Exclusive Interview with Roger Tabbal, CEO of swissnet MENA & International

Roger Tabbal’s career is a testament to over 25 years of pioneering technology that elevates the guest experience. As CEO of swissnet MENA & International, and former Global VP of Guest Technology Innovation at Accor Hotels, he blends deep operational insight with a passion for creating intelligent, seamless solutions. In this exclusive interview, Roger shares how seamless infrastructure, AI-powered personalization, and Swiss precision are quietly reshaping the hospitality landscape and beyond. His vision proves that the most powerful innovations are the ones guests never have to think about but always remember.

Can you tell us a little bit about your background and professional journey?

My entire career has been rooted in the hospitality industry, spanning over 25 years. I began in 1998 at the front desk and gradually progressed through various operational roles, including Front Office and Food & Beverage. This firsthand experience gave me a comprehensive understanding of hotel operations from the ground up. Eventually, I transitioned into technology, aligning with my academic background and passion. For over two decades, I’ve worked in hospitality technology across both local and international hotel chains. Most recently, I served as the Global Vice President of Guest Technology & Innovation at Accor Hotels.

What inspired your transition from Global VP of Guest Technology & Innovation at Accor to your current role as CEO of swissnet MENA & International, and what are you aiming to contribute to the regional hospitality landscape?

My experience with hospitality has always driven me to step out of my comfort zone. During my time at Accor, I collaborated closely with vendors, which gave me a deep understanding of technology from the operator’s perspective. At Accor, I was in a core role supporting the business. At swissnet MENA, we are the business. We go to the hotels, deploy the technology, and provide the solutions that the hospitality sector is actively seeking.

I am always looking for new ways to reinvent technology and introduce fresh ideas to the industry. This mindset pushed me to take on this role and embrace the challenge it brings.

Having spent decades on the hotel business side, particularly in shaping guest experience, how is that influencing your approach today at swissnet MENA?

The most important message I hear from hotel management is that they are not looking for flashy, complex solutions. They want simplicity, reliability, and impact. They want technology that works, solutions that directly address the challenges hotels and resorts face, which are scalable, easy to deploy, and that serve both staff and guests effectively.

My role at Accor confirmed this. I was leading guest technology, developing and formulating strategies for properties across all segments, from economy to luxury and ultra-luxury. This gave me first-hand insight into both the technology itself and what hotels genuinely need.

In a market where technology providers are widely available, what distinguishes swissnet MENA, particularly in the hospitality sector?

Primarily, as part of swissnet Group, we have the advantage of having the maturity of an established player and the agility of a startup. This enables us to operate with confidence in a way that aligns with the dynamic needs of the hospitality industry. This flexibility allows us to move quickly and tailor our approach to what hospitality expects from a technology partner.

Another key differentiator is our commitment to providing localized solutions that address the specific needs of the regions and markets we serve. We also offer a modular, end-to-end approach. Our services range from infrastructure and structured network solutions, Wi-Fi, IPTV, and guest room management systems. We function as a one-stop shop, offering scalable and cost-effective solutions.

We place great emphasis on delivering a clear return on investment for partner hotels, providing technology that is not only simple and effective but also directly solves the problems hotels face. Our goal is to deliver solutions that are easy for staff to manage and intuitive for guests to use.

How would you summarize your mission as CEO of swissnet MENA & International? What drives the company under your leadership?

As we operate within the ICT space, my primary mission is to establish swissnet MENA as a leading player in the ICT and IT infrastructure business for hospitality. One of our main goals is to become a trusted partner for hotel groups and property owners, reliable in delivering solutions that address their operational needs and elevate guest experiences.

Another key objective is to strengthen our network of partners who provide innovative technologies to the hospitality sector. We bridge technology providers and hotel operators, delivering solutions that are simple, dependable, and operationally effective.

I envision taking our Swiss values of quality and precision beyond the MENA region, evolving into a global ICT provider. As part of a Swiss group, we extend that excellence to international markets.

What are the key technology innovations you are introducing that are making a real impact on hotels and branded residences?

