In this episode Jason and Simon catch up with ABN AMRO’s Freek de Steenwinkel & Roland Booijen, and Ali Niknam, CEO of Dutch challenger bank, Bunq to discuss traditional banking vs challenger banks and fintech in the Netherlands. Are fintechs competing with incumbents or assisting incumbents? They find out how our guests feel about hackathons, hiring developer talent, APIs and the up-coming PSD2 directive. They also discuss regulations, compliance and new product development, in particular A...
Jun 12, 2017•50 min
In this episode David interviews Paul Lipman, CEO of Bullguard, the consumer cyber security experts. Following very topical compromises of ransomware around the world, Paul explains how Bullguard are always fighting a constant battle with the “bad guys” to stay ahead of cyber threats to protect their customers across all their devices. We learn how institutions are still too reliant on old software, exposing their vulnerability and that “patching up” fixes are not enough. Paul reminds us that an...
Jun 09, 2017•24 min
In this episode In the third of our three part Blockchain Special, Simon and Colin are joined by some very special guests to discuss EEA, ZCash and the potential similarities between blockchain and the rise of cryptocurrencies and the dot-com bubble in the 90s, and asks the question: “Why should we be paying attention?”. They also debate the anonymity of blockchain and user privacy; and centralisation vs decentralisation in blockchain APIs – do we still need the middle man? In the second half th...
Jun 07, 2017•1 hr 10 min
In this episode Aden and Simon are joined by regulars Kadhim and Liz for the news. This week we find out if it’s really necessary to use VR in banking; and, as ATMs are dying and costing banks to run, we discuss the pros and cons of hard cash versus digital transactions – and the various reasons why people are still keen on cash. We also myth-bust the theory that consumers are less trusting of robots or AI for banking and money movements than they would be for major surgery; and if it’s true Goo...
Jun 05, 2017•1 hr 8 min
In this episode We welcome back Valentin Stalf, CEO of N26 back to the show. Simon spends some time to catch up with Valentin on N26’s growth and how they’ve forged ahead expanding to new countries. Valentin talks about what is needed to be done to enter the UK market. We cover N26’s growing pains related to cyber security, Valentin’s approach to countering it and using bug bounty programs to create a sustained defence. We talk to advantages of digital on boarding and what the future looks like ...
Jun 02, 2017•20 min
In this episode Part 2 of our Blockchain Special, Simon and Colin with a roster of fascinating guests focus on the recent Consensus conference. We cover what the conference is, who should be attending and where it means to the industry. We give you a crash course on the difference between cryptocurrencies and DLT, what the main impacts ledger technology will have on banks and what is causing the major spikes in crypto currency prices right now. Stay tuned in for our final part next week. Guests ...
Jun 01, 2017•53 min
In this episode David, Jason and Simon jump into the news accompanied by Richard Davies. This week borderless bank accounts, can your voice be secure and we make Simon talk Apple pay. We also have interviews from Transferwise, Seedrs and Pensionbee to cover their big announcements this week. Guests Richard Davies Global Head of Propositions at HSBC Joe Cross General Manager at Transferwise Jeff Lynn CEO at Seedrs Romina Savova CEO at Pensionbee News this week Techcrunch – TransferWise launches ‘...
May 30, 2017•1 hr 9 min
For this very special edition of Fintech Insider Interviews, Simon had the chance to talk to Christopher Giancarlo, Acting Chairman of the CFTC. Christopher walks us through what the CFTC is and how they differ from the SEC. He talks about how the CTFC are trying to foster new innovation through their LabCFTC initiative. LabCFTC is an effort to become an early adopter regulator looking into applications of machine learning, AI, DLT and Blockchain technologies being applied to regulatory challeng...
May 26, 2017•23 min
In this episode As crypto currency interest and prices reach an all time high Simon and Colin bring you the first of a three part special on Blockchain. We delve into the hurricane of news that surfaced this week talking all time high prices, Bitcoin’s effect on national security and the CFTC’s foray into the blockchain. In our second half tokens and ICO’s are on the table as we explain what exactly an ICO is, what tokens are, what industries are reacting and why you should be paying attention. ...
May 24, 2017•1 hr 23 min
In this episode Jason, Simon and Andra are joined by Myke and Liz for the news. We find out if bitcoin to blame for ransomware, whether consumers actually want to cut the banks out of loans. Everyone debates why anyone would want to buy the Co-Op. Jason commits a vile podcast sin and will Google be your next bank? Guests Elizabeth Lumley FinTech commentator & Author of girl-disrupted.com Myke Hurley Co-Founder at Relay FM News this week BBC News – Massive ransomware infection hits computers ...
