The Finance Middle East Awards 2025 brought together some of the region’s most influential finance leaders for an intimate gala dinner at Prime68, JW Marriot Marquis, Dubai. After months of careful evaluation, the evening was a chance to honour outstanding achievements, celebrate innovation and connect with the people shaping the future of the financial services industry.
This year’s winners represent the very best of Middle Eastern finance — visionary leaders, innovative companies and resilient institutions driving progress across banking, fintech, investment, trading, sustainability and more. Their accomplishments are setting new benchmarks for excellence and redefining what’s possible in our sector.
Asset management firm of the year – ASB Capital
Since securing its Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) license and launching in late 2024, ASB Capital has mobilised US$4.7 billion in assets under management. The Dubai-based company stands out for its hybrid structure and its unique ability to deliver institutional-grade investment solutions with boutique agility – this combination is rarely seen in the region’s asset management space. ASB Capital launched with a ready-built platform, a clear multi-asset strategy, and $4.5 billion in starting assets under management (AUM), backed by investor demand and trust from the beginning. In its first year, ASB Capital advised on and structured two major capital markets transactions: The $1 billion sukuk issuance by Bapco Energies in Q1 2025, where ASB Capital served as joint lead manager and bookrunner, and the $450 million Additional Tier 1 (AT1) Capital issuance for Al Salam Bank in June 2025.
Best use of AI in finance – Alpheya
Alpheya is a first-of-its-kind AI-powered platform designed in the Middle East for the Middle East. This deep regional integration creates a unique advantage that cannot be easily replicated by global competitors. For example, Alpheya’s platform was developed with Arabic as a core language. This architectural decision enables seamless engagement with Arabic-speaking clients. This includes the critical ability to understand nuanced financial terminology in context, right-to-left bidirectional interface elements, and culturally attuned, authentic communication styles. The company has established itself as a transformative force in the Middle East’s financial technology landscape through several critical achievements this past year. Alpheya is delivering the Middle East’s first AI-powered wealth and trading solution specifically engineered to address the unique requirements of the region’s largest financial institutions. Its strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) demonstrates its commitment to developing local talent and contributing to the UAE’s knowledge economy.
Bank of the Year – First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has continued to deliver impact and sustainable value, achieving new highs in the first half of 2025. The group’s operating income rose by 16% year-on-year to AED 18.31 billion and net profits exceeded AED 10 billion. This marked the first time in any half-year period. Additionally, FAB achieved double-digit momentum across Investment Banking, Wholesale, and Personal, Business, Wealth & Privileged Client Banking (PBW&PC). Furthermore, FAB stands out for its market-leading AI and digital transformation initiatives, which offer convenience, efficiency, and security for clients. These include generative AI (Agentic AI, Microsoft 365 Copilot). FAB has also maintained AA-level credit and ESG ratings, which highlight the bank’s reputation for resilience, governance, and its future-focused strategy.
Fintech company of the year – Astra Tech
Astra Tech has rewritten the rulebook for what a fintech company can be – even in a rapidly evolving digital economy. Since acquiring Botim in late 2022, Astra Tech has turned Botim from a once-simple VoIP platform into a popular regional digital lifestyle superapp that integrates core fintech offerings directly into the daily routines of millions. Botim has over 150 million registered users and an active user base across 155 countries. Botim AI is also the first conversational finance assistant embedded into a mainstream communications app. Astra Tech is the first fintech platform in the UAE to integrate the Aani instant payment system – a Central Bank of the UAE initiative for real-time peer-to-peer payments. Astra Tech’s impact on the Middle East’s finance sector is multi-dimensional, with inclusive services across demographics.
Finance innovation of the year – Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)
The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) stands out for many reasons, from its size and the depth of the exchange’s liquidity. As the largest in the UAE and the second-largest exchange in the MENA region, the ADX benefits from high daily turnover and strong international participation. In February 2025, the ADX launched the ADX Group and a new business model to transform and future-proof its thriving capital market, advancing Abu Dhabi’s investment landscape. This included introducing the new Post Trade division, comprising Abu Dhabi Clearing (AD Clear) and Abu Dhabi Central Securities Depository (AD CSD). The ADX has consistently outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index by growing 86% over the past five years. In the past decade, the ADX has more than doubled (118.1%) while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, by comparison, only increased by more than a fifth (21.8%).
