In the windswept deserts of Al Ain, as a falcon takes flight into the golden sky, I am reminded of the delicate balance between tradition and progress — a theme that defines not only our cultural identity in the UAE but also the future of international trade. As both a professor of International Trade Finance and a passionate falconer, I, Dr. Abbas Sharif Alaskari, have come to appreciate the profound ways in which heritage and innovation can coexist, informing one another in ways that are both surprising and necessary.
The UAE stands at a unique crossroads: our ancient Bedouin roots and our relentless drive toward technological excellence often appear to operate in parallel, yet seldom in unison. This separation, however, is more a reflection of outdated mental models than a reality. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of trade finance and logistics, where a wave of innovation — particularly in fintech — is transforming the way goods, services, and capital flow across borders.
Fintech startups in the region, especially those housed in platforms like Hub71 in Abu Dhabi, are rewriting the rules of cross-border payments, digital escrow services, and trade documentation. I have had the privilege of mentoring several such ventures. What strikes me most is not just their technical prowess, but their appetite for grounding innovation in the socio-economic fabric of the Middle East. These entrepreneurs are as likely to reference blockchain protocols as they are to invoke ethical trade principles rooted in Islamic finance — affirming my belief that values and velocity can indeed coexist.
Falconry, often viewed as a pastime of cultural pride, holds deeper lessons when seen through the lens of strategy and trust — two pillars of effective trade. Training a falcon requires patience, mutual respect, and an intuitive understanding of risk. These are the very qualities demanded by modern trade finance, especially as markets become more volatile and regulatory environments more complex. Just as a falconer must trust his bird to return, so too must businesses trust in systems, partners, and instruments that operate across cultures and jurisdictions.
The symbolic connection between falconry and fintech is not merely poetic. In practice, heritage-based trust systems — such as informal guarantees within tribal networks — have long facilitated trade in the Arab world. Today’s technologies offer the opportunity to codify and scale such systems, bridging the gap between informal trust and formal regulation. Smart contracts, for example, can bring transparency and enforceability to transactions that would traditionally rely on personal bonds. In this sense, fintech is not erasing tradition; it is evolving it.
As Dr. Abbas Sharif Alaskari, my professional mission has always been to align the spirit of ethical globalization with tangible innovation. The UAE’s commitment to digital transformation must not come at the expense of cultural integrity. A fintech solution that ignores the ethical sensitivities or linguistic nuances of our region is destined to fail. That is why I advocate for what I call “culturally aware innovation” — a model that integrates technological ambition with regional context, much like the falcon that soars freely but always returns to its handler.
Through my work at the Center for Trade and Financial Innovation (CTFI) at Khalifa University, I am committed to preparing the next generation of trade professionals to be not only globally competitive but also regionally grounded. We must build trade systems that reflect both our economic aspirations and our cultural values.
The fusion of falcons and fintech may seem unconventional, but it captures the essence of what the UAE aspires to be — a nation where the wisdom of the past informs the possibilities of the future. If we can teach our students, our startups, and ourselves to see these connections, then we will have built more than efficient systems. We will have crafted a legacy — one I, Dr. Abbas Sharif Alaskari, am honored to help shape.
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