IBS Intelligence Podcasts
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687 episodes
Phoebe Kitchen, VP of Growth Equity, Inovia https://www.inovia.vc/ What are the hot opportunities in FinTech in Europe? Changes to the role of the CFO are providing one set of growth prospects while B2B open banking solutions offers another. Canada-based Inovia is a VC firm looking to support founders to build global sustainable tech companies. From the firm’s London office, Phoebe Kitchen, Vice President of Growth Equity at Inovia, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the opportunities she identifies.
Robert Kraal, Co-Founder & CBDO, Silverflow https://www.silverflow.com/ Silverflow is a Netherlands-based cloud platform for card processing, offering a modern tech solution that addresses the issues of legacy systems within payment processing. Robert Kraal, Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of Silverflow, explains how the company’s platform helps brands remain competitive. But first, Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence asked him about the current environment for FinTech and how to succeed as a startup.
Yash Patel, General Partner, Testra Ventures https://telstraventures.com/ The last 18 months have been a tough time especially for late stage FinTechs looking to raise money. There was a clutch of disappointing downrounds but while money was tighter, startups looking for seed funding or Series A/Series B funds were able to tell their stories. Now as we look already towards Q2 2024, interest rates remain on the high side, but funds do seem easier to come by for the right business plans. Yash Patel, General Partner of San Francisco-based VC firm Telstra Ventures speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence.
Gerald Perez, CEO, Interactive Brokers (UK) https://www.interactivebrokers.co.uk/en/home.php Investment opportunities are now global but no further away than your online platform. As but one example, Interactive Brokers allows clients to trade stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, funds and more on 150 global markets from a single unified platform. Gerald Perez, CEO of Interactive Brokers (UK) speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the rise of self-directed investing and trading, as well as the trends in online broking.
Virender Bisht, Co-founder & CTO at Niyo https://goniyo.com/ In the rapidly evolving realm of FinTech, maintaining robust fraud prevention measures is paramount. Puja Sharma from IBS Intelligence engages in a conversation with Virender Bisht, Co-founder & CTO at Niyo, to delve deeper into this critical aspect.
Ola Oyetayo, Co-Founder & CEO, Verto https://www.vertofx.com/ Underserved, fragmented and expensive – the high cost of doing business in high-risk markets was thrown into sharp relief a year ago as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) saw nearly 250 FinTechs in Africa and the MENA region left in the lurch. Payments’ platform Verto focuses on emerging markets and is aiming for more accurate risk assessment methods than old school arbitrary risk lists. Co-Founder and CEO of Verto, Ola Oyetayo speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence.
Pav Gill, Founder & CEO, Confide https://www.confideplatform.com/ Wirecard went down in 2020 with a $2.1 billion hole in its accounts. One of Europe’s biggest corporate frauds and one that is still rumbling on. Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek remains on the run, allegedly in Russia or Belarus. Would it all have come light without Pav Gill? He is a Singaporean lawyer who was in-house Head of Legal for Asia-Pacific for Wirecard. He it was who blew the whistle on the shenanigans at Wirecard. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence talks to Pav Gill, Founder and CEO of Confide, about his career, what comes next and what companies should be doing to address their governance requirements.
Richard Graham, Director of KYC and Financial Crime, Moody’s Analytics https://www.moodysanalytics.com/ According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), some $2.6 billion was taken in ‘pig butchering’ crypto scams. These financial grooming schemes build trust with targets over months before persuading victims to ‘invest’ savings in fake platforms. How can we spot this and how can we stop it? Richard Graham, Director of KYC and Financial Crime at Moody’s Analytics speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence.
Richard Holden, Author, Money in the 21st Century: Cheap, Mobile and Digital https://www.amazon.co.uk/Money-Twenty-First-Century-Mobile-Digital/dp/0520395263 Richard Holden is Professor of Economics at UNSW Business School (Sydney) and author of Money in the 21st Century – a new book that delves into the micro and macroeconomic impacts of the way money and finances are changing and will continue to evolve in the decades to come. What does it mean for your wallet, the money in your wallet and for blockchain and for economies. How will the race for control of new currencies play out, how it will change how banks and governments operate? Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence talks to author Richard Holden.
Virraj Jatania, Co-Founder & CEO, Pockit https://www.pockit.com/ FinTech Pockit operates under an e-money licence in the UK. That means there are certain things Pockit can’t do because it doesn’t have a full banking licence. However, with the goal of boosting financial inclusion, the mobile-first service targets those excluded from or underserved by mainstream financial institutions. It highlights the challenges certain demographics face in accessing financial services and payments. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Pockit CEO Virraj Jatania.