Insurance company of the year – Zurich International Life Middle East
Zurich International Life Middle East stands out for combining strong business performance with deep community impact, Zurich goes beyond innovation, with access, education, and empathy being core focus points to make complex financial topics relatable to customers. Community wellbeing, combined with its digital-first strategy have led to a significant impact, the Zurich Advisory Network (ZAN), Zurich’s proprietary advisory channel, has 5x growth in three years, with over 120 advisors, now Zurich’s largest distribution channel in Dubai. What’s more, it is capable of scaling and plans are in place to move into other Emirates and into the GCC. The ZWS and DEWS Zurich Workplace Solutions (ZWS) continues to drive systemic change as administrator of the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings (DEWS) plan. In early 2025, 68,000+ employees were enrolled in the programme and over 2,100 employers engaged, including DIFC, Dubai Government entities, and Free Zone authorities.
Islamic bank of the year – Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB)
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) remains a leading Islamic bank, with operations across seven countries and serving around 2 million customers. With its ADIB 2035 Vision, ADIB is committed to building a bank of the future. The goal is for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank to be a digitally native, innovation-led Islamic bank. In 2024, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) launched a transformative strategic initiative, ADIB Ventures, as part of its broader 2035 Vision. This move positioned ADIB at the forefront of fintech innovation within the Islamic banking industry. Over the past 12 months, ADIB has launched a series of transformative initiatives aimed at revolutionising customer experience. ADIB became the first Islamic bank in the region to set 2030 financed emissions reduction targets across six high-impact sectors, including real estate and utilities. ADIB mobilised over AED 17.3 billion in sustainable finance by the end of 2024, marking a major step toward its AED 60 billion target by 2030.
Payment solution provider of the year – Mastercard Gateway
Mastercard Gateway stands out as one of the leading payment gateways in the Middle East. The company’s platform is at the forefront of driving the digital revolution, providing seamless digital payment acceptance solutions to some of the largest acquiring banks, PSPs, and retail. The company’s reliability as well as its robust, secure payment infrastructure have earned the trust of many esteemed partners over the last year. These include Amazon Payment Services, Noon Payments, Tap Payments, and GEMs Education. Mastercard Gateway’s innovative solutions and advanced technology enable partners to offer their customers a smooth and hassle-free payment experience. The company remains focused on satisfaction and staying ahead of the curve in terms of digital payment trends. Their goal is to empower clients to meet the ever-evolving needs of their customers, while driving digital revolution in the region.
Startup of the year – Rentify
Rentify has reimagined the rental experience by seamlessly blending financial innovation, user-centric design, and strategic partnerships. Launched in early 2025, the Dubai-based proptech and fintech pioneer’s platform’s Rent Now, Pay Later (RNPL) model addresses long-standing challenges in the region’s rental market, such as upfront rent burdens, credit history gaps for tenants, and payment delays for landlords. Since launching its pilot phase in Q1 2025, Rentify has onboarded 4000+ units across Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi within three months and had a transaction volume estimated at AED 90,000,000 in the first year. Furthermore, the startup secured preliminary memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with two major UAE banks and one regional Islamic finance institution to scale RNPL offerings across the GCC.
Sustainable initiative of the year – Mashreq
Mashreq is committed to driving tangible environmental outcomes while aligning with broader environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities. In November 2023, Mashreq launched Climb2Change. It’s considered the company’s most ambitious, multifaceted, and far-reaching sustainability initiative to date. This global programme consolidates the bank’s strong performance in sustainable linked financing, responsible banking products and services, social impact initiatives, and net-zero commitment. One of the cornerstones of Climb2Change is the world’s largest mountain clean-up. The first-of-its-kind global mountain clean-up campaign covers 14 mountains, including seven peaks and seven base camps, across Nepal, Pakistan, Egypt, and India. In the past year alone, the campaign has removed 6,828 kilograms of high-altitude waste and 120 tons of construction debris from fragile natural sites across Nepal, Pakistan, and Egypt. It has also supported 296 local businesses through local procurement and operational partnerships.
