Nuj Super - Matt McKenzie. From Beancounter to Fintech Founder.

In this episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Matt McKenzie, CEO and co-founder of Nuj, a Regtech company making serious strides in the Aus$ 4trn Superannuation sector. Nuj’s plug-and-play solution streamlines workflows while ensuring compliance with all current and upcoming regulations.

The platform enables quick integration, with automated workflows, audit trails, and real-time updates.

Nuj raised a $4m seed round in early 2025 and counts Bluechip names like MUFG and AMP as clients.

Find out more - https://www.nujsuper.com/

Key topics covered in the chat:


Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mckenzie/

Fintech is only 1% Finished - David M. Brear 11:FS

Welcome back to Fintech Chatter Podcast! In this episode your host Dexter Cousins invites guest No2 back onto the show.

David M. Brear is CEO of 11:FS Group and 11:FS Holdings. The award winning digital consultancy has built digital banks all over the world and through 11:FS holdings, David and the team are finally going to build the next generation of financial services, this time for their own company!

Having first appeared on the show in January 2020, David and Dexter talk about the evolution of fintech, the challenges facing the fintech industry, and the future of digital banking. 

They also discuss the impact of AI on the consultancy model, the importance of understanding customer insights to drive innovation, plus the current state of fintech in the UK and Australia. 

David also reveals his new favourite hobby, the increasing role of influencers in fintech media and his personal health challenges that have him more motivated than ever.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction 
01:16 About 11:FS
03:05 Changing the Fabric of Financial Services
17:20 Regulatory Challenges and Market Dynamics
23:07 The Future of UK FinTech
26:00 Maturity Challenges in FinTech
29:05 Emergence of Influencers in FinTech
33:26 The Power of Podcasting in FinTech
38:13 The Reality of FinTech Media
41:54 Cult of Personality in FinTech
48:55 Building 11FS Holdings
54:30 Health, Work, and Life Balance

For more information on 11:FS - https://www.11fs.com/

Listen to Fintech Insider Podcast - https://content.11fs.com/podcasts

Building an API Services Hub for Fintechs

Julian Fayad of LoanOptions.ai chats about Synapses, an API services hub for Fintechs

In this episode of Fintech Chatter, Dexter Cousins interviews Julian Fayad, CEO of LoanOptions.ai about the challenges and advantages of bootstrapping a fintech company from the ground up. 

Having experienced the challenges first hand, Julian has built Synapses, an API Services Hub for Fintechs.

LoanOptions.ai aims to revolutionise the loan application process. Julian shares insights into how they’re using AI to build a mobile first loan application process.

Julian first appeared on the show in 2023. We chat about his progress and the lessons he has learned over the past two years. Julian also talks about the transition from a broking business to a technology-focused company, and the launch of Synapses, the API services hub for Fintech! 

We also discuss the launch of HAILO and LoanOptions.ai, expansion into New Zealand and future plans for market expansion into the US and UAE.

Find out more: https://loanoptions.ai

Chapters

00:00 The Bootstrap Journey of a Fintech Founder

02:12 Innovating the Loan Application Process

10:45 Transitioning from Broking to Technology

18:04 Launching New Products and Partnerships

25:49 Building an API Services Hub for Fintechs

26:48 Navigating B2B Partnerships and SaaS Pricing Strategies

32:05 Transitioning from Brokerage to Tech: Lessons Learned

35:21 Building a Cohesive Team and Company Culture

39:47 Innovative Talent Acquisition Strategies

41:45 Valuable Lessons in Business Partnerships

46:22 Expanding Horizons: New Markets and Future Plans

Fintech's Most Ambitious Startup - Constantinople.

In this episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Di Challenor and Macgregor Duncan, co-founders of Constantinople, about their journey in building the Operating System for banks. 

About Constantinople

Constantinople is the most ambitious startup in Fintech, tackling the most complex problem in Fintech, rethinking how banks become fully digital. Constantinople is a banking operating system, the AWS for banking, managing all infrastructure and operational aspects of a bank: from Customer experience, Banking products to Features, Risks etc.

