Couchonomics with Arjun is beaming its inaugural episode from its new home in KSA, at Jeel, Riyadh Banks Innovation Center in the heart of Riyadh. Our guest for this week’s special episode is Maher Loubieh, Co-Founder & CEO of Hala. During this episode, Maher shares Hala’s incredible journey from its beginnings as a peer-to-peer payment platform to then pivoting their business model to focus on the MSME sector in Saudi Arabia. We discuss Hala's strategic pivots, the trials and tribulations of evolving one's business model, the challenges of serving small businesses, and their vision for building a robust financial ecosystem tailored to MSMEs' unique needs.

Joining us on the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, all the way from Tbilisi, Georgia 🇬🇪, is Salim Dhanani, founder and CEO of Pave Bank—the world’s first programmable bank. 

In our conversation, Salim explains how Pave Bank is shaping the future of financial services by leveraging blockchain and smart contracts to revolutionize trust and eliminate counterparty risks. We also dive into why they adopted the full reserve banking model, the impact of tokenization, and how evolving regulations are influencing the fintech space.

We're joined by Deepak Mehra, Chief Economist at Commercial Bank of Dubai, on the new episode. We explore the megatrends that are shaping our world—from the impact of AI and environmental changes to the challenges posed by aging populations across various countries.

Our conversation covers the complexities of wealth management, trading strategies, and the best approaches to investing in today’s unpredictable markets. We also take a closer look at the economies of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, discussing their reliance on fossil fuels and their ongoing efforts to diversify. Lastly, we touch on the inspiration behind Deepak's latest book, 'Think Like a Golfer, Win Like a Golfer.'

In this episode, Arjun engages in a fascinating conversation with Mikhail Lomtadze, CEO and co-founder of Kaspi, the groundbreaking super app that is transforming daily life in Kazakhstan and beyond. 

Mikhail shares Kaspi's journey from traditional banking and financial services to becoming a super app that offers everything from shopping and payments to government services and even marriage registrations—all within one platform.

In this episode, Arjun sits down with Roger Rouhana, CEO of Alpheya, to explore the future of wealth management in the MENA region.

Their conversation delves into global wealth and asset management trends, highlighting the growing demand for innovative digital solutions and the crucial role of robo-advisors in making wealth management more accessible.

They also discuss Alpheya's mission and foundation, the evolving landscape of wealth management in the GCC region, and the impact of trading apps on the wealth tech industry.

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.

Can an Islamic community bank boom be driven by ‘ethical consumerism’?

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.

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 is raising the bar for innovation and encouraging banks to modernize at a faster rate and take substantive decisions which require wholesale changes in the way banks operate.

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!

Welcome to a new episode of Couchonomics with Arjun! This week, we're diving into Banking as a Service (BaaS) with Kelvin Tan, CEO of Audax.

Kelvin shares insights on Audax’s “bank in a box” solution, helping banks scale and modernize rapidly. We discuss the potential and challenges of BaaS, open banking, and the future of embedded finance. Don't miss this insightful conversation on digital banking!

Innovation in banking is about more than just adopting new technology—it's about challenging traditional perceptions and rethinking everything from customer service to risk management to create more flexible, responsive, and personalized financial services. In this episode, I sit down with Karan Jain, founder and CEO of Naya One, to discuss how his company is revolutionizing the banking world.

We dive into topics such as challenges in financial innovation, the role of Naya One, the evolution of banking innovation, FinTech and bank relationships, and the VC and CVC landscape. Tune in to learn how Naya One is transforming financial innovation and what the future holds for fintech collaborations. Watch now and stay ahead in the world of banking and fintech!

Join Arjun as he explores Africa's dynamic startup scene and fintech landscape with Elias Yazbeck, Managing Director at Helios Investment Partners.

Discover key insights into Africa's market dynamics, challenges, and future trends in fintech. Elias also shares Helios Investment Partners' strategies and potential seismic shifts in private equity.

Topics covered include real-time payments, digital banking for SMEs, regulatory roles, entrepreneurship challenges, and Helios Investment's unique philosophy.

Join Arjun on Couchonomics as we explore open banking and fintech in the GCC with Abdulla Almoayed, Founder & CEO of Tarabut. Discover the evolving landscape of financial services, BaaS, and gain insights into open banking. We also delve into Tarabut's inspiration, GCC financial services, managed competition, challenges, and opportunities with open banking, BaaS integration, and accelerating digital adoption through fintech partnerships.

What role will neobanks play on the global stage? Wio Bank CEO Jayesh Patel joins Arjun on the couch to share his perspective.

Zand, the first digital bank to provide both retail and corporate banking is set for imminent launch in the UAE, subject to final regulatory approvals. Is Zand the way of future banking? Can traditional banks transform and catch up with fintech digital platforms that are emerging?

How to navigate and seize the opportunities in disruption that is happening in the banking industry and financial services? Find out from none other than Philippe De Backer, Managing Partner and Leader of Global Financial Services Practice at Arthur D. Little.