IBS Intelligence Podcasts

Shalini Sankarshana, MD, PlanviewIndia's banking sector is sprinting through a marathon of digital disruption—and the smartest players are using regulation not as a roadblock, but as guardrails for innovation. In this episode, Shalini Sankarshana, Managing Director at Planview®—an expert in Strategic Portfolio Management and Digital Product Development—tells Gloria Methri of IBS Intelligence why banks like Axis and SBI are racing ahead, how speed and security must go hand in hand, and why the future belongs to those who collaborate, not compete. 

Russell Andrews, Head of Wealth & Asset Management Vertical EMEA, FIS The focus on AI implementation in asset management has so far been largely on improving efficiency in routine, low value tasks. Building data lakes and warehouses is the foundational work necessary to enable AI-driven decision-making at scale. True value will emerge when AI is fully integrated into portfolio management and risk analysis. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Russell Andrews, Head of Wealth & Asset Management Vertical EMEA at FIS.

Aidana Zhakupbekova, Chief Financial Officer, RydooTopics in the spotlight include the workplace and compliance benefits of AI, and the integration of AI in existing financial systems. You'll also hear comment on the role of smart audit AI in combatting expense fraud. Aidana Zhakupbekova, Chief Financial Officer of expense management platform Rydoo, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence.

Sarika Agarwal, Chief Business Officer,  FindiIndia's FinTech journey is at an inflection point—where building digital rails is no longer enough. True financial inclusion demands solutions rooted in a local context, blending the physical with the digital to meet users where they are. Sarika Agarwal, Chief Business Officer at FindiPay, speaks with Puja Sharma on embracing cash as a bridge, not a barrier, to align with public infrastructure while plugging access gaps. The focus must shift from scale alone to trust, usability, and sustainable execution. 

Yoann Vandendriessche, Group Chief Product Officer, Intix & NetGuardiansThe payments sector is facing its biggest transformation in a decade. Traditional models are no longer sustainable, and firms need to rethink their strategies, harness real-time transaction data and look to more adaptive infrastructures. Indeed, real-time payments will become the norm, likely to reach 27% of all global payments by 2028. At the same time, growing fraud and compliance burdens are forcing a rethink of data strategies. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Yoann Vandendriessche, Group Chief Product Officer of Intix and NetGuardians.

Ben Goldin, Founder & CEO, PlumeryThe ‘big bang' core replacement model is no longer a viable option for many banks. Instead, a step-by-step approach that overlays new modules over an existing core banking system may offer a way for financial institutions to bring their services up to date. Ben Goldin, Founder and CEO of Plumery speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the path to progressive modernisation. 

Patrick Lemay, Head of Corporate Development, PayRetailersBiometric authentication solutions are about more than just security. While multi-modal authentication is reducing fraud, it also holds the potential to create a more seamless and personalised payment experience. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses the opportunities with Patrick Lemay, Head of Corporate Development at PayRetailers.

Kaushal Verma, Head of Global Banking CoE, Newgen SoftwareTechnology has revolutionised lending and the loan origination process. Increasing speed of approval is a huge advantage. SMEs may now access the funds they need almost instantly. Modern digital lending platforms are more flexible, lending practices are more transparent – as examples of this, Kaushal Verma, Head of Global Banking CoE for Newgen Software cites the changing lending market in the UAE. In conversation with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence, he also highlights how the use of AI in lending decision-making may help narrow the SME funding gap. 

Will Marwick, CEO, IFX PaymentsWill Marwick describes IFX Payments as a service-led alternative banking partner for its clients. With FX markets excessively volatile in recent days (thanks in no small part to President Trump's wild ride on tariffs), the need for a digital FX and payments solution that offers businesses a quick, secure and easy to use treasury service has been thrown into sharp relief. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Will Marwick of IFX Payments.

Udi Ziv, CEO, PersoneticsAI-powered customer experience is evolving to meet consumers' needs for a personal relationship with their bank. With a mission to democratise financial wellness, cognitive banking offers a fundamental shift in how financial institutions engage with their customers, leveraging advanced data analytics and predictive modelling. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Udi Ziv, CEO of Personetics.