How Do You Build A World Class Fintech From Sydney?

Tune in as Mac and Di discuss the challenges of building a global fintech from Sydney. They share their secrets to winning banking clients, the importance of establishing trust, and the strategies behind their successful capital raising efforts. 

We revisit our first interview in 2023 and talk through the challenges and learnings of the past two years.  As they look to the future, they share their vision for Constantinople and the endless quest for excellence.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Constantinople
04:09 The Evolution of Banking Technology
07:17 Challenges in Client Acquisition
10:10 Building Trust and Credibility
12:53 Creating a New Category in Banking
16:04 Navigating Capital Raising
19:03 The Importance of Execution
25:02 Scaling the Business
34:08 The Importance of Documentation in Scaling
36:49 Driving Excellence in Early Stage Companies
42:45 Commitment to Excellence: Attracting the Right Talent
49:07 Identifying and Filling Skill Gaps
53:15 Future Vision: Building a Multi-Tenanted Banking Platform

The Spriggy Story: The Process To Get One Million Customers.

Alex Badran, Spriggy

The Spriggy story returns to Fintech Chatter Podcast. Five years after his debut, our most-requested guest ever is back sharing his path to one million customers.

Dexter Cousins chats to Alex Badran, the founder of Spriggy, a fintech app designed to help parents teach their children about money management. 

Reaching One Million Customers

Spriggy reached the very high bar of one million customers in back in 2022. A massive accomplishment for any Australian consumer focused Fintech App.

This isn't just another success story - it's a masterclass in scaling consumer fintech in a challenging market.

Alex shares his decade-long journey with Spriggy, how they've grown to 1.2 million users, and the importance of real-world financial education for kids. 

Join us as Alex walks us through the process of building a category and product that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of Australian families.

Favourite quotes 

"We created a category that didn't exist before."

"You can't outsource growth to a partner."

"Your ability to learn is what matters."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background of Spriggy

03:58 The Problem Spriggy Solves

07:13 Understanding User Needs and Early Development

10:10 Adapting to Growing Users and Changing Needs

13:07 The Impact of Technology on Kids' Financial Education

15:57 Growth Strategies and Market Positioning

19:12 Partnerships and Their Role in Growth

22:12 Lessons Learned and Personal Growth as a Founder

29:10 The Importance of Learning and Enjoying Work

30:59 Authenticity in Leadership

33:33 Navigating Team Dynamics and Cohesion

37:00 Adapting to Economic Changes in Hiring

41:49 Future Vision for Spriggy

47:28 Behavioral Education and Parenting

51:56 Podcast intro vid no audio.mp4

About Spriggy

Spriggy is Australia’s #1 Pocket Money app that helps kids learn about money. Spriggy was founded in 2016 with a clear mission to help parents teach their kids about money. 

We believe that financial literacy is a crucial life skill, one that lays the groundwork for a secure and confident future. 

By learning how to manage money from a young age, kids are empowered to make informed financial decisions as they grow, mastering everything from saving and spending to setting goals and budgeting.

Download Spriggy 

Explore Careers at Spriggy

Revolut's Path to 50 Million Customers

Matt Baxby - Revolut

Dexter welcomes back friend of the show, Matt Baxby, CEO of Revolut Australia, to talk about their remarkable growth to 50 million customers globally.

It’s been five years since Tier One People placed Matt into the Country CEO role at Revolut. Matt shares his journey over the last five years, discusses the challenges and strategies involved in building a digital bank in Australia, the importance of reaching profitability, and the unique approach Revolut has taken to integrate technology with consumer needs.

Matt shares his insights on leadership, team building, and the future of consumer banking with Dexter.

About Revolut

Launched in 2015. Revolut's global mission is for every person and business to handle their money in just a few taps, removing the friction that gets in the way of your money goals. 

Revolut delivers faster, better, smarter products to lover 50 million customers across the globe.

The Revolut platform gives you access to investments and your money effortlessly and across borders.

