Driving FinTech Innovation in the GCC: Dr. Mohamed Amgad Mousa’s Visionary Journey at Al Dar

What first inspired you to pursue your current industry or professional path? Was there a defining moment or influence that shaped your direction?

My journey into financial technology began during my early days at Banque Misr, Egypt’s second-largest bank, where I witnessed firsthand the inefficiencies of traditional paperbased banking systems. The defining moment came when I was tasked with spearheading the digital transformation initiative, converting traditional transactions to comprehensive electronic systems. I realized that technology wasn’t just a tool—it was the future of financial services. This experience opened my eyes to the immense potential of combining financial expertise with innovative technology solutions, particularly in emerging markets like the Middle East and GCC region, where there was tremendous opportunity to leapfrog traditional banking infrastructure.

Can you describe one significant challenge you’ve faced in your career or business, and how you successfully overcame it?

The most significant challenge came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. When Qatar implemented strict lockdown measures, the entire financial services sector faced an unprecedented crisis. Traditional brick-and-mortar operations were suddenly rendered impossible, and people still needed access to essential financial services, especially money transfers for expatriate communities supporting their families abroad.

I overcame this by leveraging our previously developed Al Dar FinTech App—Qatar’s first financial services mobile application. While other institutions struggled to adapt, we were able to maintain critical financial infrastructure and ensure business continuity. This strategic foresight in digital innovation allowed Al Dar to position itself as one of the only operational financial services during the lockdown. The crisis validated our investment in technology and demonstrated the importance of being prepared for disruption rather than simply reacting to it.

What key trends or changes do you foresee shaping the future of your industry over the next 3–5 years?

I see several transformative trends emerging. First, regulatory technology (RegTech) will become increasingly sophisticated, with real-time compliance monitoring and automated reporting becoming standard. Second, the integration of blockchain technology for cross-border payments will revolutionize the remittance industry, reducing costs and settlement times significantly.

Third, we’re witnessing the emergence of embedded finance, where financial services are seamlessly integrated into non-financial platforms. Fourth, sustainable finance and ESG compliance will become critical differentiators. Finally, the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) will fundamentally reshape how we think about digital payments and monetary policy.

The organizations that will thrive are those that view these changes as opportunities rather than threats, and that invest in building adaptive, technology-forward infrastructure today.

What are your long-term aspirations for your company or role, and what strategies are you implementing to reach them?

My long-term vision is to position Al Dar as the premier FinTech hub in the GCC region, expanding beyond traditional money exchange services to become a comprehensive digital financial ecosystem. We aim to be the bridge between traditional financial institutions and the digital future.

Strategically, we’re implementing several key initiatives: expanding our partnerships with global technology providers like Oracle and telecommunications giants like Ooredoo, developing new product offerings that leverage our core capabilities, and exploring strategic acquisitions that complement our digital transformation journey. We’re also focusing on talent development and building internal capabilities in emerging technologies.

In addition, we team up with Visa, MasterCard, global banking institutions along with other worldwide entities for the purpose of increasing Al Dar’s strategic partnerships and influence in the market, thereby adding to the company’s existing alliances and impact.

How do you see artificial intelligence and emerging technologies influencing your industry or business model?

AI is already transforming our industry in profound ways. In risk management, AIpowered systems can detect fraudulent transactions and money laundering patterns with unprecedented accuracy. For customer service, AI chatbots and virtual assistants are providing 24/7 support while reducing operational costs.

In my experience, the most significant impact will be in predictive analytics and personalized financial services. AI can analyze customer behavior patterns to offer tailored products and predict market trends, enabling more informed decision-making for both businesses and customers.

However, the key is not to view AI as a replacement for human expertise, but as an enhancement tool. At Al Dar, we’re implementing AI solutions that augment our team’s capabilities rather than replace them. The human element remains crucial for building trust, managing complex relationships, and making strategic decisions that require cultural understanding and emotional intelligence.

What are the core values or guiding principles that influence your decisions and the way your organization operates?

Our operations are underpinned by the three core values of the company: Innovation with Purpose, Customer Orientation, and Regulatory Excellence.

Innovation with Purpose entails that we would not bring in technology merely for its own sake—every digital solution must either address a genuine customer issue or enhance operational efficiency. The year 2016 marked the start of our talks aimed at developing an internal system, which we later on built up with total technological backing. As a result, we became the first ever exchange house to have its proprietary system, which opened a wide door for us to quickly and independently embrace and integrate new technologies without the need for third parties.

Customer Orientation compels us to consider the customer impact in every decision we make. The impact this had on our COVID-19 response is that, while the maintaining of service availability was good for business, it was also our duty to the communities we serve.

Regulatory Excellence implies that we not only fulfill the law; we go beyond it. Our landmark accomplishment in 2019—being the first in the Gulf region to secure the regulatory green light for migrating to the cloud for money exchange operations—demonstrates this very viewpoint. Regulatory compliance is viewed by us as not only a competitive edge but also a driving force for the sustainable growth of the company.

These guiding principles have been instrumental in helping us to navigate our way through a variety of challenges and they will still be the main factor in our strategic choices as we enter new markets and new technologies.

Can you share an innovative strategy or approach that helped your company stand out or achieve a breakthrough?

Our most significant breakthrough was developing Qatar’s first FinTech application, but the advanced tactic that led to this profit was not only the technology but also the engagement with the Central Bank and the proactive regulatory approach we took.

Rather than going to the market right away, we cooperated with the Central Bank in a close manner and made the frameworks that were really symbiotic with the technology and complied with the regulations in full. Their inputs and the assistance they provided us were very important in getting us to put regulatory flexibility together with regulatory security through new policy that was responsive to changes in the operating conditions. Additionally, we took the initiative to get the go-ahead from the Ministry of Commerce in Qatar for the protection of our innovations through patents.

This “regulated innovation” strategy that was backed by the Central Bank, saw us bring forth new services with the prevailing crème and trust. It was when we got the first GCC cloud permission for moving IT infrastructure to the cloud in 2018 that it became evident our technological prowess was no longer limited to a single point but rather characterized by the cooperative dynamic with the authorities and our determination to set the security and compliance standards in the whole industry through our adeptness in collaboration.

How has your leadership style evolved throughout your journey, and what lessons have shaped your approach to leading teams or businesses?

My leadership style has evolved from a traditional command-and-control approach to what I call “adaptive leadership”—the ability to adjust leadership style based on the situation, team dynamics, and technological landscape.

Early in my career at Banque Misr, I focused heavily on operational efficiency and process optimization. However, as I moved into FinTech innovation at Al Dar, I realized that leading in a rapidly changing technological environment requires a different approach. You need to be comfortable with ambiguity, encourage calculated risktaking, and create an environment where innovation can flourish.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that in the FinTech industry, your biggest competitor isn’t another financial institution—it’s irrelevance. This has taught me to foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptation within my teams.

I’ve also learned the importance of cross-functional collaboration. Our success with partnerships involving WU, Visa, Mastercard, and others wasn’t just about negotiating good deals—it was about building teams that could work effectively across different organizational cultures and technological platforms.

Today, my leadership approach focuses on empowering teams with clear vision and strategic direction while giving them the autonomy to innovate and adapt quickly to changing market conditions.

If you’d like to find out more about Dr. Mohamed Amgad Mousa’s professional path and his input to the FinTech world, you can go to his official website or get in touch with him via LinkedIn.