Raj Narayanam, Founder,  ZaggleSaaS innovation, UPI integration, and strong banking partnerships are reshaping spend management and prepaid card solutions, driving smarter, more efficient financial operations. Dr. Raj Narayanam shares insights with Puja Sharma of IBS Intelligence on how these trends are redefining the FinTech landscape. As technology evolves, agility and collaboration will be key to staying ahead. 

Ben Turner, Founder & CEO, VerituityThe US Treasury's decision to phase out paper cheques for government payments by September may well be one of the biggest digital payments tests the US has faced. It is a FinTech challenge that will require banks, FinTechs and payers to align on identity verification, fraud prevention and equitable access at scale. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses the issues with Ben Turner, Founder and CEO of PayTech specialist Verituity.

Priyank Shah, Co-founder of The FinancialistAI is fast emerging as a powerful enabler in India's wealth management landscape. In this episode, Priyank Shah, Co-founder of The Financialist, joins Gloria Methri of IBS Intelligence to discuss how technology is reshaping financial advisory, the evolving regulatory framework, and what the future holds for WealthTech in India.

Rory O'Neill, Chief Marketing Officer, Checkout.comPayments move money; high-performance payments make money. Conversely, failed payments don't just lose money for merchants, they damage trust in the brand and directly undermine brand value. Trust and confidence are fragile things – needed in online commerce but easily undermined if the payment experience is problematic. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Rory O'Neill, Chief Marketing Officer of Checkout.com about ensuring payments work as they should.

Manthan Dave, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Palisade Forecasts that up to 10% of global GDP could be tokenised by 2030 set the scene for a fundamental change in the economic landscape. Alongside these forecasts, the new US administration is now developing crypto regulations and exploring the potential of a crypto strategic reserve. Manthan Dave, Co-CEO of digital asset custody provider Palisade, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about tokenisation and how it will change the way we do business.

Prashant Jajodia, Financial Services Sector Leader & Managing Partner, IBM ConsultingIBM reports that just 8% of banks were systematically developing generative AI in 2024 but that this percentage is set to soar in 2025 as businesses move from pilot to execution in pursuit of profits. Artificial intelligence is set to become the core driver of innovation, transforming AI from a tool into the foundation of a bank's business model. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Prashant Jajodia, Financial Services Sector Leader and Managing Partner of IBM Consulting.

Claire Gates, Head of Payments, Crown Agents BankCrown Agents Bank (CAB) is a UK-regulated, certified B Corp bank and provider of wholesale foreign exchange and cross-border payment services across developing, emerging and frontier markets. Claire Gates, Head of Payments for CAB speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about collaboration between FinTechs and banks, and why it is critical for scaling secure cross-border payments. The conversation also includes discussion about moves towards cashless remittances.

Ben Gamble, Field CTO, VervericaInvestigating the use cases for stream processing technology, such as fraud and anomaly detection; we quantify the value of real-time data analytics for business intelligence and decision-making. Ben Gamble, Field CTO of Ververica talks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the convergence of technologies such as agentic AI and stream processing, and how it can help in the drive towards personalisation.

Andreas Mjelde, Co-Founder & CEO, TwoTwo aims to make it as simple for businesses to purchase online as it is for an end-consumer. When Two's founders were busy scaling their previous ventures, they kept running into the same problem. Businesses were forced to use consumer-based payment solutions that simply didn't meet their needs with convoluted net terms processes often leading to delayed business payments. Now, things are changing with BNPL evolving into the B2B space and AI being used to secure transactions. Andreas Mjelde, Co-Founder and CEO of Two, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence.

Lena Hackelöer, Founder & CEO, Brite PaymentsPowered by open banking, Brite Payments claims to offer transparent, faster, smarter, and more secure payments. Open banking-powered account-to-account payments enable a user to pay for goods or services directly and instantly with their bank account. Brite Payments CEO Lena Hackelöer is a returning guest to the podcast – having appeared first in April 2023. Two years is a long time in FinTech! She discusses the transformation in European consumer payments with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence… and how Brite Payments itself has evolved.

