DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES--(Marketwire -09/03/12)- Expotrade, the global conference and event organizer, announces, Cutting-edge technology will be the focus of the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit on 1-2 October 2012, where over 200 banking and finance professionals will convene in Dubai in an effort to transform the future of banking in the Middle East.

CEO's, CIO's, VP's and senior experts from over 100 banks have already confirmed their attendance at the conference which is shaping up to be one the year's most influential industry events. Sheikh Dr. Hussein Hamed Hassan of the Dar Al Sharia and Islamic Bank will be a key speaker on banking innovation and software giant SAP is the event's Platinum Sponsor. Delegates will get an invaluable insight into customer centric banking technology from the impressive line-up of speakers, including Ashraf Shoukry of Ajman Bank, Hafid Oubrik of the Arab Monetary Fund and Srood Sherif of the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

Mobile technology, social networking and cloud computing are now being incorporated into banking products to provide customers with a more convenient service, while actively reducing the cost to banks. Computer-savvy customers are now expecting immediate responses to their requests, although only 17 per cent of Middle Eastern banks currently have tablet services and 25 per cent have mobile apps compared to over 60 per cent of banks in Asia, according to research by Celent. Over the next 2-3 years the MENA Islamic banking industry is expected to at least double in size to US$990bn, making it one of the world's fastest growing markets.

Those attending the Summit, organised in strategic partnership with Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone, will discover the next frontier in smart banking at the 'Innovation Lounge', where leading solution providers including Intertech, IBM and Capgemini will be showcasing the most advanced banking technology on the market. Mohammad Ismail from digital security heavyweight Gemalto says that they are one of the event sponsors who will provide banks with the opportunity to offer their customers cutting-edge technology. "We have new and exciting card designs, next generation dual interface contactless cards and mobile payments. In addition we will exhibit out different services such as payment and public transport passes."

Middle Eastern banks want solutions to boost innovation and support financial growth in order to create a competitive edge on an international scale. Creating synergy between IT and operations to ensure sustainability will be a key driver in the future success of the financial services sector. Delegates and officials at the Summit will be looking to define these strategies and learn valuable lessons from some of the most experienced leaders in Islamic banking, and network with event sponsors including Trend Micro, InfoWatch, VoiceTrust and Aimia. Other participants include Misys, Datacard Group, Vision Solutions and Double-Take, SAB, Soft Flow, Gemalto, Ramco, BankersLab, Infotech Systems, IYCON, ACT, Ceitcon, KeyBS, Key Information Technology, OLYMPIC Banking System, Virtech, Granteq, ePillars & Talisma.