Mr. Abdulaziz bin Sulaiman Abanmi is the Deputy Governor for Payments at the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) since August 2024. His appointment at the country's main monetary authority came after he successfully led technology sector then operation sector at SAUDI PAYMENTS from 2018 to 2024 — a year which also saw him assuming the CEO of the company. Prior to this, he held several leadership positions in the financial sector, particularly in banking and payments domains, where he oversaw technological development, governance, change management, and application of quality assurance procedures. He spearheaded the launch of many of the financial sector's digital services as well.

Abanmi earned bachelor's degree in computer science from King Saud University (KSU) in 2003, and Master of Science (MSc) in software engineering from Prince Sultan University (PSU) in Riyadh in 2015. Later in 2021, he got INSEAD's Executive Program Certificate in Digital Leadership.

Matthew Hill joined the CII in April 2024. Prior to that he was Chief Executive and executive Board Member at The Legal Services Board (LSB). He started his career in the Civil Service, working in a wide range of areas over a twenty-year span. His brief has included food safety, animal health, civil contingencies, broadcasting, creative industries and healthcare regulation. Before joining the LSB, Matthew was Executive Director, Strategy at the General Dental Council, and prior to that he was Director.

Matthew Hill joined the CII in April 2024. Prior to that he was Chief Executive and executive Board Member at The Legal Services Board (LSB). He started his career in the Civil Service, working in a wide range of areas over a twenty-year span. His brief has included food safety, animal health, civil contingencies, broadcasting, creative industries and healthcare regulation. Before joining the LSB, Matthew was Executive Director, Strategy at the General Dental Council.

Umar Al Mahmoud is the Chief Executive Officer at MEDGULF Saudi Arabia, where he has been pivotal in driving strategic and operational excellence. With over 17 years of progressive experience in the financial and insurance sectors, he has a proven track record in aligning business strategies with Saudi Vision 2030.

His expertise spans risk management, future foresight, and organizational structure. Previously, he has held various leadership roles at MEDGULF, including Deputy CEO, COO, and CIO, as well as senior positions at Tawuniya.

Mr. Abdullah bin Mohamed AlSalamah has been holding the position of the Chief Human Capital Officer at Alinma Bank since April 2019. He is recognized as a competent leader in the field of human resource development (HRD) across KSA finance and banking sectors.

AlSalamah boasts an extensive experience of over 20 years spanning senior roles in IT, information security (InfoSec) and human resource management (HRM). He managed to significantly improve work environment and nurture national talent within Alinma Bank. Under his leadership, the bank adopted numerous strategic initiatives aimed at empowering Saudi talented young people and promoting the culture of performance, which qualified the bank to be ranked among the most attractive workplaces across the Saudi banking sector.

AlSalamah holds a Master's degree in information systems from King Saudi University (KSU). He started his career as a teaching assistant at the same university, before shifting to Saudi Telecom Company (STC). Then, he joined Alinma Bank where he took up senior roles in IT management and human resources departments.

Mr. Asim Alsaawi is the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya). With over 15 years of experience in the banking and insurance sectors, he held several senior leadership roles in Emkan, Al Rajhi Bank and the Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB). He is especially skilled in Learning and Development, Talent Management, Organizational Development, and Employee Engagement.

Alsaawi spearheaded strategic initiatives aimed to develop national talent and build capacities. He obtained an MBA in Human Resources from Australia's Griffith University, which led him to be recognized as one of the Kingdom's most prominent experts in HR area.

Mr. Al-Sharekh is a seasoned Human Resources leader, with over 18 years of experience across multiple HR functions. He is especially talented at strategic transformation, organizational design and total rewards. Currently, he is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Al Rajhi Capital, and a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee at the Water and Electricity Holding Company (Badeel) – a company owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Before joining Al Rajhi Capital, Al-Sharekh assumed senior HR roles at the National Security Services Company (SAFE), the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), and the Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), where he successfully led large-scale HR integration and navigated cultural shifts, aligning human capital strategies with institutional growth agendas.

He is a WorldatWork -Certified Compensation Professional (CCP®) and Global Remuneration Professional (GRP®). Additionally, Al-Sharekh participated in numerous leadership programs delivered by INSEAD Business School and London Business School (LBS). Most recently at the HR World Forum 2025, he was honored as one of the Top 100 HR Leaders. He is also a trusted talent development advisor and a regular speaker at regional HR forums.

