STTAF 2026

The conference aims to bridge the gap between academic theory and industrial application, positioning Bahrain as the GCC’s primary catalyst for innovation in AI, FinTech, and Sustainable Business.
 
Bridging the Talent-Industry Gap: Provide a high-visibility platform for students and scholars to showcase research directly to decision-makers, fostering employment and mentorship opportunities.

Driving Sector Innovation: Facilitate expert-led dialogues on the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability, moving beyond “talk” to actionable research partnerships.

Strengthening the Ecosystem: Cement Bahrain’s status as a regional knowledge hub by aligning institutional collaboration with national economic priorities and GCC development goals.

Action-Oriented Networking: Replace passive listening with active engagement through high-impact panels and hands-on workshops designed to solve real-world business challenges.

Academia: 

• University faculty specializing in finance, accounting, economics, AI, sustainability, and business innovation
• Researchers and scholars working on fintech, data science, ESG, and digital transformation
• Postgraduate and undergraduate students in related fields

Industry Professionals:

• Financial institutions (banks, investment firms, insurance companies, digital banks)
• Fintech startups and technology-driven enterprises
• Sustainable finance firms and ESG consultancies
• Business leaders interested in digital transformation and green transition

Government & Policy Stakeholders:

• Ministries related to finance, industry, environment, technology, and education
• Central bank representatives
• Economic development authorities
• Regulatory bodies and policymakers
• Public-sector digital transformation offices

Technology & Innovation Stakeholders:

• AI developers, machine learning engineers, and data scientists
• IT solution providers and cloud services companies
• Innovation hubs, incubators, and accelerators
• Startups working on green tech, financial automation, and AI ethics

 The programme is tentative and subject to change.

Day 1 – 8 April 2026 

09:00 – 10:00    | Registration & Morning Welcome Reception

10:00 – 11:00     | Opening Ceremony & Appreciation of Sponsors and Keynote Speakers

11:00 – 11:30     | Networking & Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:30     | Panel Discussion 1 (Sustainability, Innovation and Circular Economy)

12:30 – 13:30    | Lunch Break

13:30 – 14:30    | Keynote 1 (Topic & Speaker: Financing the increasing climate risks – Prof. Lin Zhang – City University of Hong Kong)

14:30 – 15:00    | Refreshment Break

15:00 – 16:00    | Meet the Editors Session

16:00 – 17:00    | Networking Session

Day 2 – 9 April 2026 

09:00 – 10:00      | Morning Refreshments & Networking

10:00 – 11:00       | Keynote 2 (Topic & Speaker: Leveraging AI and FinTech for Sustainable and Resilient Financial Markets – Prof. Paul P. Momtaz

Syracuse University)

11:00 – 12:00      | Panel Discussion 2 (AI, FinTech and the Future of Finance)

12:00 – 13:00      | Networking Lunch

13:00 – 15:00      | Parallel Sessions

15:00 – 15:30      | Refreshment Break

15:30 – 16.30      | Special Session

16.30 – 17:00      | Closing Remarks & Best Paper Awards & Refreshments

Prof. Paul P. Momtaz

Syracuse University

Paul is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, New York, USA. He received doctorates in economics from the University Hamburg and in finance from UCLA. Paul also holds graduate degrees in mathematics from the Université Paris 1 – Panthéon-Sorbonne and in innovation, strategy, and organisation from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School. His research and teaching are in the field of entrepreneurial finance, financial technology, and sustainable entrepreneurship. He has published in the leading entrepreneurship, management, and finance journals. Paul serves on the editorial board of Small Business Economics, The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance, European Journal of Finance, and The British Accounting Review.

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Prof. Lin Zhang

City University of Hong Kong

Lin is a Professor at City University of Hong Kong, and an Associate Director for the Institute of Global Governance and Innovation for a Shared Future. He leads the Laboratory for Energy Economics and Environmental Management. His primary research focuses on energy and sustainability economics. His work utilizes economic and interdisciplinary methods to seek policy solutions to energy and environmental sustainability from interdisciplinary lenses. He received bachelor’s degrees from Peking University and a PhD in economics from ETH Zurich. He now serves as the editor for The Energy Journal, the associate editor for Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (Springer Nature), the executive guest editor for Energy Policy and International Review of Financial Analysis. He is a council member of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) and the regional representative of Asia-Oceania leaders in energy economics.  He has been listed in “Top Scholar in Economics and Social Sciences (top 0.5%)” by ScholarGPS, “Top 2% Scientists” by Stanford University.

