that fragment, upheld by a solid homegrown establishment, said Fitch. “We accept the fortifying of the establishment, cultivating non-premium bearing client stores and fast advance development in the high-yielding home loan fragment will uphold SNB’s income age,” the rating organization said.

As well as improving business conditions, this should uphold a recuperation in the center benefit measure by 2022, it said. The Public Investment Fund, the realm’s sovereign abundance store, is the greatest investor in SNB with a 37.2 percent stake. The Public Pension Agency has 7.4 percent and the General Organization for Social Insurance possesses 5.8 percent of the moneylender.

Saudi Arabia said last week that it is blending general protection and public benefits assets to make a public area element with $29bn in homegrown and unfamiliar stock possessions.

The mix of the two state-run reserves is an augmentation of “ceaseless changes” and a piece of a hierarchical rebuilding measure, in accordance with the realm’s Vision 2030 destinations, Minister of Finance Mohammed Al Jadaan, said on Thursday.

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WINNERS 2021

AWARD WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Africa

AfricaDev Consulting

Best Financial Consultancy Africa 2021

Africa

African Elite Group

Leading PR Agency in Africa 2021

Africa

Africa50 Infrastructure Fund

Best Infrastructure Investment company Africa 2021

Africa

SuperForex

Best ECN Forex Broker Africa 2021

Africa

Infracredit

Most Innovative Infrastructure Finance Company Africa 2021

Africa

CITITRUST Holdings PLC

Excellence in Financial Services Africa 2021

Africa

CITITRUST Holdings PLC

Leading Investment Holdings Company in Africa 2021

Africa

Nedbank Africa Regions (NAR)

Best Mobile Banking Africa 2021 (Technology Division)

Africa

Nedbank Africa Regions (NAR)

Best Internet Banking Africa 2021 (Technology Division)

Africa

Youssef Fassi Fihri(CEO – SCR Société Centrale de Réassurance)

Best Reinsurance CEO Africa 2021

Africa

SCR Société Centrale de Réassurance

Best Reinsurance in Africa 2021

Cameroon

Zenithe Insurance

Best Online Insurance Provider Cameroon 2021

Cote d’Ivoire

Ora Bank

Best Commercial Bank Cote d’Ivoire 2021

Ghana

Zenith Bank

Best Corporate Bank Ghana 2021

Ghana

ZeePay

Fastest Growing FinTech Company Ghana 2021

Ghana

CalBank PLC

Best Banking Solutions Provider Ghana 2021

Ghana

CalBank PLC

Most Innovative Mobile Banking App Ghana 2021

Ghana

Zaina Lodge

Most Eco-Friendly Safari Lodge in West Africa 2021

Kenya

Centum Investment Company Plc

Best Investment Management Company Kenya 2021

Kenya

CIC Insurance Group

Best Asset Management Company Kenya 2021

Kenya

CIC Insurance Group

Best Life Insurance Company Kenya 2021

Kenya

CIC Insurance Group

Best General Insurance Company Kenya 2021

Kenya

Credit Bank Plc

Best Internet Banking Bank Kenya 2021

Kenya

Credit Bank Plc

Best Mobile Banking Kenya 2021

Kenya

Credit Bank Plc

Best Digital Bank Kenya 2021

Kenya

Credit Bank Plc

Most Innovative SME Bank Kenya 2021

Kenya

Gulf African Bank

Best Bank In Islamic Banking Kenya 2021

Kenya

Stephen Kabungo (CEO – Ilani Concepts)

Entrepreneur of the Year Kenya 2021

Kenya

Ilani Concepts

Best IT Company Kenya 2021

Kenya

Kenya Women Microfinance Bank

Best Micro Finance Bank Kenya 2021

Kenya

Kenya Women Microfinance Bank

Best Mobile Banking Kenya 2021

Kenya

Upesi Money Transfer

Best Remittance Company of the Year Kenya 2021

Kenya

Kwale International Sugar Company Ltd

Best CSR Company Kenya 2021

Kenya

National Bank of Kenya

Best Bank In Customer Service Kenya 2021

Kenya

National Bank of Kenya

Best Islamic Window Kenya 2021

Kenya

National Bank of Kenya

Most Innovative SME Bank In Kenya 2021

Kenya

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

Best Consumer Digital Bank Kenya 2021

Kenya

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

Best Corporate Bank Kenya 2021

Kenya

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

Best in Corporate Governance Kenya 2021

Maldives

Ooredoo

Best 5G Broadband Service Provider Maldives 2021

40

2021

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Mauritius

Bank of Mauritius

Best Regulatory Authority 2021

Mauritius

Bank of Mauritius

Best Central Bank Indian Ocean Region 2021

Mauritius

Benor Capaital Ltd. (TrioMarkets Mauritius)

Best Stocks Provider Mauritius 2021

Mauritius

Benor Capaital Ltd. (TrioMarkets Mauritius)

Most Innovative Trading Technology Mauritius 2021

Mauritius

Benor Capaital Ltd. (TrioMarkets Mauritius)

Best Algorithmic Trading Software for Asset Management Mauritius 2021

Mauritius

MauBank Ltd

Best Mobile Banking Application Mauritius 2021

Mauritius

Mauritius Union Assurance Group

Insurance Company of the Year Mauritius 2021

Mauritius

Sunibel Corporate Services Ltd

Best Financial Services Firm Mauritius 2021

Mauritius

Sunibel Corporate Services Ltd

Best Financial Advisory Firm Mauritius 2021

Mozambique

Moza Bank

Best Regional Bank Mozambique 2021

Namibia

Bank Windhoek Limited

Best Corporate Bank Namibia 2021

Namibia

Ms. Baronice Hans (Managing Director – Bank Windhoek Limited)

Best Banking CEO Of The Year Namibia 2021

Nigeria

DLM Capital Group

Best Development Finance Institution Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

C&I Leasing Plc,

Best Telematics Service Provider Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Korede Adedayo (CEO – FirstTrust Mortgage Bank)

Best Mortgage Bank CEO of the Year Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

