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What excites you the most about your role as a COO?
What really excites me about my role is seeing how we can scale and automate things. Being involved in finance while also integrating technology—seeing how we can match up or even outdo what’s happening in the West—that’s fascinating to me.
How well do you think Finance has adopted AI compared to other business functions?
Honestly, finance hasn’t jumped into AI as much as other areas might have, especially here in the UAE. We're a bit behind because we don’t have things like open banking yet. It's not just about being cautious—it's also about not having the tools and systems in place that would make AI really useful for us yet.
What advice would you give to the future leaders in Finance?
I’d say the key thing is being resourceful. Don’t worry too much about specific qualifications—focus on being able to handle various tasks. You’ve got to be adaptable because the field is blending more with tech every day. It’s about more than just finance; it’s about managing a mix of different skills.
What do you think is going to be the future of finance in the Middle East in the next five to ten years?
Looking ahead, I see a lot of changes coming, especially with things like open banking on the horizon. We're going to see a lot of new players entering the market, which will shake things up and increase competition. This should really push the quality and variety of financial services. We’re also likely to see banks starting to innovate more or even creating new brands to stay competitive.
Bio
Raj Karwal is a multi-disciplinary leader with over 23 years of expertise in product management, architecture, and technology development. He currently serves as the COO at Strive, a UAE-based corporate service provider.
Specialising in web and mobile applications, UI/UX, and dev ops, Raj skillfully connects business strategies with solid technological solutions. He has a strong track record in sectors such as e-commerce, marketplaces, and social networking, leveraging advanced tech stacks like AWS, Azure, and React. At Strive, Raj leads initiatives to automate and scale financial operations, enhancing the company's service offerings for international clients entering the Middle Eastern market. His leadership extends to managing diverse software teams, and nurturing a culture of innovation and efficiency.
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