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Panelists

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University of Chemnitz

Tony Klein is Professor of Finance and holds the Chair of Finance and Banking at the Technische Universität Chemnitz’s Faculty of Economics and Business in Germany. Previously, he served as Associate Professor in Finance at Queen’s University Belfast, and has held visiting positions such as at the University of Barcelona School of Economics. He completed his PhD in Finance (2017) and a Master’s in Financial Mathematics (2013) at Technische Universität Dresden. His research spans econometric modelling and machine learning for finance and economics, energy and carbon economics, the financialisation of commodity markets and their linkages with equity and fixed-income markets, and volatility forecasting for risk management and portfolio optimisation. Tony is Editor-in-Chief of Finance Research Letters, and Associate Editor for the International Review of Financial Analysis, Development and Sustainability in Economics and Finance, and Journal of Climate Finance.

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University of Manchester

Stuart Hyde is Professor of Finance and Head of the Division of Accounting and Finance, as well as Deputy Head of School at Alliance Manchester Business School. He previously served as Postgraduate Research Director (2013-2018) and Deputy Head of School (2014-2018). Stuart was co-Chair of Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI) from 2018 – 2025 and held the Central Bank of Malta Chair in Economics (2012-2018). He is an Associate Editor for the European Journal of Finance, International Review of Financial Analysis, and an Advisory Editor for Research in International Business and Finance. Stuart’s principal research interests focus on a range of issues in empirical finance particularly with respect to international finance or emerging markets particularly looking at issues relating to integration and comovement in international financial markets. He publishes in leading international journals including Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of International Money and Finance and International Review of Financial Analysis.

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Professor John Goodell
The University of Akron

John is a Professor in the College of Business of The University of Akron. His research interests focus on the impact on financial systems of national culture, and institutions. Since earning his Ph.D. from Kent State University, he has co-authored over 200 scholarly articles and book chapters. Professor Goodell’s work has gained significant attention, featuring in major media outlets such as The Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, and Bloomberg Businessweek, as well as the blogs of Columbia University and Duke University law schools. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of Elsevier’s Research in International Business and Finance; as well as an Associate Editor for several finance journals. He has been recognised among the world’s top 2% of scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier since 2021 for his outstanding contributions to international finance and sustainability research. In the 2025 ranking, he is listed 13th out of 14,851 authors in the field of finance.

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Cardiff University

Arman holds the Chair of Finance and Investment at Cardiff University, UK. Prior to that, Prof. Eshraghi was at the University of Edinburgh with visiting positions at the University of Manchester and University College London and some years of industry experience in financial services prior to academia. His academic research spans finance, accounting, and management, with interests including behavioural/corporate/sustainable finance and financial technology. His work has been published in some leading journals of the field and cited widely, including in the Financial Times, Washington Post, Forbes, Bloomberg, BBC, Euronews, and Harvard Business Review.

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American University of Sharjah

Destan is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the School of Business Administration at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). She serves as an Associate Editor of the International Review of Economics & Finance and serves on the Editorial Boards of Digital Business and the Journal of Global Marketing. Dr. Kirimhan earned her Ph.D. in Finance from the University of South Carolina, USA. Her research focuses on financial intermediation, FinTech, cybersecurity risks, and ESG finance, exploring how innovation and regulation reshape global financial systems. Her work has been published in leading academic journals such as the Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Financial Research, International Review of Financial Analysis, Finance Research Letters, and the Journal of Business Research. Dr. Kirimhan is also a Research Fellow in the AUS Research Group on the Digital Economy and has presented her research at major conferences across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

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University of Manchester

Hossein is an Associate Professor of Financial Technology at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), The University of Manchester. Prior to this role, he was an Assistant Professor of Finance at Cardiff Business School, University of Cardiff, and before that, he held a similar position at Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds. Hossein holds a PhD and MSc in Finance, as well as a BSc in Computer Software Engineering. Prior to his academic career, he spent five years working in the financial industry. His research focuses on Blockchain Technology, Cryptocurrencies, Market Microstructure, and Algorithmic and High-Frequency Trading.

He is the founder and creator of the Manchester Bitcoin Database (MBiD, formerly known as CUBiD), a pioneering platform that provides access to structured raw and post-processed data on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. He is an associate editor at the journal of Research in International Business and Finance (RIBAF).

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Bahrain Polytechnic

Latifa Al Fadhel is the Head of the School of Accounting & Finance at Bahrain Polytechnic, Kingdom of Bahrain. She is a Doctoral Researcher in Finance and holds an MBA with distinction, along with a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Latifa Al Fadhel has professional experience in banking and treasury operations, complemented by senior academic leadership roles in higher education.

Her research and teaching interests lie in sustainable finance, ESG integration, financial markets, and the application of advanced analytical and AI-driven methods in accounting and finance. She has published in Scopus and Web of Science-indexed journals and has forthcoming publications with Springer. Al Fadhel also serves as a reviewer for international academic journals and is a SUSI Scholar of the U.S. Department of State.

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