Dubai, UAE, October 16, 2016:  The UAE Banks Federation (UBF), a professional representative body comprising 49 member banks operating in the UAE, will be hosting its 4th Middle East Banking Forum in Abu Dhabi, at The St. Regis hotel, Corniche, on 14th November 2016. The overall theme of the annual conference will be “transforming the customer experience”, and Key topics to highlight de-risking and its impact on regional banks.

A high level panel discussion is scheduled during the half-day event to explore the effects and ramifications of de-risking, which is where correspondent banking relationships are constrained or blocked by international regulators protecting their banks from perceived risk (eg money laundering or financing terrorism) in certain markets. The panel will discuss a range of related topics such as how banks manage de-risking, how it affects their small and medium sized corporate clients in the Middle East in particular, and how to avoid its unintended consequences. 

HE AbdulAziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of the UAE Banks Federation commented: “Because we live in a digital world where everything is quicker and less complicated but with more challenged regulations, banks have to put further efforts to promote and strengthen bonds of trust in the financial world. Trust about where someone’s money comes from, trust about who they are, trust even deriving from where they live. Today, de-risking is on everyone’s mind, not only banks, but corporates and individuals as well. Our aim for this year’s forum is to gather experts from around the world and try to come up with solutions that will benefit all stakeholders.”

On the panel addressing this issue will be Ajay Badyal, Head of Assurance and Advisory Services Unit of the Compliance Function at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Justine Walker, Director of Financial Crime at the British Bankers' Association (BBA) and Redmond Ramsdale, Senior Director and Head of GCC Bank Ratings, Fitch Ratings.

Keynote speakers at the event include Ron Kaufman, an award-winning customer experience consultant, leadership and motivational speaker, expert in building customer service culture,  and founder of “UP! Your Service”; and Marcus Treacher, Global Head of Strategic Accounts at Ripple, a San Fransisco based company which provides global financial settlement solutions to banks across the world. He was previously in global leadership roles at HSBC for 12 years and served as a member of the Global Board of SWIFT from 2010 to 2016.

Confirmed leading bank sponsors for this year include NBAD, Emirates NBD, ADCB, ADIB, Barclays, Mashreq, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Bank of Sharjah and UNB. Among other key sponsors like Visa, Fitch Ratings, Latham & Watkins and MISYS Financial Software.

The event will be also covered by a group of regional and international media partners as well as key broadcast TV, CNBC Arabia.