MIDDLE EAST innovation and , most importantly from a stakeholder viewpoint , cost optimisation and added value .”
Over the course of more than 20 years working in IT and procurement , studying in Zurich and working in the UAE at Xbank , he has seen first-hand how the industry has changed and must continue to change in order to provide the best possible services and solutions for its customers .
“ Throughout my career I have become much more strategically driven , as opposed to focusing solely on the process ,” he says . “ I ’ ve spent the best part of it looking at how technology can be deployed to add value , not only in terms of cost optimisation but also how it we can add value to the customer that does not compromise on quality .”
El Mourad is a firm believer that for any push for technology and innovation to be successful , it must be built on three main pillars .
People , technology and process . The people element is key to all of this , as without the right people with the right mindsets and possessing an open mind to embracing technology and striving for innovation then nothing else will work .
As El Mourad says himself , people represent the first pillar of change .
“ You have to be innovative in the way you approach technology and approach process ,” he says . “ You need those three pillars to make it work and you need to be innovative in the process , and the communication .”
Of course , working with people and attempting to change mindsets and approaches to the industry , mindsets that have been built up over years of working in a consistent and reliable way . The financial industry , despite its upswings and downturns over the years , remains a hugely profitable and ultimately successful sector so why try to fix what isn ’ t broken ?
“ It takes time [ for people to get on board with technology transformation ]” says El Mourad . “ But the key is how you communicate what will happen , the benefits we can reap and translating the added value that it will bring to the organisation .”
El Mourad points to a time where he planned to introduce a new technology
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