#Bahrain #Manama #Fintech Forward #Bahrain EDB #Louis Saha

Louis Saha to Speak at Bahrain Fintech Forward 2026

The esteemed football icon and entrepreneur, Louis Saha, has been announced as a speaker for the upcoming Bahrain Fintech Forward 2026 conference. On October 7-8, 2026, this event will take place at Exhibition World Bahrain, exploring the theme "Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure."

Saha, a former Premier League player who represented France on the national stage, has an impressive résumé. He won the Champions League, two Premier League titles, and a silver medal at the World Cup, and played for top-tier clubs like Manchester United, Everton, Fulham, and Tottenham Hotspur. Transitioning from his illustrious playing career, Saha ventured into entrepreneurship. He established KiiMasters, a technology firm that aims to convert influence into measurable, positive actions, as well as AxisStars—a private networking platform currently valued at £4.3 billion, designed to assist professional athletes in unlocking business, financial, and career development opportunities.

At the Fintech Forward 2026, Saha is set to partake in a fireside chat titled "From the Pitch to the Platform: Turning Experience into the Next Opportunity." This session will delve into how personal experiences can highlight emerging gaps and inspire solutions capable of yielding significant and lasting impacts, drawing from Saha's personal journey from sports to the development of cutting-edge, tech-based platforms.

Reflecting on his career, Saha remarked, "Throughout my time on and off the field, I've recognized the critical role that access to the right networks, advice, and opportunities plays in achieving lasting success. I look forward to traveling to Bahrain to participate in Fintech Forward 2026, where I will share my insights on the importance of networking, discuss the challenges of pivoting careers, and explore how technology can help individuals navigate significant transitions in their lives and professions."

The event is organized by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), with support from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), Labour Fund (Tamkeen), Bahrain Tourism Exhibition Authority (BTEA), and Bahrain Fintech Bay. The program, thoughtfully curated by Forbes Middle East, aims to gather global thought leaders, innovators, investors, policymakers, and industry executives to examine the forces reshaping the future of financial services.

With its robust agenda featuring keynote speeches, panel discussions, fireside chats, exhibitions, and strategic networking opportunities, Fintech Forward 2026 serves as a platform for building partnerships and exploring opportunities arising in the regional financial services and technology landscape.

Bahrain's financial services sector significantly contributes to the nation's economy, projected to account for 17.6% of its GDP by 2025. Over the past century, Bahrain has established itself as a regional financial hub, cultivating a dynamic fintech ecosystem powered by deep industry expertise, a collaborative business environment, future-proof regulations, and a highly skilled, forward-thinking talent pool. Bahrain has been a pioneer in the region, introducing an onshore regulatory sandbox, open banking regulations, crypto-asset regulations, and recently, the first stablecoin framework within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This proactive approach reflects its long-time commitment to fostering innovation while ensuring the responsible evolution of financial services.

To learn more about the Fintech Forward 2026 event or to express your interest in attending, please visit the official website.