087: ClearScore, Stephen Smyth
In episode 87 of Fintech Chatter Podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Stephen Smyth, Chief International Officer at ClearScore, as they help users improve their financial wellbeing.
ClearScore aims to help users around the world manage their finances better by accessing credit report information, coaching and great offers.
They are now the #1 way for over 12 million users in Australia, South Africa and the UK to access their financial data, including credit reporting/scores, and Open Banking data.
Stephen heads up the expansion of ClearScore business to new markets overseas and runs the Australian team, based in Sydney.
Tune in as Stephen talks about their recent $200m raise, regulation around BNPL and why Australia has a great opportunity to lead in open banking.
And Stephen also shares his tips on how to launch and scale in new markets plus the mission-critical hires you need to make to ensure success.
Find out more about ClearScore
79: Checkbox.ai, Evan Wong
In episode 79 of the Fintech Chatter Podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Evan Wong, Co-founder and CEO of Checkbox.ai.
Evan has worked with many enterprises including Telstra, Coca Cola and the Singaporean Govt on their digital transformation projects.
Leveraging his expertise in developing digital solutions to solve business process problems, Evan and the Checkbox team have built a platform that empowers employees to build software without the need for coding.
Through this work, Evan has helped redefine manual processes around risk and compliance with a focus on applying innovation with ruthless practicality.
Evan is a serial entrepreneur and was the Founder of the award-winning business Hero Education which he started at the age of 17. In 2019 Evan was listed as Forbes 30 Under 30 (and he still qualifies!)
Find out more about Checkbox.ai
Follow Evan on LinkedIn
77: Haventec, Stephen McNulty
In episode 77 Dexter Cousins chats to Stephen McNulty, Chief Growth Officer of Haventec.
Each month Dexter showcases one of Australia's up-and-coming innovators. To kick off the series, we feature Haventec.
At the core of the Haventec proposition is a remarkably simple idea, beautifully executed – protecting digital identities from harm, and keeping ‘data that matters’ safe – the key foundations for digital trust.
Haventec has developed a suite of technologies that eliminate the need to centrally store sensitive credentials and data, providing the ultimate preparedness for when the enterprise is breached.
About Stephen.
Stephen has lived in Sydney for the last 15 years, moving here from London. His career has featured roles in Engineering (Ford Motor Company), Technology (Accenture and Avanade), Products (Apple) and Security with his current company, Haventec.
When you meet Stephen he will inevitably talk to you about four things - his family, his mountain bike, his love of music and privacy…
Find out more about Haventec
Follow Stephen on LinkedIn
75: The Finanser, Chris Skinner
In Episode 75 of Fintech Chatter Podcast Dexter Cousins is joined by Chris Skinner, author, commentator and (in his own words) "troublemaker".
Chris Skinner is known as one of the most influential people in technology, and as an independent commentator on fintech through his blog, The Finanser.com. His latest book (sixteenth!) is called Doing Digital, and shares the lessons of doing digital transformation learned through interviews with BBVA, China Merchants Bank, DBS, ING and JPMorgan Chase.
Chris chairs the Financial Services Club and Nordic Future Innovation, is a non-executive director of 11:FS and on the advisory boards of various firms including Mode, Moven and Meniga. Chris Skinner has been an advisor to the United Nations, the White House, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, and is a visiting lecturer with Cambridge University as well as a TEDx speaker.
In recent years, Chris has been voted one of the UK’s foremost fintech observers by The Telegraph and one of the most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal’s Financial News and Thomson Reuters.
Chris is also co-founder with renowned artist Basia Hamilton of The Portrait Foundation, http://portraitfoundation.com/, a non-profit platform to encourage children and the arts.
Find out more about The Finanser
Follow Chris on Linkedin
Find out more about Chris' childrens books
74: Ignition Advice, Mark Fordree
In episode 74 of Fintech Chatter Podcast Dexter Cousins is joined by Mark Fordree of Ignition Advice.
Founded in Sydney in 2014 by Mark Fordree and Mike Giles, Ignition Advice is a global leader in digital advice technology, with unique capabilities to deliver advice across investment, retirement and insurance.
Ignition offers a full end to end platform for enterprise, including onboarding, consumer engagement, compliant advice, sales completion, ongoing account management and client servicing.
Ignition entered the European market mid 2017, building a skilled team in Dublin and opening offices in January 2018.
In February 2021, Ignition Advice continues to grow with a move into the UK market establishing new teams in London and Edinburgh.
Following a successful Series B fundraising event with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Ignition are well funded to support business development and product research, accelerating their global growth.