Kapil Dhiman, Co-Founder & CEO, QuraniumConventional blockchains rely on encryption that is vulnerable to quantum threats. Quranium is the first natively quantum-uncrackable Layer 1 blockchain. Kapil Dhiman, Co-Founder and CEO of Quranium discusses the future of digital trust and cryptography with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence. Dhiman is a founding member of the Davos Web3 Roundtable and a leading voice on the challenges of quantum resilience in blockchain.

Amit Jain, Partner and Head, IBS Intelligence Breaking into a new market takes more than ambition—it demands clear insight. What works in one region may fail in another. Start with a bird's eye view of the industry, map the ecosystem, and test the product through the eyes of the end user. Early validation and expert input are key to building a strategy that sticks.

Travis Schwab, CEO, EventusEventus focuses on leveraging big data and low latency technologies. Its flagship product, Validus, is a FinTech focused software platform that manages and protects trading firms. Eventus CEO Travis Schwab speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the shifting regulatory landscape and the potential for lighter touch regulation as governments around the world look to promote growth and competitiveness.

Alexander Berrai, Deputy CEO, emerchantpayWe review the changing dynamics of Europe's payments ecosystem, taking in digital wallets, virtual cards, open banking, cross-border transactions, and regional payment preferences. We also discuss the rise of eCommerce in Europe, notably across borders, and in second-hand and social commerce. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Alexander Berrai, Deputy CEO of emerchantpay about some of the findings in the company's latest Global Payments Outlook.

Dipak Nair - Founder and Managing Director, X-Biz TechVenturesX-Biz TechVentures, with its AI-Diagnostics approach, is reshaping cybersecurity for the BFSI sector by uncovering hidden threats like Shadow APIs and third-party vulnerabilities. Dipak discusses with Puja how AI is transforming the cybersecurity playbook - from tackling blind spots in traditional audits to tightening vendor risk management and exposing hidden threats like Shadow APIs. 

Amit Jain, Partner and Head, IBS Intelligence A successful go-to-market strategy demands deep cultural understanding, rigorous due diligence, and the power of structured research—IBSi's Delphi-based approach helps FinTechs decode complex markets and build impactful, insight-led expansion blueprints. 

Pierre Antoine Desoulier, CEO, iBanFirstMaking international payments and handling multiple currencies can introduce significant risk, especially for SMEs. Exchange rates fluctuate all the time, and many banks simply do not cater to the currency risk management needs of smaller companies. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Pierre Antoine Desoulier, CEO of cross-border payments platform iBanFirst, which provides custom FX risk strategies to more than 1,000 SME clients.

George Toumbev, Chief Commercial Officer, NatWest Boxed BaaS provider NatWest Boxed has gone live with its first customer, the AA, which will use Boxed's embedded finance platform to offer financial products to millions of personal breakdown members and insurance customers as well as the broader market. The venture marks the first time 2 leading UK brands have agreed a strategic partnership to embed financial services into the customer journey. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses the new offering with NatWest Boxed's CCO George Toumbev.

Amit Jain, Partner and Head, IBS Intelligence A successful go-to-market strategy in new territories requires a thorough assessment of critical factors, including market demand, competition, regulation, talent availability, partnerships, and key risks. By combining in-depth secondary research with primary insights, organisations can develop a comprehensive approach to navigate these challenges effectively.

Jamie Twiss, CEO, Carrington LabsFrom predictive analytics to AI-driven automation, banks and financial institutions are rethinking how to leverage data in order to make better decisions. The current challenge? Separating innovation from hype and ensuring that AI is both explainable and effective. Carrington Labs provides enhanced credit risk scoring and loan management solutions powered by explainable AI. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Jamie Twiss, Chief Executive Officer of Australia-based Carrington Labs.

Alexandre Kech, CEO, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF)Established in the wake of the global financial crisis, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) promotes  the implementation and use of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI). GLEIF is a supra-national not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Originally aimed at the derivatives market, the use cases for the LEI have mushroomed, as Alexandre Kech, Chief Executive Officer of GLEIF explains to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence.

