About this episode: What’s next for fintech UX in 2026? Ross Gallagher, Head of Consulting at 11:FS, is joined by some great guests to break down six financial services UX predictions from the latest 11:FS Pulse Report , covering the shifts shaping digital banking, customer experience, onboarding, product design, and user research. This week’s guests: Joe Colchester - Head of Product at 11:FS Pulse Oliwia Wasik - UX Research Analyst at 11:FS Pulse Evan Simmonds - Principal Product Designer at Up...
Feb 05, 2026•55 min•Ep. 1036
About this episode: Host Benjamin Ensor, Director of Research and Strategy at 11:FS, is joined by some great guests to discuss the biggest stories from the world of financial services over the past week. This week's guests: Ziad Mabsout - Co-founder and CEO of Vennre Sarah Kocianski - Fintech Consultant & Advisor Matthew Ford - CEO and Co-founder of Sidekick Stories covered on the podcast this week include: Capital One’s planned acquisition of commercial finance platform Brex in a $5.15bn de...
Feb 02, 2026•1 hr 2 min
About this episode: On this week’s episode, in partnership with Pleo, host Benjamin Ensor is joined by Jeppe Rindom, Co-Founder and CEO of Pleo; Søren Westh Lonning, CFO at Pleo; and Megan Cooper, CEO of Caywood, to explore how the role of finance has evolved over the past decade - and what it will take for finance teams to win the next 10 years. We discuss how expectations on CFOs and finance teams are changing; why decision overload and decision-freeze are becoming more common; and how finance...
Jan 29, 2026•49 min•Ep. 1033
This episode was recorded before the news broke that Capital One is buying Brex (thanks for that one, guys!). We’ll be covering it on next week’s pod. About this episode: Host Kate Moody, Customer Strategy Director at 11:FS, is joined by some great guests to discuss the biggest stories from the world of financial services over the past week. This week's guests: Nicolás Di Pace - Managing Partner and Co-founder at adn.vc Samuel Norman - City Reporter at City A.M. Peter Briffett - CEO and Co-Found...
Jan 26, 2026•1 hr 4 min
About this episode: On this week’s episode, host David Barton-Grimley is joined by Matt Weaver, Head of Solutions Engineering for EMEA at OpenAI, to explore the impact OpenAI is having on the financial services industry - and the meaningful collaborations taking place between the sector and the AI innovation giant. We discuss how AI is becoming the operating system for financial services as institutions move beyond chatbots and experimentation; how OpenAI is helping Europe’s financial sector ado...
Jan 22, 2026•48 min•Ep. 1031
About this episode: Host Laura Watkins, Director of Media & Marketing at 11:FS, is joined by some great guests to discuss the biggest stories from the world of financial services over the past week. This week's guests: Matthew Goldman - Founder of Totavi Shah Ramezani - Founder and CEO of Noah Veronica Glab - Strategic Partnerships Lead at Juice Plus soundbites from: Amina Taher - Chief Marketing Officer at Wio Bank Joe Colchester - Head of Product at 11:FS Pulse Stories covered on the podca...
Jan 19, 2026•1 hr 10 min
About this episode: On this week's episode, David M. Brear is joined by some great guests to tack a question on every bank and fintech leader’s mind: is AI redefining consumer-focused banking in 2026? Using our Digital R.I.C.H.E.S framework, we explore how AI is changing the way financial services meet customers at their point of need, from real-time insights and smarter personalisation to context-aware experiences. This is what truly digital banking looks like now, what’s hype versus reality, a...
Jan 15, 2026•50 min•Ep. 1029
About this episode: It's our first news pod of 2026! Host Ross Gallagher, Head of Consulting at 11:FS, is joined by some great guests to discuss the biggest stories from the world of financial services over the past week. This week's guests: Sarah Kocianski, Fintech Consultant & Advisor Benjamin Dada - Fintech operator & Founder, Condia Miguel Armaza - General Partner at Gilgamesh Ventures Stories covered on the podcast this week include: In a fresh wave of fintech consolidation and stra...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 1028
About this episode: Ever wondered what goes into making a blockbuster payments system? In this episode, David M. Brear, Group CEO at 11:FS, sits down with two heavyweights in the payments world: Tracy Birdsall, Managing Director and Head of EMEA & APAC, Merchant Services Sales, at J.P. Morgan Payments, and Kristen Morrow-Greven, Vice President and Head of Global Payments at Netflix. They dive into the systems that most people don’t notice until they break: reliability, scalability, resilienc...