AMarkets Ltd

Best Copy-Trading Platform Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

AMarkets Ltd

Best Affiliate Program Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Anchor Insurance

Fastest Rising Insurance Company Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

AIICO Insurance Plc

Best Auto Insurance Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Babatunde Fajemirokun (CEO – AIICO Insurance Plc)

Insurance CEO of the Year Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

First Bank Nigeria

Best CSR Bank Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

First Bank Nigeria

Best Internet Banking Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

First Ally Capital

Fastest Growing Financial Services Firm Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

First Registrars and Investor Services Limited

Leading Capital Market Registrars Company Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Heirs Insurance

Best Digital General Insurance Company Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Heirs Life

Best Digital Life Insurance Company Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Heirs Insurance

Most Recommended Insurance Company Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Identitypass

Most Innovative Verification Company Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Nem Insurance PLC

Best Marine Insurance Provider Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Nem Insurance PLC

Best Motor Insurance Provider Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

WEMA Bank

Best Commercial Bank Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

WEMA Bank

Best Digital Bank Nigeria 2021

Nigeria

Rosabon Financial Services

Best Non-Banking Financial Institution Nigeria 2021

Rwanda

Ms. Christine Baingana (CEO – Urwego Bank)

Banking CEO of the Year Rwanda 2021

Somalia

RA International FZCO

Best Integrated Facilities Management Company Somalia 2021

South Africa

A2X Markets

Fastest Growing Stock Exchange South Africa 2021

South Africa

Globex360

Fastest Global Expanding Broker South Africa 2021

South Africa

Globex360

Best Customer Service South Africa 2021

South Africa

Globex360

Most Innovative Broker South Africa 2021

South Africa

Forex Masters

Best Forex Training Company South Africa 2021

South Africa

McD Squared (Pty) Ltd

Best PR and Communications Agency South Africa 2021

South Africa

McD Squared (Pty) Ltd

Best Telecommunication Marketing Agency South Africa 2021

South Africa

Mastercard

Most Innovative Payment Solutions Provider South Africa 2021

South Africa

Mukuru Africa (PTY) Ltd

Most Innovative Financial Services Provider South Africa 2021

South Africa

Nedbank Retail and Business Bank (RBB)

Best Mobile Banking South Africa 2021 (Banking Division)

South Africa

Nedbank Retail and Business Bank (RBB)

Best Internet Banking South Africa 2021 (Banking Division)

South Africa

Outsource Hub

Best Financial Outsourcing Company South Africa 2021

South Africa

Simply Financial Services

Best Disruptive Digital Life Company South Africa 2021 2021

41

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

South Africa

Vumatel

Best Broadband Provider South Africa 2021

South Africa

Dietlof Mare (Vumatel)

Telecom CEO of the Year South Africa 2021

South Africa

DDP South Africa

Best Property Valuers South Africa 2021

Tanzania

ABSA Bank Tanzania Limited

Most Innovative Digital Bank Tanzania 2021

Tanzania

Guaranty Trust Bank (Tanzania) Ltd

Most Innovative Bank 2021

Tanzania

Guaranty Trust Bank (Tanzania) Ltd

Best Digital Bank Tanzania 2021

Tanzania

The Jubilee Insurance Company Of Tanzania LTD

Best General Insurance Company Tanzania 2021

Tanzania

NMB Bank PLC

Best Retail Bank Tanzania 2021

Tanzania

Tandahimba Community bank PLC

Most Innovative Retail Bank Tanzania 2021

Zimbabwe

BancABC Zimbabwe

Most Innovative Retail Bank Zimbabwe 2021

Zimbabwe

Steward Bank

Most Innovative Banking Technology Implementer Zimbabwe 2021

Zimbabwe

Zimnat Group

Best Financial Services Group Zimbabwe 2021

Zimbabwe

Zimnat Group

Most Innovative Financial Services Company Zimbabwe 2021

East Africa

Tracom Services ltd

Best Digital Payment App East Africa 2021

Globe

Hotforex

Best Client Fund Security Global 2021

Anguilla

National Commercial Bank of Anguilla​

Best Bank in Financial Literacy Anguilla 2021

Anguilla

National Commercial Bank of Anguilla​

Best Retail Bank Anguilla 2021

Anguilla

National Commercial Bank of Anguilla​

Best CSR during Pandemic 2021

Bahamas

BankPro​

Best Digital Bank Bahamas 2021

Bahamas

BankPro​

Best Mobile Banking Bahamas 2021

Bermuda

Equilibria Capital​

Best Multi Strategy Fund Bermuda 2021 – For Fund Advance Global

Brazil

Ana Karina Bortoni Dias (CEO – Banco Bmg)

Banking CEO of the Year Brazil 2021

Brazil

Banco Bmg

Best Mobile Banking App Brazil 2021

Brazil

Minerva Foods

Best ESG Processing Plant Investment Partners Brazil 2021

Canada

Armour Insurance Brokers Ltd

Insurance Broker Of The Year Canada 2021

Canada

Armour Insurance Brokers Ltd

Best Auto Insurance Canada 2021

Chile

Banco Internacional

Best SME Bank Chile 2021

Chile

Mario Chamorro Carrizo (Banco Internacional)

Best Banking CEO Chile 2021

Central America

Caye International Bank

Best International Private Bank Central America 2021

Colombia

BTG Pactual

Best Investment Bank in Colombia 2021

Jamaica

National Commercial Bank Jamaica

Best Banking Group Jamaica 2021

Jamaica

National Commercial Bank Jamaica

Best Commercial Bank Jamaica 2021

Jamaica

NCB Financial Group Limited

Best Financial Services Group Jamaica 2021

Peru

Pacifico Seguros

Best Insurance Company Peru 2021

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Prime Point LLC

Most Innovative Affiliate Program St. Vincent & the Grenadines 2021

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Prime Point LLC

Best New CFD Broker St. Vincent & the Grenadines 2021

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Prime Point LLC

Fastest Growing CFD Broker St. Vincent & the Grenadines 2021

United States

Ethica Institute of Islamic Finance

Best Islamic Finance Certification Provider US 2021

United States

GrowthChannel AI solution

Fastest Growing MarTech Startup USA 2021

USA

Maidan Holding

Best International Holding USA 2021

USA

Nucleus195

Best Global Investment Research Marketplace USA 2021

USA

Ran Aroussi (CEO – Tradologics)

