One Vision Podcast — Fintech, Banking, and AI with Theodora Lau

Join Theodora Lau on this new episode of One Vision — the FinTech Fuse, as she hosts Elias Kruger, Managing Principal at Long-Range AI Consulting. Elias shares his journey from his role at Wells Fargo to launching his own AI consultancy. Discover insights into the transformative potential of AI, the importance of responsible implementation, the potential impact on training, and what the future might hold. 

Join the conversation and let's shape a responsible AI future together! 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:38 Elias Kruger's Career at a Big Bank

05:06 Transitioning into Entrepreneurship

07:02 AI's Impact on the Workplace

11:46 The Future of AI and Responsible Use

22:32 Hopeful Innovations in AI

📍Hot take: You can't beat competition by simply cutting your staff. You have to innovate with AI, you have to grow with AI.

#AI #FinTech #FutureOfWork #Innovation #ResponsibleAI #BankingOnAI #DigitalTransformation 

Find Elias Kruger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekruger1/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🌟 New episode alert! One Vision — FinTech Fuse is back with a power-packed conversation with Jody Bhagat, North America President at Engine by Starling. We talk about the critical role of technology in transforming banking operations and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Whether you're grappling with legacy systems or eyeing the cutting-edge of AI, Jody's insights offer valuable guidance on modernization strategies and the transformative potential of technology. Check out this engaging discussion to learn how this dynamic industry can be both vital and cool! 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:39 Understanding Engine by Starling

04:43 Challenges and Opportunities in the US Market

06:13 The Importance of Modern Technology in Banking

13:58 AI and Its Impact on Banking

21:38 Strategies for Bank Transformation

26:31 Looking Ahead: The Future of Banking

29:46 Conclusion and Farewell

📍 Hot take: Most banks and credit unions are spending 70 to 80% of their IT spend just on maintaining their legacy core, and it's providing little or no differentiation.

#DigitalTransformation #AI #FinTech 

Find Jody Bhagat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalbusinessgrower/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀New Episode Alert! 

🎙️Dive into the world of FinTech with our latest episode of One Vision — the FinTech Fuse. Join Theo and our guest Alex Jimenez, the OG of FinTech OG, as they explore the major themes for 2026 from innovation to governance, as AI and M&A take center stage. Explore how money movement might become ‘invisible’. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of AI, digital transformation, and the evolving landscape of the banking industry.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:51 Reflecting on 2025: Key FinTech Trends

03:22 AI in FinTech: Current State and Future Prospects

04:09 Challenges and Considerations in AI Implementation

13:27 The Evolution of Banking Industry

23:34 Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond

📍 Hot take: “When you start thinking about the daily experience of digital banking for retail customers … the next wave is conversational.”

#AI #FinTech #DigitalTransformation #BankingOnAI #BankingIndustry 

Find Alex Jimenez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralexjimenez/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of One Vision — FinTech Fuse, we took a deep dive into Walmart with Finovate’s very own Julie Muhn. We started with Walmart's bold move to apply for an ILC charter in 2005, their foray into fintech with OnePay, and the wide array of services they now provide beyond retail. The conversation explored Walmart’s integration of emerging technologies like AI and agentic commerce, as well as potential future developments and implications for traditional banks in retaining customer loyalty and trust in an increasingly digital financial landscape.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:07 Walmart's Evolution in Financial Services

02:43 Walmart's Super App Ambitions

03:41 Walmart's Diverse Service Offerings

07:15 Challenges and Limitations of Walmart's App

11:01 Agentic Commerce and Future Prospects

18:31 Behavioral Data and Consumer Trust

26:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

📍Hot take: (Referring to Walmart) They don't just have financial data, they have behavioral data. 

📍Hot take: The banking relationship or relationships will be secondary as the AI kind of chooses which payment method to use. 

