FIVE MINUTES WITH ...
» Shân : The original paradigm-busting technology : the pen and paper . And nurofen , a most brilliant example of pharmatech .
Q . WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP ?
» Kate : Every person who has pushed boundaries and continues to manifest their inner self in spite of their loneliness in the execution of pushing those boundaries – such as Stacey Cunningham , Katherine Graham , Arabella Mansfield , Junki Tabei and Vigis Finnbogadottir . These are a few examples of people that have offered an alternative view on how life might be lived and opened the door to those that followed in their wake .
» Shân : It ’ s a cast of thousands on both counts so the best thing to do is spotlight an example each : Ben Smyth and Chris Frogner are building a new kind of FinTech called Arma Karma , and walking their values not just talking about them . This is not the easy road to growth , but they ’ re taking it nonetheless . On the mentoring aspect , just one example of the generous and patient consumerfocused activists helping me to really see FinTech in a different light is Lois Ratcliffe of Inclusion Scotland .
Q . WHICH ACTIVITY ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING WHEN THE PANDEMIC IS OVER ?
» Kate : Watching epic films on the big screen at the Cinema with an extra-large bucket of sweet and salty popcorn .
» Shân : Sharing Christmas with our mum and close family , including our siblings ( and their families ) living in the US and Canada .
Q . IS THERE A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT FROM THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF WHICH YOU ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD ?
» Kate : I have had the privilege of sharing my personal thoughts on and motivations for recognising individual value with several media avenues . I never imagined that would be an opportunity and I have been humbled by the responses those engagements have brought in return .
» Shân : It was definitely a team effort but I know I played a vital part in writing and publishing Open Finance : The Future of Insurance Innovation ? with TechNation in July . We aimed to demystify what can be a complex area and encourage new and established firms to get on the front foot with something I think is an inevitable , imminent , and near-term disruptor .
Q . WHAT INSPIRES YOU IN FINTECH TODAY ?
» Kate : The extraordinary and ordinary people in the industry working to ensure the impact and capability delivered today makes a material and positive difference to the life of us all , rather than just a academically-successful and financiallyastute few , both now and into the future . This knowledge drives me forward and keeps me asking the ( sometimes difficult ) ‘ what if ’ questions in creating ever simpler and more inclusive outcomes .
» Shân : FinTech today has to face the fact that many fellow-citizens feel excluded , exploited , and threatened by the methods and outcomes of how Data , AI and other Technologies are used . What inspires me is the opening up of these debates within the FinTech community , and the emergence of new , sociallypositive firms . fintechmagazine . com 25