We provide fully integrated, end-to-end solutions that begin at the earliest stages of hotel development. The sooner we collaborate with you on a project, the greater the impact. This includes the entire ICT infrastructure: structured cabling, network setup, and Wi-Fi solutions. We offer branded network systems that are already approved by major international hotel chains, ensuring compatibility and trust.

Beyond the foundational infrastructure, we deliver High-Speed Internet Access (HSIA) and layer additional services such as Location-Based Marketing (LBM). These innovations are designed to enhance guest experiences and help hotels generate measurable business outcomes.

For example, we create a seamless digital journey so that a guest can log in once and be automatically recognized on future visits. LBM adds another layer of engagement, allowing hotels to communicate targeted promotions based on guest location. When a guest is near the spa, they can receive a personalized message about current massage offers. Similarly, relevant dining promotions can be delivered when they are in proximity to a restaurant, enhancing convenience while creating meaningful touchpoints throughout the stay.

Our goal is to go beyond simply providing IT infrastructure. We aim to become a business enabler, delivering solutions that enhance guest satisfaction and generate tangible ROI for hotel operators.

With Wi-Fi now considered a non-negotiable expectation in hospitality, how do you ensure your managed networks consistently deliver high-speed, reliable connectivity?

Fundamentally, we keep our focus on the main prize: delivering a system that works reliably and efficiently. It all begins with a thorough site survey and the creation of a heat map to ensure complete coverage of the hotel. This initial step is critical for deploying branded access points and network systems that meet both international standards and regional brand requirements. Our goal is to ensure comprehensive, seamless connectivity across the entire property.

We focus on delivering a solution that offers a flawless experience for guests while ensuring backend simplicity and ease of management for hotel staff.

Today’s guests want to bring their own content into the hotel room, they want to cast from their phones, connect their devices, and experience the same ease of use they have at home. We deliver a full IPTV ecosystem, complete with casting, in-TV apps, and seamless device integration.

We address in-room control through our Guest Room Management System (GRMS), often referred to as a smart thermostat. This includes everything from lighting and air conditioning to overall room climate control. Importantly, GRMS is integrated with major Property Management Systems (PMS), allowing hotels to manage energy usage efficiently and deliver on sustainability goals without compromising guest comfort. We also offer digital signage solutions, backup systems, AI integrations, and tools such as our Guest Companion platform. All these services are designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop technology solution, eliminating the need for hotels to collaborate with multiple vendors and ensuring a cohesive, guest-centric technology experience.

In-room entertainment today offers a seamless, all-in-one experience. How do you approach this integration while keeping it user-friendly for guests?

It is always important to remember that guests come to relax and enjoy their stay, not to learn how to operate complicated systems. That’s why our focus is on delivering an integrated experience where all technologies, IPTV, Wi-Fi, Guest Room Management Systems (GRMS), and the Property Management Systems (PMS) are interconnected and communicate seamlessly.

Our aim is to make technology intuitive and, ideally, invisible. Everything works in harmony, without requiring effort or learning from the guest. It should feel effortless, and that’s what we strive to deliver.

Given that hotels operate 24/7, how do you ensure your technology solutions are always supported with around-the-clock service?

Coming from the hospitality industry myself, I fully understand that hospitality never sleeps. Our role at swissnet MENA is not just to implement technology, but to ensure it is constantly maintained and supported. We aim to be a trusted partner that hotel IT departments can rely on for peace of mind.

To achieve this, we’re building a dedicated Shared Service Center that enables 24/7 proactive monitoring and support. Our engineers are available around the clock, and the focus is on detecting issues before they happen, not after. We provide shared services, maintenance contracts, and continuous monitoring of all solutions deployed across the network.

Additionally, we’re incorporating Artificial Intelligence into our systems to enhance this process. AI tools help us monitor network performance, detect anomalies, and identify potential security issues in real time. This allows us to alert the appropriate hotel teams quickly and take preemptive action. It’s always about ensuring reliability and seamless operations.

