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Award Winners

The Innovators 2026: Africa

From AI banking assistants to blockchain payments, this year’s regional innovation winners highlight the technologies reshaping global finance.
Sponsored Content

Expanding In Africa: How Egypt’s CIB Is Pursuing Cross-Border Growth

Looking beyond its home market in Egypt, Commercial International Bank’s (CIB’s) Islam Zekry, Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Board Member, reveals the bank’s vision to be a key financial partner for African economic expansion. To do this, it is leveraging Kenya as a strategic hub, while prioritising high-growth sectors and supporting SMEs, corporates and Egyptian exporters.
Middle East banking fintech innovation

Award Winners

The Innovators 2026: Middle East

Middle East fintech is rapidly emerging as a government-backed, AI-driven financial hub, reshaping payments, banking, and digital ecosystems
Saeed Assiri, chief innovation officer at Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB)

Winner Insights

SAB’s Blueprint for Tokenized Islamic Finance

Saeed Assiri, chief innovation officer at Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB)—winner of Best Global Financial Innovation for Tokenized Islamic Repo—discusses the bank’s approach to blockchain usage and overcoming the issue of ecosystem coordination.
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