Venture Capital Perspective on Navigating COVID-19

A session to emphasize the importance of adapting to a fast-paced sector, especially considering the latest EU regulations. We will showcase why Malta is a nimble and resilient jurisdiction and a great fintech hub to consider.

Speakers:
Dana Farrugia, CEO, Tech.mt
Brian Camilleri, Head - Economic intelligence, policy and EU affairs, Malta Enterprise
Luciano Brincat, Senior Manager - Strategy Policy & Innovation, Malta Financial Services Authority
Gareth Genner, CEO and Group General Counsel, Trust Stamp
Moderated by Peter Cunnane, Head of International, Innovate Finance

On the third anniversary of the UK Australia Fintech Bridge join an event between Innovate Finance and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.
This event is a market update on the Australian sector by Fintech Australia, followed by a panel discussion featuring UK & Australian FinTechs discussing how COVID has changed their business and how their technologies will support the post-COVID recovery. The session will conclude with audience Q&A.

Is using Artificial Intelligence worth it?

AI technology has had an enormous impact on the Banking & Finance sector. This trend is only likely to continue.

Already most credit check, KYC and AML decisions are now made by algorithms. Credit scores and, therefore, credit worthiness tests are also hugely faster and more accurate when carried out by algorithms trained on large data sets based on past decisions and outcomes.

Similarly, investing and trading continue to be disrupted by AI. In some markets more trade happens as the result of orders placed by algorithms than by humans.

The so-called "FinTech Revolution", which has disrupted and forced a rethink of existing paradigms within Banking & Finance, is strongly assisted by AI technologies - for example, many of these companies use AI to combat fraud.

However, the mass adoption of AI over the past ten years has also brought up important concerns. When using these technologies, institutions now must ask themselves fundamental questions:

Are the algorithms we use fair and transparent?
Are our customers adequately protected from risk?
Is our users’ data safe?
Are these approaches sustainable?
And crucially, is using AI worth it?

Speaker: Professor Nir Vulkan

Nir is Associate Professor of Business Economics at Saïd Business School, is a long term member of the Oxford Man Institute for Quantitative Finance, where leading researchers from AI are developing models for trading in particular. He is Director of the Oxford Programmes on Fintech; Blockchain Strategy; and Algorithmic Trading and Chair of the Committee set up to advise the European Commission on AI in Banking and Finance.

Real conversations. Real insight. 

Launching our brand new series where we welcome global bank executives, fintech founders, influencers and change-makers to share their vision on the future of financial services. 

In this edition, we speak to Amrita Ahuja, Chief Financial Officer of Square. She was previously CFO of Blizzard Entertainment, a division of Activision Blizzard, and held various leadership positions at Fox Networks Group, the Walt Disney Company and Morgan Stanley. 

Join us to hear from Amrita on her journey to Square and how Square is serving its purpose of Economic Empowerment in the US and internationally.

The session will conclude with an audience Q&A.

The Innovate Finance Power Hour is back. Tune into our new digital format where we interview the brightest and best from across the FinTech ecosystem. Learn more about their journey, their challenges and their outlook on the future.

Do you have a question for Louise? Let us know when you register!

Louise Hill, co-founder and COO, gohenry
Louise has over 20 years experience in commerce and operations. Prior to gohenry, Louise was at the forefront of the retail industry’s transition to digital, launching the first wave of ecommerce websites for some of the UK’s biggest household names, including Next Directory, John Lewis, The Innovations Group, Past Times and Debenhams.

Louise is an authority on financial education and the youth economy and has made regular appearances on BBC radio and TV, including BBC Breakfast. She is often called on for speaker opportunities at high-profile events including keynote speaker at CogX 2020 and Innovate Finance’s Global Summit and is currently representing the youth sector as part of the government’s APPG on Challenger Banks and Building Societies.

Louise is a big advocate for the power of learning by doing and dedicates time talking to MBA groups at universities around the country.