Best New CEO of the year in the Fintech sector USA 2021

USA

Tradologics

Best New Trading Operations platform USA 2021

Afghanistan

Ghazanfar Bank

Best Commercial Bank Afghanistan 2021

Asia

Forex4You

Best Trading Conditions Asia 2021

Asia

DeeMoney

Most Innovative Payment Platform APAC 2021

Asia

Mr. Khairul Hazmin (COO – Xero Capital Markets Ltd)

Best Forex COO of the Year 2021 Asia

42

2021

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Asia

Mr. Khairul Hazmin (COO – Xero Capital Markets Ltd)

Best COO of Financial Industry in Asia 2021

Asia

Justforex

Best Forex Trading Platform Asia 2021

Asia Pacific

Anzo Capital

Best Forex Client Support Asia Pacific 2021

Asia Pacific

Anzo Capital

Best MT4 Forex Broker Asia Pacific 2021

Asia Pacific

Fullerton Markets

Best Forex Broker Asia Pacific 2021

Asia Pacific

Fullerton Markets

Best Copy-Trading Platform Asia Pacific 2021

Asia Pacific

Pacific Risk Advisor

Best ESG Risk Advisory Firm APAC 2021

Australia

AIA

Leading Life Insurance Provider Australia 2021

Australia

AIA

Best Health Insurance Provider Australia 2021

Australia

AIA

Most Innovative Healthcare Program (AIA Vitality) Australia 2021

Australia

eToro

Best Stocks Provider Australia 2021

Australia

Eightcap

Best MT4 Forex Broker Australia 2021

Australia

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

Best Travel Insurance Australia 2021

Australia

Trilogy Funds Management

Best Fund Manager Australia 2021

Australia

VT Markets

Best Customer Support Europe 2021 (Forex Division)

Bangladesh

EBL Securities Ltd.

Best Brokerage House Bangladesh 2021

Bangladesh

Nagad

Best Digital Financial Service Platform Bangladesh 2021

Bangladesh

Commercial Bank of Ceylon

Most Sustainable Bank Bangladesh 2021

Cambodia

Cambodia Post Bank

Fastest Growing Retail and SME Bank Cambodia 2021

Cambodia

KB Daehan Specialized Bank Plc.

Best Personal Loan Provider Cambodia 2021

Cambodia

Sovannaphum Life Insurance Company

Most Innovative Life Insurance Company Cambodia 2021

Cambodia

Vattanac Bank

Most Innovative Mobile Banking App – Cambodia 2021

Cambodia

Vattanac Bank

Best Customer Service Bank – Cambodia 2021

China

China Merchants Bank

Best Retail Bank China 2021

China

Huiyu Tian (CEO – China Merchants Bank)

Banking CEO of the Year China 2021

China

China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd.

Best Asset Management Company China 2021

China

Fosun International Limited

Best Multi Consumer Products and Service Provider China 2021

China

Fosun International Limited

Best Innovation Driven Consumer Group China 2021

China

China Asset Management Co., Ltd.

Best Fund Management Company China 2021

China

China Asset Management Co., Ltd.

Best Investment Management Company China 2021

Hong Kong

Avo Insurance Company Limited

Most Innovative Insurance Product Hong Kong 2021 (WFH Insurance)

Hong Kong

Avo Insurance Company Limited

Best Insurance Provider for Coronavirus Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

Fosun International Limited

Best Innovation Driven Consumer Group Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

Fosun Hani Securities Limited

Fastest Growing Financial Institution Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

COSCO Shipping Ports

Best Investor Relations Company (Ports Sector) Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

COSCO Shipping Ports

Best CSR Company (Ports Sector) Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

COSCO Shipping Ports

Most Sustainable Company (Ports Sector) Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

COSCO Shipping Ports

Best Shipping Port Operator Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Asset Management Ltd

Best Performing Credit Fund Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong & China

Winson Capital

Best International Financial Advisory – HK & China 2021

Hong Kong

Prive Technologies

Most Innovative Financial Services Provider Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

Brimstone Asset Management Company Limited

Fastest Growing Asset Management Company Hong Kong 2021

Hong Kong

Brimstone Asset Management Company Limited

Best Fixed Income Fund Hong Kong 2021

Indonesia

Sucor Securitas

The Best Financial Securities Company in Indonesia 2021

Indonesia

Fairmont Jakarta

Best Luxury Hotel Indonesia 2021

Kazakhstan

Al Hilal Bank

Pioneer of Islamic banking in Kazakhstan 2021

2021

43

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Kazakhstan

BCC Invest JSC

Best Advisor in Kazakhstan 2021

Kazakhstan

BCC Invest JSC

Best Asset Manager Kazakhstan 2021

Kazakhstan

BCC Invest JSC

Best Broker in Kazakhstan 2021

Laos

BFL Bred Bank

Best Corporate Bank Laos 2021

Laos

Maruhan Japan Bank Lao

Most Innovative Digital Bank Laos 2021

Laos

J&C Insurance Brokers Co Ltd.

Leading Insurance Broker Laos 2021

Laos

Maruhan Japan Bank Lao

Fastest Growing Commercial Bank Laos 2021

Malaysia

Etiqa Insurance & Takaful

Fastest Growing Takaful Provider Malaysia 2021

Malaysia

Hong Leong MSIG Takaful

Best Takaful Operator Malaysia 2021

Malaysia

V Capital

Best Corporate Advisory Firm Malaysia 2021

Malaysia

V Capital

Best Fintech Advisory Firm Malaysia 2021

Myanmar

Christopher Loh (UAB Bank Limited)

Banking CEO of the Year Myanmar 2021

Myanmar

UAB Bank Limited

Best Investment Bank Myanmar 2021

Myanmar

Kyawt Kay Khaing (Deputy CEO, uab bank Limited)

Business Woman of the Year Myanmar 2021

Pakistan

Al Meezan Investment Management Limited

Best Shariah Compliant Income Fund Pakistan 2021

Pakistan

Al Meezan Investment Management Limited

Best Asset Management Company Pakistan 2021

Philippines

Abo and Penaranda Law Firm

Best Legal Consulting Firm of the Year Philippines 2021

Philippines

Alveo Land

Best Real Estate Company Philippines 2021

Philippines

Ayala Foundation

Best CSR Initiatives Philippines 2021

Philippines

Cocolife

Most Outstanding Life Insurance Company Philippines 2021

Philippines

Cocolife Healthcare

Most Outstanding Healthcare Provider Philippines 2021

Philippines

Converge ICT Solutions Inc.

