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About this Episode
In Episode 198 of the FintechChatter podcast, Dexter Cousins chats with Joel Yarbrough, CEO of Moment. Joel, an OG fintech leader, discusses his global journey with roles at PayPal, Grab, and now Moment, where he's tapping into Africa's fintech opportunities.
Dexter and Joel discuss the qualities of successful individuals in startup environments, emphasizing the importance of passion, collaboration, and a growth mindset.Joel talks about the Importance of giving back and building diverse teams, as well as the challenges of hiring in a rapidly changing market. He also provides insights into the future of Moment and the importance of being mission-driven in the business world.
About Joel
How Africa's projected population growth presents unique opportunities for fintech.Moment's aims to build a comprehensive payment network for Africa, as the trend towards digital payments grows. Regulatory changes are shifting towards enabling innovation rather than just consumer protection.Australia's fintech scene is strong but needs to leverage its geographic and cultural assets more effectively.Regional trade clusters are more valuable than cross-oceanic trade relationships.The gig economy has empowered individuals in emerging markets, changing their economic prospects.The diversity in teams provides greater problem-solving capabilities and drives a growth mindset for individuals.Navigating hiring challenges requires clear communication to achieve high standards and cultural fit.Giving back creates a positive network effect and greater sense of fulfillment.
A passionate leader whose love of technology drives him to deconstruct complex systems and rebuild them to solve real problems. He has spent most of my career helping strategise, design, product manage, and deliver multi-channel solutions in and around the intersections of financial services, commerce, and technology.
He would describe himself as a great evangelist and dot connector, working with partners to understand their strategies and solve their problems. The delight of leading product teams to make the vision a reality is a real joy.
His core belief is that together we can make the world a better place - even if it's through our own enlightened self-interest. By doing things well, and being decent to each other we will all keep pushing to a brighter place together.
About Moment
Moment is an integrated payments platform for Africa, incubated as a joint venture by MultiChoice, Rapyd, and General Catalyst. We connect businesses and consumers in over 40 African countries. We're able to do so through our broad network that aims to cover over 100 payment providers, 200 local payment methods, and 40 currencies.
Key Takeaways
Chapters
00:00. Introduction to Joel Yarbrough and Moment05:42. The Unique Opportunity in Africa's Fintech Landscape
14:01. The Impact of Fintech on Personal Agency
19:44. Australia's Fintech Identity and Global Positioning
25:08. Understanding Human Capital in Startups
30:32. Passion vs. Mission-Driven Work
39:01. Navigating Hiring Challenges in a Changing Market
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Dexter Cousins shares an update from Tier One People with some exciting news on Executive hires.
And a snippet from a fantastic podcast episode with Joe Yarbrough, CEO of Moment.Send us a text
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Missing episodes?
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About this Episode
In episode 198 of the Fintech Chatter Podcast, host Dexter Cousins reconnects with Liam Millward, CEO and Co-Founder of Instant. They discuss the remarkable growth and evolution of Instant since their last conversation. Liam shares insights on shifting from a product-focused mindset to a revenue-driven approach, navigating challenges in a competitive landscape.
He shares the importance of building a high-performance team. Liam emphasises the significance of leadership, decision-making, and the role of personal experiences in shaping his entrepreneurial journey. The conversation also touches on the future of Instant and the strategies for market expansion.
The Instant JourneyAs CEO and Co-founder of Instant; Liam is on a mission to power the world's most innovative brands, helping to drive their revenue and retention on autopilot. He launched his first funding round led by Blackbird, at age 17, generating $7.5m, the biggest pre-seed to date in Australia.
As the business grew to $1.5m in annualised revenue, they have raised an additional $30m across Seed and Series A rounds. Hitting a healthy 1 million shoppers within 12 months of their launch.
Since Instant launched its Checkout product, they have gone on to develop Audiences and Targeting offering their 3 product across the US and Australia.
This is a triple-pronged approach to customer retention and greater outcomes for business revenue.
About Liam MillwardLiam started his first venture aged 13 in a caravan, travelling around Australia and the world with his family. His love of travel resulted in him curating and developing a well-known travel magazine, Navigate Australia with a monthly readership of 50,000+.