Artificial Intelligence is becoming central across industries, from education to hospitality. How is swissnet MENA leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance guest experience and streamline operations behind the scenes?

At swissnet MENA, we are placing AI at the core of our strategy to both enhance the guest experience and deliver operational excellence for hotels. One of our primary use cases is Location-Based Marketing (LBM), which we integrate with cloud-managed Wi-Fi to personalize the guest journey. By analyzing guest preferences, location, and behavioral data sourced from systems like PMS and loyalty platforms, we use AI-driven tools to send targeted notifications.

The second key area is on the network and operations side. We employ AI to enable proactive monitoring, detecting potential issues before they impact the guest. This includes network anomalies, security threats, or performance slowdowns. AI also supports our internal teams by automating routine tasks and reducing operational workload, allowing hotel staff to focus more on high-value guest interactions.

We’re testing new AI-driven use cases such as voice and chatbot integration, which can enhance guest communication by providing instant access to personalized information, promotions, and services, all seamlessly integrated with the PMS, loyalty systems, and the backend infrastructure. Our goal is to deliver intelligent, personalized technology that enhances both guest satisfaction and hotel efficiency, shaping the future of hospitality through AI.

What is your five-year vision for swissnet MENA, and how do you see the company shaping the future of the hospitality industry?

What excites me most about the coming years is the growing intersection between hospitality and technology. Technology has rapidly become an integral part of the guest experience. The guest expects technology to enhance their stay without having to learn or interact with it. It should just work, seamlessly and invisibly.

From AI-driven solutions to predictive maintenance, voice automation, and beyond, the future lies in enabling technology that delivers comfort, simplicity, and personalization without being intrusive. At swissnet MENA, we’re uniquely positioned to lead this transformation because we understand both sides of the equation, hospitality, and technology. We offer a complete technology stack. By bringing all these elements together, we create a unified and seamless experience for the guest.

Over the next five years, our goal is to help properties transition from being merely connected to becoming truly intelligent. That transformation, from connected to intelligent hospitality, is where we see our greatest impact.

Exclusive Interview with Tom Kilroy, Chief Executive Officer at Keyloop

How is Keyloop’s unified Fusion platform approach fundamentally changing automotive retail?

Fusion is an end-to-end Automotive Retail Platform (ARP) that will help motor retailers across the Middle East manage and optimise the full vehicle sales and aftersales process – from initial enquiry through to ownership and retention.

Fusion is different to anything automotive retailers have seen before, incorporating four distinct ‘domains’: Demand, Supply, Ownership, and Operate – and covering all key functions within a dealership’s business. Our Drive Dealer Management System (DMS) is a critical element in the Operate domain.

Each of Fusion’s domains draws upon information held in the platform’s Active Data Core, which provides users in all departments with a single comprehensive record of customer interactions and transactions. This is in line with our commitment to provide a way of working that prioritises outcomes, making efficiency, automation, and an AI-driven future a core part of Keyloop’s strategy.  

What leadership principle has proven universal in your transition from finance to enterprise tech, to automotive retail?

The guiding principle for me in all these areas is the importance of convenience, for customers and for users. I have found it important to keep that concept right at the centre of what we do and to put it first as we consider “how can things be improved?”. It requires bringing the right information to the right place at the right time, making the experience far more convenient for the customer. We saw this in finance with the move to online banking, being accessible 24 hours of the day. And the same applies in automotive retail.

So, whether it’s paying a bill through your phone, booking your car in for a service with your trusted dealer, or browsing for a new car, the ultimate goal is convenience. At Keyloop we call this “Experience-First” which we use to guide our direction.

How is Fusion helping bridge gaps between vehicle supply, retail demand, and financing processes?

Fusion tools and functionality can be deployed rapidly and securely for organisations of all sizes, even major dealer groups operating in multiple countries and with distribution networks of sites representing a diverse portfolio of vehicle brands. Fusion puts the customer at the heart of all activity, helping retailers deliver positive customer outcomes and amplify revenues through the full purchase and ownership cycle. It also streamlines and automates key processes to reduce operational costs, making businesses more agile.