Best New Internet Technology Innovations Philippines 2021

Philippines

FinScore

Most Innovative Credit Scoring Solutions Provider Philippines 2021

Philippines

iACADEMY

Best New School for Music Production and Technology Philippines 2021

Philippines

iACADEMY

Most Innovative Design School Philippines 2021

Philippines

iACADEMY

Most Innovative Education Provider Philippines 2021

Philippines

National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines

Reinsurer of the Year Asia 2021

Philippines

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Best Digital Bank Philippines 2021

Philippines

Robinsons Bank

Best Commercial Bank Philippines 2021

Philippines

Robinsons Bank

Best Mobile Banking App Philippines 2021

Philippines

Robinsons Bank

Best Banking Credit Card Program Philippines 2021

Philippines

Robinsons Bank

Best Bancassurance Product Philippines 2021

Philippines

Union Bank of Philippines

Best Bank in Data Science, AI and Machine Learning Philippines 2021

Singapore

AsiaPay

Best Payment Solutions Provider Singapore 2021

Singapore

CredoLab Pte Ltd

Best Credit Scoring Platform Provider in Singapore 2021

Singapore

CredoLab Pte Ltd)

Most Innovative FinTech Company in Singapore 2021

Singapore

Crossinvest (Asia) Pte. Ltd.

Best Multi-Family Office Singapore 2021

Singapore

Crossinvest (Asia) Pte. Ltd.

Best Independent Wealth Manager Singapore 2021

Singapore

Expat Insurance Pte Ltd

Best Insurance Broker Singapore 2021

Singapore

Media Buzz

Best Digital Publisher of the Year Singapore 2021

Singapore

Sonnenkind

Most Innovative Travel Agency Singapore 2021

Sri Lanka

Amana Takaful

Best Takaful Insurance Provider 2021

Sri Lanka

Amana Takaful

Most Innovative Insurance Product Portfolio 2021

Sri Lanka

Amana Takaful

Best Insurance Customer Satisfaction Award 2021

Sri Lanka

Aberdeen Holdings Pvt Ltd

Most Diversified Conglomerate 2021

Sri Lanka

Aberdeen Holdings Pvt Ltd

Most Eco-Friendly Organization 2021

Sri Lanka

Aberdeen Holdings Pvt Ltd

Highest International Reach Award Sri Lankan 2021

44

2021

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Sri Lanka

Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC

Best Commercial Bank in Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Dialog Finance PLC

Best Digital Financial Solutions Provider Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Fintrex Finance Limited

Fastest Growing Finance Company Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Indika Kariyawasam Kiriwandeniya (SANASA Life Insurance)

Life Insurance CEO of the year Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Ipay

Most Innovative Digital Payment Solutions Provider Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Ipay

Best Mobile App for Retail Payments Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

FITS Express (Pvt) Ltd

Fastest Growing Logistic Company in Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

FinTech Business Consultancy PVT LTD

Best Business Consultancy Firm Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

HNB Finance PLC

Best CSR Finance Company in Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

LOLC Finance PLC

Most Innovative FinTech Provider in Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Nations Trust Bank PLC

Most Innovative Bank of the Year Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Nations Trust Bank PLC

Fastest Growing Digital Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Nations Trust Bank PLC

Best SME Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Nations Trust Bank PLC

Most Innovative Contactless Payments Application (FriMi) Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

NDB Bank

Best Investor Relations Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

NDB Bank

Best Retail Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

NDB Bank

Most Innovative Corporate Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

People’s Bank

Best Digital Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Mr. Ranjith Kodituwakku (People’s Bank)

Banking CEO of the Year Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Pan Asia Bank

Best Treasury and Cash Management Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Pan Asia Bank

Fastest Growing Commercial Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

NDB Investment Bank

Best Investment Bank Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

NDB Investment Bank

Most Trusted Investment Banking Brand Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Sampath Bank PLC

Fastest growing Retail Bank 2021

Sri Lanka

Sampath Bank PLC

Most innovative Retail Bank 2021

Sri Lanka

Union Assurance PLC

Most Innovative Digital Insurance Company Sri Lanka 2021

Sri Lanka

Union Assurance PLC

Most Innovative Digital Initiative Sri Lanka 2021

Taiwan

Bravo Ideas Digital Co., Ltd

Most Innovative Technique-Oriented Company Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

SinoPac Holdings

Best Bank for Sustainable Finance Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

SinoPac Holdings

Best Digital Wealth Management Project – Stocks Saving Plans in Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Bank SinoPac

Best Wealth Management Bank in Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Bank SinoPac

Best Innovative Digital Bank in Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Taipei Fubon Bank

Most Innovative Microfinance Bank Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Taipei Fubon Bank

Best Risk Governance and Intellectual Anti-hacking Initiative Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Taipei Fubon Bank

Best Trade Finance Bank Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Taipei Fubon Bank

Best Supply Chain Finance Bank Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Yuanta Commercial Bank

Most Innovative Digital Bank Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Yuanta Commercial Bank

Best Mobile Banking Application Taiwan 2021

Taiwan

Yuanta Financial Holding Company

Best CSR Company Taiwan 2021

Thailand

AIA Thailand

Best Life Insurance Company Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bangkok Bank

Best Corporate Bank in Thailand 2021

Thailand

Mr. Chartsiri Sophonpanich (CEO – Bangkok Bank)

Best Banking Chairman/CEO Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bangkok Commercial Asset Management Plc