Liam Millward reflects on the rapid growth of Instant since its inception.The importance of focusing on revenue rather than just product development.Building a strong sales strategy is crucial for startup success.Creating a high-performance culture is essential for team motivation.Leadership requires transparency and accountability within the team.Identifying and nurturing talent is key to sustaining growth.Travel and personal experiences can significantly influence an entrepreneurial mindset.Having a clear vision can inspire teams to achieve ambitious goals.Market expansion requires understanding and adapting to new environments.Failing as a company is not an option; resilience is vital.
Key Takeaways
Chapters00:00 Introduction to Instant and Liam's Journey
05:28 Shifting Focus: From Product Obsession to Revenue
11:04 Sales Strategies for Rapid Revenue Growth
16:40 Leadership and Transparency in Startups
22:27 Creating an Inspiring Vision for the Team
27:00 High Performance Work Environments
34:26 The Impact of Life Challenges on Entrepreneurship
42:13 Setting Ambitious Goals
49:14 The Realities of Starting a Business
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About this Episode
In Episode 196 of the Fintech Chatter podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Graham Strain, Co-Founder of Citoplus a digital platform for commercial broking.
The Citoplus JourneyDexter and Graham look back at their first meeting and discuss Graham's journey from traditional Banking to Start up. His recognition that he was a transformation guy at heart and wanting to do "cool stuff for customers" was the driver behind founding Citoplus.
He chats about support from great shareholders, and how they funded Citoplus through, what he calls the "Friends, Families & Fools" model, who have shown great faith in their vision.
Graham outlines the plans for the future and how Citoplus aims to reach 100% of the digital broking market through partnerships with Banks and Non-Banks. Watch out for lots of new announcements.
About CitoplusCitoPlus is the cornerstone of modern, frictionless commercial lending. Designed by industry leaders, they launched a product that streamlines the laborious process of SME lending.
Citoplus has focussed on removing the paperwork-heavy process through automation. The result is a broker-friendly data-rich system that delivers better client service and achieves quicker outcomes, meaning deals are closed faster.
About Graham Strain
As Co-founder of Citoplus, Graham has a background in banking, including 13 years at NAB in product, business bank and corporate development executive roles. He held the position of interim CFO and Product Head at start-up Angle Auto Finance, an asset finance company. He was GM - Business Products at Judo Bank in the SME lending space.
Chapters:
00:01:15 Citoplus The Journey and Solution
00:19:45 Graham's Backstory and Career in Banking
00:25:20 Why Startups and Banks are so different
00:39:00 Big News from Citoplus
Visit Citoplus websiteConnect with Graham StrainConnect with Dexter CousinsLearn more about Tier One People
Links & Resources:Send us a text
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In this special episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins and guest Kristofer Rogers of Volt.io discuss the Singapore Fintech Festival 2024, highlighting its scale, the quality of discussions, and the global interest in fintech.
The Singapore Fintech Festival 2024 had 65,000 delegates.Financial health is a more pressing issue than financial inclusion.Interoperability is becoming more important than innovation in fintech.Africa presents unique opportunities for fintech.Collaboration among fintechs and banks is essential for success.Embedded finance is maturing, but challenges remain.The festival highlighted the importance of genuine business connections.Talent is a critical focus area that is often overlooked in discussions.Accessibility of industry leaders fosters networking and collaboration.A long-term vision is necessary for Australia to establish its identity in FinTech.Optimism exists for the future of FinTech in Australia, with potential growth opportunities.Global trade and currency are poised for significant changes in the coming years.The FinTech landscape is evolving, and businesses must adapt to stay relevant.
They explore themes of financial health, geopolitical impacts, interoperability, and the future of embedded finance emphasizing the need for collaboration in the fintech ecosystem.
In this conversation, Kristofer Rogers and Dexter discuss the evolving landscape of FinTech, focusing on the implications of disruption, the changing nature of leadership, and the critical importance of talent.