What advantages does the Fusion platform offer fleet suppliers in managing large-scale vehicle operations?

Keyloop pulls from more than 9,000 OEM integrations to help facilitate a connected user and customer journey. Fleet suppliers can either select the elements of the Fusion ARP that best meet their requirements or introduce the full platform across the entire business.

Our intelligent inventory and asset risk management tools provide a single source of truth, enabling more proactive and strategic decision-making when it comes to vehicle supply, pricing and advertising. Whether you’re managing new, used, pipeline or fleet vehicles, our technology gives you the insights and tools to keep stock moving, profitably. The outcomes? Maximised vehicle visibility, faster stock turn, greater profit per day and reduced advertising spend.

Reducing days in stock starts with having complete visibility of every vehicle in your ecosystem. Keyloop’s Vehicle Hub allows fleet providers to centrally manage all stock, providing a consistent, up-to-date view of vehicles and more importantly vehicle status across all sales channels and teams. Regardless of the sales models they follow, this data clarity helps them act quickly and with confidence. What’s more, tools like Keyloop’s Fleetbase streamlines complex order processes that can be often fragmented, bringing everything into one simplified flow. It’s a unified approach that saves time and helps turn stock faster.

How is Keyloop adapting its platform to support the unique sales cycles of EVs and hybrids?

Fusion accommodates all vehicles but recognises the lesser impact of EVs on the aftersales journey. The platform creates efficiencies elsewhere to help make up the shortfall and to focus on adding other valuable services. We also offer the ability to search for charging points via our front-end ecommerce websites, working with integration partners to offer greater awareness of EVs and the different makes, models and battery types available to consumers.

How are regulatory changes around data privacy impacting automotive retail platforms?

As guidelines evolve, the automotive industry is facing heightened responsibility when it comes to data handling and consumer transparency. Regulatory changes concerning data privacy are inevitably shaping new motor retail technologies.

At Keyloop, we prioritise robust data protection methods and seamless integration of our solutions. This ensures regulatory compliance is always met, enabling dealerships to navigate the evolving complexities of the regulatory landscape, while continuing to deliver exceptional customer service.

How do you see the role of physical dealerships evolving over the next decade?

For many, a car is one of the biggest purchases they’ll ever make, so offering an exemplary experience is crucial and a core Fusion value. Retailers know that the conventional dealership showroom model needs to evolve, and they are gradually shifting towards experience centres, with less stock on site and more immersive technology available for visitors. The industry is already offering customers in-store visualisation and car-building technology, so augmented reality isn’t far off.

Rather than managing four walls and focusing on closing sales, retailers are beginning to manage an ecosystem and build strong, retainable customer relationships online and offline – all made possible thanks to the cohesive management of data and the integration of customer-first technology such as Fusion.

From a Canadian startup to a key player in the global financial evolution

Bridging Two Worlds

While many were retreating from crypto in 2018, three friends with deep roots in capital markets saw something others missed: the foundations of a new financial system taking shape. They founded Aquanow with a bold vision—to build the infrastructure connecting traditional markets with the digital asset frontier.

“Before Aquanow, I was trading equities, focused on the intersection of technology and markets,” says CEO Phil Sham. “We saw early that crypto wasn’t a fad—it was a new asset class where the best parts of finance could be reimagined.”

What sets Aquanow apart is the team’s ability to empathise with clients. “Coming from traditional finance gave us a unique perspective,” explains Sham. “We understood the stringent requirements financial institutions face—from regulatory compliance to risk management. But we were also immersed in blockchain’s innovative potential. This dual expertise allowed us to build bridges between these worlds in a way that pure crypto natives or traditional finance veterans couldn’t achieve alone.”

From Liquidity Provider to Global Infrastructure

Fast forward to 2025, and Aquanow has transformed into a leading financial infrastructure provider with over 120 employees, powering digital asset services for over 300 institutional clients across 50 countries and processing billions in monthly volume.