#Walmart #Fintech #AI #AgenticCommerce

Find Julie Muhn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieschicktanz/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of One Vision, Theo hosts Amanda Estiverne-Colas, Director of Payments Practice at Perficient. Amanda shares her journey in financial services, focusing on financial inclusion and fairness by design, as well as the importance of empathy in banking. They also touch on the challenges and opportunities within the financial ecosystem, the need to adapt to changing consumer needs, in order to build a more inclusive future.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:25 Amanda's Journey in Financial Services

05:39 Empathy and Financial Inclusion

06:33 Challenges and Opportunities in FinTech

12:19 Global Perspectives and Innovations

19:31 Consumer Protection 

24:02 Closing Thoughts

📍Hot take: “We're focused on automation and efficiency, have we lost the art of relationship building?”

📍Hot take:  ”If self-regulation works, then why did we introduce new rules in the last decade or so?” 

#AI #Fintech #FinancialInclusion #Empathy 

Find Amanda Estiverne-Colas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-e-37061b28/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, the way we interact with organizations continues to evolve. In this episode of One Vision — FinTech Fuse, Theo sits down with Charles Oligbo, founder and CEO of Sawport. They discuss how Sawport is filling a gap in the banking experience with virtual branches, enabling customers to engage with their financial institutions without the need for physical visits while still maintaining the personal touch and security needed in today’s world. 

Banking should be accessible to everyone, anytime, and anywhere. How important is accessibility in banking for you? And what features would you like to see in your experience next? 

#AI #VirtualBanking #Innovation #CX #DigitalTransformation #BankingTechnology #FinTech  

📍Hot take:  Why don't we just take the branch and put it right at their fingertip where they can do everything without having to step out of their house? 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:36 Inspiration Behind Sawport

01:34 Virtual Branch and Target Market

07:33 Challenges and Future Capabilities

13:08 Future Vision and AI Integration

Find Charles Oligbo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesoligbo/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of One Vision the Fintech Fuse, we chat with Kristen Castell, Managing Director, Fintech CAFE (Center for Accelerating Financial Equity) and Ryan Venderlic, Program Manager at CAFE. 

The trio discuss the accelerator program's evolution, its focus on financial equity for low to moderate-income communities, and the transformative power of collaboration among founders. Kristen and Ryan also share insights on the impact of AI in fintech and future disruptions in financial services. Tune in to learn how CAFE is fostering mission-driven fintech innovations and supporting their founders post-program.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:17 Insights from the CAFE Accelerator Program

03:32 Evolution of the FinTech Ecosystem

05:32 Post-Program Support for Alumni and the Founders Circles

09:52 Mission-Driven FinTech and Challenges

13:21 The Role of AI in FinTech

17:24 Future Disruptions in Financial Services

#AI #Fintech #FinancialServices #FinancialInclusion #BankingIndustry 

📍 Hot Take: “Amazing people is Number One for us.”

Find Kristen Castell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriscastell/   

Find Ryan Venderlic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-venderlic-b6964458/   

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🚀 What's the countdown after Thanksgiving? The new year! 

🎙️ Our latest One Vision episode tackles what's ahead for the banking industry in 2026. Theo is joined by Pam Kaur, Tiffani Montez, and Julie Muhn where they dive deep into the unpredictable world of 2025 and discuss the trends shaping the future of fintech, AI, payments, and consumer finance. Don’t miss the bold predictions and thought-provoking discussions on agentic commerce, open banking, data sharing, and more! 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:04 Reflecting on 2025: Unpredictable Events

02:11 Economic Challenges and Consumer Finance

02:47 Market Trends

08:19 The Rise of Agentic Commerce

10:49 Ethics and Security in an AI Era

14:14 Future of Banking and Payments

28:31 1033 and Data Sharing 

32:23 Crystal Ball Predictions for 2026

📍 Hot take: “If you have generative AI tools that are controlling the product discovery and recommendation, you lose all the data associated with that. I think there's definitely not a lot of dialogue about what gen AI means for banking in terms of product discovery.” ~ Tiffani Montez