They explore the accessibility of industry leaders, the significance of community events, and Australia's position in the global FinTech arena.
The discussion highlights the challenges and opportunities facing Australia, the need for a long-term vision, and an optimistic outlook for the future of FinTech, particularly in relation to trade finance and digital currency.
2024 Singapore Fintech Festival HighlightsChapters
00:00 Overview of the Singapore Fintech Festival
06:04 Global Perspectives on Fintech
12:01 Interoperability vs. Innovation in Fintech
18:00 Collaboration in the Fintech Ecosystem
27:46 The Implications of Disruption
33:21 Accessibility and Networking in FinTech
40:05 Challenges and Opportunities for Australia
45:55 Optimism for the Future of FinTechSend us a text
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We have a great Fintech Chatter Podcast for you this week, a transformative piece in more ways than one. Dexter Cousins caught up with Paul Weingarth, Co-founder & CEO of Slyp, Australiaās only independent startup backed by all four major banks.
About This Episode
12 months ago Paul and Slyp were in a challenging place. Paul's health and fitness had suffered with the stress of running a startup and Slyp were facing capital runway challenges. Things weren't looking great.
After a week of playing the victim (and a good talking to himself), he decided enough was enough and he needed to change right now! By focussing on his health first, the past year has been transformative. Paul is back in his best shape since his Uni days, shedding 25kg and doing his first triathlon. And Slyp has bounced back from its challenges with the launch of Go Rewards!
This is one of our favourite-ever episodes. Paul first appeared as an early guest - to see first-hand his journey and to be able to share it with you through the podcast is something we're really proud of!About Slyp
Since Slyp launched in 2017 they have made it their mission to bring brands closer to their customers. The digitising of receipts and connecting the "SKU to Who" has allowed them to grow their market presence. Their DNA has always been about enriching the customer experience and helping retailers unleash the power of their POS data, to drive targeted engagement opportunities with their customers.
Go Rewards Powered By Slyp
They recently launched Go Rewards the first turnkey, full-stack loyalty platform that drives smarter commerce allowing retailers including, Kmart, Country Road Group, Chemist warehouse and countless others, the opportunity to harness the power of consumer buying, getting to "Know & Grow" their customer relationships.
About Paul
With a career rooted in digital commerce and payments, Paul previously led PayPal Australiaās growth team. His expertise and passion lie in customer experience, with a vision to revolutionise payment experiences, delivering step-change value to both retailers and their suppliers.
Outside of work, Paul has reignited his dedication to health and fitness, recently competing in his first triathlon.
Send us a text
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In the latest episode of the Fintech Chatter podcast, Dexter reconnects with Ryan Edwards-Pritchard, CEO of Anna.Money
Ryan chats to Dexter about the recent merger of Cape and how he's joined forces with the UK's Anna.Money to bring a new approach to supporting the 2 million plus small businesses in Australia.About this Episode
Ryan shares the back story of launching Cape in Australia and the challenges he faced getting through the pandemic, securing funding, growing the business and then navigating the funding crunch.
They discuss the synergies that led to Cape being acquired by ANNA and Ryan shares his learnings and advice for other founders seeking an acquisition partner.
Ryan also shares the plans for growth in the region as well as some unique product offerings and services for the Aussie market.
About Anna.Money
As "The business account that does your accounting and taxes" Anna.Money provides a smart all-in-one business account for money, invoicing, expenses, bookkeeping and taxes.
About Ryan
Ryan would describe himself as a British expat Fintech Nerd. His background in the UK saw him heading up Europe's largest digital marketplace for SME Finance in Funding Options.
Send us a text
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In episode 193, Dexter Cousins sits down with Co-Founders John Crutchley and Dave Malcolm, the brains behind Mist, an innovative solution helping students organise their new life in Australia. It doesnāt sound glamorous, but it is an untapped market ripe for digital innovation.
Dave and John share their vision for what promises to be a unique Fintech scaleup. Mist stands out as an ambitious concept. Where many Fintechās have essentially created a business that could easily be a feature in an app, Mist is an app that makes Fintech a feature of their design.
