Couchonomics with Arjun

Digital Leadership: Embracing the New Tech Age

This week, we sit down with Pedro Sousa Cardoso, Chief Digital Officer at Emirates NBD, to explore the state of banking in the UAE. We have an in-depth conversation on the evolving role of CDOs, increasing collaboration between banks and fintechs, and venture building within banks, using Liv Bank as an example.

Tune in to discover how Emirates NBD is leading the charge in banking innovation.

#CouchonomicsWithArjun #DigitalTransformation #FinTech #BankingInnovation #EmiratesNBD #Banking #BaaS #BeyondBanking #CDO #Innovation

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Chit-fund with a digital twist!

Ahmed Wadi, Founder and CEO of Money Fellows is our latest guest on the show. Money Fellows is a pioneering startup from Egypt that has digitized the ancient financial concept of ROSCAs, where a group of individuals act as an informal financial institution. In our chat, Ahmed shares insights on Money Fellows' operational strategy, the challenges and opportunities of building a startup in Egypt, and the overall fintech landscape in the country.

Discover how Money Fellows is revolutionizing this millennia-old concept! 💡

#Fintech #Startup #Innovation #MoneyFellows #Egypt #ROSCAs #ChitFunds 

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• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
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The art of replacing disjointed systems with digitized processes.

Join us on Couchonomics with Arjun as we sit down with Vikram Suri, Managing Director for the Middle East and Turkey region at FIS. In this episode, Vikram and Arjun explore FIS’s significant impact in the GCC region and their constant drive for innovation and reinvention. 

We discuss the ever-evolving world of fintech and payments, covering topics such as Payment Trends and Financial Inclusion, Banks and Payment Infrastructure, Biometrics and Contactless Payments, and FIS’s Approach to Security. 
Don't miss this insightful conversation on the future of fintech and payments. 

#Couchonomics #Fintech #FIS #Innovation #Payments #CBDCs #Crypto #DigitalAssets

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
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Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

In this episode, we’re joined by Christoph Koster, CEO of Ruya Bank, a digital-first Islamic community bank in the UAE. Ruya Bank is dedicated to bringing ethical Islamic banking practices to all communities in the UAE, supporting SMEs, startups, and low-income groups. Christoph and Arjun explore Islamic finance and banking, the potential for growth and collaboration in Islamic fintech, Ruya’s adoption of new technologies, and more.

Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of community banks, Islamic banking, and Ruya’s efforts to reshape banking in the UAE with its ethical approach.

#DigitalBanking #IslamicBanking #Sustainability #CommunityBanking #couchonomics #islamicFinance #OpenBanking #Innovation #Banking #digitalbanks

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
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Can you rely on AI to invest in real estate globally?

Joining us this week on the #couch is Ranime El Skaff, the co-founder of PropAI—a platform that uses AI to simplify Dubai’s real estate investments. In this episode, we uncover the evolution of PropTech in the region, real estate trends, and how her company is revolutionizing real estate investment with cutting-edge technology.

Ranime and Arjun also discover the challeges in real estate invetsment, the dynamics of Dubai and Saudi Arabican RE market, future plans for Prop-AI and more.

Don't miss out on this episode—learn how Prop-AI is transforming the real estate landscape and what it means for the future of property investments. Available now on YouTube and all podcasting platforms! 

#Couchonomics #PropTech #RealEstate #AI #DubaiRealEstate #Investment #TechInnovation #FutureOfRealEstate #Fintech

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

What is the state of CVC, and why is now the inflection point for CVCs to grow in the MENA region?

Joining us on the #couch to explore these questions is Kushal Shah, Managing Director of e& capital, the CVC arm of the e& group.

In this episode, Kushal shares his expert insights on e& capital's investment areas, focus, post-investment involvement, and future plans. We delve into the growing CVC scene in the region, discussing the differences between Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) and Venture Capital (VC), e& capital's investment strategy and governance, and the challenges and recommendations for CVCs.

Don't miss this insightful episode, available now on YouTube and all podcasting platforms. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic CVC landscape in the MENA region.

