Inclusion & Digital Transformation
Ahmed Mohamed Alnaqbi, CEO, Emirates Development Bank, UAE
Sonia Gokhale, Founding Partner, VentureSouq
The ABLF Talks | The ABLF City | January 17, 2022
Speaker Introductions
Ahmed Mohamed Alnaqbi – Architect of Inclusive Financial Modernization
As CEO of Emirates Development Bank (EDB) since May 2021, Ahmed Mohamed Alnaqbi is driving one of the region’s most transformative public banking strategies. With a career grounded in digital innovation and strategic investment, he has championed a digitally native, SME-focused approach to development finance. Under his leadership, EDB launched a mobile-first lending platform that disburses credit in under 48 hours, aligning with the UAE’s Operation 300bn to catalyze industrial growth. His work positions EDB as a regional model of mission-oriented, technology-enabled financial inclusion.
Sonia Gokhale – Champion of Inclusive Venture Capital
Sonia Gokhale is the Founding Partner at VentureSouq, a MENA-based venture capital firm with a mandate to fund socially conscious, tech-enabled startups across emerging markets. Drawing on her experience at the Abu Dhabi Investment Council and Mercer, Ms Gokhale has built a distinctive investment thesis that centres equity, access, and innovation. Her portfolio includes firms building alternative credit systems, digital wallets for migrants, and financial tools tailored to women. A vocal advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship, she is reshaping how capital flows into underserved communities.
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Moderator: Sally Mousa, International Presenter & Speaker
Prepared by: The ABLF Research Council
Date: January 17, 2022
Event: The ABLF Talks, hosted virtually at the ABLF City
Sign in to unlock the library of the ABLF Insightfolio
The ABLF Insightfolio features researched, knowledge-led whitepapers that capture the strategic perspectives and insights of Asia’s foremost thinkers, policymakers, business leaders and social scientists.
Derived from the impact-led dialogues at the ABLF Talks, these policy-shaping documents are designed to inform, inspire, and ignite action across all sectors, from inclusive growth and sustainability to innovation and digital transformation.
Create a free account and gain instant access to our entire collection of Whitepapers and Intelligence Reports.
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