Best Investor Relations Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bangkok Commercial Asset Management Plc

Best Distressed Asset Management Company Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bualuang Securities Public Company Limited

Best Securities Brokerage Firm Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bualuang Securities Public Company Limited

Best Capital Markets Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bolttech Insurance Broker (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

Best Customer Experience Insurtech Provider Thailand 2021

Thailand

Bolttech Insurance Broker (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

Leading InsurTech Thailand 2021

2021

45

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Thailand

Global Power Synergy Public Company Limited

Most Innovative Sustainable Company Thailand 2021 (Energy Sector)

Thailand

Global Power Synergy Public Company Limited

Best Investor Relation Company (Energy Sector)

Thailand

Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited

Best Environmental, Social and Governance Energy Company Thailand 2021

Thailand

Krungthai–AXA Life Insurance Public Company LTD

Health Insurance Provider of the Year Thailand 2021

Thailand

Krungthai–AXA Life Insurance Public Company LTD

Best CSR Initiative Thailand 2021

Thailand

Nova Asset Management

Best Hospitality Consulting Company Thailand 2021

Thailand

Nova Asset Management

Best Hotel Asset Manager Thailand 2021

Thailand

Osotspa Public Company Limited

Best Leader in Food & Beverage Sector Thailand 2021

Thailand

Osotspa Public Company Limited

Best Investor Relations Company Thailand 2021 (Food & Beverage Sector)

Thailand

SAAM Energy Development Public Company Limited

Best Independent Renewable Energy Project Developer Thailand 2021

Thailand

Thai oil Group

Fastest Growing Energy Company Thailand 2021

South East Asia

BCPG Public Company Limited

Most Innovative Renewable Energy Company South East Asia 2021

South Korea

IFCMARKETS. Corp.

Best International Forex Broker South Korea 2021

Vietnam

Chubb Life Vietnam

Most Sustainable Insurance Company Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Chubb Life Vietnam

Best Insurance Firm for CSR Activities Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

CMC Telecom

Best Data Center Award Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

FPT Software Ltd

Best IT Services Provider Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Harrison Spence Consulting

Best in Class Mergers and Acquisition Specialist Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Harrison Spence Consulting

Best Business Consultancy Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

IFCMARKETS. Corp.

Best International Forex Broker Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Manulife (Vietnam) Company Limited

Best CSR Insurance Company Vietnam 2021 (ManulifeMove Product – A Free Health & Fitness Application)

Vietnam

Nam A Bank

Best New Digital Bank Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Nam A Bank

Outstanding Bank for the Community Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Sai Gon J.S. Commercial Bank

Best CSR Bank Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Sacombank

Most Innovative Retail Bank Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Sacombank

Best Digital Transformation Bank Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

SeABank

Excellence in Digital Transformation Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Shinhan Bank

Best International Bank Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Standard Chartered Bank

Best Foreign Bank (Retail Sector) in Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Timo Digital Bank

Best Digital Bank Vietnam 2021

Vietnam

Vietcombank Fund Management

Best Fund Management Company Vietnam 2021

Austria

Kathrein Privatbank Aktiengesellschaft

Best Private Bank Austria 2021​

Belgium

ING

Best Private Bank Belgium 2021

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosna Bank International

Best Corporate Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Bank Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosna Bank International

Best Retail Mobile Banking App Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Nedžad Gušić (Corporate and Investments Banker – Bosna Bank International)

Best Corporate and Investments Banker Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021

Croatia

Bomis Ltd.

EU Funding Project Management Croatia 2021

Czech Republic

CSOB Private Banking

Best Private Bank Czech Republic 2021

Czech Republic

Moneta Money Bank

Best SME Bank Czech Republic 2021

Czech Republic

Moneta Money Bank

Best Digital Finance Services Czech Republic 2021

Czech Republic

Moneta Money Bank

Best Internet Bank Czech Republic 2021

Czech Republic

Moneta Money Bank

Best Mobile Bank Czech Republic 2021

Cyprus

EDR Financial Ltd. (TrioMarkets Cyprus)

Best Stocks Provider Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

EDR Financial Ltd. (TrioMarkets Cyprus)

Most Innovative Trading Technology Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

EDR Financial Ltd. (TrioMarkets Cyprus)

Best Algorithmic Trading Software for Asset Management Cyprus 2021

46

2021

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Cyprus

Fondex

Best cTrader Broker Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

Forex TB

Fastest Growing CFD Broker 2021

Cyprus

Forex TB

Best CFD Broker Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

Forex TB

Most Trusted Broker Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

Infocredit Group Ltd.

Best B2B Service Provider Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

SquaredFinancial

Most Transparent Forex Broker Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

Husam Al Kurdi (CEO of SquaredFinancial)

Best New Forex CEO of the Year Cyprus 2021

Cyprus

UpTrader

Best CRM provider for Brokers Cyprus 2021

Europe

7Marketz Deutschland GmbH

Best Fintech Marketing Solutions Europe 2021

Europe

Bybit

Most Trusted Trading Platform Europe 2021

Europe

B2Broker

Best Liquidity & Technology Provider Europe 2021

Europe

LiquidityX

Best Education Provider Europe 2021

Europe

LiquidityX

Best Forex Education Provider Europe 2021

Europe

FFF Asset Management

Best Hedge Fund (Total Return) Europe 2021

Europe

FFF Asset Management

Most Consistent Hedge Fund (Total Return) Europe 2021

Europe

FFF Asset Management

Best Fixed Income Hedge Fund (Total Return) Europe ​2021

Europe

InstaForex

Best Forex Broker Central and Eastern Europe 2021

Europe

Rynat Capital (Pty) Ltd.