About Matt Baxby

Matt is a strategic and people-oriented leader with diverse experience across consumer-facing businesses facing disruption or significant regulatory change.

He has broad finance services sector experience - particularly consumer banking - from start-ups to an ASX-listed company with an established market position.

Matt embodies the entrepreneurial spirit from a decade with the Virgin Group combined with the discipline and scaled leadership as the Group Executive - Retail Banking and then Group CFO of the Bank of Queensland.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:41 Revolut's growth over the past decade

02:28 Profitability and Financial Milestones

05:14 Building a Digital Bank: Lessons Learned

09:58 Opportunities in the Australian Market

10:53 Remittance Flows and Market Disruption

12:19 Future Product Offerings with a Banking License

17:29 Matt's Unique Journey in Fintech

24:31 Building a Cohesive and Effective Team

29:30 What is the BIG Opportunity for Fintech in 2025?

32:13 Looking Ahead: Revolut's Future in Australia

Links & Resources:


The Future of Cross-Border Payments

Tristan Dakin - Wise

About this Episode

Dexter Cousins welcomes Tristan Dakin, Country Manager at Wise on this week's Fintech Chatter Podcast. They chat about the innovative solutions Wise provides in the payments technology space and the complexities of instant payments. Tristan speaks about the company's growth and the challenges of operating in a highly regulated environment.

He shares insights into Wise's culture, the importance of transparency in financial services, and the future of fintech in Australia.

About Wise

Wise launched in 2011 making international money transfers cheap, fair, and simple their Vision. Today, their multi-currency account helps millions of customers and businesses manage their money globally.

Their story started in London with Taavet (paid in Euro's) & Kristo (paid in Pounds) solving the issue of making money in one country but needing to meet payment commitments in their home country. Expensive fees and bad exchange rates each month led them to make a simple workaround. Taavet would pay Kristo's mortgage in Estonia and Kristo would pay him back in pounds.

No waiting, no stress, and no extra cost, they quickly realised that they had hit upon a great idea and TransferWise was born. They have since added a multi-currency account, a debit card, and a business account, and changed their name to Wise.

About Tristan

Tristan joined Wise in 2020, and since 2022, has been leading Wise in Australia and New Zealand as country manager. Before joining Wise, Tristan worked in the financial services industry, including Lombard Securities in the UK. 
He is skilled in FX, Banking, Management, Financial Markets, Trading, Structured Products and Derivatives, and Financial Risk.

Key Takeways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fintech Chatter and Wise

01:15 Wise's Mission and Products

03:27 Challenges of Cross-Border Payments

07:09 The Complexity of Instant Payments

09:10 Wise's Growth and Market Presence

10:54 Wise's Centralised Infrastructure and Competitive Advantage

12:32 Australia's Unique Remittance Landscape

13:18 Tristan's Background and Attraction to Wise

16:25 The Role of Country Manager at Wise

17:55 Inspiration and Motivation in Fintech

19:43 Cohesion and Culture at WISE

26:51 Navigating the FinTech Landscape in Australia

30:18 The Future of FinTech: Trends and Innovations

38:36 Download the Wise App

Links & Resources:

Fintech Predictions 2025 with Danny Levy - Money 20/20

About this Episode

Dexter Cousins calls in the experts for the annual Fintech Predictions 2025! Joining him on this special episode is Danny Levy Managing Director, Asia & ANZ for Money 20/20.

Dexter and Dany discuss the evolution and significance of Money 2020, a premier FinTech event. Danny chats about the unique experience it offers and the rigorous selection process undertaken for speakers, to ensure they have the world's experts.

Danny shares insights from a recent report on trends for 2025, highlighting the rapid changes in the banking scene, the rise of digital payments, and the opportunities in embedded finance.

They also explore the role of AI in FinTech and the importance of maintaining energy and focus while travelling for business. Danny concludes by discussing his podcast and the upcoming Money 2020 event in April 2025.

