Talent Archives - CFTE https://blog.cfte.education/tag/talent/ Blog Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:34:44 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.8 https://blog.cfte.education/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-cfte-logo-box-1-32x32.png Talent Archives - CFTE https://blog.cfte.education/tag/talent/ 32 32 AI, Climate and the Future of Green Skills by Amit Agrawal https://blog.cfte.education/ai-climate-and-the-future-of-green-skills-by-amit-agrawal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ai-climate-and-the-future-of-green-skills-by-amit-agrawal https://blog.cfte.education/ai-climate-and-the-future-of-green-skills-by-amit-agrawal/#respond Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:02:13 +0000 https://blog.cfte.education/?p=531795 In a timely session on Generative AI in Finance and Climate, regulatory risk and transformation leader Amit Agrawal explored how … Read More "AI, Climate and the Future of Green Skills by Amit Agrawal"

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In a timely session on Generative AI in Finance and Climate, regulatory risk and transformation leader Amit Agrawal explored how AI can accelerate progress on sustainability – not just as a technical tool, but as a catalyst for new governance models, business opportunities and careers.

With over 15 years of experience across financial services, fintech and consulting, Amit has led large-scale remediation programmes and digital transformations, helping organisations shift from viewing compliance as a cost to treating it as strategic value. In this webinar, he applied that lens to one of the defining challenges of our time: climate change and the transition to a green economy.

Why Investing in Sustainability Makes Business Sense

Amit began by reframing sustainability as a return-generating investment, not a side cost. Citing data from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and similar analyses, he highlighted that companies investing in sustainability often see:

 

    • Significant financial upside relative to the cost of climate initiatives

    • Tangible reductions in risk exposure across operations and supply chains

    • Benefits across multiple sectors – from energy and manufacturing to agriculture and services

In practical terms, sustainability spending can translate into higher resilience, better market access, and improved long-term profitability. Failing to invest, by contrast, comes with a mounting price tag as climate risks materialise.

Climate Reality: Narrowing Windows and Rising Pressures

Amit then grounded the discussion in the current climate trajectory. The world has already crossed the 1.5°C threshold in recent measurements, and extreme weather events – heatwaves, floods, fires – are increasing in both frequency and intensity.

He connected this to:

 

    • Geopolitical conflicts (e.g. wars and regional tensions) that divert attention and funding away from ESG priorities

    • Policy fragmentation, particularly where some jurisdictions roll back or stall climate regulations while others move ahead

    • The shrinking “window for change”, which means incremental action is no longer enough

All of this, he argued, makes innovation and technology indispensable if we want to have any realistic chance of achieving net-zero pathways.

The Evolving Regulatory and Disclosure Landscape

Amit walked participants through the fast-changing ecosystem of sustainability standards and reporting frameworks:

 

    • IFRS sustainability standards, GRI, TCFD and others increasingly converging

    • Local adaptations such as MAS guidelines, OSFI expectations in Canada and EU frameworks influencing market behaviour

    • Emerging initiatives like TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures), with hundreds of organisations managing trillions in assets beginning to adopt nature and climate-related risk reporting

The direction of travel is clear: disclosure is tightening, expectations are rising, and organisations that treat ESG as optional are likely to lose access to markets, capital and key trade corridors.

AI as Climate Accelerator: Use Cases and Opportunities

A central question of the session was whether AI is a climate risk multiplier or a climate accelerator. Amit’s answer: used responsibly, it can and must be a powerful accelerator.

He discussed how AI can:

 

    • Optimise energy use and support grid balancing between renewable and non-renewable sources

    • Improve emissions measurement and forecasting, including Scope 3 emissions

    • Enable smarter supply chain and scenario modelling, helping firms adapt to climate disruptions

Concrete examples included:

 

    • A BIS-linked project exploring AI-driven Scope 3 accounting, using data ingestion, modelling and optimisation to identify lower-emission pathways and report more accurately

    • A Singapore-based initiative involving MAS and Smart Nation agencies, using smart meters and sensors to collect real-time energy data across buildings and sectors, enabling benchmarking, simulations and more informed policy and investment decisions

Across sectors – energy, manufacturing, agriculture, transport and finance – Amit showed that AI is already being applied to reduce emissions, cut waste and increase resilience.

