Global Expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Innovation and Fintech BAB Announces Judging Panel for Second Edition of Digital Innovation Awards

The Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) has named an independent Judging Panel for the second edition of its Digital Innovation Awards 2026, appointing four international experts to evaluate submissions across artificial intelligence, digital transformation, governance and fintech. The panel — Dr. Khalid Ahmed Almutawah, Dr. Ana Barjasic, Mr. Tey Bannerman and Professor Tek‑Yew Chia — will operate independently of the Organizing Committee and assess entries on relevance to customer segments, significance of the problem addressed, execution quality and measurable results. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 8 October 2026 as part of the concluding activities of Fintech Forward 2026.

“The strength and credibility of the Awards are closely linked to the quality of the judging process. We have therefore brought together a distinguished panel of national and international experts, combining technical expertise, practical experience and strategic insight. This breadth of experience will support a rigorous and objective assessment of the submissions, with a clear focus on their ability to deliver meaningful value to customers and the wider market. We are confident that the panel will identify and recognise innovations that demonstrate meaningful and measurable value across the financial services sector,” said Mrs. Zeeba Askar, Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Association of Banks.

Panel composition and expertise

• Dr. Khalid Ahmed Almutawah — Deputy Chief Executive, Operations and Governance at Bahrain’s Information & eGovernment Authority. Dr. Almutawah brings more than two decades of experience in information technology, governance, enterprise architecture and data analytics, and holds a PhD in Data Mining and Business Intelligence from Monash University.
• Dr. Ana Barjasic — Founder and CEO of Connectology, an ambassador and former Board Member of the European Innovation Council, and an Advisory Board Member of the European Startup Nations Alliance. Dr. Barjasic contributes experience as an entrepreneur, investor and policy advisor across international innovation ecosystems.
• Mr. Tey Bannerman — Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company, formerly a Partner and Head of McKinsey Design Europe. Bannerman is an internationally recognised expert in innovation, user‑driven solution design and artificial intelligence, and is co‑author of The AI Revolution.
• Professor Tek‑Yew Chia — Advisor and Adjunct Professor at the Asian Institute of Digital Finance at the National University of Singapore, and Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group. Professor Chia’s career spans more than 30 years across Asia and the Middle East, covering strategic transformation, risk management, payments modernization, fintech and capital markets.

Evaluation criteria and award categories

The Judging Panel will evaluate eligible entries against four core criteria: relevance to the intended customer segment, the significance of the challenge addressed, the quality of execution, and the ability to deliver measurable results. Entries will compete across three categories: the Digital Innovation Award – Individual, the Digital Innovation Award – SME and the Digital Innovation Award – Corporate.

Event context and outlook

The second edition of the Digital Innovation Awards will culminate at Fintech Forward 2026, a two‑day forum hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board and supported by the Central Bank of Bahrain, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority and Bahrain FinTech Bay. Forbes Middle East will programme the event, which is positioned to bring together financial services innovators and policymakers to examine challenges and opportunities shaping the fintech ecosystem and the future of financial services.

With an independent judging structure and a panel that spans public‑sector governance, startup ecosystems, global consultancy and academic fintech research, BAB aims to spotlight innovations that deliver measurable customer and market value. The selection on 8 October 2026 will set a benchmark for digital innovation in the region’s financial services sector.