Today, the company’s comprehensive service offerings are comprised of four essential building blocks:

• Trade: Advanced trading infrastructure with deep liquidity pools and low-latency execution
• Pay: Solutions that allow businesses to accept and process digital asset payments
• Send: Secure and efficient cryptocurrency transfers across platforms and regions
• Hold: Institutional-grade custody services ensuring maximum security and compliance

This evolution has positioned Aquanow at the center of institutional crypto adoption—particularly in regions embracing digital asset innovation, like the Middle East.

A Foundation of Trust

“When a bank with millions of customers decides to offer crypto services, they’re essentially extending their trust to us,” explains Sham. “We take that responsibility incredibly seriously. Our systems are designed with multiple layers of redundancy, sophisticated security protocols, and rigorous testing methodologies familiar to any enterprise IT department.”

Aquanow’s technology stack features advanced encryption, real-time monitoring systems, and advanced anomaly detection capabilities. The company maintains 99.99% uptime across its core services, with automated failover mechanisms that detect and respond to potential disruptions before they impact end users.

“Compliance isn’t an afterthought for us—it’s built into our DNA,” Sham emphasizes. “From day one, we’ve designed our systems with regulatory requirements in mind, working closely with authorities across multiple jurisdictions to ensure our infrastructure meets or exceeds their standards.”

This proactive approach has been particularly valuable in the Middle East, where authorities are crafting thoughtful frameworks to govern digital assets. Aquanow maintains a dedicated compliance team that continuously monitors regulatory developments worldwide, embedding controls directly into its infrastructure—from robust KYC/AML procedures to real-time transaction monitoring.

The UAE: A Strategic Focus for Growth

Among Aquanow’s global expansion efforts, the United Arab Emirates and wider MENA region have emerged as a particular focus. The region’s progressive regulatory environment and growing interest in digital assets have created fertile ground for innovation.

“Around six years ago, we started expanding internationally, targeting markets with regulatory clarity and strong consumer demand. The UAE checked both boxes,” Sham notes. “I came here about four years ago to begin the licensing process, and since then, we’ve made significant progress.”

That progress culminated in February 2024 when Aquanow received a comprehensive Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)—one of the most extensive awarded to a VASP in Dubai to date.

“Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority has played a significant role,” Sham explains. “They’ve proactively created a responsible oversight framework that allows innovative crypto concepts to become a reality. That clarity and openness have made it easier for companies like ours to build here.”

Powering Emirates NBD’s Crypto Journey

Perhaps the clearest sign of Aquanow’s growing influence is its landmark partnership with Emirates NBD, one of the Middle East’s largest banking groups with approximately $271 billion in assets.

Announced in early 2025, the collaboration enables Emirates NBD’s digital bank, Liv, to offer cryptocurrency trading through its Liv X mobile app—bringing digital asset access to a broad retail audience via a trusted banking platform.

“This partnership enables millions of users to buy and sell crypto like they access other financial services,” says Sham. “With that infrastructure in place, we can start layering on more services—tokenization, payments, cross-border transfers—all the things that blockchain promises but requires a solid foundation to deliver.”

What makes this collaboration particularly significant is Emirates NBD’s century-long history of serving customers in the region. The bank has spent decades building trust with its client base—trust that it’s now extending to digital assets through Aquanow’s infrastructure.

“When we partner with institutions like Emirates NBD, we recognize that they’re entrusting us with relationships they’ve cultivated over generations,” explains Sham. “That’s a profound responsibility. Our infrastructure has to be absolutely bulletproof, because we’re not just supporting a new product—we’re supporting the bank’s reputation and the trust their customers place in them.”

Enabling Crypto Payments in the UAE

While trading is often the first step for institutions entering the digital asset space, Aquanow’s work increasingly focuses on other sources of utility. In February 2025, the company partnered with Hubpay—a leading UAE-based cross-border payments platform—to launch the country’s first fully regulated crypto payment gateway tailored for businesses and SMEs.

The solution enables merchants across industries to accept cryptocurrency alongside traditional fiat, while addressing a major barrier to adoption: volatility.

