In season two of Fintech Insider Focus, in collaboration with Visa, our expert hosts, 11:FS' Benjamin Ensor alongside Visa's Hasan Kazmi, shine a light on fintech in different parts of the world. In the first part of this season we hone in on the Middle East’s booming financial sector, and speak to the people right at the heart of it.
In this episode they take a closer look at Bahrain, a country which has championed open banking in the Middle East. They explore the fintech landscape in Bahrain and the impact open banking has had on it to date, the potential challenges they’ve had along the way, and what this tells us about how regulation and innovation can co-exist super effectively, and can foster a thriving financial ecosystem.

This week's guests include

Hasan Kazmi, Head of Digital Partnerships for CEMEA at Visa

Abdulla Almoayed, Founder and CEO of Tarabut


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This episode is sponsored by Visa
Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to all things finance, banking, technology, and financial services. 
Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including guests from Visa, Nubank, M-Pesa, Starling, and JP Morgan Chase to discuss the latest news, developments, and trends within the industry.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories, from acquisitions and launches, to regulatory changes and innovation. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like web3 and BNPL.
Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and please leave a review
Follow us on Twitter: @fintechinsiders where you can ask the hosts questions, or email podcasts@11fs.com!
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848. Focus: Using open banking and open data to transform access to financial services in Bahrain

Fintech Insider is your ultimate guide to the world of finance and fintech from 11:FS. Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including Visa, Monzo, Nationwide, JPMorgan Chase, Wise, the Financial Times, and more to discuss breaking news and deep dive into the biggest topics and trends within the industry.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories across M&A, open banking, embedded finance, payments, regulation and more. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like AI, regulation, Big Tech, the cost of living crisis, and more. Plus, every other Wednesday our new season of Focus, in collaboration with Visa, takes a closer look at different financial sectors across the Middle East and Europe. Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.
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Our expert host Kate Moody is joined by some great guests in the second of our two part special, 'How to Buy a Bank'.
In the previous episode, David Brear and guests covered what actually happens when one bank decides to buy another. So in this episode we are diving deep inside banks, to uncover what really goes on in the organisations themselves during a merger or acquisition, once the ink is dry and the businesses now have to work together.
The process of actually combining two banks can take months, even years, as departments, systems, processes, and people are brought together under one group.
Not only do banks need to consider the practical things, like which IT system to use, or how to get everyone from one email server to another, but there are also wider cultural challenges.
How do you combine two workforces, and two ways of working, into one harmonious company set up for long term success?

This week's guests include:

Dave Morris, Global Head of Technology at 11:FS

Rupy Malizia, Chief Strategic Transformation Officer at HSBC Innovation Banking

Mariela Hunter, a Fractional COO


Highlights from this episode:

How early in a merger should you think about the tech? (04:30)

The hardest thing to manage about a transition (09:25)

The focus is 90% on tech and data is an afterthought (14:30)

What are the dependencies around a bank? (19:20)

Taking staff on the journey (24:30)

Leveraging feedback loops (28:45)

Merging teams in separate locations (34:55)

Company culture and benefits (37:20)


Integrating tech, combining cultures, streamlining products - acquisitions have plenty of moving parts but here at 11:FS, we've got the in-house expertise to help make that process as smooth as possible. Whether you're laying the foundations for a big move or trying to break free of ongoing legacy tech issues, 11:FS Ventures is here to help. Get in touch at 11fs.com/ventures and let's chat.

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Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to all things finance, banking, technology, and financial services. 
Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including guests from Visa, Nubank, M-Pesa, Starling, and JP Morgan Chase to discuss the latest news, developments, and trends within the industry.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories, from acquisitions and launches, to regulatory changes and innovation. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like web3 and BNPL.
Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and please leave a review
Follow us on Twitter: @fintechinsiders where you can ask the hosts questions, or email podcasts@11fs.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

851. Insights: How to buy a bank - part 2

Our expert host Benjamin Ensor is joined by some great guests to talk about the most notable fintech, financial services and banking news from the past week, including Ramp's recent $150m funding, which it will use to enhance its AI capabilities, and Goldman Sachs selling its Marcus Invest accounts to Betterment. Plus, UniCredit roll out Mastercard's Touch Card to 12 markets, and ComplyAdvantage purchase American company Golden.