Dave and John share their Mist journey so far and how their contrasting startup experiences at MarleySpoon and Volt Bank are helping them navigate the pitfalls of a Fintech startup.
Finding the right co-founderMaking Fintech a feature to solve a bigger problemEmbedded finance - cutting through the hypeBuilding a solution that customers will use for lifeInfluencing partners and government to create opportunitiesThe HUGE opportunity for Aussie Fintechs in IndiaHow learning from startup success and failure is shaping Mistās strategy
Key Takeaways:
About Our Guests:
John Crutchley
John gained extensive experience in various leadership roles in the Banking sector before founding Mist. He specialised in migration and international banking for ANZ and Volt Bank, where he was specifically hired as Head of International Banking to lead their go-to-market strategy in the international student market.Dave Malcolm
[00:57] Dave Malcolm introduces Mist.[01:53] John Crutchley shares the genesis for the idea and how he met Dave.[04:40] Dave Malcolm on getting into the mindset of a Gen Z customer.[08:30] Case studies: Embedded finance done right.[13:32] Big wins and successes so far.[19:29] Getting the business off the ground, overcoming challenges and obstacles.[24:10] Busting Fintech startup myths. Move fast and break things vs slow and deliberate growth[34:29] The complexity of Fintech. Why fixing problems is so hard.[40:15] Identifying valuable, global, niche markets.
A passionate C-Level executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of founding, building, and scaling digital ventures across web2 and web3 in Australia.
He pinpoints the co-founding of Marley Spoon & Dinnerly in 2015 as his career highlight, which went on to be listed on the ASX in 2018 (ASX: MMM).
Show Notes:
Visit Mistās website: https://gomist.co/Connect with Dave Malcolm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemalcolm/Connect with John Crutchley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-crutchley-0842827/Connect with Dexter Cousins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/Learn more about Tier One People: https://tieronepeople.com/
Links & Resources:
Subscribe & Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on [Apple Podcasts/Send us a text
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In this episode of the Fintech Chatter Podcast, Dexter sits down with Robert Kassis, a visionary leader and co-founder of DigiZoo, a digital consultancy supporting some of Australiaās most innovative Fintech including 86 400, Volt Bank, Afterpay Money, Constantinople and Greater Bank.
DigiZoo is at the forefront of transforming businesses through innovative digital solutions, helping organizations navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with confidence and agility.Robert shares his insights on the complexities of digital transformation in today's banks, how DigiZoo helps incumbents stay ahead of the curve, and the critical role that technology plays in driving business success. We also delve into the unique approach DigiZoo is developing by productising their service offering.
Whether you're a founder/executive looking to enhance your product capability or someone interested in the latest trends in digital innovation, this episode offers valuable perspectives on how to thrive in the Fintech 2.0 era.
The complexities of digital transformation in banks and legacy systems.BaaS? Embedded Finance? - What is the BIG opportunity in Fintech?Moving from a consultancy operating model to a product operating model.Bootstrapping and building sustainably.Attracting and retaining the best talent.The secret to successful partnerships.The future of digital consultancies and emerging trends in the industry.
Key Takeaways:
About Our Guest:
Robert Kassis is the co-founder of DigiZoo, bringing years of experience in digital strategy and innovation. With a passion for helping businesses leverage technology to achieve their goals, Robert has been instrumental in positioning DigiZoo as a leading consultancy in the digital space.Show Notes:
[01:35] Robert Kassis introduces DigiZoo and its core mission.[08:00] From service to product operating model.[12:39] Fixing problems - Avoiding hype. DigiZoo's unique approach to digital consultancy.[21:14] Case studies: The complexity of fixing bank legacy technology.[25:59] AI - The impacts and opportunities.[29:29] Finding the right tech talent.[36:15] Aligning purpose and values for sustainable growth.[40:29] What the future holds for Digizoo and their partners.Links & Resources:
Visit DigiZooās website: https://digizoo.com.au/Connect with Robert Kassis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kassis-2238972/Subscribe & Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on [Apple Podcasts/Spotify/Your Preferred Platform]. Your feedback helps us bring more engaging content and insightful conversations to you.Join the Conversation:
Got questions or thoughts on this episode? ShaSend us a text
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In Episode 191 of the Fintech Chatter Podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Tim Buskens CEO of Hope Housing a not-for-profit initiative assisting Essential Service Workers. Dexter and Tim chat about the very real issue of home ownership in Australia for essential workers, as they battle to afford housing closer to where they work.
