MoneyTech concludes 5th edition in partnership with Ooredoo Kuwait

02/11/2026 04:37 AST

Aljarida, Kuwait's leading news organization has announced the conclusion of the fifth edition of MoneyTech, Kuwait's leading conference at the intersection of investment, business and technology, held in strategic partnership with Ooredoo Kuwait. MoneyTech 2026 brought together wealth managers, tech executives, investors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Across nine sessions, 17 speakers from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and global investment firms BlackRock and The Carlyle Group focused on the businesses and leaders that have navigated extraordinary disruption, preserved continuity and created new paths to growth. The summit opened with welcome remarks from Nasser Al-Otaibi, editor-in-chief of Al-Jarida, followed by a fireside chat with Abdulaziz Yaqoub Al-Babtain, CEO of Ooredoo Kuwait. Haitham Al-Terkait, Deputy Group CEO, Technology and Operations at Kuwait Finance House, delivered a keynote presentation. The first panel, "M&A: A survival move or a buyer's opportunity?", brought together Hassan Al-Jeshi, CEO of Malaz Capital; Abdulla Bin Desmal, VP Investments at ADNOC Drilling; Sherif ElRafie, CEO of ABK Wealth Management; and Ali Al-Ebrahim, CEO & Founder of COFE Tech. Panelists discussed how valuations are being set in turbulent markets, what separates a distressed exit from a strategic acquisition, and where consolidation is likely to come next. Mohammed Al-Othman, CEO of the Consumer and Digital Banking Group at National Bank of Kuwait, then joined a fireside chat. Moderated by Noura Al-Abdulkareem, Executive Director of Markets at Boursa Kuwait, the panel "Investing Through Uncertainty: Resilience, Risk and Opportunity" featured Ali Al-Qadhi, CEO of BlackRock Kuwait, and Ahmad Boushahri, Principal at The Carlyle Group. The discussion covered whether today's market uncertainty marks a lasting new regime, how to build resilience across public and private portfolios, and how to identify underpriced risks. It closed with a focus on Kuwait's potential as a natural home for long-term capital. Noor Al-Bahar, Managing Director of Talabat Kuwait, followed with a fireside chat. After the break, Bader Al-Attar, Managing Director, Planning & Finance at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, joined a fireside chat. The final panel, "Time to Repatriate Wealth?", brought together Abdullah AbulQassim, Vice President, Wealth Management Department at Kuwait Investment Company (KIC); Rahaf Al-Rashed, Vice President, Wealth Management and Business Development at Kuwait Financial Centre "Markaz"; Ziyad AlFarhan, Discretionary Portfolio Manager, Asset Management Department at KFIC Invest; and Fawaz Al-Mutawaa, Assistant Vice President, Private Equity Investments at KAMCO Invest. Speakers discussed whether Gulf investors, who have long held a large share of their assets abroad, should bring more of that wealth home, what regional markets offer today, and what must be in place to retain that capital in Kuwait and the wider Gulf. The summit closed with a fireside chat with Johny Awwad, Country CEO - Kuwait at CFI.

Kuwait Times