Dana Day is Managing Director of Global Partnerships at CFA Institute having rejoined the organisation in May 2022. In her role, Ms. Dana Day delivers value and insight to a broad range of stakeholders—including financial institutions, regulators, universities, industry bodies, and member societies—to support the integrity and advancement of the global investment profession. By fostering trusted, long-term relationships, she creates opportunities for mutual growth—helping organizations thrive while advancing the mission and global reputation of CFA Institute.

Ms. Day brings over 25 years of international experience in strategic relationship management and organisation transformation. Her expertise spans private wealth, pensions, insurance, fund platforms, consultants, and professional services, with leadership roles across London and New York. She began her career at Bernstein in New York, advising private clients and pension funds on global value equity portfolios.

Dr. Ghalib Alshammri is an Associate Professor of AI and Data Science at King Saud University (KSU), while serving as a consultant to several organizations. He is the founder of the Saudi Society for Data Science (SSDS), and the founder and Chairman of the Saudi Society for AI and Intelligent Systems (SSAI).

Alshammri designed a number of AI and data science-focused academic programs, bootcamps and standardized tests.

In 2019, he received his Ph.D. in AI and bio-nano networks from Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT), US. Previously, he obtained master's degree in intelligent systems from Australia's University of Wollongong (UOW) in 2009. In 2003, Alshammri completed his undergraduate studies at KSU, where he earned a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree in computer science.

Thanks to his academic and research efforts, he has contributed to improving the use of AI and data science in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, he has played a significant role in promoting scientific research in the country.

Adam Portlock is President of Hult Ashridge Executive Education. With three decades of global experience, Adam has successfully led organizations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the USA across diverse sectors such as education, digital, aerospace, supply chain, and professional services. His expertise focuses on strategy formulation, operational leadership, go-to-market execution, and P&L management.

Adam has a proven track record of scaling public, private equity and venture capital-funded businesses, including successful M&A exits, acquisitions, and fundraising. He is passionate about the dynamics between high-performance teams in both elite sports and business, with published works on sports business, sponsorship, and ambush marketing.

Adam holds an MBA from Henley Business School, further enhanced by executive education at Harvard Business School.

Tracy is a former City Regulator who joined the CISI in September 2022 from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), where she was leading on the delivery of the SRA’s Corporate Strategy and heading up the Innovation, Regulatory and Education Policy and Research & Analysis teams as part of her portfolio. Prior to the SRA, Tracy was Executive Director, Strategy and Resources at the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the Regulator of accounting, audit and corporate governance. She led the Strategy and Resources, Risk, HR, Communications and Economics teams, alongside her wider Executive Committee responsibilities. She was the FRC’s Diversity Champion and led on a number of initiatives aimed at boosting diversity on FTSE boards.

Hamish Madan advises some of the worlds leading organizations on human capital development, culture transformation and top team effectiveness working directly with CEO's across Europe, Middle East and Africa . Hamish has held various leadership roles across different sectors and most recently served as Vice President & Managing Director at the Center for Creative Leadership.

Hamish holds an MBA and an MSc. in Operational Research from the London School of Economics

Rory is a seasoned Managing Director with over 30 years of international experience across Healthcare, Technology, FMCG, Executive Education, and Organization Consulting. He has held leadership roles including serving on the regional board of Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) and senior positions in the UK and South Africa.

For the past 20 years, Rory has specialized in leadership, strategy, and change management, earning a Silver Award at the UK Management Consulting Awards. He currently serves as Vice President, Associate Dean, Professor of Leadership and Coaching, and Head of Sport and High-Performance Business at HULT EF (UK). He is also a Premier Executive Leadership Coach with the J&J Human Performance Institute (USA) and an Advanced Neuroscientific High-Performance Coach.

Rory collaborates extensively with boards and executive teams to optimize performance in complex environments. His research on parallels between business leadership and elite sports was featured in his TEDx talk, "The Reality of Winning," with the Volvo Ocean Racing Team.

He holds an MBA from City University London and an MSc in Organization Consulting and Change. Rory is a Heart Rate Variance Specialist, helping leaders manage stress and resilience, and serves as External Examiner for the MSc in Sports Leadership at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He has lived and worked in the Gulf region for 20 years.

Somi Arian is a tech philosopher, entrepreneur, filmmaker, author, keynote speaker, and podcaster working at the intersection of business, investment, and technology. She is the founder of two production companies in the UK and Saudi Arabia, producing documentaries such as From Silicon Valley to Riyadh, Fintech Arabia, and Scaling Saudi, featured on Saudia Airlines and stc TV. As a keynote speaker, she has appeared at TEDx, Cambridge University, Adweek, and LEAP, collaborating with global brands like Uber, Adobe, The Times, and Morgan Stanley.