Find out more about Ignition Advice
Follow Mark on Linkedin
68: Trade Ledger, Martin McCann
Fintech Australia Podcast #68 Dexter Cousins is joined by Martin McCann CEO and Co-Founder of Trade Ledger.
Trade Ledger is the world’s first open digital banking platform that gives banks the ability to assess business lending risk in real-time. Tune in as Dexter and Martin discuss the Fintech landscape and how Trade Ledger has evolved since launching four years ago.
As an avid technologist, business leader, investor, academic researcher, and public speaker Martin is passionate about the digitisation of business.
Prior to founding Trade Ledger, he accrued 20 years’ experience creating, growing, mentoring, and investing in innovative global technology companies worldwide. He has been CEO of Global Innovation Ventures, GM of SAP's Cloud Solutions Division overseeing a period of extraordinary growth, and CEO and Research Director of software consultancy, Inn-vision.
Follow Martin on Linkedin
Find out more about Trade Ledger
Listen to more episodes of the Fintech Australia Podcast
A favour to ask
Fintech Chatter is free of sponsors and will always be free content. If you appreciate the interviews please help us promote the show by
- Hitting "follow" on your podcast player and leaving a five-star review on Apple or Spotify
- Subscribing and liking on Youtube
Thanks for your support.
About Tier One People
Founded by Dexter Cousins in 2016, Tier One People is on a mission to help Australia become the world leader in Fintech innovation.
Tier One People helps companies like Revolut, TrueLayer and 10x build founding teams for launch in Australia.
And series A+ / ASX Listed Aussie Fintech like Lendi, Afterpay and 86 400 hire executive talent capable of delivering growth and scale. If you are building a world-class Fintech venture and need help in hiring tier-one people contact us
In episode 46 Dexter Cousins chats Fintech with Aris Allegos , CEO and co-founder of Moula.
Aris is driven by the desire to provide Australian SMEs with a better way to access finance. Growing up around a family business, he experienced first-hand the challenges faced by SMEs. Before Moula, Aris spent over 15 years working in banking in London and Hong Kong, including roles with Credit Suisse and Nomura.
Moula is one of Australia's most successful Fintech and part of the Governments SME lending scheme. An initiative between banks, government and Fintech to provide business loans to companies impacted by Covid.
Aris talks about the fast maturing Fintech sector in Australia, collaboration with govt and big banks and how Moula continues to innovate. It turns out you have to work really hard to keep innovating and it isn't something that happens just because you are small and agile.
To find out more go to https://Moula.com.au
In episode 27 Dexter is joined by Simon Lee, Co-Founder of Assembly Payments and now Managing Partner at Patona.
Simon knows a thing or two about raising capital and scaling Fintech's. As CEO at Assembly Simon has raised $70m and won partnerships with Westpac and Standard Chartered.
Patona started life as a bootstrapped tech startup that saw amazing success by running the majority of its business from India with minimal investment.
This is a 'no holds' barred chat with Simon as he gives his views on the 'Fintech startup Dream' and shares how Patona is helping Fintech founders launch and scale with minimal capital.
Ep 26: The WealthTech Show
It’s episode 26 and Dexter is joined by Carla Harris, Founder of Longevity App to talk all things WealthTech.
They are on a mission to change everyone’s financial future one cent at a time, by automatically boosting your existing super fund with a little bit extra whenever you spend.
Plus a load of great guests featuring in the show:
Christian Westerlind Wigstrom, Monoova
Ep 22: Jonny Wilkinson, Equitise
In episode 22 of The FinTech Australia Podcast I am joined by Jonny Wilkinson, co-founder of Equitise.
Equitise is a crowdfunding platform which simplifies the investment marketplace. It removes traditional barriers to investing in sourcing capital by making the process quick, easy and safe. Enabling your average Aussie to invest in early stage startups like Xinja.
Jonny shares his personal journey of launching the business and gives his views on the current investment market.
Ep 21: Gareth Gumbley, Frollo
In episode 21 Dexter Cousins talks open banking with Gareth Gumbley, CEO of Frollo.
Frollo is on a quest to help Australians feel good about money.
Using the power of technology and community, Frollo’s ecosystem enables clients to build their own unique customer journeys and value propositions. Their SaaS Integration platform brings together an AI engine, API’s, partner integrations and Open Banking solutions.
Turning data into insights, Frollo’s features include transaction enrichment, money insights, goal setting, bill tracking, budgeting and financial wellbeing tools, as well as product comparisons (through Open Banking).
And, as the first FinTech in Australia to become an Accredited Data Recipient in the ACCC Open Banking system, Frollo is also leading the way towards a more transparent financial sector for all Australians.
Download the Frollo App: https://frollo.com.au/app/