Couchonomics with Arjun

The 2020s have not been an easy time for investors. Although investing seemed to be showing signs of recovery, recent trends have seen investment into some sectors take a nose-dive. Businesses struggle to keep pace with rising interest rates, record levels of inflation, and many other seemingly overwhelming economic macro-forces. A stinging question lurks silently in the background; Will investment companies respond with a bullish approach or a bearish one?Our guest today is Tammer Qaddumi, founding partner of VentureSouq, and he offers an answer to that question. As an equity investment platform with assets valued at $3 billion, VentureSouq has braved many hard times. Even with the war raging on and inflation at an all-time high, Tammer believes that the strongest companies can not only survive, but they can thrive. In this conversation he shares how some of the key aspects to achieve this are to: Maintain a stable mindset and sooth investor anxietiesPrioritize stability over growth and profitabilityAnd pick companies that can “punch a hole in the market”Enjoy!Timeline00:00 – Introduction 03:00 – What's changed in venture capital?10:50 – Investment strategies for 2021 and beyond20:15 – Keys for venture capital success in all market conditions27:55 – The story of VentureSouq32:13 – Standout companies in the VentureSouq portfolio38:00 – Web 3.0 and the Blockchain: What’s next for venture capital? 42:00 – Conclusion Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:  Website https://www.couchOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

MENA has made considerable economic progress over the last decade. Still, a couple of formidable challenges remain, including transforming local economies and inclusive job creation. Insurance has the potential to address these challenges and help countries in the region achieve their growth targets.Despite these potential benefits, the insurance sector is underdeveloped in the MENA region and its growth-enhancing potential has not been sufficiently realized.To discuss the need for disruption in the insurance sector, we have invited Ambareen Musa, Souqalmal.com Founder and CEO. She underlined the disruption that is about to happen in insurance and InsureTech and the need for government regulations that must be implemented for these changes to happen.Join us as we discuss:- Investment opportunities in crisis- Equality of opportunity for women in business- The genesis of SouqalmalTimeline:00:00 – Intro01:13 – Introducing Ambareen Musa02:13 – Are funds drying up?09:52 – InsureTech space and it’s challenges12:29 – The birth of Souqalmal19:17 – Equality of opportunity for women31:44 – Highs and lowsCheck out Souqalmal: https://www.souqalmal.com/ae-en/Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

The FinTech industry is rapidly expanding and evolving. New innovations and inventions spring up every day at every point in the financial world. In all this excitement, some segments become overlooked. Insurance, bogged down by hundreds of years of tradition and legacy, is one of those neglected and forgotten segments. But Tanja Magas, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Democrance, believes otherwise.Democrance, a company initially founded to capitalize on the microinsurance market, has recently seen rapid expansion. Riding the wave of digitization brought on by the pandemic, the company has managed to double its size in the past two years. For Tanja, the secret to this success can be found in the numbers. Other topics for this episode include:- How digitization will transform insurance- “The digital attacker”: a new business model for a new world- Unlocking the hidden power of data for your businessTimeline:00:00 — Introduction01:38 — Creating space for innovation07:01 — Origin and development of Democrance13:17 — New engagement and distribution channels23:10 — Metaverse and insurance26:40 — Women in InsureTechFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu FinancialOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Over the past couple of years, digital transformation has continued to accelerate across all sectors, and commerce has been no exception. Even as society is getting back to normal, with restrictions lifting and offices reopening, habits adopted during the pandemic are sustained.Online and offline, spending has been transformed. While uncertainty and unpredictability are now expected, one thing that is clear is that the future of money is digital.Kartik Taneja is the Executive Vice President and Head of Payments at Mashreq Bank and together we went through different digital payment solutions and tried to figure out what the future holds for each one of them.As the Chairman of the board at Neopay, Mashreq Merchant Payment Solutions, Kartik has a unique insight into both global and local markets and he kindly shared his opinion on what we’ll experience going forward.Join us in this interesting conversation and find out:-          Is BNPL dead or is it just going through a transformation?-          Why without regulations Crypto is doomed to stay on the fringes?-          Should we forget about the paper money?Timeline:00:00 – Intro01:13 – Introducing Kartik Taneja01:54 – Key trends in payment solutions space14:44 – The disruption of APR19:40 – World of B2B payments23:09 – Blockchain and Crypto are here to stay31:53 – Is cash no longer a king?Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

 It’s an open secret that credit, when leveraged intelligently, has the power to unlock incredible potential in your business. This is the major reason why credit is so easily accessible in many parts of the world. But, Pakistan, a nation with over 50 million active bank accounts, has been relatively slow to conform to the trend, with only 500 thousand credit cards nationwide.Omair Ansari, the founder of ABHI, takes this surprising statistic as a sign of great opportunity in the region. Without access to credit facilities, many employees across the nation have had limited options when it comes to stretching their paycheck. Omair’s solution to this is a remarkable easy wage access system that has drawn the attention of not just employees, but even the SMMEs which hire them.Beyond that, we also discuss other fintech topics such as:- SME financing in general- The Pakistani banking system and how it could better help SMEs- Gender equality in access to funding00:00 — Introduction02:40 — Identifying the target market07:30 — Developing a unique credit solution14:45 — Navigating risk and ethical concerns21:22 — Overcoming structural challenges25:27 — Benefits of digitisation32:55 — ConclusionFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comFINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/...PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyenOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