About Money 20/20

At Money20/20, Danny has spearheaded the company's strategic expansion into Asia, building the Asia headquarters and team from the ground up, orchestrating the landmark launch of Money20/20's inaugural Bangkok event that attracted over 3,000 industry leaders and decision-makers from 80+ countries, and creating a strong regional presence for the world's leading fintech and financial services brand.

Key Takeaways

About Danny

With 15 years of senior leadership experience in Singapore, Danny is an accomplished business leader with a proven track record of scaling businesses and driving record-breaking profits.

As the founder and host of "Digital Transformation & Leadership," a top 100 Business podcast, Danny regularly engages with industry leaders from major companies like Facebook, Google, DBS and Stripe to explore cutting-edge trends and insights. He is also a guest host on the South China Morning Post podcast, focusing on digital transformation.

Danny serves as an Ambassador for the Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA) - A vibrant network of payments professionals dedicated to advancing the payments industry across the Asia-Pacific.

Danny spent a decade as Managing Director at Worldwide Business Research, where he delivered consecutive record-breaking profit results, led market expansion across Asia and ANZ, and successfully launched and scaled several new business verticals.

Danny’s leadership philosophy centres on creating empowering environments where teams can excel. He is passionate about strategic business growth and innovation, recruiting and developing high-potential talent, building inclusive, high-performing teams, and driving innovation and digital transformation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Money2020 and Its Impact

03:36 The Evolution of Money2020

06:28 Wellness and Networking at Events

09:22 Speaker Selection and Content Integrity

12:18 Trends and Insights from the 2025 Report

15:05 Digital Payments and Cross-Border Innovations

17:56 The Role of Regulators and Collaboration in FinTech

20:47 Opportunities in Emerging Markets

23:49 Innovations and Challenges in FinTech

26:50 The Evolution of AI in FinTech

29:39 Identifying Opportunities in FinTech

33:20 Game-Changing Innovations in FinTech

39:12 Health, Wellbeing, and High Performance

43:03 Danny's Podcast and Insights

45:43 Money 2020 Asia Event Overview

Links & Resources:

Fintech For Social Good: Craig Carroll of JustFund

About this Episode

Dexter Cousins interviews Craig Carroll, co-founder of JustFund, one of Australia's fastest-growing startups.
Craig shares his innovative approach to solving a problem that creates untold stress on those seeking divorce - lending for family law fees.

With a background as a serial entrepreneur, Craig shares insights on navigating uncertainty, his lessons learned from the US market, the importance of company culture, and the role of AI in enhancing client service. 
Dexter gets to discuss his favourite topic - hiring the right talent and building a strong company culture as JustFund prepares for international expansion.

About Craig

Craig is passionate about financial services, education and technologies that either promote economic well-being and/or address societal challenges. Craig's career has been focused on creating, building and managing teams, raising capital, consumer social lending, product development, software development, corporate strategy and general management across various sectors.

Craig has extensive experience developing services that help individuals deal with financial matters. He has also advised educational institutions on admission strategies and accessibility. Throughout his career, Craig has been an investor and advisor to various early-stage and growth companies.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to JustFund and Its Mission

03:24 Innovating Financial Products Using Data

06:36 The Role of AI in Product Development

12:17 Rapid Growth and Scaling Strategies

19:26 Craig's Experience in the USA

23:32 Australian vs US Talent

27:40 The Challenges of Hiring in 2025

31:36 Setting the Foundations of Culture

36:35 The Benefits of Being Obsessed with NPS

Links & Resources:

Rob Lincolne - Paydock Ep. 201

About this Episode

Dexter Cousins welcomes Rob Lincolne, Founder & CEO of Paydock to the latest episode of the Fintech Chatter Podcast.

Rob shares Paydock's unique position in the payments ecosystem with a deep-dive into payments orchestration and the importance no-code solutions provide in Fintech innovation.

He discusses the challenges of attracting top talent, emphasising the complexities of building a global team operating on opposite sides of the world. He also highlights the resilience of the tough conditions his team in Ukraine has endured over the last few years.