About Hope Housing
Tim has witnessed first-hand the issues faced by our essential workers in their fight to afford home ownership. He was struck by the stress many of our essential workers face on a daily basis. Observing how they are often forced to move away from their community in order to buy a home, resulting in long journeys to get to work.Mainstream banks view essential workers as too high risk for the traditional mortgage route and Tim felt there could be a better way.
From this Hope Housing materialised. An innovative way for people to finance their home purchase through alternative investment, not just the bank route. Now in its 4th year, they are working with great partners who are helping make this happen.
They've assembled an experienced team of financial and technology experts, culminating in a group of people who continue to innovate the solution and deliver the mission to help Australia's unsung heroes buy a home.
About Tim Buskens
Tim is Chief Executive Officer and a Founding Director of HOPE Housing. Tim brings over 25 yearsā experience in financial services across both private and public sectors to the role at Hope Housing.
Most recently as COO of the Australian Superannuation Funds Association, Tim has also held executive positions in Link Group, Oasis Asset Management and ASIC.
Tim has a Bachelor of Business from Victoria University and a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.Send us a text
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In episode 190 of Fintech Chatter Dexter Cousins is joined by Chad West, VP of Marketing for Argent.
Dexter first met Chad in 2018 when Chad was VP of Marketing for Revolut. Tune in as they talk about Chad's journey from UK Politics to UK Fintech and now the world of digital assets.About Argent - Argent is the world's most simple and secure smart wallet for Ethereum. It puts the power of crypto into the hands of anyone with a phone. Empowering users to control and prosper from their digital assets and identity.
Store, save and send; borrow, earn interest and invest. No-nonsense and non-custodial. Combining beautiful design and bulletproof security. Without borders or boundaries.
Launched in 2018 Argent is backed by Silicon Valley and Europe's top investors, including Paradigm, Index Ventures, Creandum and firstminute capital.About This Episode -
Chad and Dexter talk about the early days of Revolut. When Chad joined as their first marketing leader, he was employee no25. Revolut had amassed a fairly impressive 50,000 customers at this stage.
Chad shares some of the strategies he harnessed to take the company to 20 MILLION customers just 5 years later.
Dexter also talks to Chad about his career post Revolut. And Chad shares why he believes the world of digital assets has even more potential to fulfil the early promise of Fintech.
And as one of the most accomplished marketers on the planet, Chad shares his tips for founders and gives some career advice to marketeers concerned about the rapid shake up in the industry by AI.
About Chad West
Chad was an early employee and Director of Global Marketing & Communications at Revolut. He helped transform the company from a fintech app that no one had heard of, into one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the world.Chad's marketing philosophy is a little different. He doesn't believe in blowing money on expensive Super Bowl ads, but instead by bringing customer's as close to the business as possible, and scaling through advocacy.
From product marketing and community building, to referral campaigns and engagement, Chad has seen it all.
Chad began his career in Public Affairs supporting at the the time UK Prime Minister, David Cameron.
He then joined renowned Internet giant Rocket Internet, where he really cut his teeth in growth marketing, before joining Revolut as their first senior marketing hire in 2017.
Chad is now VP of Marketing for Argent and holds an advisory role with Sorare.Send us a text
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In episode 189 of Fintech Chatter Dexter Cousins is joined by Pablo Gil Brusola, CEO of PropHero.
How to expand an Aussie Fintech globallySeeking the right investors and the right amount of capitalWhy a Bootstrap mindset is essential for success The secrets to hiring executive talentUnderstanding the different stages of growth and the people required for each stageHow to commercialise an idea and find paying customersRecognising your strengths and what to look for in a co-founder
About PropHero
PropHero, founded in July 2021, is Australiaās leading PropTech platform redefining property investment through cutting-edge data & AI technologies. The platform empowers over 1000 clients worldwide to craft high-return, low-risk property portfolios.