“Volatility has always been a core concern for businesses considering crypto,” says Sham. “The key is giving them flexibility. Most of our clients aren’t trying to speculate—they want to offer customers the option to pay in digital assets while managing their treasury in fiat.”

Aquanow’s infrastructure supports instant conversion, allowing merchants to settle in either crypto or fiat at the point of transaction. “For example, a real estate developer in Dubai might accept USDC for a property but settle in AED,” Sham explains. “Our job is to remove exchange rate risk and operational friction so businesses can focus on what they do best.”

The Collaboration Ethos

Aquanow operates on the belief that advancing financial services requires close collaboration with existing institutions. The goal is to expand their capabilities while maintaining the trust they’ve built over decades.

“We don’t see ourselves as disrupting traditional finance,” Sham explains. “We see ourselves as enhancing it—providing infrastructure that allows institutions to embrace new technology while staying true to their core values.”

This mindset shapes how Aquanow approaches partnerships. Instead of imposing a one-size-fits-all solution, the team collaborates with each partner to understand their unique needs, constraints, and goals.

“Every institution we work with has its own history, client base, and strategy,” says Sham. “Our role is to provide flexible infrastructure that adapts to their context—not the other way around.”

That same spirit carries through to regulatory engagement. Aquanow works closely with policymakers across jurisdictions, sharing insights to help shape clear, workable frameworks for digital assets, while accounting for regional nuance.

Expanding Access
As Aquanow expands in the Middle East, CEO Phil Sham sees the company’s role as foundational: enabling access, liquidity, and movement across the digital asset economy.

“At its core, crypto is about distribution,” he says. “People need the ability to on-ramp and off-ramp between fiat and crypto. Once that’s solved, everything else—from tokenized assets to borderless payments—becomes possible.”

This vision aligns with the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for digital finance. Regulatory clarity and rising institutional interest have created a fertile environment—one Aquanow is helping to catalyze.

“Every time a traditional distributor enters the space, they bring thousands—sometimes millions—of users with them,” Sham notes. “That’s where the network effects start. If a fintech in the UAE enables crypto trading and one in the Philippines does the same, we can power remittances between them.”

With large expatriate populations relying on cross-border transfers, the impact is tangible. By reducing cost and complexity, Aquanow’s infrastructure aims to lower friction and expand access to financial services across the region.

The Invisible Infrastructure

As Aquanow continues to expand, the company is guided by a somewhat counterintuitive measure of success: invisibility. The most effective infrastructure, in Aquanow’s view, is infrastructure that users don’t even notice—technology that works so seamlessly that it fades into the background.

“Our ultimate goal is to make the underlying complexity of blockchain technology invisible to end users,” explains Sham. “When someone sends money to family overseas, they shouldn’t need to understand blockchain consensus mechanisms. They should just know that the money arrived instantly, at minimal cost, and with complete security.”

This philosophy shapes how Aquanow designs its solutions. The company focuses relentlessly on user experience, working with its institutional partners to create interfaces that feel familiar and intuitive, even as they leverage the revolutionary capabilities of blockchain technology.

“Traditional fintech wallets and crypto wallets are converging,” Sham observes. “In the future, people won’t need to know they’re using crypto to send money—they’ll just know it works. That’s the direction we’re heading in.”

A Foundation for the Future

Aquanow, once a startup navigating difficult market conditions, has proven its long-term commitment to reshaping financial infrastructure. Through the development of enterprise-grade technology, embedded compliance, and deep institutional collaboration, the company has positioned itself as a key enabler of financial innovation—particularly in markets like the UAE, where trust and transformation go hand in hand.

“The businesses that succeed will be those that move early, build the right partnerships, and stay agile as the regulatory and technological landscape evolves,” says Sham. “We’re proud to provide the infrastructure that makes that possible—secure, compliant systems that let institutions explore digital assets without compromising their core values.”

As the UAE cements its role as a global digital asset hub, Aquanow is helping to turn ambition into execution—bridging the gap between today’s financial system and tomorrow’s possibilities.