David Foss, Board Chair & CEO, Jack Henry & Associates https://www.jackhenry.com/ Competition is fierce, technology is converging, and the user experience is changing. Banks and financial institutions are expected to do more and be more. David Foss, Board Chair and CEO of Jack Henry & Associates speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the key tech trends shaping financial services in the US in 2024, starting with the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) proposed Personal Financial Data Rights Rule.
Joe Lemmonier, Product Marketing Manager, Resistant AI https://resistant.ai/ Document automation is playing a key role in speeding up and reducing costs within financial services. However, in all the excitement institutions may unwittingly be putting themselves and their clients at risk. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses how the financial services sector needs to do better at determining whether documentation is legitimate with Joe Lemmonier, Product Marketing Manager at Resistant AI. Emerging economies cross-border payment platform Verto recently signed a deal with Resistant AI to use the latter’s Document Forensics to enhance its document verification process, reduce application review times and enable further expansion.
Ofer Friedman, Chief Business Development Officer, AU10TIX https://www.au10tix.com/ Deepfakes are becoming more common. From AI-generated fake ID to facial swap tools that can manipulate selfie/ID comparisons, the software is only going to get more sophisticated. For companies dealing with the threat posed by these fakes, investing in combatting them is going to be the cost of doing business. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Ofer Friedman, Chief Business Development Officer of AI-based ID verification specialist AU10TIX.
V. Balasubramanian, CEO, Financial Software and Systems (FSS) India-based Financial Software and Systems (FSS) is a globally leading provider of payments technology and a transaction processor. The company offers an integrated portfolio of software products, hosted payment services, and software solutions built on over three decades of global experience. Puja Sharma of IBS Intelligence speaks to V. Balasubramanian, Chief executive officer of Financial software systems.
Daniel Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, PayU GPO From the macroeconomic trends set to hold sway over FinTech to the outlook for funding, IPOs, and mergers and acquisitions, Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses them all with Daniel Cohen, CEO of PayTech platform PayU GPO. The firm’s platform allows merchants to accept payments and enables a wide range of payment optimisation and security features via a single API. So, we also cover the outlook for cross border payments.
Brian Kaas, President & Managing Director, TruStage Ventures https://www.trustage.com/ventures TruStage Ventures is the venture capital arm of TruStage, a credit union partner providing financial products and services to 95% of US credit unions. The business is long-established, but the name is relatively new. TruStage Ventures invests in FinTechs with a specific view to funding innovators whose ideas can be leveraged by the credit union sector. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Brian Kaas, President and Managing Director of TruStage Ventures.
Matt Phillips, Head of UK+I Banking, Diebold Nixdorf https://www.dieboldnixdorf.com/en-us/banking/ Diebold Nixdorf is working to provide banks with self-service banking solutions that put customers at the centre of the bank’s activities, focusing on banking products, software and services that engage consumers across channels, create personalised banking experiences, and accelerate ATM performance. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Matt Phillips, Head of UK+I Banking at Diebold Nixdorf.
Arman Aygen, Director of Technology, EMVco https://www.emvco.com/ EMVCo facilitates testing and evaluation for compliance with EMV specifications – the technical requirements that are used to develop payment card products. In 2023 the company launched an EV Open Payments Task Force, aiming to work with industry stakeholders to explore how EMV payment technology could help support a secure and seamless EV charging payment experience around the world. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses this payments use case with Arman Aygen, Director of Technology with EMVco.
Rajesh Saxena, CEO, Intellect Global Consumer Banking (iGCB) https://www.igcb.com/, Intellect Design Arena Hungary-based OTP Bank, one of the leading banks in central and eastern Europe, has signed up with Intellect Global Consumer Banking to modernise its core banking system, heading for a cloud-native public cloud installation. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Rajesh Saxena, Chief Executive Officer of Intellect Global Consumer Banking, Intellect Design Arena.
Paul Davis, Director of Market Intelligence, Strategic Resource Management https://srmcorp.com/ It is going to be a challenging year with legislative and regulatory pressures, a mixed economic outlook and interest rate uncertainties – and all that before US banks and credit unions begin to consider their tech requirements and the need to invest in their tech stacks! Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses the year ahead with Paul Davis, Director of Market Intelligence at Strategic Resource Management.