BNPL payment industry in Africa & Middle East has seen huge growth over the last four quarters, supported by increased ecommerce penetration along with the impact of economic slowdown due to disruption caused by COVID-19 outbreak.According to the Q4 2021 BNPL Survey, the BNPL payment industry in the region is expected to grow by 99.8% on an annual basis to reach US$ 7187.8 million in 2022!To dig deeper into the BNPL market we invited Ibtissam Ouassif, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer at Cashew Payments, to address all Arjun's questions about this segment.They also spoke about Cashew's latest partnership with Mashreqbank in which Cashew has secured up to $10 million in debt and equity financing.Join us in the conversation about the evolution of the BNPL sector and find out more about:- Ibtissam’s view on the current and future regulations of the BNPL ecosystem- The non-profit Ibtissam is running in order to help the refugees and immigrants- Why we should focus on Web3 and Metaverse Timeline:00:00 – Intro01:14 – Introducing Ibtissam Ouassif02:49 – Partnering with Mashreqbank08:05 – Shifting from BNPL to financing16:32 – Need for regulation21:16 – Helping the immigrants and refugees24:51 – Web3 & MetaverseFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Website https://www.couchonomics.com/TikTok https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLQYGHoa/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Visa as the world leader in digital payments has a relentless commitment to innovation. It is widely considered that Visa is actually the first fintech in the world.That is why we're so excited to have on the couch Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President & Group Country Manager – GCC, Visa.Saeeda is a chemical engineer who shifted into the fintech sector couple of years ago and in this conversation she pointed out some of the key trends in the digital payments space.Tune in and listen Dr. Saeeda talk about:Her transformation from chemical engineer and a consultant to a fintech expertCurrent state of digital payments and e-commerce marketCrypto and its role in the future of financesTimeline:00:00 – Intro01:12 – Introduction02:00 – Switch from consulting to fintech08:01 – Fintech in the MENA region13:01 – The end of “Fintech Party”?17:38 – Post-pandemic trends24:35 – Cybersecurity & sustainability38:00 – B2B and VisaFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Zand, the first digital bank to provide both retail and corporate banking is set for imminent launch in the UAE, subject to final regulatory approvals. Is Zand the way of future banking? Can traditional banks transform and catch up with fintech digital platforms that are emerging?Those are just some of the questions we got to ask Olivier Crespin, Co-Founder and CEO of Zand, and General Partner at True Global Ventures.Olivier explained the role of digital platforms like Zand in the future finance ecosystem and pointed out the challenges that the traditional banking sector is facing with the shift of the market towards digital natives.Listen to Olivier talk about:- Why Zand is not a bank but a digital platform with a banking license- The areas on which the Zand is focusing- What type of “banks” will survive the “Big Shift”Register your interest to be one of the first to experience Zand and get all the latest updates: https://www.zand.ae/enFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app where you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/ PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/ LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/ M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Over the past 25 years, Network International has built a business based on long-standing and trusted relationships with many of the leading merchants, financial institutions and payment networks operating in the Middle East and Africa.In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun we are discussing the mission of the Network International, an overview of the MENA’s current state when it comes to the payment solutions and the vision of the future with Nandan Mer, Group Chief Executive Officer for Network International.Nandan kindly shared his assessment of the market shift towards alternative payments and different strategies fintech players can and should adopt when entering this region.Listen to Nandan speaking about:- How will the big competition help the whole industry thrive?- Critical differences in the African market- Planned expansion of Network International into Saudi ArabiaTimeline:00:00 – Intro01:13 – Introduction to Nandan Mer03:04 – State of the e-commerce in the UAE07:54 – Strategy behind the cooperation13:26 – The future of alternative payments in the UAE20:58 – Expansion to Africa27:20 – Entering the Saudi market31:17 – One last question & outroFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app where you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/ PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/ LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/ M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

How to navigate and seize the opportunities in disruption that is happening in the banking industry and financial services?To uncover what the future holds for different players that are offering financial services, in this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun we have Philippe De Backer, Managing Partner and Leader of Global Financial Services Practice at Arthur D. Little.Together with Ignacio Garcia Alves and Juan Gonzalez, Philippe just published his fifth book: “Disruption: The future of banking and financial services – how to navigate and seize the opportunities”, in which they are analysing the current state of the financial sector and deciphering the future of banking.Listen to Philippe speaking about:- Fintech companies that are going to survive this disruption- The future of legacy banks and government initiatives- Different approaches to marketing in the digitally transformed worldCheck out Philippe's fifth book: https://www.amazon.com/Disruption-financial-services-navigate-opportunities/dp/1911671480Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app where you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/ PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/ LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/ M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomicsSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E