Aurem is the first unified workplace wealth and benefits platform-as-a-service solution, empowering solution providers, companies and their employees with pension, savings, incentives and share plan supported with financial education.

Part of the founding team for the first neobank in the Middle East, I was in charge of managing the strategy and operations of the company. I have led major business development initiatives and overseen the execution, implementation of our end-to-end strategy. Creating and maintaining a fit organization structure, with a focus on delivering product and technology teams for efficient delivery. Additionally, I drove the regional expansion efforts by carefully selecting new markets and setting up operations, successfully launching in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco. I also provided support in securing multiple investment rounds, including pre-seed, seed, and pre-series, in collaboration with institutional investors and family offices.Key achievements of this role:✪ Directed the development of a company culture rooted in excellence, incorporating learning, wellness, and performance to attract top talent and engage exceptional individuals in the region.✪ Established and executed strategic framework for the organisation's next strategic move, ensuring alignment across the company to effectively execute the strategy.✪ Improved team focus on strategic planning and executing the strategy by setting clear Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). ✪ Created forecast and maintained business plans regularly driving the focus on delivery✪ Maintained strategic partnerships and acquisition opportunities to accelerate growth and facilitate market expansion.

Led a successful digital transformation of a payment company becoming the largest financial super app for unbanked in the Middle-East (2M users). Created a dream team with a growth mindset setting up a sustainable workplace culture enabling a leading great place to work. To enhance scalability, implemented restructuring, lean processes, and cost optimization strategies with a mission to bank the unbanked.Automated core operations and leveraged AI/data management to improve operational efficiency. Additionally, developed and introduced multiple new services and features to add value for customers.To ensure sustainable growth for a payroll digital platform and driving financial inclusion combined with digital literacy, we prioritized service quality and customer relationships. We revamped and optimized processes to operate at scale.Launched new B2B services and executed a diversification strategy based on the commodification of the payment industry. We also worked on being the best at operations and compliance to ensure sustainability, in parallel of exploring new markets as KSA or Egypt for future expansion.

Managed the post-merger integration of C3 Card Company within the Edenred group. This initiative aimed to boost operational efficiency and performance while establishing new quality standards. Supported the CEO in decision-making processes, conducting business monitoring activities, undertaking ad hoc studies, and offering consultation on strategic development and potential M&A opportunities.Empowered the unbanked population by developing and implementing a new B2B2C strategy and scalable digital platform, paving the way for future growth. Additionally, I oversaw group reporting activities, including budgeting, business reviews, performance monitoring, and strategic planning processes to drive business performance.Furthermore, I strengthened long-term, professional relationships with key partners, such as banks, exchange houses, and distributors. My focus was on fostering strong collaborations and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes.Key Contributions:✪ Led the successful restructuring of the sales team, implementing effective segmentation, strategic approaches, bonus schemes, and KPIs and equipping the team with efficient tools to drive rapid acquisition via direct/distribution channels.✪ Pioneered the launch of the first mobile banking app for the unbanked population in the UAE, enabling digital money transfers and executing a user monetisation strategy.✪ Maintained full compliance with UAE regulations by establishing a dedicated compliance team and robust processes/tools.

In this role, I drove impactful business development initiatives for Edenred, yielding significant outcomes in the Middle East region. One notable achievement was successfully incorporating the company in the financial free zone, Qatar Financial Centre. Conducted comprehensive market analyses to evaluate the feasibility of expanding into other GCC countries, including Bahrain, KSA, Oman, and Egypt. These analyses provided valuable insights for strategic decision-making and potential future expansion opportunities.Key achievements:✪ Managed seamless opening of the Qatar branch and the QFC Licensing process, ensuring timely compliance, and establishing a strong operational presence.✪ Planned and implemented a comprehensive project for launching a payroll card product in Qatar, resulting in increasing market share and revenue growth for Edenred in the country.✪ Identified and secured promising opportunities for expanding payroll card services in the UAE market, paving the way for potential partnerships and revenue diversification.

Launch of IPTV set top box with new TV services in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Business Development and modeling of prepaid services in Africa and Middle-East Region