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Information Session on Product Innovation, Global SME Finance Awards 2025

Global SME Finance Awards 2025
Information Session on Product Innovation
Be recognized, Share impact in SME FINANCE
The SME Finance Forum organizes the Global SME Finance Awards (The Awards) as a core part of its mission to create a unique platform for peer connections, knowledge dissemination, and innovations in SME Finance. The Forum’s extensive 240+ global network, crowds in financial institutions, fintech companies, development banks, policymakers, and industry experts from across the globe, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnership building on a global scale. Hence, the Global SME Finance Awards has evolved into a pinnacle of global recognition for those making a real impact in the SME finance landscape.
Since its launch in 2018, The Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of financial service providers in delivering exceptional products and services to scale SME finance in their respective markets. It provides an opportunity for institutions to highlight and share good practices, impact, knowledge, and be recognized amongst the global peer group of world leaders in SME finance and services.
We are rolling out a series of Information Sessions during the 2025 Awards Season to share with Financial Service Providers (FSPs) and Industry Stakeholders the role and importance of The Awards in showcasing remarkable achievements and impact in the industry. The sessions also aim to provide information on the application process, respective awards categories, and related information on the awards. Speakers include industry leaders and practitioners from the Forum’s global network, as well as past applicants and winners.
SPEAKERS
SANJAY UPPAL, Founder & CEO, FinbotsAI
Sanjay Uppal is the Founder and CEO of FinbotsAI, a Singapore-based AI-first company founded in 2017, that is transforming quantitative modeling that drives over 80% of global decisions. He brings over 25 years of global experience in driving growth and transformation in financial institutions. His previous roles include Group Chief Financial Officer for UAE-based EmiratesNBD Bank, Malaysia-based Hong Leong Bank, and Chief Financial Officer for Standard Chartered Bank’s businesses in Taiwan, Philippines and the UAE.
Trusted by financial institutions globally, FinbotsAI’s product, CreditX, is redefining credit risk modelling and decisioning. CreditX enables lenders of all sizes to develop high-performance credit models in hours and days, compared to the 6-18 months taken by legacy methods.
FinbotsAI is accredited under MAS’ Veritas and IMDA’s AI Verify frameworks for Responsible AI. In November 2024, CreditX was named “Product Innovation of the Year - Global Champion” by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for its impact in driving credit decisioning and financial inclusion.
Liudmyla Tymoshenko, Founder and CEO of AgriAnalytica
Liudmyla Tymoshenko is the Founder and CEO of AgriAnalytica, a Ukrainian fintech company revolutionizing access to finance for small and medium-sized farmers
through AI-powered innovation. With a PhD in economics and over 30 years of leadership in agri-financing, she has built a cutting-edge digital ecosystem that connects farmers to finance, markets, and expert support—all in one seamless platform.
Since founding AgriAnalytica in 2018, Liudmyla has led groundbreaking efforts to transform agricultural finance in emerging and crisis-affected regions. The platform improves transparency, reduces risk, and accelerates inclusive lending for underserved rural communities. In 2024, AgriAnalytica was honored with the Platinum Prize for Product Innovation at the Global SME Finance Awards.
A passionate advocate for digital inclusion, resilience, and financial empowerment in agriculture, Liudmyla continues to pioneer scalable solutions that redefine the future of agri-finance and uplift agri-MSMEs around the world.
*Categories, objectives and speakers' information will be shared soon