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Bigger than AI: The #1 Threat Bosses Face in 2026 | Maha El Dimachki, GFTN | Talk Talks Asia
Episode Description
In this episode of Tank Talks Asia, Manisha talks to Maha El Dimachki, CEO of Solutions at the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN), to unpack the future of global fintech.
Maha also shares her insider’s view on how technology is reshaping global finance and economic access, and what she believes the future holds for jobs in an increasingly automated world.
Featured Voices
Hosts: Manisha Tank
Guests: Maha El Dimachki, CEO of Solutions, Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN)
Key takeaways
- Maha explains why she believes fintech is capable of solving practical problems in areas such as agriculture, healthcare and access to credit.
- She says technologies including AI, blockchain, tokenisation and open finance could expand access to financial products and make them more affordable.
- Maha talks about how regulators need to strike a balance between allowing innovation to develop, while also staying close enough to emerging technologies to understand and manage the risks.
- She argues that companies need to develop “AI fluency” and understand how AI is being deployed.
- Maha believes Asia's biggest challenge is creating jobs for a growing population of young people, and is hopeful that collaboration between governments, businesses and organisations can help address it.
Chapter heads
01:25
The Future of Financial Services
Maha explains what she does at GFTN Solutions and why creating jobs, developing skills and building supportive ecosystems are at the heart of her work.
02:27
From Sydney to London to Singapore
She reflects on more than 25 years in finance, talking about the experiences that shaped her career, including her time at the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority.
03:59
Making Finance Work in the Background
Maha and Manisha discuss how technology has transformed everyday banking and how financial innovation can connect technology with practical challenges in areas such as farming, healthcare and financial inclusion.
07:00
The Technologies That Could Change Finance
From blockchain and tokenisation to AI and open finance, Maha looks at the technologies she believes could unlock new opportunities and make financial services more accessible.
08:47
How Should Regulators Respond?
Maha explains the balancing act regulators face as technologies such as AI and quantum computing develop at unprecedented speed.
10:49
Why Businesses Need AI Fluency
She argues that companies need to understand the risks and implications of AI for themselves, with boards playing a central role in deciding how the technology should be deployed.
12:27
Can Regulation Be a Friend?
Maha challenges the idea that regulators are simply there to get in the way, arguing that startups and scale-ups can use regulation to build stronger, more trusted businesses.
14:29
Cutting Through the Fintech Jargon
The conversation turns to acronyms, jargon and the importance of explaining financial technology in terms that everyone can understand.
17:47
Payments, Geopolitics and Sovereignty
Maha traces the evolution of payments from traditional banking to neobanks and digital wallets, and explains why geopolitical shifts are making homegrown payment systems and financial sovereignty increasingly important.
20:11
The Five Rewirings
Maha previews the themes shaping this year’s Singapore FinTech Festival, from technology and geopolitics to talent, policy and capital, before returning to the question of how Asia can create jobs for its youth.
Useful links
https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/Industries/financial-services/perspectives/fintech-glossary.html
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/explainers/what-is-a-central-bank-digital-currency
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u1lIKhHhZQ
https://www.fintechfestival.sg/
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Tank Talks Asia is an AsiaWorks production.