IBM Joins MEBIS 2026 as Title Sponsor in Dubai, Advancing AI-powered Banking Innovation

17th Middle East Banking Innovation Summit to bring together banking leaders from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan

DUBAI, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, September 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- IBM has joined the 17th Middle East Banking Innovation Summit (MEBIS 2026) as Title Sponsor, bringing its expertise in enterprise AI, hybrid cloud, data and automation to senior banking and technology leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa, gathering in Dubai on 16 -17 September 2026.
Held at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, MEBIS 2026 will bring together more than 400 banking leaders and delegates, 60+ speakers and 30+ technology solution providers for two focused days examining the technologies, strategies, opportunities and challenges shaping the future of banking.

IBM and the Next Era of AI-Powered Banking

Artificial intelligence will be one of the defining themes of MEBIS 2026, with the discussion moving beyond experimentation towards how banks can deploy AI responsibly, securely and at scale.

Generative AI, Agentic AI, intelligent automation and predictive technologies are creating new opportunities across customer experience, operations, risk, fraud prevention and decision-making. At the same time, financial institutions are recognising that successful AI deployment depends on much more than the technology itself.

IBM’s participation will highlight how its enterprise AI and hybrid cloud capabilities can help banks move from experimentation to action—modernising mission-critical systems, scaling agentic AI and addressing the trust, governance, sovereignty and performance requirements of a highly regulated industry. Drawing on its deep financial services experience, IBM is helping institutions connect innovation with the secure, resilient foundations needed to deploy AI at enterprise scale.

According to a global IBM CEO study, banking and financial markets CEOs expect AI to make nearly half of operational decisions without human intervention by 2030.

“The banking conversation has moved beyond whether to adopt AI to how it can be deployed responsibly and at scale,” said Shukri Eid, General Manager, IBM Gulf, Levant and Pakistan. “That requires trusted data, strong governance and secure, resilient infrastructure so innovation delivers measurable value for customers and the business. As Title Sponsor of MEBIS 2026, IBM looks forward to working with banking leaders across the region to turn that ambition into action.”

The summit will examine the foundations required for trusted AI, including data governance, infrastructure, security, regulatory considerations and human oversight, while exploring how banks can translate technology investment into measurable business outcomes.

Banking Leaders Joining From Across MENA

MEBIS 2026 will have one of its most geographically diverse regional programmes, with speakers joining from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan.

The speaker community includes senior executives responsible for technology, AI, digital transformation, finance, cybersecurity, data, operations, innovation, customer experience and strategy at leading banks and financial institutions across the region.

This regional representation is particularly important as MENA banking markets continue to develop at different speeds while facing many of the same strategic questions around AI adoption, technology modernisation, digital customer expectations, security and changing payment ecosystems.

A Broader Blueprint for Banking Transformation

While AI will be central to MEBIS 2026, the programme reflects the broader transformation underway across banking.

More than 20 sessions will examine areas including digital banking, data and intelligent banking, cloud and banking infrastructure, cybersecurity and fraud, payments innovation, automation, customer experience and the technology foundations required to support the next generation of financial services.
The programme will also address how banks can build stronger data foundations for AI, improve governance and ownership, use predictive intelligence more effectively and strengthen fraud detection as financial crime becomes increasingly sophisticated. Cybersecurity will remain a major priority as banks expand their digital services while responding to threats that are becoming more automated and difficult to detect.

17 Years Focused on Banking

Now in its 17th edition, MEBIS has evolved alongside the region’s banking industry, from the early stages of digital transformation to today’s focus on AI-driven and intelligent banking.

More than 500 pre-registrations have already been confirmed ahead of the September event, reflecting strong interest from the regional banking community. The summit is expected to welcome 400+ banking leaders and delegates alongside 60+ speakers and 30+ technology solution providers showcasing the latest banking technologies.

MEBIS 2026 will take place on 16–17 September 2026 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai.

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

About MEBIS
The Middle East Banking Innovation Summit (MEBIS) is a focused banking technology and innovation summit bringing together senior executives, decision-makers and technology leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa. Now in its 17th edition, MEBIS provides a platform for the regional banking community to explore emerging technologies, exchange practical insights and discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of banking.

Donalie Laude
Expotrade Middle East FZ LLC
+971 4 454 2135
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