FinTech Magazine - Money20/20 Special FinTech Magazine - Money20/20 Special | Page 98

Q & A

EXCLUSIVE Q & A

CEO , TransferGo
The CEO of international payments business TransferGo shares his story with us
Q . Describe your journey into fintech . How did you get here ?
» Before starting TransferGo , I was running an import-export business , and making payments internationally was a challenging undertaking . I realised that the system was stacked in favour of traditional financial institutions , and I thought that it was ripe for disruption . The more I researched , the more I was convinced that there was a sizeable opportunity for a fintech to offer fast , low-cost and convenient international payments .
Q . Who was your childhood hero and why ?
» Ever since I was young , I have admired Steve Jobs . He had a unique ability to make the future , and all the innovation it may bring , feel as though it ’ s within easy reach . When he spoke , he could transport an audience into a new and exciting world that is not yet here . It ’ s such a rare skill but it ’ s a critical trait for any ambitious entrepreneur who wants to bring their customers along with them on their journey .
Q . What ' s the best piece of advice you ’ ve ever received ?
» I was once told that people often overestimate the ups and downs in business , and over time , I ’ ve come to realise that it ’ s true . The highs are never quite what you imagine , while the lows do not have to indicate the end of the world . That means that leaders should seek to take more risks , especially during the early stages of a business , embrace failure as you do success , and realise that if the worst outcome is having to move back in with your parents for a short while , then you can learn from the experience and put it into practice in your next venture .
Q . Who do you look up to in terms of leadership and mentorship ?
» There are too many people to name but I am incredibly pleased to be working alongside an experienced board who bring knowledge and experience from the industry , and teach me new things every day . Self-development is a critical part of any leadership role , and I make sure it is part of my job description .
Q . Is there a personal achievement from the past 12 months of which you are particularly proud ?
» Ukraine has always been a large part of our business . When the war broke out , I ’ m proud of the job we did to ensure our staff , with families back in Ukraine , had the
“ Describe myself in three words ? Driven , direct and inquisitive ” support and resources to evacuate , should they want to leave . We also worked non-stop with our Ukrainian banking partners so that we could continue to support our customers there and keep money flowing into the country . We did all of this without making a big fuss about it or trying to promote ourselves , unlike some other businesses .
Q . What inspires you in fintech today ?
» Our mission – supporting migrants and making the world fairer for them – is more important today than it has ever been . Political , demographic , economic and even environmental forces are going to mean that migration continues to shape economies and societies across the globe . We ’ ll be there to help and ensure that people can move money around quickly and affordably .
Q . Name one piece of technology you couldn ’ t live without ( besides your mobile phone )
» I ’ m going to have to cheat and say my mobile phone – I couldn ’ t live without it !
Q . What ’ s next for you ?
» I ’ m focused on the next 10 years at TransferGo , ensuring that we ’ ve got the best team in place to deliver new products and serve new markets . We ’ ll have some exciting announcements soon , so watch this space !
98 fintechmagazine . com | June 2023