Jan 08, 2026•53 min•Ep. 1027
About this episode: Happy New Year and welcome to the first episode of Fintech Insider of 2026! In this episode, the team are kicking things off with bold predictions for the year ahead, some you might have seen coming and some that might surprise you. They stake their reputations, embrace a bit of friendly ribbing, and share their most daring forecasts for the future of fintech. To uncover these insights, Laura Watkins, Director of Media and Marketing at 11:FS, brings together a SWAT team of fe...
Jan 05, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1026
About this episode: Host Benjamin Ensor, Director of Research and Strategy at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: On this week’s final news show of the year, we hear from GoCardless about their exciting acquisition by Mollie. It’s been a big week for Monzo, which has secured an Irish banking licence and acquired UK ...
Dec 22, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1025
About this episode: Join host Laura Watkins in this episode of Fintech Insider as we reflect on another wild year in fintech. She’s joined by 11:FS experts Joe Colchester and David Barton-Grimley to break down the year’s most memorable moments. From the fintech feel-good story of the year and the buzziest new term, to the partnership that caught everyone off guard and the glow-up that wowed the industry - we cover it all. Plus, we revisit that one jaw-dropping moment that made everyone say, “WTF...
Dec 18, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1024
About this episode: Host Kate Moody, Customer Strategy Director at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: On this week’s podcast, we dive into Airwallex’s massive funding raise and explore what it could mean for the company’s future. We also discuss Abu Dhabi’s launch of a new fintech centre with a focus on digital ass...
Dec 15, 2025•56 min•Ep. 1023
About this episode: Banks aren’t just building apps anymore - they’re building digital CFOs. Join Kate Moody in this episode of Fintech Insider as she explores how SMB banking is evolving from simple dashboards to intelligent financial guidance. Small businesses don’t just want to see their balance - they want insight, advice, and a GPS for their finances. Tune into this episode, in partnership with Pleo, to discover how to navigate smarter, save time, and unlock the path your SMB really needs. ...
Dec 11, 2025•38 min•Ep. 1022
About this episode: Host David Barton-Grimley, Fintech Strategy Director and Head of Product at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: Wise has received its first regulatory licence in Africa. This licence allows Wise to offer cross-border money transfers to personal customers in South Africa, giving users access to fa...
Dec 08, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1021
About this episode: Benjamin Ensor takes you deep into one of digital finance’s most complex - and fastest-evolving - frontiers: stablecoin regulation. With the US GENIUS Act reshaping digital-asset oversight, the EU’s MiCA rules setting a unified standard, and the UK opening the door for stablecoins as an official form of payment, one thing is clear: stablecoins are going mainstream, fast. In this special episode, brought to you in partnership with Formance, we break down what fintechs, platfor...
Dec 04, 2025•45 min•Ep. 1020
About this episode: Host Ross Gallagher, Head of Consulting at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: On this week’s episode, Tide has expanded its SMB offering with the launch of its latest connected insurance product. Klarna has entered the stablecoin market, and we dig into what this bold move means for the BNPL gia...
Dec 01, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 1019
About this episode: In this special episode David M. Brear digs into what it really takes to succeed as a fintech startup in the Middle East. At the first-ever Money 20/20 Middle East in Riyadh, the fintech startup scene was buzzing with energy - from the celebrations and free swag to the steady flow of Arabic coffee. One real highlight was the Money Surge competition: 15 founders, 3 minutes each, and a shot to win serious funding. The winners - Orbii, Eddekhar, and Zest - impressed with their i...
Nov 27, 2025•56 min•Ep. 1018
About this episode: Our expert host, David M. Brear, and co-host, Kate Moody, present Fintech Insider News live from Village Underground in London, joined by some fantastic guests to discuss the biggest fintech and financial services stories of the week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: With help from our live audience, we dive into Nationwide’s pledge to keep all their high street branches open until 2030. Visa is trialling stablecoin payouts and we ask whether this new crypto ...
