Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, has been announced as the keynote speaker of the eighth annual GCC Financial Forum.
Co-hosted by Euromoney and the Bahrain Economic Development Board, the event will focus on the reinvention of financial services. Set to run from 26 to 27 February 2019, the two-day conference will feature speeches and interviews with international financial and technology leaders, and present an opportunity for over 800 global participants to meet, network and exchange ideas.
Steve Wozniak, one of the heavyweights of the global tech industry, founded Apple with Steve Jobs in 1976 and was instrumental in the launch of the company’s first personal computers. He is also a leading and vocal expert on AI, blockchain and the financial technology industry at large. Wozniak is particularly active in advocating the benefits of cryptocurrencies, an area that several Bahraini start-ups are exploring.
David Parker, Executive Director – Financial Services at the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: “With Bahrain rapidly becoming the FinTech hub of the Middle East, we are eager to welcome Steve Wozniak to speak at next year’s GCC Financial Forum. He is well-known for his insight into the latest FinTech trends, and we look forward to hearing his thoughts on the new developments in global finance.”
The Forum comes at a time of exponential growth in the FinTech industry, particularly in Bahrain. Recent steps, such as the launch of the Bahrain FinTech Bay – the largest FinTech hub in the Middle East, have firmly put the country on the map as the ideal destination for designing, developing and testing innovative FinTech products. The success builds upon Bahrain’s heritage as the GCC’s first financial centre, which has grown into the region’s largest – home to over 400 financial institutions.
Parker added: “The GCC Financial Forum has established itself as a landmark event that engages key decision makers in dynamic discussions that will ultimately help the private and public sectors set the course for the future of finance. I have no doubt that Steve Wozniak will be at the heart of these debates.”
In addition to Wozniak, the event will feature speakers representing regulators, FinTech entities, global banks and policy makers from the GCC region and around the world. With financial services disruption becoming an increasing challenge to businesses, the conference will explore several key areas, including:
- Reinvention of financial services
- Responsible finance
- Women driving innovation in finance
- Open banking
- Balancing regulation and innovation
The Forum will take place as part of the second annual Fintastic Bahrain Week, a week-long series of activities that convenes regional and global financial services experts to explore disruptive innovation across the industry.