May 23, 2017•57 min
David interviews Claire Calmejane Director of Innovation and Digital Centre of Excellence at Lloyds Banking Group. Claire explains what it means to be leading innovation at Lloyds, we investigate what makes up being a true innovator and what different skills you need to balance to be effective in the space. Better get growing that technology leg! We learn a bit more about what Lloyds is doing to not just promote open banking but foster better education about new developments within the company. ...
May 20, 2017•33 min
In this episode On this week’s Insights show we delve deep into the world of consumer Fintech. We speak with the best in the business on how Fintech compares with other technology developments like fitness and communication and what Fintech looks like as people integrate it into their lives. We find out what it takes to get people to try something new and whether Fintechs can be trustworthy compared to incumbent banks. All this and more on Fintech for The Average Joe Guests Charlie Taylor – Anal...
May 17, 2017•52 min
In this episode We discuss what a challenger bank really is – drawing a line in the sand for who is and who isn’t in the cool kids club. Alipay seems to be taking over the world through tourism, we discuss how that strategy might be the best route into the west. Debit cards are finding into the hands on children, how do we make sure kids don’t go crazy with (and power) – is this the new way for banks to acquire customers? All this and more on the news this week. Guests Elizabeth Lumley FinTech c...
May 15, 2017•1 hr 13 min
It’s an interview double header! We talk to Poornima Vijayashanker and Lawrence Wintermeyer. First up Aden interviews Poornima Vijayashanker about her work on Femgineer, her previous life at Mint and what it meant to be at the forefront of Fintech before Fintech had broken through After the break Chris Skinner interviews Lawrence Wintermeyer about Innovate Finance’s new Industry Sandbox Consultation. We discuss why a sandbox is important, who should be getting involved, where we currently are wi...
May 12, 2017•52 min
David and Jason have the wind knocked out of them as they interview Gary Vaynerchuck for this very special Fintech Insider Interview. People hand me million dollar scopes and ask me for a selfie We discuss how staying plugged in and not being complacent is what keeps you ahead. Gary schools us on authenticity and how to earn the buy through giving everything you have for one ask. We learn about how Vaynermedia is getting ready to butt heads with BCG and McKinsey, and the source of why the bigges...
May 10, 2017•34 min
In this episode Could Apple have a viable payments platform? Simon gets back from holiday, we had some questions about his new lifestyle choices. We get to the bottom of why Spotify may need a blockchain. Nigel Walsh drops by to talk to us about insurtech funding and we start filling out our mortgage applications to our parents. Guests Joining us for this week’s analysis of the news: Sarah Kocianski , Senior Research Analyst Fintech at Business Insider UK Kadhim Shubber , Reported at Financial T...
May 08, 2017•1 hr 27 min
In this episode Simon and David sit down with Richard and Maya to discuss the state of the Blockchain. We explore where we are with blockchain and ledger tech, blockchain awareness in the workplace and how we are moving from understanding the technology to applying it in real business situations. We dive deep on whether blockchain can be applied to KYC and whether maybe sometimes a centralised API might be a better idea than a decentralised blockchain. Guests Richard Crook , Head of Innovation E...
May 04, 2017•57 min
In this episode Our last news show at Level39, Aden Davies is on point for the first time, as we dive into the world of ageing plastic cards, whether social networks should be their own police force, there’s an update from the East, and just how legacy banking systems are maintained… the answer is cowboys. Don’t forget you can use our code 11FS17 to save £100 on your ticket to the Global Digital Banking Conference ( http://www.globaldigitalbanking.com/ ). Guests Joining us for this week’s analys...
May 02, 2017•1 hr 17 min
In this episode Jeremy Burge joins us to discuss the wonderful world of Emoji. David and Jeremy discuss how emoji are taking over a large amount of communication. Jeremy explains what it means to be part of the Unicode consortium and how misinterpretation happens between companies. Did you know dinosaurs are coming to a phone near you? Find out which two made the cut. We also discuss how companies are using emoji to communicate better across social platforms and in their marketing. “No matter wh...
Apr 28, 2017•25 min
In this episode We dive into the interesting world of ethical hacking. Our first guest Jamie Woodruff takes us through his unique university entry, why your computers might not be the cause of your network’s security breach and how posing as a pizza delivery man helped him gain entry into a companies headquarters. Chris then interviews Sergey Pavlovich, a Russian ‘carder’ who made it big defrauding banks, and after a stint in prison, started working to defend against people like him. Sergey tell...