Risks, Governance and Responsible AI Principles

Amit was clear that AI is not a silver bullet. It introduces new risks:

 

    • Data quality and cyber risk

    • Opacity and explainability challenges in complex models

    • Bias and fairness issues, driven by skewed training data

    • Environmental concerns about AI’s own energy usage, which must be weighed against the emissions reductions it can enable

He argued that successful climate AI solutions must be:

 

    • Purpose-driven – targeted at clear sustainability outcomes (e.g. emissions reduction, resource efficiency, social impact)

    • Responsibly governed – aligned with frameworks such as the EU AI Act and sectoral principles (e.g. MAS FEAT/FI principles)

    • Human-informed – developed with input from climate scientists, ESG specialists, risk experts and domain practitioners

    • Energy-conscious – designed to minimise unnecessary compute and maximise net environmental benefit

In short, climate tech must combine technology, ethics and purpose, not treat them as separate conversations.

Green Skills, Careers and the Intersection of AI and ESG

The latter part of the session focused on skills and career opportunities in the emerging green economy. Drawing on research from LinkedIn, BCG and others, Amit noted:

 

    • Jobs requiring green skills are growing faster than the overall job market

    • Demand for profiles combining data/AI, regulation, finance and sustainability knowledge is rising across sectors

    • Roles may not always be labelled “ESG”, but appear under headings like decarbonisation, net-zero strategy, supply chain sustainability or climate risk

He emphasised that professionals should:

 

    • Map their existing transferable skills (e.g. analytics, technology, stakeholder management, regulation, finance)

    • Identify target gaps in ESG, climate science, sustainability frameworks or AI literacy

    • Build capabilities at the intersection of green and digital – where climate and AI meet

Courses like “Generative AI for Climate Change in Finance” are designed to help practitioners understand both technical tools and governance frameworks, positioning them for roles in this fast-evolving space.

5 Key Learning Outcomes from the Webinar

1. Sustainability is a strategic investment, not a cost centre
Participants saw evidence that investing in climate and sustainability initiatives can generate significant financial and risk-adjusted returns, while inaction carries mounting costs.

2. Climate risk is real, accelerating and intertwined with geopolitics
From breaching 1.5°C to conflicts that distract from ESG agendas, the pressure on organisations to act quickly and intelligently has never been greater.

3. AI can act as a climate accelerator when used with purpose
AI can reduce emissions, optimise energy use, improve reporting and model complex climate scenarios, provided it is designed with clear sustainability goals.

4. Responsible AI requires governance, ethics and domain expertise
Data quality, bias, explainability and energy use must be actively managed. Climate AI solutions must integrate ethical frameworks and input from ESG and climate experts.

5. The most valuable careers sit at the intersection of green skills and AI
Future-ready professionals will blend knowledge of climate and sustainability with skills in data, regulation, finance and technology, creating new roles across industries.

As climate risks intensify and regulatory expectations catch up, AI is emerging as both a challenge and a powerful ally. Amit’s session made it clear that the organisations – and individuals – who will thrive are those who treat climate action as a strategic opportunity and embrace AI as a tool to accelerate it, not avoid it. By combining green skills with data, governance and technology, today’s professionals can help shape a financial system that is not only more efficient, but also more resilient, equitable and aligned with the realities of a warming world.

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]]> https://blog.cfte.education/ai-climate-and-the-future-of-green-skills-by-amit-agrawal/feed/ 0 Future-Proofing Trade Finance: The Role of  Tokenisation, Standards, and Collaboration by Saloi Benbaha https://blog.cfte.education/future-proofing-trade-finance-the-role-of-tokenisation-standards-and-collaboration-by-saloi-benbaha/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=future-proofing-trade-finance-the-role-of-tokenisation-standards-and-collaboration-by-saloi-benbaha https://blog.cfte.education/future-proofing-trade-finance-the-role-of-tokenisation-standards-and-collaboration-by-saloi-benbaha/#respond Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:57:21 +0000 https://blog.cfte.education/?p=531791 The latest Blockchain and Digital Assets session brought together global participants to explore one of the most transformative shifts now … Read More "Future-Proofing Trade Finance: The Role of  Tokenisation, Standards, and Collaboration by Saloi Benbaha"

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The latest Blockchain and Digital Assets session brought together global participants to explore one of the most transformative shifts now reshaping global trade: the tokenisation of trade finance assets. Led by Saloi Benbaha, Head of XDC Network Enterprise Alliance & Ventures and Global Women in AI Ambassador, the session unpacked how tokenisation, harmonised standards and cross-industry collaboration are redefining efficiency, transparency and trust across the trade ecosystem.