PropHero simplifies the entire investment journey by connecting clients with trusted partners and handling everything from market research to property management. As we fast forward to today, the PropHero team has grown to over 100 dedicated members and expanded to property markets in Sydney, Spain, Bali, and Ireland.
Prophero raised $8m in October 2022, is profitable and on course to generate $40m ARR this year.
About This Episode
Pablo dials in from Barcelona to share his secrets on building a global Fintech/Proptech.
Dexter goes in depth with Pablo to understand how he, and his co-founder Mikael Roger, have built a global business with over 100 people across Australia, Spain, Bali and Ireland.
Dexter digs deeper to understand Pabloās values, principles and motivations that drive him towards success.
Tune in to find out:
About Pablo Gil Brusola
As a native Spaniard Pablo moved to Australia to study in 2009. He instantly fell in love with the country and decided he had to come back. Starting his career in a Big 4 consulting firm, he quickly realised he was an entrepreneur and started his first company Growpro. After a successful exit, Pablo teamed up with a friend and fellow co-founder Mikael Roger to launch PropHero.
Find out more www.prophero.com.auSend us a text
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In episode 188 of Fintech Chatter podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Stevie Ann Dovico, CIO of Beyond Bank.
We know what you're thinking, This is a Fintech Podcast, why are you featuring a Community Bank?
Back in 2020 Dexter made a bold prediction that talent would move from Fintech and Big banks to the community banking space, as they looked to make an impact on community.
So we were not as surprised as others when Beyond Bank managed to attract one of NAB's rising star executives in Stevie-Ann.
Tune in as Dexter chats to Stevie-Ann about her motivations for joining a community bank, the synergies with Fintech and how Fintech founders can work in partnership with community banks to solve BIG societal problems like affordable housing.
About Beyond Bank
Beyond Bank is one of Australia's largest, 100% customer-owned mutual banks with a credit union heritage.
Founded over 60 years ago by those who felt left behind by a traditional banking system that failed to meet their needs or expectations. Beyond Bank has a vision to be the best bank for relationships. Striving to create and return value for their customers and communities helping to change lives.
Stevie-Ann talks about how Beyond Bank proudly attained B Corp Certification in Australia, showing their commitment to the social and environmental impact their business has on the community.
About Stevie-Ann
Stevie-Ann is a dynamic and visionary Information Technology and Digital Executive with over 15 years of experience in Financial Services across Asia Pacific.
She has proven success in leading large (600+), cross-functional, global teams across Technology, Digital, Strategy and Innovation, Product and Distribution, Risk and Compliance and Enterprise Transformation.
At Westpac Stevie-Ann experienced the growth of the Australian Fintech scene through the partnership with Re-Inventure fund and her involvement with Stone and Chalk.
In 2022 Stevie was awarded Executive Leader of the Year by Women in Digital. She holds an MBA from the University of Sydney in addition to B.Business and B.Information Technology.
Stevie is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.Send us a text
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In episode 187 of the Fintech Chatter podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by CEO of Finmo, David Hanna.
David talks to Dexter about how he and the team are tackling a global problem affecting pretty much every SME.
David shares his Fintech journey as the Head of Risk and Compliance at Paypal and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at Rapyd.
Tune in to find out how to make the transition from risk to CEO, the optimal way to launch a global Fintech and how to win enterprise clients without a marketing budget!
About David Hanna
David is the CEO and co-founder of Finmo and has over 20 years of expertise in the financial services and payments sector. Prior to founding Finmo, he held global leadership roles in Risk and Compliance for Financial Services companies headquartered in various locations globally.
David has held senior roles across companies such as PayPal, Ernst & Young, Zurich, ING Bank, Banxa and others. He serves on several advisory boards and has invested in many startups around the world.
About Finmo
Finmo is a global B2B treasury management platform that is focused on providing the
necessary tools for the āCFO Officeā including finance teams, CFOs, and treasurers. Finmo provides a single platform to enable the core elements of treasury to be managed from one place.
