Couchonomics with Arjun

Welcome to the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun. In this fascinating conversation, we delve deep into the world of Ultra Platforms, fintech, and the future of digital services with our esteemed guest, Abdallah Abu-Sheikh, the dynamic CEO of Botim and Founder of Astra Tech. Abdallah Abu-Sheikh is a renowned entrepreneur and a visionary leader in the MENA region, known for his unconventiona...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Couchonomics with Arjun. In this episode, we delve into the innovative world of FinTech, discussing the groundbreaking journey of Twig, a start-up focused on cultivating a culture of saving in the MENA region. Twig's unique embedded savings infrastructure offers goal-based saving tools, enabling consumers to realize their financial dreams effortlessly....

In this riveting episode of Couchonomics, we dive deep into the intricate world of blockchain, metaverse, and web 3.0 with Amna Usman Chaudhry, a renowned Financial Economist & Emerging Tech Strategist. From the mechanics of blockchain and metaverse to its implications on fintech, Islamic fintech, and the efforts towards gender equality, this conversation explores the intersection of technolog...

Welcome to a very special edition of Couchonomics with Arjun, your window into the dynamic world of global finance. We're incredibly excited to share this episode with you, recorded live from the city of a thousand hills, Kigali, Rwanda. Arjun, our esteemed host, joined the conversation at the first-ever Inclusive FinTech Forum (IFF), a global platform advocating financial inclusion and good...

Welcome to the 50th episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, the show where we dissect the evolving landscape of global finance. In this, anniversary, episode, we take a deep dive into the financial technologies shaping the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our special guest, Renier Lemmens, Group CEO of Geidea, shares his insights on the future of payments, the reality of cashless societies,...

Welcome to the latest episode of Couchonomics with your host, Arjun. In this episode, we sit down with Pat Patel, Executive Director of Elevandi, an esteemed thought leader in the FinTech ecosystem, who takes us on a deep dive into the dynamic world of financial technology, its potential, and how we can harness its power to drive economic growth across borders. Elevandi is a company initiated by t...

Welcome to another electrifying episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, where we're making sense of the rapidly evolving world of finance and technology! In this episode, we're venturing into the Middle East's dynamic fintech landscape, discussing the breakthroughs and challenges of online payments, and understanding what it takes to connect a fragmented market. We're joined by an...

In this episode, we explore the burgeoning digital payment landscape in Egypt. The market is seeing rapid growth, driven by new digital platforms, Covid-19's impact on consumer behavior, and supportive regulations. Meet our guest, Dr. Waleed Sadek, a seasoned entrepreneur and expert in digital financial services. He is the founder and CEO of PaySky and Yalla, leading players in the Middle Eas...

In this enlightening episode, we delve into the fascinating world of crypto and blockchain, exploring how these groundbreaking technologies are reshaping not only finance, but also society and governance. Our guest is Saqr Ereiqat, a blockchain pioneer and Co-Founder of Crypto Oasis, who brings a wealth of experience from his time at IBM and his role in shaping Dubai's official government blo...

In this episode of Couchonomics, we welcome Wael Fakharany, CEO of Edenred Middle East, a leading provider of smart technology solutions in the UAE. Wael shares his expertise in empowering businesses across various sectors, including retail, facilities management, and construction, through technology-driven financial solutions. Edenred UAE offers a comprehensive range of products, such as the C3Pa...

In the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we had the pleasure of interviewing Oliver Hughes, former CEO of Tinkoff, one of the largest digital platforms in Russia. Oliver's unique experience in the finance industry and his excellent reputation in the market led him to be recruited by Oleg Tinkov as part of the leadership team of the newly-launched Tinkoff Credit Systems. Oliver's...

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we speak with Madiha Sattar, VP of Careem Pay, the fintech arm of Careem, the Middle East's first unicorn. Madiha has had a versatile and ambitious career across finance, tech, and media. Prior to joining Careem, she worked in management consulting at McKinsey and in corporate strategy at JPMorgan. She also has experience as a journalist covering po...