Best Mobile Broker Europe 2021

Europe

Sofarm

Best Social Traffic Solution Provider Europe 2021

Europe

Vneuron Risk & Compliance

Best Anti-Money Laundering Solution Provider Europe 2021

France

Alter Equity

Impact Investor of the Year France 2021

France

Jamaafunding

Best Crowdtiming Platform France 2021

Germany

GBE Brokers

Best MT4 and MT5 Trading Platform Germany 2021

Germany

HYCM

Best Forex Broker Germany 2021

Germany

GreenTec Capital Partners Germany

Best Private Equity Firm Germany 2021

Germany

Moonfare

Best Fintech Company Germany 2021

Germany

Moonfare

Best Investment Company Germany 2021

Germany

Sonja Piontek – Global Keynote Speaker

#1 Global Speaker on Creativity & Unleashing Excellence

Great Britain

Aalto Capital

Best Investment Banking Firm Great Britain 2021

Great Britain

Bite Investments

Best Private Market Technology Solutions Provider UK 2021

Great Britain

Bite Investments

Best Alternative Investment Platform UK 2021

Great Britain

Fitch Learning

Most Innovative Global Training and Consulting Company Great Britain 2021

Great Britain

Gravity Global

Best B2B Marketing Agency Network Britain 2021

Great Britain

KASKO Ltd

Most Innovative InsurTech Of The Year 2021

Great Britain

Top Gold Forum

Best Gold Forum 2021

Italy

Banca Generali

Best Private Bank Italy 2021

Italy

Easyray

Best Mobile App Designer Italy 2021

Malta

Now Health International

Most Innovative Insurance Company Malta 2021

Netherlands

Akurateco

Best White Label Payment Gateway Netherlands 2021

Portugal

Banco Finantia

Best Investment Bank Portugal 2021

Portugal

Whitestart Asset Management

Best Credit Portfolio Management Company Portugal 2021

Russia

SimpleFinance

Most Affordable Financial Services Provider for SME’s Russia 2021

Russia

VTB Capital

Best Russian Equity House 2021

Russia

VTB Capital

Most Innovative Investment Bank Russia 2021

Serbia

Banca Intesa ad Beograd

The Best Bank Serbia 2021

Spain

BBVA

Best Account Management Solution Spain 2021

Spain

BBVA

Best Initiative of Aggregation Spain 2021

Spain

BBVA

The Best Boot For Clients – Blue (BBVA) 2021

Europe

Bizkaia Talent

Best Territorial Talent Management Company Europe 2021

Spain

Ocean Cleaner Technology

Best Sustainable Costal Ecosystems Spain 2021 2021

47

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

UK

A/O PropTech

Best Pro Tech Venture Capital Firm UK 2021

UK

A/O PropTech

Best Environmental, Social and Governance firm UK 2021

UK

Addingstone Insurance Solutions

Best Commercial Insurance Broker UK 2021

UK

Addingstone Insurance Solutions

Best Property Insurance Broker UK 2021

UK

Benamic

Most Innovative Tech for Excellence in End User Engagement Europe 2021

UK

BnkPro

Best Financial Services UK 2021

UK

BnkPro

Best Digital Payment App UK 2021

UK

BnkPro

Best Digital Financial Service Platform UK 2021

UK

Crown Agents Bank

Best Forex Emerging Markets Service Provider UK 2021

UK

Crown Agents Bank

Best Wholesale Forex Service Provider UK 2021

UK

Crown Agents Bank

Best Cross-Border Payments Service Provider UK 2021

UK

Clear Capital Markets

Best Advisory Stockbrokerage Company United Kingdom 2021

UK

Finalto

Best All-Round Liquidity Provider UK 2021

UK

Exmo

Best Crypto Exchange UK 2021

UK

IBOS Association Limited

Best Banking Service Provider UK 2021

UK

Impax Asset Management Group

Most Sustainable Fund Management Group UK 2021

UK

Origen Financial Services

Best Financial Advisory Firm UK 2021

UK

Finalto

Best Liquidity Trading Management Tools Provider UK 2021

UK

Preqin

Best User-Friendly Data and Analytics Provider UK 2021

UK

SCX Special Projects Ltd

Leading Bespoke Engineering Firm UK 2021

UK

Varianse

Best Broker for Trade Execution UK 2021

UK

VERMEG

Leading Financial Technology Company UK 2021

UK

VERMEG

Best Insurance Technology Company UK 2021

UK

Zenith Partners

Most Innovative Corporate and Business Transformation Advisory Firm UK 2021

Global

RoboMarkets

Best Indices Broker Global 2021

Global

RoboForex

Most Trusted Broker Global 2021

Western Europe

LegacyFX

Best Forex Broker Western Europe 2021

Azerbaijan

Baku Stock Exchange

Best Capital Markets Consulting Services South Caucasus 2021

Azerbaijan

Rabitabank OJSC

Best Mobile Banking Azerbaijan 2021

Azerbaijan

Rabitabank OJSC

Best Corporate Banking Azerbaijan 2021

Bahrain

Al Hilal Takaful

Best Family Takaful Company Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

BBK Bank

Best Retail Bank Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

BBK Bank

Best Internet Bank Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

Brinc

Most Innovative Alternative Investment Management Company Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

Credimax

Best Credit Card Loyalty & Rewards Campaign Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

Protection Insurance Services LLC

Best Insurance Broker Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

Solidarity Bahrain B.S.C

Best Digital Transformation Insurance Company Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

STC Bahrain

Best Digital Infrastructure Development Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

Nezar Banabeela (STC Bahrain)

Telecom CEO of the year Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

National Bank of Bahrain

Best Transformation Bank Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

National Bank of Bahrain

Best Sustainable Bank Bahrain 2021

Bahrain

Jean Christophe Durand (CEO – National Bank of Bahrain)

Banking CEO of the year Bahrain 2021

Egypt

ADIB (Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank)

Best Islamic Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

ADIB (Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank)

Best Digital Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

ADIB (Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank)