Finmo does this by providing four core modules to its clients,
Money movement
Cash management, including AR/AP modules
FX Hedging capabilities
Integrations into existing accounting and enterprise software
Following 20+ years of working across the financial services industry with founders from organisations such as PayPal, Citi, and other big names, the Finmo exec team realised that everyone has a treasury problem!
Especially companies with multiple bank accounts and multiple org. structures within their group, handling multiple currencies in servicing their clients. In identifying this problem, Finmo is addressing a significant gap in the market for a solution that serves the end-to-end treasury management lifecycle.
https://finmo.netSend us a text
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Erica Xie joins Dexter Cousins to chat about Tanggram, a smart wealth-creating App that integrates investment with shopping rewards.
The app provides a seamless wealth building journey to well-educated, young people who have stable income streams and financial goals.
Co-founded with CEO Nick Tang in 2017, Tanggram is unique in that it supports a massively underserved segment of Australia's community, Asian immigrants.
Dexter spoke to Erica just days before she was awarded Emerging Fintech Leader of the Year at the prestigious Finnies Awards.
Erica shares her journey as COO from starting out as a financial advisor with Nick, to building a Fintech Platform, leading a team of 15 people through Covid, and keeping people together along the rollercoaster ride.
Erica also shares news of the upcoming launch of their superannuation product.
https://www.tanggram.com/more-super
About Erica Xie
Erica is a results-oriented leader with extensive experience in business management and operations, particularly in startups and the Fintech industry. As the Co-founder of Tanggram, Erica has played a key role in building a cohesive and goal-oriented team, and has contributed to the successful partnerships and market position of the business.
Erica was honored as the "Young Leader of the Year" at the Women in Finance 2022, and has been nominated for the "Female Fintech Leader of the Year" in both the 2023 and 2024 Fintech Australia Finnies Awards.
https://www.tanggram.com/Send us a text
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In episode 185 of Fintech Chatter Dexter Cousins is joined by Andrew Ward, CEO and Founder of Liquidise.
Hi, Dexter here with another great episode with another great Aussie Fintech founder. This week I chat with Andrew Ward about the launch of his latest venture, Liquidise. I'm excited to bring you this chat as Andrew has developed a solution that almost all of our listeners will benefit from!
And as this isn't Andrew's first Rodeo, he shares some honest and candid advice for founders who may be a little earlier in the journey.
About Liquidise
Recorded in the week Liquidise launched into the Aussie market, Andrew shares how Liquidise is unlocking private equity for company owners, investors and employees.
Liquidise is a unique platform, giving shareholders and investors access to guaranteed cash and equity with instant cash settlements.Company owners retain complete control over their cap table, and can reward employees meaningfully. Investors get access to pre-vetted unlisted company opportunities, with direct ownership on the Liquidise share registry.
Using blockchain technology, Liquidise is revolutionising the way founders and private companies can grow their companies, attract the best talent and keep control of their business.
About Andrew WardThe inspiration for Liquidise came from Andrew's own experience of launching, growing and listing SelfWealth.
His shareholders, like those in all unlisted companies, had to wait for either a public listing, company sale or change of control, or transact at a buyerās set price ā if a buyer could be found.
These options for private shareholders can be expensive and value destroying. In founding Liquidise, Andrew and his team are intent on solving this problem to unlock the value in private companies.
Find out more - https://liquidise.com/
Or watch Andrew tell you all about Liquidise in this promo video - https://youtu.be/QbqOklgComM?si=PWZZ4t2oj_88TxCXSend us a text
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Meet Australia's newest bank CEO, Peita Piper of Avenue Bank.
Avenue were recently granted a full ADI banking license and Dexter Cousins chats to Peita about their journey.
In this episode Peita shares the strategy of Avenue and their focus on a niche business banking product neglected by banks, the bank guarantee.
Avenue have digitised this paper process which takes up to 60 days to offer a bank guarantee in 24 hours!
We also talk about the challenges of dealing with regulators in the aftermath of failed digital banks Xinja and Volt, while also looking at the big successes like Judo.
