Fintech Files: Insights on TECH by BCG Platinion
In Season 5 of Fintech Files, our three hosts are traveling across the global fintech landscape, uncovering the most exciting stories from the world’s leading innovation hubs. From embedded payments to crypto, from financial inclusion to the future of millennial finance, they’re diving into the breakthroughs, bold ideas, and unexpected questions defining what comes next. We’ll be talking to founders and experts behind some of the brightest minds in the industry, exploring how financial technology is becoming ever more invisible, intelligent, and impactful. As financial services touch every aspect of our lives, the opportunity to transform the way the wo...
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Market Infrastructure, Modernised: Nasdaq’s Valerie Bannert-Thurner on the Future of Finance
<p>The financial system was built for a world with office hours. Today, markets run around the clock, assets are being tokenised, regulations are tightening, and institutions of every size are being asked to change everything at once. </p><p>In this episode of Fintech Files from BCG Platinion, Valerie Bannert-Thurner — Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of Nasdaq Financial Technology — takes us inside the transformation of one of the world’s most recognised names in markets. She shares what she's learned over the last fifteen years, unpacks the three converging waves we’re experiencing today, and why trust matters...
Finance in the Age of AI: A System in Transition with Kirsten Rulf and Dr. Akram Awad
<p>In just a few years, artificial intelligence has gone from novelty to necessity. Boardrooms are racing to adopt it. Teams are learning to work alongside it. And across financial services, the rules are being rewritten. </p><p>In this episode of Fintech Files from BCG Platinion, Kirsten Rulf, Partner and Associate Director at BCG and former Senior Digital Policy Advisor involved in shaping the European AI Act, and Dr. Akram Awad, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, take us inside that shift. From the moment AI hit the mainstream to the reality of deploying it at scale, they explore...
Next-Gen Banking: How ABN AMRO is Rewriting the Playbook
<p>How does a bank that has been around for over two centuries build with the speed of a startup?</p><p>In this episode of Fintech Files from BCG Platinion, we’re joined by Annerie Vreugdenhil, Chief Commercial Officer for Personal and Business Banking at ABN AMRO, to explore how one of the Netherlands’ largest incumbents is rethinking what a bank can be – and who it’s for. From acquiring a neobroker to launching a neobank built from the perspective of Gen Z in just twelve months, Annerie shares the strategy, the trade-offs, and the lessons other banks can take fro...
The ROI of Inclusion: How Representation Drives Results
<p>What do we gain when we invest in others?</p><p>In this special International Women’s Day episode, we explore this year’s theme of “give to gain” with four women shaping the future of financial services: Amanda Estiverne-Colas, board member at NAFLI, Jacqueline O’Flanagan, Financial Services Industry Lead for Canada at Microsoft; Reem Ikram, CEO and Co-Founder of ThriftPlan; and Vera Futorjanski, founder of Veritas Ventures and Beyond Global.</p><p>They share how investing in people and opportunity can create compounding impact—from expanding financial literacy and building inclusive products to supporting female founders and creating com...
We'll Be Back Soon
<p>We're taking a short break this week, but we'll be back soon with regularly scheduled episodes, including a special International Women's Day episode that you won't want to miss.</p><p>About Fintech Files:</p><p>Join us on Fintech Files from BCG Platinion as we explore the cutting-edge trends disrupting Fintech today. </p><p>From NeoBanks to cryptocurrency, we delve into the dynamic landscape of financial technology through insightful conversations with global disruptors. We’ll uncover the most groundbreaking trends shaping the future of Fintech and examine their impact on the financial world. We focus on real-world examples, ma...
Democratizing Finance: Throwback Episode with Akin Soysal from BCG X
<p>This week we’re throwing it back to a conversation from Season 4 with Akin Soysal, a global expert on digital investing and part of our BCG X leadership team in Europe, the Middle East and South America. Akin dives into the biggest topics disrupting financial management across the globe. How does Gen Z leverage retail investing for saving for retirement? Can AI be an effective financial advisor? How are millionaires migrating around the globe? We’ll explore these topics and more in our conversation with Akin. </p><p>Discussion Highlights: </p>The GenAI Era Unfolds: Global Wealth Report 2024: The BCG...
Empowering SMEs in Brazil: Throwback Episode with Suzy Ferreira
<p>This week we’re bringing back our episode with Suzy Ferreira from Season 4. Suzie is the co-founder of Dinie, and is on a mission to transform credit access for small businesses in Brazil. In this episode, Suzy shares her journey and the inspiration behind Dinie, an embedded lending fintech breaking barriers for SMEs. Discover how Dinie’s innovative, data-driven approach—embedding lending into platforms like iFood and leveraging real-time insights—is empowering small businesses to access the credit they need to grow and succeed.</p><p>Discussion Highlights:</p>Suzy Ferreira’s journey: Suzy, co-founder of Dinie, opens up about her...
Unlocking Agentic AI: Building Enterprise AI Agents with Salesforce’s Patrick Heinen
<p>AI is accelerating across every industry, but how do you turn this hype into real operational value? In this episode, we’re joined by Patrick Heinen, Vice President of Solution Engineering at Salesforce, to explore how organizations can implement AI in a way that is practical, compliant, and scalable. Drawing on real-world examples, we examine how AI agents are changing business workflows, the importance of data and semantics, and what responsible adoption looks like in highly regulated environments like financial services. </p><p>Discussion Highlights: </p>From Prompts to Agents: How AI agents differ from prompt-based tools and how orga...
Holiday Throwback: Eyal Sivan on Data, Innovation and Financial Inclusion
<p>Happy Holidays Fintech Files listeners! As we look ahead to the new year, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from Season 4 with Eyal Sivan, Mr. Open Banking. </p><p>Eyal joins Fintech Files to discuss how open banking rose from the 2008 financial crisis to become a worldwide movement centered on competition, innovation, and transparency. With over 25 years in IT and banking technology, Eyal breaks down the core principles behind open banking, clarifies myths around security, and explores how different regions—from Europe to Brazil—are innovating with standards and regulation.</p><p>Discussion Highlights</p>From IT Wiz to...
Leapfrogging Into the Future: Central Asia Goes Digital-First with Nika Kurdiani
<p>How does a region skip the traditional path of banking entirely and jump straight into a digital future? Central Asia has become one of the fastest-moving digital banking regions in the world. In this episode, Nika Kurdiani, CEO of TBC Uzbekistan, reflects on what’s driving this rapid shift and how it’s reshaping competition, customer expectations, and the overall financial landscape. We discuss TBC’s approach to entering Uzbekistan, the evolving needs of a young and digital-first population, and the operational and strategic choices required to build trust in a transforming market. </p><p>Discussion Highlights: </p>The Post-Sov...