In this episode of Couchonomics, Arjun speaks with Gabrielle Inzirillo, Head of Ecosystem Development at Abu Dhabi Global Market's Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), about building a fintech ecosystem in the UAE and the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Gabrielle previously managed a venture capital firm's EMEA fintech division, investing in early-stage startup...

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief FinTech Officer of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Chairman of Elevandi Board. Sopnendu has been responsible for the development of regulatory policies, innovation strategies, and public good projects to enhance the competitiveness of the financial sector in Singapore. He has also...

In the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, the guest is Navin Gupta, the Managing Director of South Asia and MENA at Ripple. Ripple is a blockchain company that provides enterprise-grade solutions for faster, more transparent, and more cost-effective financial services. Navin has extensive experience in the financial industry and is responsible for expanding Ripple's presence in South...

Welcome to another episode of Couchonomics with Arjun. In this episode, we have a special guest, Tram Anh Nguyen, Co-Founder of CFTE - Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Tram Anh has an impressive professional background in the finance industry, having worked with renowned institutions like Standard Chartered Bank, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and UBS, before founding CFTE. CF...

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we welcome Peter De Caluwe, the CEO of Thunes, a global payments network that enables cross-border payments from 130 countries. Peter shares with us how Thunes is revolutionizing the way international payments are made, making them faster, easier, and more affordable. Thunes is focused on remittance companies, payroll providers, and the travel industry,...

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we welcome Noor Sweid, managing partner at Global Ventures, to share her insights on venture capital funds and the investment potential of the MENA region.  During our discussion, Noor emphasizes the importance of conducting due diligence when choosing an industry to invest in and understanding the stage of startup development it needs help with. She als...

 In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we discuss how open banking and open finance are transforming the financial industry, not only in the MENA region but also globally. We'll be joined by Hisham Al-Falih, Co-Founder & CEO of Lean Technologies, as we explore the challenges, opportunities, and latest developments in the field. Tune in to find out how the MENA region is catching up...

Jayesh Patel is the CEO of Wio Bank. Recently launched less than a year ago, Wio bank is remarkable because it targets a segment of the population that may be the most under-served in the world: micro businesses, which account for over 99% of all business activity in the world. Jayesh is highly passionate as he discusses the evolution of banking in practical terms. He talks us through how the rela...

In this episode, we take a step back from the world of finance to get a bigger picture of the way technology is influencing all of our lives. Our guide to this evolution is Dr Noah Raford, the renowned futurist and the mind behind the incredible Museum of the Future. The first task Dr Raford is burdened with is explaining what exactly a futurist does. He describes a profession built around making...

In the second part of our unprecedented 2-Part episode, we're diving into the technical aspects that make crypto possible to understand some of its most practical use cases. One of the most glamorous uses for crypto is obviously the possibility to make and receive payments. Dominic Longman and Nadeem Ladki explore how the relationship between crypto and fiat currencies is pushing crypto towar...

Cryptocurrency has emerged as one of the most exciting investment opportunities in history. While the field is still in its nascency, multiple users have thrown their support behind this invention and have begun to find use cases that take crypto out of the abstract and into the real world. No company exemplifies this as much as Binance. With over 150 million users around the world, Binance is the...

In this episode, we depart from our usual fintech discourse and talk about something a little more high-speed than payments. Amna Al Qubaisi is a professional race car driver who has the prestigious honour of being the first Emirati woman to race in Formula 3, as well as being one of the first women to drive in Formula E. Joining me on this episode, Amna shares her unique experiences with being be...

Leila Hurstel might have the coolest job title ever as the Chief Metaverse Officer at Verse Estate, but today she wears the title of guest on Couchonomics. Settling comfortably into the famous couch, Leila shares a brief overview of her time spent studying fintech at Harvard before pioneering the AllStarsWomen DAO. Leila shares how the decentralized autonomous organization arose out of a deep desi...