Financial Literacy Conference Draws Expert Speakers

A great line-up of financial services leaders and executives have started to be appointed to the 3rd Arab Savings & Financial Literacy Conference, which will be hosted on the 7th and 8th May 2023 in Cairo. Organised by Fintech Robos, the event is expected to attract 600 delegates from NGOs, civil and professional societies, social protection sector, financial institutions, financial training institutes and financial regulators.

Speakers appointed recently include:

Andrea Hasler, Deputy Academic Director

Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC)

Andrea Hasler is the Deputy Academic Director and an Assistant Research Professor in Financial Literacy at the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) at the George Washington University School of Business. With her research, which is dedicated to financial literacy and capability, she seeks to inform policy as well as develop and promote financial literacy programs. At GFLEC, she leads the team of researchers and develops analyses for educational and policy initiatives. Hasler has recently worked on projects focused on financial literacy levels of the young, women, entrepreneurs, investors, and minorities in the U.S. and around the world. She also has expertise in financial fragility among U.S. households. Additionally, Hasler serves as a member of Canada’s Research Sub-Committee of the National Steering Committee on Financial Literacy. 

Fatima Zahra Aziz, Executive Director

Moroccan Foundation for Financial Education

Fatima is a seasoned professional and financial services official in Morocco, and has been the Executive Director of the Moroccan Foundation for Financial Education “MFFE” since 2017.

Created in 2013 at the initiative of Bank Al-Maghrib, the FMEF's mission is to develop the financial skills of populations in order to contribute to their financial well-being. Its board of directors is made up of ministries, regulators and professional federations of the financial sector.

The foundation aims to design and implement financial education programs, initiate and make available educational content for financial education, promote good practices in financial education in accordance with international standards, and coordinates financial literacy activities internationally.

Zeeba Askar

Head of the Centre for Banking & Finance

Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance (BIBF)

Zeeba is a renowned Banking professional with demonstrated experience of more than 2 decades. Her track-record spans strategic asset management, private equity, corporate finance and sustainable development investments. During her career she has managed investments with ticket sizes of up to US$500 million with a sectoral emphasis on banking and real estate.

Zeeba has held board positions in many companies in the banking & real estate spectrum. Her expertise includes complex commercial negotiations, structuring commercial deals, fund raising for projects, capital (re)structuring & leading distressed asset turnaround strategies and executing exit strategies.

With a CPA from Delaware, USA, an Executive MBA from the University of Bahrain and being a CFA Charterholder, Zeeba has held senior level positions in the banking and real estate industry in her career. She has been a speaker / moderator on regional fora on finance, VAT and Sustainable Development Investments topics. Zeeba has been a Board member of the CFA Society Bahrain for the past few years. She is active in community related initiatives including providing pro-bono advisory services to SME entrepreneurs, mentoring young graduates entering the finance profession and offers executive career advisory coaching.

Noha Shaker

Founder & Secretary General 

Egyptian Fintech Association

Noha is the Founder & Secretary General of the Egyptian Fintech Association and the elected Vice President of both the Africa FinTech Network and the union of African FinTech associations – both are non-profit organizations that serve Financial Inclusion, equitable economic and gender parity through FinTech and entrepreneurship in general.

Noha’s experience in the financial industry spanned over 20 years; Twelve of which she worked for Cairo International Bank (CIB). Noha has served on the executive board of the Arab Academy– driving Banking & FinTech education in the Arab world. She also serves as an advisory board member for Village Capital, Finance Forward MENA, channeling investments and technical support to FinTech startups and building financially inclusive businesses around the Middle East and Africa.