Trader’s choice platform – Tickmill
Over the past year, Tickmill has achieved significant milestones, particularly in the MENA region, where trading volumes exceeded $135 billion alone. This marks 54% year-over-year growth. The company has expanded its copy trading capabilities through integration with SoFinX, giving clients access to over 10,000 signal providers. Additionally, Tickmill launched a unique interest programme on unused client funds and maintained strong client engagement through regional promotions and educational initiatives. The company stands out because it combines low trading costs, deep localization in key regions like MENA, and a strong commitment to trader education and transparency. Tickmill has positively impacted the Middle East’s finance sector through these pillars by offering a strong regional presence, Arabic-language support, and consistent outreach through seminars and events.
Trading platform of the year – CFI
CFI had a landmark year in 2024. In Q4 2024, the company shattered previous records, surpassing $1.12 trillion in trading volume, which even exceeded Q3’s $1.03 trillion. The final quarter brought a 27% increase from Q3 in active clients, a 39% increase in client funding and a 120% year-over-year increase in new clients, reflecting traders and investors solid demand for the company’s services. The company was also focused on industry-leading partnerships and expansion. These included the launch of the Trading Transparency+ Program, an initiative dedicated to market education, trading realities, and risk awareness, reinforcing CFI’s commitment to responsible trading.
Most innovative trading platform – Al Ramz
Al Ramz continues to deliver strong digital growth in line with its vision of building a comprehensive financial platform, recording a 365% increase in online revenues, 64% growth in customer acquisition, and a 63% rise in client portfolios. These results reflect its focus on innovation, accessibility, and user experience. The integration of generative AI into Thor, its robo advisor, has enhanced client interactions with smarter insights and personalised content.
CFO of the year – Norman Tambach, Mashreq
Norman Tambach has had a transformative impact on the finance sector in the Middle East by redefining what it means to be a modern CFO, from delivering strong financial results and executing major transactions for Mashreq. He is a true leader and sees a vision beyond numbers. Over the past year, Tambach has delivered a series of milestone achievements. One major achievement was the sale of 65% stake in Neopay, Mashreq’s digital payments subsidiary. Completed in December 2024, this transaction generated AED 1.3 billion in net profit. It is regarded as one of the Middle East’s most significant private FinTech deals. Furthermore, under Tambach’s guidance, Mashreq achieved record-breaking financial results for FY 2024. Total assets grew 11% year-on-year to AED 267 billion.
Lifetime achievement award – Meshal Jaber AlFaras, Janus Henderson
With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, Meshal Jaber AlFaras is one of the region’s most respected voices in institutional finance. In the past 12 months, he has delivered milestone achievements for Janus Henderson and the wider industry, including spearheading the firm’s deepened regional footprint, securing and overseeing a landmark acquisition, driving thought leadership, and shaping the development of Shariah-compliant and regionally tailored investment strategies. In the last year, AlFaras has expanded Janus Henderson’s physical and operational presence in the region. This includes opening a second regional office in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) as well as championing the recruitment of key regional talent. Under his leadership, Janus Henderson has increased its AUM in the Middle East by 121% from January 2022 to March 2025. Janus Henderson now serves more than 50 institutional clients in the Gulf and these collective client relationships account for around 5% of the firm’s global AUM.
Rising star of the year – Christoph Koster, ruya
ruya has emerged as a trailblazer in Middle East finance with a series of extraordinary achievements over the past year under CEO Christoph Koster’s leadership. Launched in 2024 as the UAE’s first digital-first, Shariah-compliant bank, ruya set new benchmarks for Islamic banking in the digital age. Within its first year, the bank welcomed over 60,000 new customers, processing over AED 2.2 billion in transactions. Additionally, ruya’s mobile app attracted over 240,000 downloads, while maintaining a stellar 4.7-star Google user rating. ruya made history by becoming the first Islamic bank globally to offer in-app virtual asset trading services, allowing customers to buy and sell cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin within a fully Shariah-compliant, regulated banking framework.
Woman in finance – Dr Saeeda Jaffar, Visa
Dr. Saeeda Jaffar is leading Visa’s strategic direction in the GCC. As Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for over three years, she has remained focused on ensuring Visa stays aligned with national agendas, staying ahead of shifting consumer expectations, and reinforcing Visa’s role as a long-term partner to governments, regulators, and financial institutions. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, to her role. What makes Dr. Jaffar stand out is her ability to combine strategic thinking, operational focus, and international experience with cultural fluency and market insight. As an Emirati leader, and one of the most senior women in the regional payments industry, she brings both cultural understanding and local credibility to a role that demands trust, nuance, and deep market insight.
