Industry leaders, enterprise architects, and AI pioneers have gathered at the Two Seasons Hotel in Dubai today for the opening of the DISx FTDS Summit (Finance, Telecom & Digital Services Applied Innovation Summit).
Organized under the Data, Innovation, and Strategy Exchange (DISx) banner, today’s high-impact summit brings together executive leaders from across the Middle East and Africa region to address a central challenge: moving enterprise AI past experimental pilots into scalable, high-yield business operations.
The day’s agenda focuses heavily on cross-industry collaboration between financial institutions, telecommunications networks, and digital platforms:
- Scaling AI Beyond the Hype: Executive keynotes detailing practical frameworks for turning AI investments into measurable bottom-line value.
- Data-Driven Architecture: Strategy sessions exploring consistent decision-making engines across high-volume digital channels.
- Cross-Sector Innovation: Peer roundtables focused on shared challenges, including regulatory compliance, fraud mitigation, and hyper-personalized customer experience.
Chairman and Speaker lineup
DISx FTDS Chairman for 2026 is Gopi Maren, Global Alliance for Artificial Intelligence, Global AI Delegate – UAE
Gopi Maren, a distinguished data strategist, has carved a niche for himself in the realm of enterprise data management. With over 17 years of experience across diverse geographies, including the Middle East, Africa, and APAC, Gopi has built an impressive career transforming organizations through his expertise in Data Management consulting and implementation of Metadata Management & data quality and strategic data governance. 
His impactful contributions at esteemed institutions like Sunoida Solutions, UBA, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Government Entities and RAK BANK, reflect his prowess in shaping data strategies and driving transformative initiatives. Gopi’s journey stands as a testament to his commitment to unlocking the true potential of data in fuelling growth and innovation within the organizations he serves.
Featured speakers and executive panellists driving today’s sessions include prominent names from the industry:
Executive Roundtable Discussions
The agenda includes a pair of thematic roundtables:
- Towards new Intelligent Service Delivery – Reimagining Product and Service Models with Al
- Towards Intelligent Customer Engagement – Designing Proactive, Personalised and Al-Enhanced Customer Journeys
These roundtable sessions are the places where executives are engaged in peer-to-peer dialogues on the legacy system modernization, data governance, real-time analytics architectures, and responsible AI implementation.
“This one-day executive program is designed to accelerate real business impact by focusing on what delivers measurable, scalable results — not just what’s possible.”, was noted by Hyperight AB, the event organizers on the summit’s core focus.