Nov 24, 2025•58 min•Ep. 1017
About this episode: Live from Paris, David M. Brear steps into the heart of payments transformation - a shift that’s unfolding far beyond the checkout screen and deep within the financial stack. Commerce has become something that operates in the background, quietly and intelligently. This is the emergence of agentic commerce, where automation and intent drive every interaction. The conversation explores how e-commerce is moving from traditional cart-based journeys to code-driven experiences, and...
Nov 20, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1016
About this episode: Host Laura Watkins, Director of Media and Marketing, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: Financial education is set to hit classrooms across the UK - we take a look at how this initiative is being received by schools nationwide. PayPal has entered the Canadian “buy now, pay later” market with a new fee-...
Nov 17, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 1015
About this episode: In this episode, in partnership with 3S Money, host Benjamin Ensor is joined by a panel of experts to unpack a challenge that affects every business in financial services: the broken state of business onboarding. Whether you’re a fintech startup, a digital bank, or a licensed financial institution, onboarding a business is where the innovation stops and the compliance chaos begins. The team explores why onboarding for mid-market businesses-too complex for SME flows, too small...
Nov 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 1014
About this episode: Host Benjamin Ensor, Director of Research and Strategy at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: There’s turbulence in the mortgage market this week, as HSBC begins offering mortgages worth up to 6.5 times a borrower’s salary, following the loosening of lending rules. We’re joined on the show by Com...
Nov 10, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1013
About this episode: In this episode of Fintech Insider, we dig into how UK banks can reclaim their fintech edge in a fast-moving global market. Host Ross Gallagher and co-host Tim Heard from 11:FS are joined by innovation leaders from NatWest, Santander, and Lloyds Banking Group to unpack what it really takes to modernise at scale. From cultural shifts and agile delivery to smarter governance for rapid, safe experimentation - the panel goes deep on the realities of driving change inside major ba...
Nov 06, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1012
About this episode: Host Ross Gallagher , Head of Consulting at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests from Checkout.com, Galileo, SoFi’s tech platform, and Anthemis as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: This week, we explore how Starling is tackling scams with AI, in what it claims to be the UK’s first tool designed to spot purchase fraud. We hear from Ch...
Nov 03, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1011
About this episode: In this episode, host Kate Moody is joined by an expert panel in partnership with LexisNexis Risk Solutions to unpack a trend that’s quietly reshaping global finance: the slowdown in sanctions activity. With the latest Sanctions Pulse Report showing a 40% drop in new designations - the steepest decline in three years - the team explores what’s really behind the numbers, and what it means for fintechs navigating compliance in 2025. From delistings and enforcement trends to the...
Oct 30, 2025•49 min•Ep. 1010
About this episode: Host David Barton-Grimley, Director of Strategy and Head of Product at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: As AWS outages shook the world this week, we explore how the disruption sent ripples through the fintech industry. We also speak with Tink about their expansion into the Pay by Bank market a...
Oct 27, 2025•1 hr 3 min
About this episode: This week we’ve got something a little different for you. David Barton-Grimley recently returned from the very first Money20/20 Middle East in Saudi Arabia - and beyond enjoying endless cups of Arabic coffee (and collecting a serious stash of swag), he was genuinely inspired by the region’s buzzing startup ecosystem. The energy, innovation, and ambition across the market were impossible to miss. This week, we’re revisiting a conversation that’s just as relevant as it was a ye...
Oct 23, 2025•53 min•Ep. 1008
About this episode: Host Benjamin Ensor, Director of Research and Strategy at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: This week on the podcast, Wise is making big moves in India with the launch of their travel card - and they’ve also announced a new UAE payment licence. We hear more from them about these exciting develo...
Oct 20, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1007
About this episode: AI is everywhere-your newsfeed, your boardroom, your LinkedIn inbox. But when it comes to real, customer-facing use cases in finance… there’s not much to see. Why isn’t AI transforming the customer experience yet? What’s working behind the scenes, and what’s just hype? On this episode we’re cutting through the hype. From smart chatbots and virtual agents to automated KYC, compliance, and document checks, AI is making an impact but mostly behind the curtain. It’s saving time, ...
Oct 16, 2025•48 min•Ep. 1006