Apr 26, 2017•33 min
In this episode We attend the Money and Mental Health Tech Sprint. With the help of new Fintech Insider host Dr Harriet Bedell-Pearce we explore new ways technology is being applied in Fintech products to foster better lives for those with mental health disorders. We hear about the projects built at the tech sprint to help control volatile spending habits caused by mental challenges, how red-tech can help provide regulators with the data they need to make a difference and how taking a personalis...
Apr 24, 2017•37 min
In this episode Gerhard Coetzee is making a real difference in the world of financial inclusion. As Lead Financial Sector Specialist at CGAP, he leads the technical areas of customer and provider solutions that include customer centric business models, digital finance and smallholder families. Simon Taylor caught up with him to find out about the challenges he faces and why customer-centric design and partnerships are so central to his approach. “If you do not understand the customer, the poor p...
Apr 21, 2017•19 min
In this episode We’re at the 2017 Innovate Finance Global Summit, one of the most prestigious conferences for the financial technology industry. This annual event provides a platform that convenes the world’s global institutions together with startups, policy makers and investors to share ideas and solutions to the challenges facing financial services. Guests Lawrence Wintermeyer , CEO of Innovate Finance Nick Ogden , Executive Chairman of Clear Bank Richard Peers , Director of Financial Service...
Apr 19, 2017•56 min
In this episode Alessandro Hatami started with road building in Africa as an engineer, on to direction setting at Lloyds and now he is helping traditional business find and engage with the right digital services partners at The Pacemakers. 11:FS CEO, and ex-colleague of Alessandro, David Brear sat down to find out more about helping large organisations be innovative, how partnering in FinTech is replacing the disruptive narrative and the impacts of Brexit on all of the above. Enjoying FinTech In...
Apr 17, 2017•34 min
In this episode From dreams of running a five-star hotel to the reality of running a five-star bank, Ashok Vaswani, the CEO of Barclays UK, speaks with Simon Taylor about culture, digital transformation challenges and opportunities, frontline empowerment and how Simon might be able to buy a Lamborghini in the future. “We touch 24 million customers in the UK, so 63 million people, if you humour me, and say 15 million less than 15 years of age, that leaves 48, we touch one out of every two people ...
Apr 14, 2017•20 min
In this episode Barclays takeover! Over the years, Barclays have pioneered tech in financial services, from the first UK bank to launch the ATM, to their award-winning app. We sit down with four excellent guests, including CEO Ashok Vaswani, to discuss the impact of PSD2; the challenges and opportunities that come with being a 357-year-old bank; how to attract fresh talent in a world filled with tempting FinTech startups; and more. Guests Ashok Vaswani , CEO Catherine McGrath , Managing Director...
Apr 12, 2017•48 min
In this episode The day after the 11:FS birthday bash, we get hangover deep on FinTech Insider News – misquoting American presidents and everything when discussing the U.S. Congress’ decision to let ISPs sell your web browsing history to anyone without permission. “What’s interesting is that Facebook and Google, and especially Apple, have been pushing back on government requests for data quite publicly – and probably quite a bit more, privately.” Simon says. “Whereas the ISPs weren’t. The ISPs’ ...
Apr 10, 2017•1 hr 1 min
In this episode Alipay dominates financial news. On FinTech Insider, we joke about creating a jingle for ‘Alipay does a thing.’ What’s really interesting to us about Alipay is the Ant Financial business model of ‘payments as a wedge product’ to drive other financial services. We talk to a lot of banks now that want to become marketplaces, having looked at Alibaba and Alipay as the model to copy. In this episode, Rita Liu, Head of Alipay Europe, Middle East, and Africa, talks to us about Alipay’s...
Apr 07, 2017•15 min
In this episode RegTech is sexy. No, really, it is! RegTech goes beyond developing new technology to meet regulatory requirements – and it does more than save banks money. It’s about automating manual tasks and upskilling humans so their new work makes them feel valued. It’s about helping customers get better advice and service. It’s about making sure the business doesn’t come crashing down when the person in charge of the spreadsheet moves on. In this episode of FinTech Insider, we’ve assembled...
Apr 05, 2017•54 min
In this episode Article 50. Well, we went through with it and signed the divorce papers. Does the triggering of Article 50 put FinTech at risk in the UK? On this episode of FinTech Insider News, you’ll hear a range of opinions, from fear the UK is throwing away its work to lead the globe in FinTech, to optimism that London has the talent and regulatory regime to remain one of the world’s greatest cities. We also talk about BBVA joining Hyperledger; Alibaba and Tencent and the coming FinTech boom...
Apr 03, 2017•1 hr 22 min