News
Feb 19, 2026
News
Artificial Intelligence
Middle East & Africa
NewDecoded
3 min read
Image by Finesse Global
Aafaq Islamic Finance has transformed its operational landscape through the implementation of an intelligent, agentic automation framework. Developed in collaboration with Finesse, this initiative modernizes high-volume workflows while maintaining rigorous regulatory compliance. The project marks a key step in the institution’s journey to modernize its core financial processes.
The institution targeted several manual activities that were prone to human error and long processing times. These tasks included downloading data from external portals and reconciling financial information against various bank statements. By automating these repetitive actions, the bank has significantly reduced its operational risk profile.
Finesse designed an RPA solution that manages market rate updates and structured data entry into web-based applications. This framework allows for seamless data movement between internal legacy systems and modern external interfaces. The result is a more resilient operation that can handle increased transaction volumes without a corresponding rise in staffing.
Ravindran Ramiah, the Chief Operating Officer at Aafaq Islamic Finance, expressed that the improvements in accuracy and control have been impactful. He mentioned that the structured approach provided by Finesse has created a stable environment for their operational requirements. This transition allows skilled employees to focus on strategic analysis rather than data entry.
Deepak Pillai, Sales Manager at Finesse, highlighted that intelligent automation produces lasting value when paired with strong governance. The partnership demonstrates how financial services can leverage technology to build scalable and compliant process frameworks. This success provides a template for other regional institutions looking to modernize their back-office operations.
With a strong foundation now in place, Aafaq is positioned to expand these capabilities into customer-facing areas like KYC and onboarding. This technological leap ensures that the organization remains competitive in a rapidly evolving digital finance market. The initiative represents a commitment to building a future-proof digital workforce.
This partnership reflects a significant shift in the Middle Eastern financial sector from basic rule-based scripts toward autonomous agentic workers. By 2026, financial institutions are no longer satisfied with simple data copying; they require systems that can handle unstructured data and provide the 100 percent traceability required for Sharia-compliant audits. This deployment by Aafaq Islamic Finance demonstrates a maturation of the fintech landscape where specialized digital workers reduce the operational overhead of complex Islamic finance transactions, allowing smaller players to maintain high-speed service delivery that rivals larger regional competitors.