'Money Tech Summit' Highlights Growth Opportunities Amid Exceptional Circumstances

Amid the shifts imposed on the business environment by regional and international developments, the MoneyTech 2026 summit explored ways to transform risks into investment opportunities, highlighting the importance of digital and financial infrastructure, diversifying income and investment sources, and enhancing institutional readiness to sustain operations under exceptional circumstances.

The summit, organized by Al-Jarida newspaper in partnership with Ooredoo Kuwait, featured 17 speakers from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, alongside representatives from global firms BlackRock and Carlyle, across nine sessions addressing the impact of geopolitical developments on the economy and investment, corporate resilience in the face of crises, the future of technology and artificial intelligence, and opportunities in mergers and acquisitions and private markets.

During the opening of the summit, Al-Jarida editor-in-chief Nasser Al-Otaibi stated that technology is no longer a luxury or a supporting tool, but has become the first line of defense for business continuity, especially as regional and global developments have underscored the importance of digital infrastructure in maintaining institutional communication with clients and sustaining economic activity despite disruptions in supply chains and transportation.

He clarified that the difference between institutions that emerge from crises stronger and those that incur losses is linked to management readiness, clear vision, and speed of decision-making.

For his part, Ooredoo Kuwait CEO Abdulaziz Al-Babtain emphasized that sustained growth requires a clear strategy and the ability to adapt to changes, noting the company’s success in maintaining service efficiency during recent challenges, despite outages affecting some internet cables, as it managed to restore efficiency within 24 hours without customers noticing any impact.

Al-Babtain explained that the company is working to diversify international land and sea connectivity routes and enhance communication, hosting, protection, and cybersecurity solutions, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies and its global partnership with Nvidia.

Meanwhile, Sharif Al-Rafaei, CEO of ABK Wealth Management, stated that wealth management has evolved into an integrated system extending beyond portfolio management to include assessing client needs, diversifying assets and income sources, and long-term planning, emphasizing the importance of governance and sound management, particularly in family businesses facing challenges related to intergenerational ownership and management transitions.

For his part, Abdullah bin Dasmal, Vice President of Investments at ADNOC Drilling, noted that technology has become a key factor in M&A operations, especially in the drilling and exploration sectors, pointing out that one deal worth $1.5 billion yielded a return of approximately 30%.

The second session, moderated by Noura Al-Abdulkarim, Head of Markets at the Kuwait Stock Exchange, discussed market resilience in the face of risks and the anticipation of opportunities.

Ali Al-Qadi, CEO of BlackRock Kuwait and Head of Client Relations for Kuwait and Qatar, stated that Kuwaiti and Gulf markets have demonstrated robustness and the ability to absorb shocks despite geopolitical challenges, noting that declines were less than expected and that bond yield spreads have returned to levels close to those before the war.

Ahmed Al-Bushra, Executive Director at Carlyle, emphasized that geopolitical tensions have once again highlighted investment opportunities in infrastructure, defense, and energy, as well as in small and medium-sized enterprises developing technological solutions that serve large corporations.

For his part, Badr Al-Attar, Managing Director of Planning and Finance at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, stated that geopolitical developments have not halted the operations of the oil sector, affirming the continuity of supply chains, particularly local ones, without disruption during the crisis. He clarified that current oil production stands at approximately 2.1 million barrels per day, and the corporation has quickly restored its production capacities.

For her part, Raef Al-Rashid, Vice President of Wealth Management and Business Development at Al-Markaz Financial Group, emphasized that crises create opportunities for investors, noting that the decline in some Kuwaiti stocks has presented buying opportunities. She warned that the real risk to family businesses lies in declining cash flows, difficulty accessing liquidity, and the inability to meet obligations, rather than merely falling prices.

Fawaz Al-Mutawa, Assistant Vice President of Private Equity Investments at KAMCO Invest, revealed that Gulf governments are investing approximately $30 billion in data centers by 2030. He highlighted that artificial intelligence, technology, infrastructure, energy security, and food security will be among the most attractive sectors for investment in the coming years.

For his part, Ziad Al-Farhan, Director of Discretionary Portfolio Management at Kufpec Invest’s Asset Management division, explained that investment trends are shifting toward defensive sectors and value investments amid rising interest rates and uncertainty. He affirmed that geographic and sectoral investment diversification depends on the investor’s profile and risk tolerance.

In a statement on the sidelines of the summit, Talal Al-Rashdan, Vice President of Public Relations and Media at Kuwait Investment Company, underscored the importance of the company’s participation as a strategic partner in the FinTech Summit. He noted that this involvement aligns with the company’s commitment to strengthening its presence at specialized economic and investment events, and contributing to dialogues discussing developments in financial markets, investment trends, and the future of the financial sector in the region.