Pulak Jain, Co-founder, Chief Business Officer & Head of Strategy, TransBnkTransBnk is a comprehensive transaction banking platform that facilitates all kinds of financial transactions for corporates and NBFCs. The range of services on offer includes digital lending, supply chain solutions, marketplace solutions, capital market services, and custodial services, alongside cash management and payments. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Pulak Jain, Co-founder, Chief Business Officer and Head of Strategy at TransBnk.

Senthil Gunasekaran, Chief Business Officer, KFintechIndia's Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) landscape is at a turning point, with technology redefining fund administration, investor access, and regulatory compliance. In this episode, we explore how emerging tech, evolving regulations, and new market opportunities are transforming the way alternative investments work in India.

Srinivas Nidugondi, Chief Operating Office, Digital Financial Solutions, Comviva TechnologiesWhat makes digital payments better than cash? It's a simple question with complex answers that change from country to country as digital payment solutions are shaped by the cultures in which they are embedded. It is clear, however, that fast or slow the rising trend in digital transactions is leaving cash behind. Srinivas Nidugondi, Chief Operating Officer FinTech for Comviva Technologies speaks on all things payments to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence

Emily Steele, President, SavanaHeadlines in the UK and Europe still talk of bank branch closures, However, in the US there are signs of a resurgence in traditional banking, with almost 100 net new branches opening in 2023 and almost double that number in 2024. Despite the digital shift, even in Gen Z, when asked their preference, a majority would opt for personalised advice. There is an opportunity here for banks to re-imagine the in-person experience. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Emily Steele, President of banking tech provider Savana.

Thomas Müller, Co-founder, RiveroRivero is a SaaS FinTech, offering software to banks to assist in dispute management and fraud recovery, as well as payment scheme compliance management. The company's solutions address inefficiencies in the back office of banking institutions. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks with Rivero Co-founder Thomas Müller.

Rajesh Pai Fondekar, Group VP & Head of Product Management, Digital Financial Solutions, Comviva TechnologiesConsumers want fast and seamless payments but with frictionless payments comes the potential for increased risk of fraud. Rajesh Pai Fondekar, Group VP & Head of Product Management, Digital Financial Solutions, at Comviva Technologies, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the evolution of payments and the innovations that aim to ensure both security and convenience in payments now and for the future.

Amit Jain, Partner and Head, IBS Intelligence A one-size-fits-all approach won't succeed in today's dynamic FinTech market. Achieving market fit requires strategies aligned with customer needs and industry shifts. Product review and roadmap planning must prioritise flexibility and customisation for sustainable growth and competitive advantage. 

Bindesh Pandey, Group VP, Digital Financial Solutions, Comviva TechnologiesBanks have historically viewed FinTechs as disruptors – a view that many FinTechs would themselves take. However, times change, and technology evolves. Now the bank/FinTech relationship is more complex and nuanced. Competition is fierce in some areas while mutually beneficial collaboration is the order of the day elsewhere. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Bindesh Pandey, Group Vice President of Digital Financial Solutions at Comviva about the factors dictating the shape of relations between banks and FinTechs.

Steve Britain, CEO, Monument TechnologyMonument Technology's Banking-Platform-as-a-Service model is a tribute to Monument Bank, which has scaled from £1 billion in assets to £5 billion in the last 12 months. The bank created its tech stack through a combination of best-in-class solutions together with its own tech where the latter could act as a differentiator. Steve Britain, now CEO of Monument Technology was previously COO of the bank. He speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about the decision to go into the bank-in-a-box business.

Biju Suresh-Babu, Managing Director, Banking & Financial Services, Fiorano SoftwareThe Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) is developing an open finance regime that encompasses both banks and insurers. Biju Suresh-Babu, Managing Director, Banking & Financial Services with Fiorano Software discusses the framework being put in place by the CBUAE with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence, comparing progress with solutions being implemented elsewhere in the world, and with special emphasis on how financial institutions are responding and what open finance will mean for end-customers.