📍 Hot take: “Is anybody tracking how much money they have on their Starbucks card as like an asset?” ~ Pam Kaur

📍 Hot take: “So know your customer, know your business. And now we're looking at KYA, Know Your Agent … We are probably severely behind when it comes to authentication and the security and privacy of it all.” ~ Julie Muhn

#AI #Fintech #Payments #Agents #AgenticCommerce #Data

🔗 Finovate White Paper: Fintech at the Crossroads

https://get.informaconnect.com/finovate-2025-white-paper-fintech-at-the-crossroads/?web 

Find Pam Kaur on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamkaur001/ 

Find Tiffani Montez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffani-montez-b794283/ 

Find Julie Muhn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieschicktanz/ 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗 Theo’s latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗 About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who’s in on the digital revolution?

In this episode of One Vision, Theo welcomes back Simon Kemp, Chief Analyst of DataReportal and Founder of Kepios, for a deep dive into the latest Digital 2026 report. The duo explores the monumental amount of data published over the past six months, including insights on AI usage, internet adoption, socio-demographic disparities, and the hyperbole surrounding digital media. Key highlights include the conservative estimate of over 1 billion monthly users of standalone AI tools, the challenges of internet accessibility in rural areas and among women, and the role of AI in our society. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on digital trends and the future of our digital economy.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:53 Digital 2026 Report Overview

02:40 AI Usage Statistics

05:09 AI in China and Global Impact

07:42 AI Tools and User Behavior

23:40 Debunking Myths About AI and Agentic Commerce

25:54 Consumer Behavior and AI Adoption

34:46 Global Internet Access Disparities

39:25 Projections for Digital Trends in 2026

Hot Take: “ … understanding my place in the universe and my broader purpose as a human being. That's such a deep, profound conversation, and we're having it with robots. It. There's something ironic. A computer program.”

Hot Take: “ Nothing in any of this is a binary choice and we've got to stop kidding ourselves that there is this magic one ring to rule them all. 'cause there isn't.”

#AI #GenerativeAI #AgenticAI #Internet #Digital #Inclusion 

Find Simon Kemp on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eskimon/ 

🔗Digital 2026 Report via DataReportal: https://datareportal.com/reports/?tag=Global 

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗My latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special on-location episode of One Vision, we welcome Andreas Mettenberger, Managing Director of Synpulse Hong Kong, to discuss the latest trends and opportunities in wealth management. Recorded during the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong FinTech Week, we explore the role of technology in wealth management, differences in regional approaches, and the mindset change needed to create new growth opportunities. Andreas emphasizes the potential of AI to streamline operations and enhance client interactions, anticipating a significant acceleration in AI deployment in the coming years.

📍 Hot take: The main opportunity for RMs (relationship managers) is not that they will be replaced, but they will become more effective and they will be able to do more within the same amount of time. 

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:32 Challenges in Digital Transformation

05:19 AI in Wealth Management

09:01 Regional Differences in Wealth Management

14:35 The Future of AI in Financial Services

17:45 Looking Ahead to 2024

#AI #FinancialServices #WealthManagement #DigitalBanking #Innovation #HongKong 

Find Andreas Mettenberger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-mettenberger/   

Find Theodora Lau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theodoralau/ 

🔗My latest book: Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence: https://www.bankingonaibook.com/ 

🔗About Unconventional Ventures and the One Vision Podcast: https://www.unconventionalventures.com/ 

One Vision Podcast is a fintech, banking, and AI podcast hosted by Theodora Lau (Founder, Unconventional Ventures; author of Banking on (Artificial) Intelligence). One Vision goes beyond the headlines on AI, agentic commerce, digital banking, financial inclusion, and the future of money — with founders, analysts, venture capitalists, technologists, and operators building the next chapter of financial services. New episodes weekly. Featured guests include leaders from Ant, bunq, J.D. Power, Forrester, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, SAP, and Wall Street Journal. Recognized in American Banker's Top 20 Most Influential Women in Fintech.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.