FINANCIAL-SECTOR
The second edition of the Financial Sector Conference (FSC 2023) has concluded in Riyadh, with a mood of optimism and energy to overcome market challenges to build a stronger, technology driven and sustainable economy of the future.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230317005086/en/
Courtney Powell, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner, 500 Global (Photo: AETOSWire)
Over 3200 participants from 82 countries, and 180 media, assembled in the Saudi capital to discuss the way ahead for the global financial community under the conference theme of “Promising Financial Prospects.”
Representatives from some of the biggest global financial institutions joined Government Finance Ministers met to identify the most effective road map for future growth and prosperity for the sector – enabling greater use of technology, diversification, cross border cooperation and embracing the green economy.
The conference also saw multiple MOUs and agreements signed to support real estate development; FinTech development and digital financing solutions worth billions of dollars and the National Bank of Iraq announced the start of operations in Saudi Arabia.
Concluding the conference, Saudi Central Bank Governor HE Ayman Mohammed Alsayari highlighted the Kingdom's efforts to provide an attractive environment for FinTech companies in line with the goals of Vision 2030 goals, and the vital role they play to support the growth of the private sector, to diversify the economy, and to stimulate saving, financing and investment.
Debating the important role of Venture Capital, Courtney Powell, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner, 500 Global, said: “Since we made our first investment in the Middle East in 2012, we have seen incredible growth and we have 14 companies today valued at over $100 million. The willingness of the government to support entrepreneurs combined with the opening up of the Kingdom shows it has the potential of becoming a leading global hub for entrepreneurship.”
In discussion about the future of global money flows, HE Giancarlo Giorgetti, Italian Minister of Economy and Finance stated: “In the financial sector, fragmentation induced by geopolitical tension will have strong implications by affecting global and financial stability, the cross-border allocation of capital, international payment systems, and asset prices.”
Financing for the SME sector was a key debating point on the final day of the conference with the enormous growth of the sector both in the Middle East and internationally. Tala Al Jabri, Board Member, Middle East VC Association (MEVCA) identified a major financing gap for the sector. He said: “95% of enterprises in the region are SMEs and the loan profile that goes to them is only 7% – which is the lowest in the world, indicating a massive gap.”
The FinTech sector in Saudi Arabia meanwhile is flourishing as Ziad Alyousef, Deputy Governor for Development and Technology, Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) explained: “In 2018, there were less than 10 companies operating in the FinTech community. Now, there are over 155 companies operating in the space in Saudi Arabia and this has led to increased investments and job creation."
*Source: AETOSWire
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230317005086/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Murata Unveils World’s First 15nF/1.25kV C0G MLCC in 1210-inch Size2.12.2025 03:00:00 CET | Press release
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 6981) (ISIN: JP3914400001) announces the launch and mass production of its multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) featuring a capacitance of 15nF, a rated voltage of 1.25kV, and C0G characteristics in the compact 1210-inch (3.2mm x 2.5mm) size. This product delivers highly efficient power conversion and stable performance under high-voltage conditions, making it suitable for onboard chargers (OBCs) in electric vehicles (EVs) and power supply circuits in high-performance consumer devices. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251201104421/en/ [Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.] 15nF/1.25kV/C0G MLCC in 1210-inch Size Resonant and snubber circuits are essential for efficient power conversion and suppressing current and voltage peaks. In both circuits, repeated exposure to high voltage and high current can cause even slight changes in component performance, leading to efficiency loss or
With 40% of Agentic AI Projects Predicted to Fail, Leading Software Developer Says Compliance Is the One Place Where Agentic AI Will Thrive2.12.2025 01:01:00 CET | Press release
Ideagen's CEO explains why binary outcomes and high stakes make compliance ideal for autonomous AI The CEO of one of the world’s leading global compliance software developers, Ideagen, has today (December 2, 2025) said compliance represents the one domain where autonomous AI will succeed – despite technology insights company Gartner® warning "… over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027”. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251201511477/en/ Ben Dorks, Ideagen CEO Speaking at the launch of their own agentic AI platform Ideagen Mazlan, Ben Dorks said: “Autonomous AI will succeed in compliance because failure is measurable, stakes are high and outcomes are binary. “AI that continuously monitors jurisdictional or industry specific compliance frameworks, detects patterns across thousands of records, raises actions for others to follow, flags gaps before audits, autonomously? That's agentic. It
VeriSilicon’s NPU IP VIP9000NanoOi-FS has Achieved ISO 26262 ASIL B Certification2.12.2025 01:00:00 CET | Press release
Extending the company’s functional safety IP portfolio to NPU IP VeriSilicon (688521.SH) today announced that its NPU IP VIP9000NanoOi-FS has successfully achieved ISO 26262 ASIL B certification, marking a significant milestone in the functional safety capabilities of the company’s neural network processing unit portfolio. This IP features an architecture streamlined for seamless SoC integration, delivering high-quality inference with low power consumption and a compact silicon footprint. The certificate was issued by SGS-TÜV Saar, an international testing, inspection and certification institution. As part of VeriSilicon’s VIP9000 series, the VIP9000NanoOi-FS IP is designed for automotive and edge AI applications, providing high-performance neural network processing with a safety-compliant architecture. The IP supports a wide range of AI inferencing models including Large Language Models (LLMs) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), with hardware-accelerated AI inference, enabling r
UMA Launches from Europe to Shape the Global Future of Physical AI1.12.2025 23:52:00 CET | Press release
UMA (Universal Mechanical Assistant), a new robotics intelligence company founded by former leaders from Tesla, Google DeepMind, Nvidia and Hugging Face, launches today with a clear goal: to bring advanced AI into the physical world and build humanoid robots ready for real work, in real environments, at scale. UMA’s founders were instrumental in shaping the last decade of breakthroughs in deep learning, robotics and open-source AI. They are convinced that the next era of artificial intelligence won’t unfold on screens, it will happen in warehouses, hospitals, labs, factories and homes, where machines must face friction, unpredictability and human complexity. UMA is built for this transition: from digital intelligence to physical autonomy. AI Is Moving Off the Screen and into the World The past ten years gave rise to generative models, multimodal systems and language-based intelligence. The next decade will be defined by robotics, powered by an AI that can see, move, manipulate and make
FlightSafety International Appoints Eric Hinson as Chief Executive Officer1.12.2025 23:00:00 CET | Press release
FlightSafety International Inc. today announced the appointment of Eric Hinson as chief executive officer, effective immediately. Hinson will succeed former president Barbara Telek who recently announced her retirement. Hinson’s appointment marks a return to FlightSafety. He served as an executive vice president from 2009 to 2012 before leaving to be the president and CEO of Simcom International, Inc. Hinson started his aviation career as a naval aviator flying tactical aircraft in training, fleet, and operational test squadrons. Today, he is an active ATP-rated pilot with more than 5,000 total flight hours. He brings a unique operational perspective to the position—one that blends executive leadership with firsthand experience. In addition to FlightSafety and Simcom, Hinson has served in a variety of senior leadership positions at leading aviation companies, including Honeywell, Gulfstream, and Piaggio Aerospace. He also served as a board member of the General Aviation Manufacturer As
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom