In this special Business News Wales roundtable discussion held in the lead up to the FinTech Awards Wales Event. Matt Hayde, of Recruit 121, spoke to a collection to some of the biggest names in the sector to discuss the event, what they took away from their time judging and their thoughts on the future.
Joining Matt in the studio;
Domenic Girolamo
Domenic has spent over a decade working with multiple FinTech start-ups and Scale-ups in C-level leadership and advisory roles, helping to lead them through the many evolutionary stages it takes to grow from greenfield ideation and into to a revenue generating businesses. Some of the companies he has developed Start-ups and Joint ventures for include digital mobile app based lending with Jaja Finance, Invoice factoring with Clear funding, Peer-to-peer lending with Arrowgrass, Online grant distribution with Energy Savings Trust, Contract labour management with BAE systems, and several others JV's for Xchanging.
Interestingly this is balanced with experience at the opposite end of the spectrum, with another decade in leading large scale global digital transformation agenda in Tier1 Financial services, covering the spectrum form strategy to execution with Companies such as Deutsche Bank and HSBC.
Mark Walker – The Fintech Power50
Mark is an experienced technologist whose early corporate successes led him to form his own enterprise software company, producing and selling to Universities and institutions. A hands-on role, he executed this idea from concept to maturity, while also leading the international sales for an advanced engineering company before its M&A.
As a former Senior Adviser at UK trade & investment, he used his time to build contacts in technology, IoT and Smartcities sectors, as well as the investment and accelerator environment. Managing a team of seven, his role facilitated a good understanding of the London technology environment. He then continued his passion for supporting Start-up and Scale up organisations by joining London & Partners as the tech & urban specialist on the Mayor’s international business programme. Helping London companies internationalise.
He has now stepped out of the public sector, to continue supporting ideas, Start-ups and Scale-ups with several of his own ventures, including working with an amazing co-founder on a new style of award, accolade and accelerator programme The Fintech Power50.
Sarah Williams-Gardener
Sarah is Director of Public Affairs and a founding member of Starling Bank, the UK’s 1st mobile only challenger bank, which was granted a banking license in July 2016. Formally Corporate Affairs Director IBM UK Ltd. Sarah' interactions with Government have been both as a UK employer/investor and as a supplier. Having been CEO at Opportunity Now at the time of the equality reform Sarah has a variety of corporate affairs experience. Prior to this Sarah was an IBM Client Director and won many commercial deals implementing exciting new innovations programs. She is a mother and farmer’s wife passionate about STEM in education