Best Shari’a Compliant Leasing Service Provider Egypt 2021

Egypt

Arab African International Bank

Best Investment Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

Arab African International Bank

Best Corporate Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

Arab African International Bank

Best CSR Bank Egypt 2021

48

2021

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Egypt

Arpu Square

Best VOD Platform Egypt 2021

Egypt

Banque Du Caire

Best Bank for Treasury Egypt 2021

Egypt

Banque Du Caire

Best Foreign Exchange Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

Banque Du Caire

Most Sustainable Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

Banque Misr

Most Innovative Bank for Treasury Services Egypt 2021

Egypt

Banque Misr

Best Practices in Internal Audit Egypt 2021

Egypt

CI Asset Management

Best Asset Manager in Egypt 2021

Egypt

CI Asset Management

Best Equity fund in Egypt 2021

Egypt

Housing and Development Bank

Fastest growing Credit Card issuer Egypt 2021

Egypt

Housing and Development Bank

Fastest growing Auto Loans Egypt 2021

Egypt

Housing and Development Bank

Fastest growing Retail Banking Egypt 2021

Egypt

Housing and Development Bank

Fastest growing Commercial Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

HOVO

Best Mobile Application For Logistics Services App Egypt 2021

Egypt

Masaref BSC

Best Banking Solution Provider Egypt 2021

Egypt

Misr Capital

Best Responsible Investment Fund Egypt 2021

Egypt

Misr Capital

Best UNPRI Compliant Fund Egypt 2021

Egypt

Misr Capital

Best Private Equity Fund Egypt 2021

Egypt

National Bank of Egypt (NBE)

Best CSR Bank Middle East 2021

Egypt

National Bank of Egypt (NBE)

Best Retail Bank Egypt 2021

Egypt

Pan Marine Group

Most Innovative Marine Shipping Agency Egypt 2021

Egypt

Pan Marine Group

Most Customer-Centric Logistics Service Provider Egypt 2021

Egypt

Orascom Construction

First wind BOO Renewable Project in Egypt 2021

Egypt

Orascom Construction

Largest Wastewater Treatment Plant Egypt 2021 (Bahr El Baqar)

Egypt

Orascom Construction

Best Wastewater Management Egypt 2021 (Abu Rawash)

Egypt

Quill Energy

Best Utility company (Energy sector) Egypt 2021

Egypt

Quill Energy

Fastest growing metering company Egypt 2021

EMEA

Accuindex

Best Online Trading Platform EMEA 2021

Jordan

Al Bawaba

Best PR and Communications Agency Jordan 2021

Jordan

Electronic Health Solutions

Most Innovative HealthTech Company of the Year Jordan 2021

Jordan

KPMG Jordan (Hatem Kawasmy, Managing Partner)

Most influential Leader (Tax Advisory and Strategic Planning) Jordan 2021

Jordan

Pio Tech

Most Innovative Banking Solutions Provider Jordan 2021

Jordan

Pio Tech

Most Effective and Creative Banking Solutions Provider Jordan 2021

Kuwait

Ahli United Bank

Best Private Bank in Kuwait 2021

Kuwait

National Investments Co.

Best Investment Management Company Kuwait 2021

Kuwait

NBK Capital

Best Digital Trading Platform Kuwait 2021

Kuwait

NBK Capital

Most Innovative Investment Advisory Firm Kuwait 2021

Lebanon

Areeba

Most Innovative Financial Technology Firm Lebanon 2021

Lebanon

Areeba

Fastest Growing Financial Payment Solutions Provider Lebanon 2021

Lebanon

Areeba

Most Innovative Digital Wallet Platform Lebanon 2021

Oman

National Bank of Oman

Best Mobile App Oman 2021

Oman

National Life & General Insurance Company

Best Motor Insurance Company Oman 2021

Oman

Ooredoo Oman

Best Employee Experience Oman 2021

Oman

Bank Nizwa

Best Islamic Bank Oman 2021

Oman

Burjeel Hospital Oman

Leading Healthcare Service Provider Oman 2021

Oman

Etteqa for Cybersecurity Services LLC

Most Innovative cyber security solutions Provider Oman 2021

Oman

Sohar International

Fastest Growing Commercial Bank Oman 2021

Oman

Sohar International

Fastest Growing Banking Group Oman 2021

Palestine

Palestine Islamic Bank

Best Digital Bank Palestine 2021

Palestine

Palestine Islamic Bank

Best Islamic Bank Palestine 2021

2021

49

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

Qatar

Raghavan Seetharaman (Doha Bank)

Banking CEO of the Year Qatar 2021

Qatar

Doha Bank

Best Digital Wallet App Qatar 2021

Qatar

Ooredoo

Best Telecommunication Company Qatar 2021

Qatar

Ooredoo

Most Innovative Digital Communication Service Provider Qatar 2021

Qatar

The first Investor

Best Equity Portfolio Manager Qatar 2021

Qatar

Qatar Islamic Bank

Best Digital Bank of the Year Qatar 2021

Qatar

Qatar Islamic Bank

Best Mobile Banking Qatar 2021

KSA

ANB Invest

Best Asset Manager Saudi Arabia 2021

KSA

The Saudi British Bank (SABB)

Best Bank for Customer Experience in KSA 2021

Saudi Arabia

Al Rajhi Bank

Best Online Banking Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Al Rajhi Bank

Best Mobile Banking App Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Aljazira Takaful

Best Takaful Operator Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Alkhair Capital

Fastest Growing Brokerage Company Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Albilad Capital

Best Endowment Fund Provider of the Year 2021 Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

Mr. Zaid Almufarih (CEO of Albilad Capital)

Best Investment Banking CEO Of The Year Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

BUPA Arabia

Best Health Insurance Company 2021

Saudi Arabia

Mr. Tal Nazer (CEO, BUPA Arabia)

Insurance CEO of the Year Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Bahri

Best Treasury Management Company Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Bahri

Best Logistics Solutions Provider Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Rosanna Chopra (CEO – Ebda LLC)

CEO of the Year Saudi Arabia 2021 (Adventure and Wellness Division)

Saudi Arabia

FALCOM Financial Services

Best Fund Manager of the year Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

FALCOM Financial Services

Most Innovative Asset Management Company Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

FALCOM Financial Services

Most Notable Listing Award 2021 in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

Riyad Bank

Best Corporate Bank Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Sejel Technology Co.Ltd

Best Technology Solutions Provider Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

Tawuniya

Best Innovative Insurance Company Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Investment Bank

Best Building Management System (Bank) Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Investment Bank

