5. Eastnets

Company: Eastnets

Founder: Hazem Mulhim

Website: https://www.eastnets.com/

About Eastnets

At Eastnets, we do three vital things. We stop fraudsters in their tracks. We ensure sanctions are met. And we securely keep money flowing through banking systems. This couldn’t be more important at a time when financial crime costs up to $2 trillion [1] and the number of people and businesses on blacklists has soared since the invasion of Ukraine.

Our visionary CEO, Hazem Mulheim, has an amazing story. A Palestinian refugee, he studied in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in the UK (where he failed A levels) before his father handed him $200 and sent him off to make what he could of his life. He ended up getting a degree in communist Bulgaria before building a computer business in Jordan that was destroyed in the Gulf War. Rising from the ashes, he founded Eastnets over 35 years ago.

Also based in Jordan, with a strong presence in Europe, Eastnets connected most of the Middle East’s banks to the SWIFT payments network, globalising the region’s economy. We now work with more than 750 diverse financial institutions across 120 countries, including 11 of the top 50 banks, shaping secure and compliant financial operations.

In doing so, we have remained dedicated to our core mission of empowering individuals and facilitating their participation in the global economy. We promote financial inclusion and have invested in anti-money laundering software after the 9/11 attacks, safeguarding economies from financial threats while squeezing terrorist funding.

Today, Eastnets continues to offer a comprehensive range of services that equip financial institutions with the necessary tools to navigate evolving banking technologies, stringent regulatory frameworks, and escalating financial crime.

As a strategic partner to banks worldwide, we understand the complex challenges they face. With extensive experience, we provide tailored solutions that enhance security and streamline operations. Our technologies are designed to address industry challenges while putting user-friendliness is at their core. This make is easy for financial institutions to build a safer future for everyone while adhering to regulations.

We pride ourselves on being responsive and adaptable, working closely with customers to understand their unique needs and deliver scalable solutions. Our commitment to innovation drives us to stay ahead of the curve, harnessing the power of advanced AI and blockchain to help financial institutions proactively plan for tomorrow’s challenges.

In the future, we will continue to focus on fraud prevention and anti-money laundering practices. In doing so, we recognise that many organisations have excellent systems and technologies, but they often work in isolation. Our aim is to connect these fragmented solutions through open APIs and integration, providing a comprehensive view of financial crime. By offering robust business information dashboards and advanced data analytics, we will empower our clients to make sense of complex data and effectively mitigate risks.

Ultimately, the work we do gives financial institutions peace of mind and secures a safer future for everyone. After all, money has never been tighter. We all need to ensure it’s protected.