THE RISE OF THE FINTECHS
LEADERSHIP
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Having begun his career at Citibank in 1998 , Zennon Kapron has seen the finance industry evolve significantly over three decades . Since leaving Citibank for an MBA and moving to Asia , he can understand both technological advancements and geographical differences . “ One thing I noticed when I started my career in China was a lack of actionable research and insight on what was happening in the financial industry ,” he comments . In 2007 , this led to the foundation of Kapronasia , now a leading consultancy which enables finance and fintech businesses to understand and navigate the challenging Asian landscape . Kapron says that his experience in banking has been instrumental in allowing him to put himself in the shoes of his clients . “ Being able to relate to the challenges of the financial institutions and help financial technology providers understand what those challenges are is very beneficial ,” he comments . “ I think a balance of technology and banking knowledge has helped us make a footprint and develop our brand in the region .”
THE RISE OF THE FINTECHS
“ Fintech is much more of a reality on the ground here in Asia than it is in other markets ,” says Kapron , noting that while many traditional financial institutions may initially see challenger banks and other fintech startups as a threat , the key is to adapt and
JUNE 2019