Pat Bermingham, CEO, Adflex https://www.adflex.co.uk/ The B2B payments market has been widely estimated to reach $2.5 trillion by 2030. But getting there is likely to be a bumpy ride. Smooth user experiences still seem to be taking second place to what can be lengthy, complex processes. Standard terms of payments vary by industry sector with many companies defaulting to legacy invoicing – this can be detrimental and is likely to be unsustainable. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence explores the current state of B2B payments with Pat Bermingham, CEO of B2B payment specialist Adflex.
Philipp Pointner, Chief of Digital Identity, Jumio https://www.jumio.com/ Promoting online safety will become increasingly important in 2024 for the financial services sector. Widespread adoption of generative AI in 2023 has served to highlight the need to focus on end-to-end identity verification with improved risk assessment and compliance solutions. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Philipp Pointner, Chief of Digital Identity at ID verification platform provider Jumio.
Atala Nijmeh, Principal Product Manager, Eastnets https://www.eastnets.com/ What is cyber-enabled fraud and what tools are bad actors using to commit it? Atala Nijmeh, Principal Product Manager at Eastnets speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about current trends in fraud attacks and what both businesses and individuals need to do to protect themselves. More than 270 corporate and financial institutions rely on Eastnets for outsourced SWIFT connectivity and compliance software solutions.
Graham Smith, Managing Director, Volopa https://volopa.com/ FinTech solutions are not just for the financial services industry. Businesses in all sectors, especially those involved in international activities can benefit from the adoption of new technologies and platforms now available in areas like FX, payments, expense management, and business reporting. Volopa brings together three solutions into one offering: global payments from the UK and EEA to 180 countries worldwide, multicurrency smart prepaid company cards, and simplified employee expense management. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Graham Smith, Managing Director of Volopa.
Andrew Boyajian, Head of Variable Recurring Payments, Tink The UK payments landscape is changing; you might even say it is getting more complex with a multiplicity of payment options now on the table for consumers. Latest to the table is ‘pay by bank’ and coming soon to a bank near you, VRPs in 2 flavours, sweeping and commercial. All of which is fascinating, not to say, exciting for the industry but do banking customers understand what’s coming? Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Andrew Boyajian, Head of VRP at European open banking platform and Visa subsidiary Tink.
Ashok Hariharan, co-founder, and CEO The DPDP Act of 2023 in India is a law that focuses on handling digital personal data. It aims to balance the right of individuals to keep their personal data safe with the necessity of processing that data for legal reasons. Puja Sharma speaks with Ashok Hariharan of IDfy about the growing importance of DPDP act in the country.
Sanjiva Weerawarana, CEO, WSO2 https://wso2.com/ WSO2 provides foundational technologies for application development and identity and access management… and that’s in addition to its original focus on integrating APIs, applications, and web services. Crucially, the company does this with open-source code and does it for more than 200 financial services organisations. Included in the company’s current product range are a full life cycle API management platform and an Identity-as-a-Service solution, among others. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to the CEO of WSO2, Sanjiva Weerawarana.
Mousami Kshirsagar, Vice President & Head Solution Consulting, Global Transaction Banking – EMEA & APAC, iGTB https://www.igtb.com/; Nikhil Gokhale, Head of Research, IBS Intelligence Hanoi-based VietComBank chose Intellect Design Arena’s iGTB – Intellect Global Transaction Banking’s digital solution to create its Cashup range of digital banking products targeting large and small corporates. In discussion, Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Mousami Kshirsagar (pictured), Vice President & Head Solution Consulting, Global Transaction Banking – EMEA & APAC, iGTB, about the project, together with Nikhil Gokhale, Head of Research, IBS Intelligence.
Giles Rowlinson, Senior Payments Manager, Flywire https://www.flywire.com/ Many consumers across Europe just don’t understand the value of open banking, preferring to use local payment methods. Has open banking actually failed to take off in Europe, or is it just slow to take off? Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Giles Rowlinson, Senior Payments Manager at payments platform Flywire.
Emma Steeley, Chief Executive Officer, Aro https://aro.co.uk/ Aro claims to be the UK’s largest digital lending platform. Previously known as Freedom Finance, it rebranded as Aro in September 2023, with the company saying at the time that the rebrand signifies ‘a departure from the outdated credit scoring systems of pre-approvals and unattainable offers’. While lending in the UK, as with other developed markets, works and works well for most consumers, there is still a significant part of the population not being served to their best advantage. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses the issues and potential solutions with Emma Steeley, Chief Executive Officer of Aro.