This week's guests include:


Charles Delingpole, Chairman and Co-founder of ComplyAdvantage


Sophie Winwood, Co-Founder & CEO @ WVC:E and Operating Partner @ Foxe Capital


Matt Bird, CEO of Lemon


We cover the following stories from the fintech and financial services space:


Ramp secures $150m in series D-2 funding (05:12)


Goldman Sachs sells its Marcus Invest book to Betterment (16:48)


ComplyAdvantage acquires Golden to strengthen financial crime intelligence offering (28:03)


Cairo-based FinTech Bokra secures $4.6m to revolutionise WealthTech in MENA (40:47)


UniCredit switches to Mastercard Touch Card™ with accessibility features for blind and partially sighted people (49:25)


Monzo offer customers free sausage rolls in premium subscription drive  (50:50)


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Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to all things finance, banking, technology, and financial services. 
Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including guests from Visa, Nubank, M-Pesa, Starling, and JP Morgan Chase to discuss the latest news, developments, and trends within the industry.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories, from acquisitions and launches, to regulatory changes and innovation. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like web3 and BNPL.
Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and please leave a review
Follow us on Twitter: @fintechinsiders where you can ask the hosts questions, or email podcasts@11fs.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

850. News: Ramp raise $150m for AI dev and Goldman Sachs sell Marcus Invest

Our expert host David Brear is joined by some great guests in the first of our two part special, 'How to Buy a Bank'.
We have already seen headlines on both sides of the pond this year; in the UK, Nationwide have bid £2.9 billion to take over Virgin Money, while in the US, Capital One hope to acquire Discover in a deal worth over $35 billion.
Fintech funding may be going down, but big money M&A is here to stay. So in this episode, we want to take a closer look at why and how banks do it.
What reasons do banks have to buy or sell?
What’s the process, and how long does it take?
And after all is said and done, how does this impact the customer?
To have this conversation I am joined by an amazing panel of experts, who have themselves been through a merger or reported on them!

This week's guests include:


Polo Rocha, Reporter at American Banker


Virginia Varela, community bank CEO and former federal regulator


Highlights from this episode:

Why do banks buy banks? (06:10)

A different type of M&A dynamic (14:10)

Bank partnerships is like dating... is this marriage material? (20:20)

Dealing with two sets of parents (26:50)

Do banks lose purpose and focus with M&A (30:15)

How to protect the consumer from a merger (35:00)

When M&A goes wrong (40:40)

Measuring the success of a merger (46:00)


Integrating tech, combining cultures, streamlining products - acquisitions have plenty of moving parts but here at 11:FS, we've got the in-house expertise to help make that process as smooth as possible. Whether you're laying the foundations for a big move or trying to break free of ongoing legacy tech issues, 11:FS Ventures is here to help. Get in touch at 11fs.com/ventures and let's chat.

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Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to all things finance, banking, technology, and financial services. 
Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including guests from Visa, Nubank, M-Pesa, Starling, and JP Morgan Chase to discuss the latest news, developments, and trends within the industry.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories, from acquisitions and launches, to regulatory changes and innovation. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like web3 and BNPL.
Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and please leave a review
Follow us on Twitter: @fintechinsiders where you can ask the hosts questions, or email podcasts@11fs.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

849. Insights: How to Buy a Bank - Part 1

Our expert hosts, Kate Moody and Nadine Timmer-Bodenstein, are joined by some great guests to talk about the most notable fintech, financial services and banking news from the past week, including Revolut's new banking licence in Mexico, just as Nubank also ramp up in the region. Plus, the launch of Project Nemo, a new 12 month initiative aimed to improve disability inclusion in fintech.

This week's guests include:


Sophie Vo, This Week in Fintech


Joanne Dewar, Project Nemo Lead


We cover the following stories from the fintech and financial services space:


Revolut receives a banking licence in Mexico (03:10)


Project Nemo launches to improve disability inclusion in fintech (14:02)


Ozone API and Thistle Initiatives to Help Banks Get Ahead of PSD3 (27:29)


Pipe Launches Embedded Solution to Make Funding More Accessible to Millions of SMBs (37:05)


Adyen and UNICEF Launch Partnership to Accelerate Progress for Children Worldwide  (47:06)


Canada to get open banking legislation this year (48:22)


Brazilian woman arrested after taking a corpse to sign a bank loan (49:47)


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Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to all things finance, banking, technology, and financial services. 
Our expert hosts, with real industry experience, are joined by the biggest decision-makers, VCs, and reporters from across financial services including guests from Visa, Nubank, M-Pesa, Starling, and JP Morgan Chase to discuss the latest news, developments, and trends within the industry.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday and tackles the biggest news stories, from acquisitions and launches, to regulatory changes and innovation. Then, every Friday our Insights show dives deeper into the hottest topics shaping the industry like web3 and BNPL.
Whether you’re already immersed in the world of financial services, or just keen to learn more, this is the #1 podcast for you.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and please leave a review
Follow us on Twitter: @fintechinsiders where you can ask the hosts questions, or email podcasts@11fs.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

848. Focus: Using open banking and open data to transform access to financial services in Bahrain

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