Peita also shares her personal experience as we talk about the 'glass cliff'. Peita shares her own inspiring story of backing herself and taking on the CEO role at a very difficult time in the business.
I also get the chance to ask Peita about what I believe is the hardest part of being a scale up CEO, taking the reigns from founders whilst they remain in the business.
Finally I just want to say a MASSIVE well done to everyone involved in the Avenue journey. There is no tougher startup challenge than building a bank - it's the Everest of startup mountains to climb.
You can find out more about Avenue Bank and careers https://www.avenuebank.com.au/careers
Until the next episode, keep well!
Dexter.Send us a text
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In episode 182 of Fintech Chatter Podcast Dexter Cousins is joined by PĆ„l Krogdahl, Director of Advisory at Samlink and co-host of Fintech Daydreaming Podcast.
In this episode, Dexter chats with PĆ„l Krogdahl about the Fintech scene in the Nordics. They talk through the latest customer trends and research based on 40-plus banks, revealing the key themes and areas for innovation.
Covering everything from AI to Open Banking, Banking as a Service to Embedded Finance, and everything in between the research reveals where customers are shifting their focus and expectations from their bank.
PĆ„l also shares some key findings on the major issues keeping banking execs awake at night, giving some clear indications on where the next wave of Fintech entrepreneurs should focus their energy.
The Nordics is the birthplace of Fintech OG's like Klarna and Tink. It is a region with a rich history of innovation and PĆ„l gives a rundown on the Fintech scene in his native Finland. There are some startling similarities to the Fintech scene down under and lessons can be learned from our European cousins.
You can follow PĆ„l on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/
Download the report - https://samlink.fi/news/the-samlink-equation-2024-navigating-the-transformative-trends-in-banking/
Listen to Fintech Daydreaming - https://fintechdaydreaming.com/Send us a text
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Stake Co-Founders Matt Leibowitz and Dan Silver join Dexter Cousins in episode 182 of Fintech Chatter Podcast.
In another one of our 'Origin Stories' Matt and Dan share their incredible journey from becoming friends to becoming business partners. Stake is one of Australia's most successful Fintech. They have raised US $93.5m to date with Tiger Global investing in their $50m Series A in March 2022.
Their international success and growth has led Matt and Dan to see a much bigger opportunity ahead of them than they first envisaged in 2017 when Stake launched
Entrepreneurs are often known for their adaptability in driving scaleups, but many find it difficult adapting to someone else at the helm. For many scaleups, the CEO shuffle is a key part of long term success, but why?
Stake is the latest scaleup to appoint a new CEO, Jon Howie, seeing Matt return to his roots in product and business strategy.
But for many founders, the thought of letting go of their baby is unfathomable. Dexter chats to Matt and Dan about their thinking in bringing in Jon and their appointment last year of Chair, Geoff Lloyd.
Tune in for an honest, thoughtful and candid discussion on life as co-founders and 'letting go of the baby' as we celebrate the first seven years of Stake.
Dan and Matt share lessons they've learned, the decisions they've made and the people they've brought on board as they Stake a market leading position in the next seven years.Download the Stake App
Find out about Stake careers
Send us a text
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Dexter Cousins is joined by Chris Jewell, the CEO and Co-Founder of Zepto, one of an emerging number of Fintechs to base themselves from Regional Australia.
Zepto creates real-time, account-to-account [A2A] payment solutions for business. Founded in 2016 and backed by Airtree Ventures, Zepto is one of Australia's fastest growing Fintech.
In this first episode of 2024 Chris chats to Dexter about:
- The opportunities Payto presents emerging Fintech like Zepto to totally redefine the payments landscape
- The origins of Zepto and how a problem in an existing business turned into a whole new opportunity
- Why Australia is perfectly poised to lead global innovation in payments
- The challenges and benefits of being based from Byron Bay
- The pressure of leaving the safety of a banking job and put your life savings into a new business
Make sure to follow us on your favourite podcast player for future episodes and check out our back catalogue of 300 plus episodes on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.Send us a text
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