Mawarid Finance to Host Fintech & Innovation Summit 2025 in Dubai
Event to spotlight UAE's fintech ambitions and digital finance future.
Mawarid Finance has announced the upcoming Fintech & Innovation Summit 2025, set to take place on Thursday, 24th April in Dubai, under the theme "Empowering Innovation in Finance."
The summit will gather top leaders from the finance and technology sectors across the UAE, alongside government officials, investors, regulators, and industry experts. Discussions will center on enhancing access to finance, aligning banking services with UAE regulatory frameworks, and empowering entrepreneurs and SMEs.
Key focus areas include the evolution of fintech, innovation-driven customer experiences, digital banking advancements, AI integration, and data security. The event also aims to support emerging companies by addressing the latest legislation and regulatory developments.
Rashid Al Qubaisi, CEO of Mawarid Finance, emphasized the summit's role as a vital platform for knowledge exchange and future-oriented discussions. 'It highlights Mawarid's commitment to advancing innovative solutions in financial services, including Islamic finance, to better serve our clients,'
he said.
Al Qubaisi also noted that the agenda features several high-level dialogue sessions with key decision-makers, reflecting Mawarid's support of the UAE's broader vision to become a global fintech hub.
The summit reinforces Dubai's position at the forefront of digital finance and underlines the critical role innovation plays in shaping the sector's future.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fintech News ME
3 hours ago
- Fintech News ME
Qatar Islamic Bank Partners with Visa to Boost Cross-Border B2B Payments
Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has partnered with Visa to enhance cross-border business-to-business (B2B) transactions. The collaboration involves the integration of the Visa B2B Connect platform, which will enable corporate clients to transfer funds from Qatar to 120 countries in a secure and streamlined manner. The platform is designed to support businesses in conducting international transactions more efficiently, aiming to improve the reliability and security of cross-border payments. QIB's adoption of Visa B2B Connect aligns with its broader strategy to strengthen international payment corridors and provide clients with cost-effective and consistent transfer services. Tarek Fawzi, General Manager, Wholesale Banking Group at QIB, said: 'By leveraging cutting-edge technology and digital advancements, we're able to process account-to-account transfers promptly, helping businesses stay competitive and contributing to the broader economic landscape.' QIB is the first Islamic bank in Qatar to adopt the Visa B2B Connect platform, adding to its existing international money transfer services and expanding its digital payment capabilities. Shashank Singh, Visa's Vice President and General Manager for Qatar and Kuwait, said: 'Visa B2B Connect provides seamless, secure and efficient global money movement solutions for financial institutions and their corporate clients. The solution also supports the Qatar government's efforts to drive digital innovation in the financial and business sector.' International money transfers often involve complexities, but this new network aims to improve transparency and predictability. These features may support better financial planning and strategic decision-making for businesses operating across borders.
Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Pepkor showcases growth across its portfolio
Pepkor Holdings Limited has announced strong interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2025, showcasing robust growth across its portfolio. Group revenue increased by 12.8% to R48.8bn, while operating profit grew by 13.3% to R5.8bn. Normalised headline earnings per share (HEPS) saw a significant increase of 18.9% to 84.3 cents, underpinning the group's ability to deliver value in a dynamic market. Pieter Erasmus, chief executive officer of Pepkor Holdings Limited, said, 'We have delivered consistent retail performance, strategically executed on our fintech growth ambitions, and maintained disciplined cost management. Our focus on digital and financial inclusion yields tangible benefits for our customers and the group's performance. Image supplied We are particularly pleased with the progress in our fintech segment and our expanding cellular market share, which are becoming increasingly significant contributors to our overall success. Strategic acquisitions announced will further diversify our offering into new customer segments and product categories - positioning Pepkor for sustained growth and value creation.' Financial highlights for the six months ended 31 March 2025: - Revenue increased by 12.8% to R48.8bn - Operating profit (before capital items) grew by 13.3% to R5.8bn - Gross profit margin expanded by 110 basis points to 39.2%. - Normalised HEPS increased by 18.9% to 84.3 cents (Statutory HEPS: +12.4% to 84.3 cents). - Cash conversion remained strong at 82% (rolling 12-month basis). - Return on net assets was robust at 23.7% (rolling 12-month basis). - Retail credit A+ customer base grew to 3.1 million accounts, with 564,000 new accounts opened. - Cellular market share expanded, with the group now selling eight out of every 10 prepaid handsets in South Africa. - FoneYam smartphone rental customers exceeded 1.5 million. - Active SIM card base, based on SIM cards sold by the group, of 30 million. Strong performance across core retail operations Pepkor's traditional retail businesses delivered a strong trading performance, outperforming the market and expanding market share. Group merchandise sales increased by 10%, with like-for-like sales up by 7.8%. In Southern Africa (excluding PEP Africa and Avenida), like-for-like sales grew by an impressive 9.6%. This performance was supported by improved product availability, healthy growth in retail credit interoperability, and solid growth in cellular connectivity. - Pep, the group's largest brand, delivered