He has a substantial amount of experience translating data and customer insights into innovative product and service ideas. Khan considers himself a lateral thinker who loves motivating and energising people towards delivering successful individual and business outcomes.

The digital economy

If Khan wished he had known one thing at 18 years of age, it would be the rapid growth and far-reaching influence of the digital economy, the disruptions it would create and exciting opportunities it would present across most industries. “In the UAE, you can book a ride, pay a bill or order a meal with a few taps on your smartphone. Both, governments and private companies, have had to think about investing in digital infrastructure, smart regulation to implement appropriate standards and upskilling their workforce to thrive in this new economy.

“Personally, I wish I had invested a much more in companies that were part of this boom!”

However, it’s been a good time for payment networks such as Visa, which has helped power this digital economy, he adds.

In spite of the growth in digital payments over recent years, Khan says a large part of the global population lacks access to electronic financial services – something he believes will be truly transformative for the industry over the coming decade. “We have some great examples of this in the Middle East and Africa. In many instances, we will leapfrog the more developed markets in this evolution, and being in the UAE, we are well positioned to experience this firsthand.”

Mentorship lessons

Khan says his mum is his greatest mentor. “She was a very strong woman who placed a lot of importance on education and, coming from a conservative family, faced a lot of challenges to get my sisters educated.” Her story gave him the inspiration to believe in himself and persevere through even the most challenging odds.

Professionally, his mentors taught him to always push beyond his comfort zone, communicate clearly, be a good listener and to do his best.