FinTech LIVE London – FinTech Strategies Panel

November 20, 2024

undefined mins

Leaders in fintech discuss pressing trends, from AI adoption to customer-centric strategies, shaping the future of the industry

Sponsored by Smart Communications the FinTech Strategies panel at FinTech LIVE London Global Summit, brought together experts to explore trends shaping fintech strategies.

Panellist included:

Luke O'Leary, Head of Legal at Qonto
Tamara Zukowski, Chief Digital Officer at Acrisure
Valur Thor Gunnarsson CEO at Taktikal
Chris Rigby, Co-Founder and CFO at Stenn

Luke O'Leary, Head of Legal at Qonto

Leveraging AI while focusing on fundamentals

Exploring the role of AI in the fintech landscape. Tamara notes that AI, though not new, has evolved into a tool of mass utility.

She points out its ability to model and validate structured data, paving the way for transparency and better decision-making. However, she cautions that the technology must be carefully tested and validated to align with specific use cases.

Chris stresses the need for clarity when deploying AI in regulated sectors, advocating for the use of frameworks to ensure compliance and minimise data silos.

“We need to keep the data unified, actionable, and in line with processes,” he advises.

Despite the focus on cutting-edge technology, panellists warn against losing sight of basic operational improvements.

Valur emphasises the need for end-to-end process automation, observing, “often, companies digitise parts of processes but leave gaps, leading to delays and inefficiencies.”

Tamara Zukowski, Chief Digital Officer at Acrisure

Building a culture of innovation

The panellists explore how fintech companies can foster a culture of experimentation while maintaining a risk-averse stance inherent to the financial services industry.

Tamara shares how her company physically separates its innovation team from core operations, allowing for freer creativity.

“We hire specifically for a growth mindset, and we encourage controlled failure during experimentation,” she explains.

Valur Thor Gunnarsson CEO at Taktikal

Luke and Chris advocate for a structured, two-phase approach to innovation. This involves an open-ended brainstorming stage to foster creative ideas, followed by a refinement phase to address regulatory and technical constraints.

“You need to let ideas evolve naturally before shaping them into actionable solutions,” Chris advises.

Valur adds that embracing failure is crucial, especially in early-stage firms.

“The discussion should focus on learning from missteps rather than assigning blame,” he says, highlighting the importance of cultivating freedom to innovate.

The panel underscores the sector's dynamic nature. From embedding financial services to leveraging generative AI, the panel provides a clear roadmap for navigating an increasingly complex landscape.

With customer-centric innovation and disciplined experimentation at the forefront, fintech firms are well-positioned to transform challenges into opportunities.

Chris Rigby, Co-Founder and CFO at Stenn