Our Team
Nasreen Alissa
Founding Partner - Attorney
Nasreen is an attorney with more than 10 years’ experience in corporate and commercial law. She provides legal services and support to startups, entrepreneurs, founders, seed, early-stage growth, pre-incorporation companies and small to medium size businesses. She is also skilled and experienced in negotiating startup legal documents and business contracts and agreements including founders’ agreements and term sheets. She helps clients with NDA’s, employment agreements, contracts, software licensing and technology agreements. She has a wide experience in setting up fintech companies. Nasreen holds an LLB from Nottingham Law School, BA in Sociology from the University of British Columbia, LLM from City University, and LPC from City University.
Chris Symiriotis
Managing Partner
Chris has more than thirty years of experience in payments, having worked with FAB, ENBD, Ahli United Bank, SAMBA, QNB, and Arab Bank. As a payments advisor to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), he authored the mada, Atheer, and MSP operating rules, standards, and procedures. He was appointed to C-Level roles in the UAE Ministry of Finance’s eDirham scheme, and Emirates Digital Wallet in the UAE. He was a senior strategy consultant with Deloitte and AT Kearney with more than 30 international assignments. He has on the ground experience in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Greece, Algeria, Oman, UK, and Indonesia. Chris holds an MSc in Management Science from Brunel University in the UK, and is fluent in Arabic, English, and French. Chris has a deep understanding of the fintech licensing application process and underlying Saudi Central Bank regulations. He has, to date, worked with three high profile Saudi fintechs that acquired their license from SAMA, including pre-operationalization processes and procedures.
Abdallah Oulbaks
Partner
Abdallah is a fintech consultant with more than 18 years of international experience (Europe, Africa, Middle East) in fintech consultancy. He also has wide experience in portfolios and project management. Successful projects achieved in card domain and innovative payment technologies. Abdallah has a deep understanding of the fintech licensing application process and underlying Saudi Central Bank regulations. Fluent in 3 languages. 5 years of experience in international standardization bodies.
Talal Alamani
Partner
Talal has over 10 years’ experience in compliance & AML, helping startups and companies with their SAMA and CMA licenses. He has extensive experience in Islamic finance and operations. Specializes in the regulatory compliance of public listed companies and investment advisory. Leadership and oversight of companies compliance and AML/CTF program. Maintenance of a culture of compliance. Implementing, promulgating, and administering policies and procedures and training throughout the organizations to ensure that the compliance program and AML/CTF are effective and efficient in preventing, identifying, and detecting noncompliance with laws. Wide experience in SAMA and CMA regulations and policies. Writing and implementing a compliance program, including the annual review and testing. Monitoring and management of compliance risks.
Anders Jensen
Partner
Anders is a senior banker, fintech consultant, and SaaS professional with over 20 years of experience in leadership, senior sales, growth and people management, and partnership building in Europe, Middle East and Africa. With a proven track record in scaling startups, conceptualizing and execution of sales strategies in the IT/fintech and financial industry. German national. Speaks English, French and Spanish. He is a certified Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner and holds the ACI (FX) Dealing Certificate. Anders furthermore holds a Bachelor of Arts and a MSc in Business Administration from the University of Southern Denmark.
Leena Symiriotis
Associate
Leena plays a crucial role in maintaining smooth and effective business operations and she provides a broad range of administrative support. She has wide experience in market research, marketing strategy analysis, data analysis, HR strategies for creating better organizational culture, and managing projects.
She has a BA in Psychology from Open University UK, and a master’s degree in business psychology from Heriot-Watt University.