Sandeep Katiyar, Co-Founder and Group Chief Financial Officer, Finhaat Bringing insurance and wealth management to semi-urban and rural India requires more than just access—it demands trust, simplicity, and security. Finhaat is tackling this challenge with a tech-driven distribution network that connects underserved communities to essential financial products. By leveraging digital tools, the platform makes insurance and investments easier to understand and adopt. Fraud prevention remains a priority, with robust security measures ensuring safe transactions. Sandeep shares insights with Puja Sharma of IBS Intelligence on how Finhaat is shaping the future of financial services.

Neil Chandler, Chief Executive Officer, Aion BankItaly's Unicredit finalised the takeover of Aion Bank and sister company, tech provider, Vodeno in early March 2025. The deal was first announced in July 2024. Ahead of the confirmation of the Unicredit deal, Aion Bank CEO Neil Chandler spoke with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence, discussing the evolution of Banking-as-a-Service and the difference between fully regulated BaaS platforms and BNPL services.

Davis DeRodes, Lead Data Scientist, Fusion Risk ManagementLast year's CrowdStrike failure firmly put the need for robust scenario testing under the global spotlight. Online and app outages at some of the UK's biggest banks in early 2025 have only served to underline the need to ensure operational resilience. Davis DeRodes, Lead Data Scientist at Fusion Risk Management speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence about current trends in scenario testing and says 2025 will be the year of the AI agent.

Victor Basta, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Artis PartnersAcquisitions have already become the norm in the payments space, with the wider FinTech sector now set to follow suit. Many startups have transitioned into the growth stage and the marketplace has become crowded, with competition at an all-time high. Victor Basta, Managing Partner at new investment bank Artis Partners, tells Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence that significant consolidation should be expected in the FinTech space, with exit values rising.

Pat Bermingham, CEO, Adflex The end is in sight for direct debits and card on file payments with the coming of VRPs, allowing flexible, automated payments between bank accounts… also in focus, virtual cards, slower payments (!) tokenisation and embedded payments, including the grow of B2B BNPL. Pat Bermingham, CEO of B2B digital payment processor Adflex, speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence

Greg Holmes, Field CTO in EMEA, ApptioEvery business hopes to maximise the benefits of investing in technology, but can we be sure that money is being spent wisely, and value actually being derived? Apptio recently released the findings of a global study entitled Guiding Technology Investments: Insights for Business Leaders. It examined how organisations are navigating their tech spend and investments, especially considering the rapid adoption of all things AI. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Greg Holmes, Field CTO in EMEA for Apptio.

Frederik Muelke, Head of Alternative Assets, Robin AIRobin AI is a secure LegalTech provider for private markets players. Tight private equity markets have seen fewer deals and fiercer competition – pre-emptive bids and faster due diligence are becoming the norm. Adopting AI can enable firms to reduce deal analysis timelines from weeks to hours, allowing faster more informed decisions. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence speaks to Frederik Muelke, Head of Alternative Assets at Robin AI about the firm's report AI in Private Markets 2025.

Manish Agarwal, CEO & Founder, FINQYThe BFSI sector is evolving rapidly, with AI-driven hyper-personalisation, ‘phygital' customer experiences, and the rise of super apps reshaping financial services. As digital ecosystems expand, financial product consumption in India is seeing a significant shift. Manish Aggarwal, CEO & Founder of FINQY, speaks to Gloria Methri of IBS Intelligence about these emerging trends and what the future holds for the industry. 

Ghazi Ben Amor, VP Corporate Development, ZAMAZAMA is a newcomer specialising in cryptography, with a focus on fully homomorphic encryption. This technology allows computations to be performed on encrypted data but, crucially, without the need to decrypt it first – thus preserving data privacy and security – useful attributes for banks and others in financial services. Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence discusses the problem, the potential and the use cases with Ghazi Ben Amor, VP Corporate Development of ZAMA. 

Hari Padmanabhan, Founder Chairman, UnciaUncia is redefining FinTech with AI-driven solutions that enhance banking, lending, and credit assessments. Inspired by the agility of the snow leopard, Uncia empowers financial institutions with customisable onboarding journeys. Hari shares insights with Puja Sharma of IBS Intelligence on how Uncia is shaping the future of financial services.