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Chief Guest
- Smt. Droupadi Murmu Hon'ble President of India
In The August Presence Of
- Shri Mohan Charan Majhi Chief Minister Odisha
- Dr Mukesh Mahaling Minister, Health and Family welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, Electronics & Information Technology Odisha
- Shri Suryabanshi Suraj Minister, Higher Education, Sports & Youth Services, Odia Language Literature & Culture Odisha
Ashish Bahl
Head of Business Development, MENA
Thunes
Ashish Bahl is a senior payments leader with nearly two decades of experience across global networks, international banks, and fintech infrastructure providers. At Thunes, he leads MENA strategy and partnerships, advancing real-time, interoperable cross-border payments that connect local systems to the global economy. Previously, Ashish held leadership roles at Mastercard, American Express, Mashreq Bank, and the National Bank of Oman, working closely with regulators and financial institutions on scalable, compliant payment innovation.
Speaking at
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2:30–2:45pmFri 6 FebShowcase StageCrystal HallOpen
Accelerating Sector Transformation
Connecting Markets: How Global Payment Networks Enable FinTech Scale
About this session
In this keynote, Ashish Bahl, Head of Business Development, MENA at Thunes, explores how global payment networks are enabling fintechs to scale across borders in an increasingly interconnected yet fragmented financial landscape. Drawing on real-world experience building and expanding cross-border payment corridors, he examines the role of interoperability, compliance, and local market connectivity in unlocking new growth opportunities. The session offers insights into how fintechs, banks, and platforms can leverage global payment infrastructure to connect markets, reduce friction, and scale responsibly across regions.
