WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

In this session keynote speaker Matthew Griffin shows ministers and executives how our world is changing, the challenges it faces, solutions, and underscores the important role financiers have in helping get these solutions funded.

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Firstly, thank you to Manilla and the UAE Financial Markets Association and the ACI and ICA, for inviting me to be the keynote at their annual world congress, held in the amazing La Pearle theatre in Dubai’s business district, where finance leaders, ministers, and professionals from across the Middle East came together to discuss the future of the financial services industry and hear about the latest developments in impact investing and emerging technologies.

Over the past decade or so the global financial services industry has seen the arrival of all manner of trends, from the rise of fintechs and decentralised finance, to the emergence of new cloud and digital based business and operating models, as well as the continuing acceleration of the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rapid automation of the core banking systems. And all this is before we discuss the impact that CBDC’s, cryptocurrencies, NFT’s, Tokenisation, and the emerging so called Metaverse “Meta-Economy” will have on the sector.

Replay and rewind the keynote in full

During my talk I discussed all of these, including their impact on the culture of the industry, its hiring practises and changing role, then highlighted the important role that financiers will play in the years and decades ahead in helping the world overcome and solve some of its greatest challenges such as climate change, energy poverty, hunger, inequality, poverty, and water scarcity.

One of the most interesting things to come out of the session was the feeling of empowerment and hope the audience had after  I’d wrapped up with many expressing they didn’t know some of the solutions existed and then just how “easy” and  elegant they were. All of which should give us all some hope as the Middle East looks forwards to hosting COP 27 and COP 28 – the latter of which will be held in Dubai.