The Mortgage & Lending Innovation Forum 2025, hosted by Newgen Software and organized by the International Center for Strategic Alliances (ICSA), concluded with resounding success on November 12, 2025, at the Kempinski, Central Avenue, Dubai.
A very important event brought together the top executives from banks, leading mortgage companies, fintech innovators, and tech strategists. The conversation revolved around the modified UAE’s lending industry which was caused by the incorporation of high-tech solutions like AI, automation and smart workflows, the technologies that are so rapid, adaptable and user-friendly that they will completely blend with the digital transformation goals of the country’s Vision 2030.
Vision 2030: Accelerating the Digital Mortgage Revolution
Throughout the forum, participants were unanimous in highlighting the UAE’s mortgage and lending market’s rapid change over time.
The financial sector is moving from traditional models to digital ones, with the use of AI, and the emphasis is now on intelligent credit decision-making, operational excellence, and trust-driven innovation, thereby turning Vision 2030 from a dream into reality.
Lenders have merged technology, transparency, and trust resulting in the creation of intelligent ecosystems that can quickly approve, govern risk better, and give everyone a home financing experience that is more tailored.
Leadership Insights: Visionaries at the Helm
The forum commenced with “The Blueprint Unfolds”, a Welcome Address by Prashant Sahai, Vice President – Sales (Middle East), Newgen Software, who spotlighted the UAE’s readiness for a mortgage renaissance powered by connected digital ecosystems and process intelligence.
In the Opening Keynote, “Architecting the Future”, Ravish Sheikh, Retail Banking Practice Lead – Delivery, Newgen Software, illustrated how low-code and AI-driven technologies are empowering lenders to reimagine origination, underwriting, and servicing through agile, intelligent workflows.
Delivering the Industry Keynote, “Reimagining the Retail Mortgage Product: Innovations for the UAE Market”, Srinivasan Sampathvenkat, Executive Director – Digital Transformation, Emirates NBD, emphasized the importance of customer-first design and product innovation in building flexible, data-driven mortgage offerings for a digital economy.
Power Panel: Intelligent Lending Orchestrated with AI
A key highlight of the event was the Power Panel, “Intelligent Lending Orchestrated with AI”, featuring an exceptional roster of experts:
- Wissale Desoindre, Senior Director – Financial Services Consulting, PwC
- Chetan Parekh, Managing Partner – MENA Fintech Practice, Cedar Management Consulting International LLC
- Sumadhu Wesumperuma, Head of Credit Administration, Vision Bank
- Anshika Gupta, Head of Retail Products Analytics, Emirates NBD
- Mayank Sharma, Head of Product and Sales (MENA), Newgen Software
Moderated by Mohammed Thoufiq, Vice President – Strategic Partnerships, ICSA, the discussion examined how AI-first decisioning, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation are reinventing lending, from credit scoring and risk analysis to compliance and customer engagement.
Panelists agreed that AI in lending isn’t just about acceleration, it’s about achieving accuracy, accountability, and assurance in every customer journey.
Tech Deep Dive: From Data to Decision
In a focused technology showcase, “AI-first Credit Decisioning: The Tech Deep Dive for Intelligent Mortgage Financing”, Ravish Sheikh demonstrated how low-code and AI-powered platforms can streamline end-to-end lending, optimizing turnaround times, enhancing compliance, and enabling data-driven precision in every decision.
Collaboration, Conversation, and Connection
The forum concluded with an Interactive Open Discussion, where real-time audience perspectives were displayed live on screen, followed by a Networking Lunch: “Breaking Bread, Building Partnerships”, hosted by Newgen Software.
The closing sessions fostered meaningful dialogue, idea exchange, and new alliances, reinforcing the forum’s central theme – collaborating to architect the next era of mortgage and lending innovation in the UAE.
About the Organizer
The International Center for Strategic Alliances (ICSA) is a global facilitator of executive summits, strategic dialogues, and thought leadership initiatives across industries including banking, insurance, and digital transformation.
Through its platforms, ICSA connects decision-makers, innovators, and policymakers to exchange insights, foster collaboration, and shape the future of financial services worldwide.
Learn more at www.intercsa.com.