Best Travel Card Saudi Arabia 2021

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Investment Bank

Best Cashback Card Middle East 2021

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Investment Bank

Best Cash Management Offering Saudi Arabia 2021

Turkey

Yapı Kredi Asset Management

Best Pension Funds Management Company Turkey 2021

Turkey

Yapı Kredi Asset Management

Best Asset Management Company Turkey 2021

Turkey

YOTELAIR Istanbul Airport Hotel

AirTransit Hotel Turkey 2021

Turkey

YOTELAIR Istanbul Airport Hotel

Luxury Airport Hotel Turkey 2021

UAE

Align Manpower

Best Provider of Logistics & Warehouse Staffing UAE 2021

UAE

Atul Sinha (CEO – Align Manpower)

Best CEO in Staffing and Recruiting Industry UAE 2021

UAE

Brad Williams (Head of Sales – Align Manpower)

Best Head of Sales in Staffing and Recruitment Industry UAE 2021

UAE

Al Buhaira National Insurance Company

Best Health Insurance Company UAE 2021

UAE

Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa

Most Luxurious 5 Star Hotel UAE 2021

UAE

Al Mal Capital

Fastest Growing Asset Management Company UAE 2021

UAE

Averda

Best ESG Waste Management Company UAE 2021

UAE

Arms &McGregor International Realty

Most Innovative Real Estate Advisory Firm UAE 2021

UAE

Centroid Solutions

Best Technology Solution Provider for Multi-Asset Brokers UAE 2021

UAE

Centroid Solutions

Best Risk Management System Provider UAE 2021

UAE

Commercial Bank of Dubai

Best Digital Bank UAE 2021

UAE

Commercial Bank of Dubai

Best Digital Product (Digi Accounts) UAE 2021

UAE

Crowe UAE

Best Tax and Audit Service Provider UAE 2021

UAE

Christian Konopatzki (Affiliate Marketing Manager – CTARS FZE)

Best Affiliate Marketing Manager UAE 2021

50

2021

WINNERS 2021 Country

Name of the Company

Category

UAE

deVere Group

Best Financial Advisory Company UAE 2021

UAE

deVere Group

Best Fintech Company UAE 2021

UAE

DGrade FZ-LLC

Most Innovative Technology Product (Greenspun®) UAE 2021

UAE

Abdulla Al Nuaimi (CEO – Dubai National Insurance & ReInsurance)

Best Insurance & Reinsurance CEO of the Year UAE 2021

UAE

Emirates REIT

Best Islamic Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) UAE 2021

UAE

Fine Hygienic holding

Best Manufacturer of Hygienic Tissue UAE 2021

UAE

Financial Markets Online

Best Forex Education Company UAE 2021

UAE

Financial Markets Online

Fastest Growing Forex Education Company UAE 2021

UAE

James Michael Lafferty (CEO – Fine Hygienic holding)

Best Healthcare CEO of the year UAE 2021

UAE

Ahmed Abdelaal (Mashreq Bank)

Banking CEO of the Year UAE 2021

UAE

Instant Cash

Fastest Growing Money Transfer Service Provider UAE 2021

UAE

Kerten Hospitality

Most Innovative Mixed-Use and Lifestyle Operator UAE 2021

UAE

Mashreq Bank

Best Retail Bank UAE 2021

UAE

The National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK)

Best Online Bank UAE 2021

UAE

The National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK)

Best Bank for Insurance in UAE 2021

UAE

NeoShine Healthcare Alliance FZ LLC

Best Online Healthcare Marketplace UAE 2021

UAE

NeoShine Healthcare Alliance FZ LLC

Best Online Healthcare Marketplace UAE 2021

UAE

NeoShine Healthcare Alliance FZ LLC

Best Online Healthcare Marketplace UAE 2021

UAE

Noor Takaful

Most Innovative Takaful Provider UAE 2021

UAE

Policy Bazaar

Best Digital Insurance Aggregator UAE 2021

UAE

Pyramedia

Best Media Consultancy UAE 2021

UAE

Rasmala Investment Bank Limited

Leading Investment Company of the Year UAE 2021

UAE

Rasmala Investment Bank Limited

Best Shari’a Compliant Fund Manager UAE 2021

UAE

Rosanna Chopra (CEO – Qantara Consultants)

Best CEO in the Management Consulting UAE 2021

UAE

RNS Technology Services

Best Cyber Security Reseller 2021

UAE

Royal Metis Co.

Best Spa & Salon Consultancy Firm UAE 2021

UAE

SALAMA Islamic Arab Insurance Company

Takaful Company of the Year UAE 2021

UAE

Savington International Insurance Brokers LLC

Insurance Broker of the Year UAE 2021

UAE

StashAway

Fastest Growing Digital Wealth Management Platform UAE 2021

UAE

Treo Homes

Best Boutique Real Estate Broker UAE 2021

UAE

wasl Asset Management

Best New Real Estate Mobile App UAE 2021

UAE

ZorroSign

Most Innovative Blockchain-Backed Digital Signature Solutions UAE 2021

Middle East

ADSS

Best Institutional Forex Broker / White Label Middle East 2021

Middle East

Derayah Financial

Most Advanced Brokerage Platform Middle East 2021

Middle East

MultiBankFX

Best CFD Broker UAE 2021

Middle East

Pepperstone

Best Forex Broker Middle East 2021

Middle East

Qatar Islamic Bank

Best Islamic Bank Middle East 2021

Middle East

Silah Gulf

Best digital transformation project Middle East 2021

Middle East

Silah Gulf

Best CX in times of crisis Middle East 2021

Middle East

Vestas

Best Renewable Energy Company MENA 2021

MEA

Global Private Equity Partners

Best International Project Financing Middle East Asia 2021

MENA

AFS

Leading Payment Solutions Provider Mena 2021

MENA

Al Mal Capital

Best Asset Management Company MENA 2021

MENA

QNET

Best Business Influencer in Social Media MENA 2021

MENA

QNET

Most Sustainable Company For Consumer Goods MENA 2021

MENA

QNET

Best CSR Company MENA 2021

GCC

CMTrading

Best Financial Broker GCC 2021 2021

51