Samer Habbal Senior Director Moody's

Samer Habbal is an executive with over 25 years of experience at the forefront of Risk Intelligence and Financial Technology. Renowned for his leadership in multinational organizations, Samer has driven cutting-edge advancements in financial technology, risk intelligence, and integrated risk management across the Middle East and the UK.

Currently a Senior Director at Moody’s, Samer leads the Corporates, Governments, and KYC businesses in the Middle East, guiding clients through the complexities of today's regulatory landscape. His career also includes senior leadership roles at prestigious firms such as the London Stock Exchange Group (formerly Thomson Reuters) and ServiceNow. With extensive experience across the UK, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, he is a trusted advisor to organizations navigating the challenges of financial compliance and risk.

Samer holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management and a Bachelor's degree in Computer and Communications Engineering, reflecting a strong foundation in both technology and management.

Gaurav Ganguly Head of EMEA Economics Moody's Analytics

Dr. Gaurav Ganguly is the Chief European Economist and Head of the Climate Change Group at Moodys Analytics. Gaurav is an expert on a number of international economies having spent several years analysing and commenting on countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Gaurav has previously worked in financial services, consulting and audit. He was a research fellow at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College in London, where he developed a framework for using climate scenarios within financial institutions. He currently teaches Environmental Economics at Imperial College. He did his PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford.

Vincent O’Brien Director International Chamber of Commerce (ICC UAE)

Director of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC UAE) and Associate Director, Institute of International Banking La w and Practice (IIBLP), Washington DC.

Mr. O’Brien has delivered technical trade finance assistance in more than 100 countries for major banks, development institutions and governmental organisations.

He is a dispute resolution expert who has acted as expert witness and mediation advisor on major international trade finance legal cases.

Mohamed Daoud Director, Industry Practice Lead, Financial Crime Compliance Moody's

Mohamed is a strategic leader and seasoned professional with more than 25 years’ experience in the Banking and Finance sectors in the US, Europe, and the Middle East with a special focus on financial crimes compliance. He previously held the position of Head of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) and then Business Development Director for Thomson Reuters and Refinitiv for the Middle East and Africa for 10 years.

Mohamed also collaborated for a decade as the Banking and Finance Practice Leader with the IBM Distributor in the Gulf (Gulf Business Machines- GBM). Mohamed’s knowledge in financial crime encompasses regulations, requirements, processes, Fintech/Regtech solutions approaches, and best practices across industries.

Before coming to the Middle East, Mohamed held several executive positions in large international banks in the US, UK, and Europe across retail, wholesale, and investment banking.

Sadh Hiralal Specialist Supply Chain Risk ADNOC Group

Experienced Strategic Supply Chain Advisor with a demonstrated history of working in Military Aviation, Education, Consultancy and Oil & Energy industry. Skilled in Strategic Planning, Negotiation, Operations Management, Lecturing, and Team Building. 

Scott Hilliard Manager- Vendor Management | Procurement Emirates Steel Industries, Part of EMSTEEL Group

Procurement executive focused on delivering enhanced business and operational performance by effective strategic development and tactical execution through identification of procurement transformation, digitalization and sustainable practices.

Yasman Moghaddam Director – Global Industry Practice Group Moody's

Yasman Moghaddam is a Subject Matter Expert within the Moody’s risk and finance analytics practice across APAC and Middle East. Her areas of focus include some of the key emerging themes including climate risk management and particularly around financial risk analytics and quantification.

Her most recent work has included strategizing with a number of key financial institutions across APAC and the Middle East in designing scalable and fit for purpose ESG and climate risk management frameworks to support risk identification, quantification, integration as part of lending as well as climate stress testing exercises with the aim to address the emerging regulatory requirements as well as enhancing internal processes.

Since joining Moody’s, she has been focusing on areas including Stress Testing, IFRS 9, Early Warning Solutions and ESG & Climate Change which she has also participated in a number of events and webinars as a speaker to discuss emerging trends, challenges and thought leadership on these areas. Yasman comes with a wealth of experience from her previous role as a consultant in the Enterprise Risk Management space, working with various Financial Institutions as well as regulators across APAC and the Middle East in the design and implementation of risk management and regulatory frameworks.

Olga Loiseau-Aslanidi Managing Director, Predictive Analytics Moody's

Olga Loiseau-Aslanidi is a Managing Director in the Predictive Analytics team. She leads Integrated Risks research and coordinates the efforts of Regional Senior Leaders across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Her role drives impactful research innovation in Moody's solutions, ensuring they are locally relevant while maintaining global strategic alignment. Based in Dubai, with previous stints in Singapore and Europe, Dr. Loiseau-Aslanidi has been with Moody's since 2010.

A trusted advisor to senior leaders worldwide, Olga specializes in building organizational resilience across various risk disciplines. Her expertise spans quantitative research in credit risk and macroeconomics, business development, and customer experience. She has a proven track record in building high-performing teams, developing frameworks, and implementing complex systems and analytics for clients located around the world.

Olga holds a double Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics and Econometrics from CERGE-EI New York and Charles University in the Czech Republic. She completed studies for M.Sc. in Mathematics and holds a B.Sc. with honors in Applied Mathematics.

Samer Habbal Senior Director Moody's

Samer Habbal is an executive with over 25 years of experience at the forefront of Risk Intelligence and Financial Technology. Renowned for his leadership in multinational organizations, Samer has driven cutting-edge advancements in financial technology, risk intelligence, and integrated risk management across the Middle East and the UK.

Currently a Senior Director at Moody’s, Samer leads the Corporates, Governments, and KYC businesses in the Middle East, guiding clients through the complexities of today's regulatory landscape. His career also includes senior leadership roles at prestigious firms such as the London Stock Exchange Group (formerly Thomson Reuters) and ServiceNow. With extensive experience across the UK, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, he is a trusted advisor to organizations navigating the challenges of financial compliance and risk.

Samer holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management and a Bachelor's degree in Computer and Communications Engineering, reflecting a strong foundation in both technology and management.