#Couchonomics #CVC #MENA #eandCapital #Investment #Innovation #NewEpisode

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

This week, we shift our focus to telecommunications. What once was a booming and developing sector is now seen as more traditional, showing how fast things are changing. 🌐

Joining us on the #couch is Dina Tsybulskaya, the CEO of ESIM Plus. Dina shared her insights on the future of telecommunications, the impact of 24/7 connectivity, and how blockchain is revolutionizing decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN).

Don't miss this conversation about what lies ahead for the telecom industry and what it means for consumers! 📱

This episode is now live on YouTube and all major podcasting platforms. Tune in now! 🎙️ #Telecom #Blockchain #DePIN #FutureOfConnectivity #Couchonomics #NewEpisode

Chapters:

00:00 - Episode Highlights  

00:44 - Introduction  

03:35 - eSIM Plus  

09:36 - The Advantage of eSIM Plus  

14:04 - Market Trends and Growth  

17:44 - Challenges and Opportunities  

20:23 - Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN)  

29:27 - eSIM Plus Business Model and Customer Engagement  

34:30 - Future Opportunities and Challenges  

37:15 - Crypto Payments and eSIM Plus  

45:19 - Super App Strategy  

50:42 - Why Crypto?  

52:34 - Future Opportunities and Challenges  

57:59 - Future of Telecommunications (B2C Perspective)  

01:03:23 - Closing Words

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Season 3 of Couchonomics with Arjun, a podcast dedicated to dissecting the seismic shifts which are rearchitecting the global financial system. 

Our journey transcends the MENA region's boundaries, focusing this season on Saudi Arabia, exploring the innovation that is shaping commerce and society as we know them today

If you are in this industry or eager to get educated, tune in weekly for exciting new episodes.

Couchonomics with Arjun is brought to you by our partners from Adyen, Mastercard, Thunes, ToYou, Geidea and M2P Fintech.

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
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Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Digital Transformation of the banking value chain is a key challenge for every Banking CEO - doesn’t matter where in the world they are operating. 

In our latest episode, joining Arjun on the #couch is Jouk Pleiter, CEO of Backbase—a platform that specializes in helping banks modernize their customer interactions by transforming their technology stack from front to back. Jouk shares his candid insights on how changing consumer expectations and the influence of challengers entering the banking sector from multiple sectors are raising the bar for innovation and encouraging banks to modernize at a faster rate and take substantive decisions that require wholesale changes in the way banks operate. 
Join us as we explore how the banking industry is evolving. Tune in now!

#Fintech #innovation #Couchonomics #Backbase #FutureOfBanking #Payments #ai #blockchain #FinancialServices #digitaltransformation #futureoffinance 


Couchonomics with Arjun Season 3 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen https://www.adyen.com/
ToYou https://toyou.io/ar
Mastercard https://mastercard.com/
Geidea https://geidea.net/
M2P https://m2pfintech.com/

Find us on our social media platforms:
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Welcome back to Couchonomics with Arjun! This week, we're diving into Pakistan's financial services with Kabeer Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Microfinance Network. We explore the dynamic interplay between traditional banks, microfinance institutions, and fintechs, and discuss the digital transformation of Pakistan's financial ecosystem. Plus, we cover key topics like microfinance, regulatory advocacy, digital vs. traditional banking, and the challenges of serving MSMEs. Don't miss this insightful conversation! Available now on YouTube and all podcast platforms. Tune in! 

#Podcast #Fintech #Microfinance #Banking #DigitalTransformation #PakistanFinance #NewEpisode

Couchonomics with Arjun Season 3 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen https://www.adyen.com/
ToYou https://toyou.io/ar
Mastercard https://mastercard.com/
Geidea https://geidea.net/
M2P https://m2pfintech.com/

Find us on our social media platforms:
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

00:00- Episode Highlights
01:07- Introduction
02:18- Financial Services Landscape in Pakistan
04:00- Microfinance in Pakistan
12:08- Strategic Initiatives and Organizational Structure
23:05- Digital vs. Traditional Banking
33:28- Fintech Landscape in Pakistan
42:50- Banking Partnerships with Fintechs
45:51- Challenges in Serving MSMEs
50:38- Regulatory Issues
53:42- Talent Retention and Brain Drain
56:36- Closing words

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
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Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E