Rob shares with Dexter his daily routines and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a founder of a global Fintech venture.

About Rob Lincolne

Rob Lincolne is an accomplished entrepreneur with extensive experience in the payments industry. As Founder and Co-CEO of Paydock, Rob is dedicated to transforming the way we transact through the creation of the world’s most trusted payment orchestration platform.

His entrepreneurship journey began in Sydney 2007 when he founded a digital marketing agency specialising in the not-for-profit sector.

The Paydock vision arose when he identified the need for better integration between financial institutions and their merchant clients. Paydock's innovative approach is aimed at unlocking the fintech market's true benefits.

Before founding Paydock, Rob worked in merchant payments across retail and charitable sectors. A self-taught software engineer, he is known for developing cutting-edge payment and propensity modelling software. He has pioneered various digital and experience design systems.

Rob has also founded a successful "near-shore" talent placement agency in Ukraine, connecting software engineers with fintechs around the globe.

About Paydock

Paydock is a payments orchestration platform, leading the way in resolving costly issues for merchants who navigate disparate, fast-moving and fragmented payment service (and related) providers. Our innovative API-first technology harmonises payment, fraud, identity and other vendors (such as Stripe, PayPal, etc.) through a single interface while satisfying compliance, security, technical and other functional needs.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fintech Chatter

01:59 Understanding PayDoc and Its Unique Position

06:06 Innovation and the No-Code Approach

10:58 Defining Payments Orchestration

14:58 The Journey of PayDoc: From Australia to the UK

19:09 Building a Global Team and Talent Acquisition

21:54 Supporting Teams During Crisis: The Ukraine Experience

25:32 Attracting Top Talent in Fintech

29:26 The Importance of Character in Hiring

33:56 Resilience and Overcoming Adversity

38:33 Current Trends in Fintech

42:14 Daily Routines and Habits of Founders

45:06 Looking Ahead: PayDoc's Future Plans

Links

Visit Paydock website

Connect with Rob Lincolne

Connect with Dexter Cousins

Learn more about Tier One People

Simon Schwarz - FreightInsure Ep. 200

About this Episode

In episode 200 of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins chats to Simon Schwartz, Co-Founder and CEO of FreightInsure, about his journey from fintech to insurtech.

Simon shares how his career from investment banking, to fintech, to insurtech (working with SocietyOne, Zip and BizCover along the way) has shaped his current scaleup, FreightInsure.

We take a deep dive into Simon’s strategy to build FreighInsure and how the MGA (Managing General Agent) model has enabled the distribution of embedded insurance products.

Simon reflects on the dual responsibilities as Co-Founder and CEO, and his life hacks for balance and well-being. 

About Simon

Simon is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of FreightInsure, Australia’s leading platform for embedded freight insurance. 

He started his career at Investec Bank in Australia, holding roles as Head of Investments, Head of Credit and Head of Board Risk and Capita. Simon has sat on boards as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman at several investee companies.  He has also acted on advisory boards at Zip Co and Middle, and is a Board member of Insurtech Australia and the Regulatory and Compliance Working Group.

Simon is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds an MBA (Exec), Masters of Applied Finance, and is the recipient of the University Medal for pure mathematics from the University of Sydney. He was an Honorary Fellow at Macquarie University’s Applied Finance Centre and a member of the  Menzies School of Health Research Development Committee. 

About FreightInsure

FreightInsure offers embedded goods-in-transit insurance directly from a transport company's booking platform. Shippers no longer need to buy annual marine insurance policies, but can simply purchase insurance on a needs basis, when booking their freight, within less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

05:54 The Birth of FreightInsure

12:01 Innovation in Distribution

17:57 Future Innovations and AI Applications

25:15 Identifying Market Opportunities

30:54 The Dual Role of Founder and CEO

39:00 The InsurTech Landscape in Australia

Links & Resources:

Paul Weingarth - Slyp Ep 195

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, Australia’s 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 phenomenal. 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 Australia’s 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.

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