a stellar performance with like-for-like sales growth of 10% and above for six consecutive months. Market share was expanded across key product categories, and 43 new stores were opened, bringing the total to 2,649 stores. - Ackermans continued its recovery trajectory with like-for-like sales growth of close to 10%. Market share was gained in key categories and the store base expanded to 1,018 stores. Image supplied - Speciality (including Tekkie Town and the newly launched Ayana brand) showed solid performance in Dunns, Refinery and CODE with improved trading in Tekkie Town. The Ayana brand, focused on adult womenswear, was successfully launched across 32 stores. The Speciality store base expanded to 972 stores. - Lifestyle (including Rochester, Bradlows, Sleepmasters, and Incredible Connection) delivered solid and consistent performance, with 6.3% like-for-like sales growth, outperforming the market in key product categories. - Avenida, Pepkor's Brazil-based operation, saw an improvement in like-for-like sales performance in the second quarter despite a challenging environment. Fintech continues to drive growth and financial inclusion The fintech segment delivered healthy growth, underpinned by strategic execution and extensive reach across all channels, providing unparalleled customer acquisition capabilities. - Connectivity: Pepkor sold 6.8 million cellular handsets during the period, an increase of 17%, and its market share in prepaid handsets rose, now accounting for eight out of every 10 prepaid handsets sold in South Africa. Smartphone penetration increased as the group made these devices more affordable, with smartphones constituting 65% of handsets sold. - FoneYam, the innovative smartphone rental product, continued its strong growth trajectory, enabling more than 1.5 million customers to acquire smartphones by overcoming affordability barriers. Monthly activations averaged 165,000. - Retail credit: The A+ retail credit base expanded to 3.1 million customer accounts, with 564,000 new accounts opened. - Insurance (Abacus): During the period, 3.3 million PAXI parcels were covered, and embedded insurance was successfully launched in FoneYam in November 2024, covering 840 000 devices since then. - Flash: The Flash business, serving the informal market, increased its throughput by 23.6% to R28.8 billion. The trader network expanded to 175 000, delivering customer solutions that promote financial inclusion. Erasmus said initiatives like FoneYam are not just about selling products; they provide access and opportunity. 'By making smartphones affordable, we connect more South Africans to the digital economy and enable access to education and essential services.' Strategic developments pave the way for future expansion Pepkor also made significant strides in executing its strategic growth ambitions, with key acquisitions and initiatives to enhance its market position and customer offering. Erasmus said, 'These developments are transformative for Pepkor. The acquisition of Choice Clothing opens a new, exciting customer segment. Bringing Shoprite's furniture business into our Lifestyle division will bring increased scale and synergies into the household goods market. And our focused efforts in adult wear, through the Ayana launch and the Retailability acquisition, will substantially increase our presence in this product category.' Pepkor says these acquisitions will leverage the group's core strengths and deliver enhanced value to its customers and shareholders. Positive outlook and strategic focus Pepkor remains optimistic about the future despite a challenging macroeconomic environment in South Africa. The group anticipates that downward-trending inflation, reduced load shedding, and the two-pot retirement system will provide some relief for consumers. Erasmus concluded, 'Despite the subdued and competitive market, we continued to deliver excellent growth and we're confident that our consistent performance and growth in fintech will continue to underpin strong performance.'
Hi Dubai
2 days ago
- Hi Dubai
Mashreq Lists USD 500 Million Sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai Amid Strong Global Demand
Mashreq has marked a key milestone in its Islamic finance journey with the listing of a USD 500 million Sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai, following strong investor demand and signaling renewed confidence in the region's capital markets. The Sukuk, due in 2030, was issued by Mashreq Al Islami Sukuk Company Ltd. under the bank's USD 2.5 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme. Attracting an oversubscribed orderbook of USD 2.9 billion, the issuance saw broad participation from over 90 global investors across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. The listing ceremony was attended by senior Mashreq executives, including Group CEO Ahmed Abdelaal, who rang the market-opening bell alongside Hamed Ali, CEO of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market. Abdelaal described the debut listing as a 'new chapter' in Mashreq's capital markets strategy, highlighting its disciplined funding approach and commitment to sustainable, Sharia-compliant financial solutions. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of Mashreq, called the listing a demonstration of the bank's role in advancing global Islamic finance. Hamed Ali noted that the move underscores Nasdaq Dubai's position as a global platform linking regional issuers with international investors and supporting diversified financing needs. The successful Sukuk launch is also significant as it marked the first public issuance from the CEEMEA region since the announcement of U.S. tariffs in April 2025, which had stirred global market volatility. Its strong reception helped pave the way for additional regional issuances. With this listing, total Sukuk listings on Nasdaq Dubai have reached USD 97.2 billion, while overall debt listings now stand at over USD 140 billion — reinforcing Dubai's growing stature as a leading hub for Islamic and international capital markets. News Source: Dubai Media Office