M&A advisor of the year – Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered has played a defining role in shaping the Middle East’s M&A landscape over the past year, advising on landmark transactions across petrochemicals, logistics, infrastructure, and healthcare. Additionally, the company has delivered cross-border excellence with transactions spanning Europe, the US, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. These deals contributed approximately 40% of the mandated pipeline in the Middle East. The bank had strong performance in key markets, like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as repeat mandates on high-profile transactions, including those with Emaar, PIF, and Aramco. This can be attributed to the company’s trusted advisor model where clients are supported from early-stage valuation and strategic fit analysis to commercial structuring.
Banking executive of the year – Raheel Ahmed, RAKBANK
Under Raheel Ahmed’s leadership as Group CEO, RAKBANK’s last few years have been marked by transformation, growth, and innovation. In 2024 and 2025, Ahmed executed a strategy that delivered record-breaking performance and increased customer trust. RAKBANK delivered its highest-ever net profit in FY 2024 and maintained momentum into H1 2025 with strong growth across core income streams. With Ahmed’s guidance, RAKBANK has record profits, 90% digital adoption, and product innovation. He leads RAKBANK into new frontiers with a focus on safety, strategy, compliance, and regulation. Ahmed launched one of the UAE’s first embedded finance platforms, democratising access to financial services for freelancers and micro-businesses. He also launched one of the region’s first regulated crypto offerings from a conventional bank.
Wealth manager of the year – Hichem Djouhri, ASB Capital
Under Hichem Djouhri’s leadership, ASB Capital is redefining the role modern wealth management plays in the region. As Senior Executive Officer, he has led the firm through a period of rapid and disciplined growth, managing $4.7 billion in assets under management (AUM) and establishing ASB Capital as one of the most innovative and trusted wealth management platforms regionally. Under his leadership, ASB Capital advised on and structured two major capital markets transactions that reinforced the firm’s credibility. These include the $1 billion sukuk issuance by Bapco Energies in Q1 2025, where ASB Capital served as joint lead manager and bookrunner. Additionally, ASB Capital has created access to global equities and multi-asset products that meet the growing expectations of a new generation of investors, those who value purpose as much as profit.
Cryptocurrency trading platform of the year – Binance
Over the past year, Binance has achieved several significant milestones that reflect its growing influence in the MENA region. The company has played a pioneering role in shaping the Middle East’s crypto and Web3 landscape, actively driving the conversation around regulation, adoption, and innovation in the financial sector. The company secured a full Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, enabling it to offer regulated services to both retail and institutional users in the UAE. What’s more, it launched a major user migration campaign to onboard local users and expanded its Dubai team to over 400 employees. Binance welcomed a $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi-based MGX.
Currency exchange firm of the year – Al Ansari Exchange
Al Ansari Exchange (AAE) is the UAE’s largest remittance and foreign exchange company and continues to be a leader in the region. From 2024 to 2025, the company has had a number of key milestones, including the launch of MoneyExpress remittance service with UnionPay in the UAE. This made Al Ansari Exchange the first exchange company in the entire GCC region to integrate directly with UnionPay’s infrastructure, streamlining remittances through a fully digital, real-time interface ensuring speed, transparency, and user convenience. Additionally, it introduced a new cash payout service for Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) insurance claims in partnership with the ILOE’s Insurance Pool PSC. As of Q1 2025, Al Ansari Exchange has 270 branches in the UAE – which is twice the branch strength of the nearest competitor. This helps support its customer-focused strategy and contributes to a 98%+ customer satisfaction rate measured through feedback tablets installed across all branches.
VC firm of the year – Kube VC
With 231 companies, 267 investments, 29 portfolio exits, and 10 unicorns, including Flutterwave, OpenSea, and SpaceX, Kube VC’s portfolio speaks for itself. Its most notable exits include STARZPLAY, Loco and Banyan. The UAE-based venture capital firm backs exceptional founders and category-defining businesses and companies and focusing on investing in seed-stage, early-stage, and later-stage companies operating in B2B, commercial products, services, media, and technology sectors. This has led the company to be recognised and awarded locally and globally for its investments, portfolio, and for being an innovator in the tech space.