The Coronavirus pandemic has brought into sharp focus on how banks can provide their services with less contact. Technology has a vital part to play – and if we look at the different banking technologies available – not just in the UK but across the globe – we’ve seen how banks are adapting to this ‘new normal’.

The webinar would discuss how banks have had to adapt to the restrictions imposed – but still maintain banking provision for personal and SMB financial needs including providing –

- Remote services: Interactive Teller Machines – how this technology hasn’t been taken up in the UK, but is prevalent across the US and Middle East. Coronavirus has shifted ITM perception and it offers some important benefits in keeping banking running. Remote deposit capture (the ability to deposit a cheque via an image on your mobile banking app has important) has important relevancy today for small businesses – enabling them to do their banking from the safety of their business or homes

- Contactless and pre-staged transactions – minimising touch points at the ATM by enabling contactless authentication and pre-staged transactions to be fulfilled at the ATM. With Coronavirus, it’s all about minimising consumer touch points at the ATM – by removing the need to insert your card (additional plus around reducing card skimming) or using the keypad for authentication or touchscreen when running the transaction.

- Scalable customer service solutions – providing banks mobile-first technology to reach customers in an easy, non-disruptive way and vice versa

Moderator:
Rashee Pandey, Head of Partnerships, Innovate Finance
Panelists:
Douglas Orr, CEO and Founder, Novastone
Filip Surowiak, General Manager UK, viacash
Fiona McDade, Global Marketing Director - Financial Software Solutions, NCR
Tom Bull, Associate Partner - Head of FinTech, EY

A discussion on the movement from open banking to open finance, the key challenges and how policymakers, FinTechs, and financial institutions are approaching the transition.

Moderator:
Helen Child, Co-Founder at Open Banking Excellence (OBE)
Panelists:
Dan Morgan, European Policy Lead, Plaid
Hannah Preston, UK Country Lead, Minna Technologies
Leon Muis, Chief Business Officer, Yolt Technology Services
Nicole Sandler, Head of Digital Policy, Barclays

In conversation with the leading investment bank in Latin America, one of the largest and most innovative Brazilian financial group, BTG Pactual & Banco PAN – we would like to invite you to join us on Tuesday 22 September 2020 at 12:00PM (BST) to learn more about their Digital Retail Unit strategy, the launching of a full services Digital Challenger Bank, and their key priorities in partnering with FinTechs worldwide.

Speakers:
Pedro Poli Romero, Head of Digital Banking, Experience, Growth and Open Banking at Banco PAN.

Gustavo Resende, Executive Manager for Customer Acquisition and Strategy at Banco PAN.

Glauber Mota is a Partner of BTG Pactual and Chief Operating Officer to the Digital Retail Unit.

BTG Pactual Video

Join Innovate Finance and Baker McKenzie for an interactive "Ask me Anything" roundtable session with Baker McKenzie's FinTech team. Partners from Baker McKenzie's Technology, Finance and Corporate groups will be available to answer the challenging legal questions or issues you may have been facing in light of COVID-19 and Brexit uncertainty. Our team has significant insight working with leading clients in the sector and will look at a range of topics including raising capital, preparing for an investment round, navigating financial regulatory concerns, the impact of Schrems II and Brexit on data protection, partnering with large corporates, and answer your other burning questions. Questions can be asked on the day or submitted in advance. This session is designed to help you so please do register and be a part of the conversation!

Panellists:
Sue McLean
Partner - Data and Technology, Baker McKenzie

Mark Simpson
Partner - Financial Services & Regulatory, Baker McKenzie

David Hart
Partner - Corporate, Baker McKenzie

Adam Eastell
Partner - Corporate, Baker McKenzie

With a population of 570 million and a GDP expected to grow to $4.7 trillion by 2025, the six largest countries in SE Asia represent one of the world's largest and fastest-growing regions.
Banking penetration rate in the region is 50% (compared to 95% in the US and UK), with more than 7 out of 10 adults either unbanked/underbanked.
Discussion points:
How can digital financial services providers bridge that gap?
What does a relatively nascent digital FS market need to become mature?
How can cross-border collaboration lead to greater financial inclusion?

