FIVE MINUTES WITH ...
and push each other to strive for nothing but excellence . Although I am today the CEO of Meniga , their leadership and mentorship has been absolutely vital throughout our journey .
Q . WHAT ’ S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE / ADVANTAGE YOU ’ VE ENCOUNTERED TO DATE IN THE FINTECH INDUSTRY AND WHY ?
» I ’ ve experienced plenty of ups and downs throughout my career in fintech , and many of which have been vital in driving the ultimate success of Meniga . In general , I ’ m a strong believer that behind every challenge lies an opportunity . After all , that ’ s exactly how Meniga was born in the first place . Following the financial crash of 2008 , as people were losing their income , worrying about their savings , and experiencing a substantial drop in purchasing power , we realised the significant opportunity and favourable environment this created to start our own personal finance management company . Having set up Meniga in the wake of an economic crisis , we found ourselves in a really unique position where suddenly , an incredible talent pool had become readily available to us , and we were able to get some really skilled people onboard from the start , and get our company off the ground very quickly .
The most recent challenge we encountered was the pandemic of course , which has impacted so many people and companies everywhere in the world . While it has created challenges for most industries - including the financial industries - it has also significantly increased the demand for personal finance products and services . In times of economic uncertainty , people are in a greater need of guidance and help with their personal finances and customers are now , perhaps more than ever , relying on their banks to provide support more than ever . As a result , the number of banks we have partnered with and markets we have launched in has multiplied since the start of the pandemic .
Q . WHICH ACTIVITY ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING WHEN NORMALITY RESUMES ?
» First of all , I feel extremely fortunate that my family and I have remained healthy and safe since the outbreak of the pandemic , and that our company was not severely impacted by COVID-19 . It ’ s been such a tough period for so many people and businesses around the world , and I ’ m grateful that we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and slowly reclaiming a bit of normality in our daily lives , as we are able to meet with family , friends and colleagues in person once again . As someone who loves his music , I ’ m looking forward to when we can all go to a concert together and throw a big party . Also , given that I live in Iceland ( where Meniga was founded ), it can definitely get pretty cold and gloomy here in February , so I ' m very excited for some vitamin D on the beach soon !
24 April 2022