Moderator: Peter Cunnane, National and International Strategy Lead, Innovate Finance
Panelists:
Edmund Mok, Regional Director, Singaporean Economic Development Board (EDB)
Joanne Dewar, CEO at GPS
Philippa Martinelli, Advisor/Fintech Specialist, Department for International Trade
Supreecha Limpikanjanakowit, First Senior VP, Digital Payment Platform & Channel Management, Kasikornbank Public Company Limited
Graham Clark, CEO, Asia Affinity

Discussion angles:
- new technologies across AML and fraud that use machine learning and AI
- the new virtual bank landscape and how it increases the competitive pressure to incumbent banks
- how CoVID has further added to this pressure
- the legal challenges, e.g., around e-signature
- regulatory challenges
- opportunities and risks as seen through the lens of e.g., FATF"

Moderator:

Benedicte Nolens, Chief Compliance Officer, SC Ventures by Standard Chartered

Speakers:

Pascal Nizri, CEO and Founder, Chekk
Stewart McGlynn, Division Head, Anti-Money Laundering, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
King Leung, Head of Fintech, Invest Hong Kong

Is Asia the future of the digital assets industry? You will find out in this exciting session with Clara Chiu, Director of Licensing and Head of Fintech, Securities and Futures Commission, and Henri Arslanian, Chairman, Fintech Association of Hong Kong, moderated by King Leung, Head of Fintech, Invest Hong Kong.


Our panel will discuss:

- the Hong Kong SFC new regulatory framework for digital assets exchanges and digital assets funds

- the digital assets investor landscape in Hong Kong and Asia

- opportunities for UK and European digital assets players in Hong Kong and Asia

- forward looking: International development on digital assets class and digital assets regulations

Moderator:

King Leung - Head of Fintech, Invest Hong Kong

Speakers:

Henri Arslanian - Chairman, FinTech Association of Hong Kong
Clara Chiu - Director, Licensing and Head, Fintech unit, Intermediaries, Securities and Futures Commission

Artificial Intelligence has already had a significant impact on many parts of finance, and not surprisingly plays a big role in Fintech. Professor Nir Vulkan will review existing applications and new emerging trends. In particular he will show how new sources of data, and new methods of analysis are likely to impact aspects of banking and finance.

Nir Vulkan, Associate Professor of Business Economics at Saïd Business School, is a long term member of the Oxford Man Institute for Quantitative Finance, where leading researchers from AI are developing models for trading in particular. He is Director of the Oxford Programmes on Fintech; Blockchain Strategy; and Algorithmic Trading and Chair of the Committee set up to advise the European Commission on AI in Banking and Finance.

This webinar will cover:

Review of AI applications in Finance
Alternative financial data
Review of AI methods used in finance
Wealth management and Robo advisors
Latest in Algorithmic trading

Speakers:

Nir Vulkan, Associate Professor of Business Economics, Saïd Business School

Since the last financial crisis, investors have poured billions into FinTechs and emerging growth companies, leading to staggering valuations and unprecedented volumes of capital. However, as we continue to witness the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have been forced to reevaluate their funding goals, pare back expansion plans and institute a variety of cost-cutting measures.

Despite these hits, a number of FinTechs and emerging growth companies have continued to grow their business and raise significant amounts of capital, looking poised to come out of the pandemic stronger than before.

Join Shearman & Sterling and Innovate Finance on July 28th, as members of the Shearman team are joined by leading investors in the FinTech and InsurTech to discuss the effect of the pandemic on different verticals, investment trends and predictions for the second half of the year, advice for companies looking to raise funds and more!

Moderator:
Matt Lyons, Partner at Shearman & Sterling
Panellists:
Kirsty Grant, Chief Investment Officer at Seedrs
Ryan Gilbert, General Partner at Propel VC
Pawel Szaja, Partner at Shearman & Sterling
Cassandra Cuellar, Associate at Shearman & Sterling