With a career spanning telecom, banking, blockchain and energy, and fresh from receiving the Policy Pioneer Award at the House of Lords, Saloi delivered a masterclass on what financial institutions must understand to stay competitive in a rapidly digitising world.

Tokenisation as a Catalyst in Trade Finance

Saloi began by outlining why tokenisation is emerging as a foundational pillar in trade finance. Traditional trade processes are burdened by fragmented systems, inconsistent data, paper-heavy workflows and long settlement cycles. Tokenisation offers a fundamentally different model—one where assets, documents and processes can be digitised, standardised and exchanged with programmable trust.

By converting trade assets such as invoices, letters of credit, guarantees or receivables into tokens, institutions can benefit from:

  • Faster settlement

  • Improved liquidity

  • Greater transparency and auditability

  • Reduced operational risk

  • Enhanced interoperability across platforms and borders

Tokenisation, Saloi emphasised, is not simply a technology upgrade. It represents a structural shift toward digital-native trade finance.

Why Standards and Interoperability Matter

A central theme in Saloi’s presentation was the critical need for standards. Tokenisation cannot scale in isolation. It requires:

  • Shared data models

  • Common identity frameworks

  • Legal and compliance harmonisation

  • Industry-wide agreement on asset definitions

Saloi highlighted how emerging frameworks—such as the Digital Standards Initiative (DSI) and those developed by leading industry bodies—are paving the way for unified digital trade ecosystems. Without such standards, tokenisation risks becoming siloed, fragmented and incompatible across markets.

Collaboration as the Engine of Adoption

Tokenisation thrives through collaboration, not competition. Banks, corporates, fintechs, regulators and technology networks must co-design solutions. Saloi’s work at the XDC Network Enterprise Alliance exemplifies this collaborative model, bringing stakeholders together to build shared infrastructure and tackle adoption barriers collectively.

She also emphasised the growing importance of public-private coordination, particularly around regulatory clarity and cross-border legal frameworks.

Becoming Tokenisation-Ready: Skills and Capabilities

Saloi provided a clear blueprint for organisations preparing to embark on tokenisation initiatives. Key skill areas include:

  • Understanding digital asset frameworks

  • Navigating compliance and regulatory design

  • Smart contract literacy

  • Process redesign and workflow digitisation

  • Cross-functional collaboration between technology, operations and legal teams

Tokenisation is not an IT project, it is an organisational transformation that requires new digital competencies across the value chain.

Integrating Tokenised Solutions with Legacy Infrastructure

One of the session’s most practical discussions centred on how banks can integrate tokenisation into existing trade finance systems. Saloi highlighted that the most effective strategy is to begin with well-defined, high-value use cases, and then:

  1. Identify assets that benefit most from digitisation

  2. Map the current processes and pain points

  3. Build tokenised modules that integrate via APIs

  4. Adopt a phased rollout that maintains continuity with legacy operations

The goal is not to replace existing infrastructure immediately but to extend it with digital layers that introduce automation and interoperability.

5 Key Learning Outcomes from the Session

1. Tokenisation transforms trade finance by digitising assets end-to-end
It streamlines processes, increases liquidity, accelerates settlement and reduces friction that has long slowed global trade.

2. Standards are essential for scalable adoption
Without alignment on data, identity and legal frameworks, tokenisation remains isolated. Industry-wide standards unlock interoperability and global connectivity.

3. Collaboration drives real-world implementation
Tokenisation succeeds when banks, corporates, regulators and networks work together to redesign trade processes, not when each operates alone.

4. Successful tokenisation requires new digital skills across organisations
Teams must understand blockchain concepts, regulatory expectations, smart contracts and process redesign, not just technology.

5. Integration with legacy systems must be phased and strategic
Institutions should start with clearly defined assets and use cases, then layer tokenisation onto existing infrastructure through modular, API-driven approaches.

As trade finance undergoes rapid digital transformation, tokenisation stands out as a powerful enabler of transparency, speed and global interoperability. Saloi’s session showed that the future of trade will not simply be digitised, it will be standardised, collaborative and token-powered. For institutions looking to stay competitive, now is the moment to build the skills, partnerships and technological foundations needed to thrive in this new era. With growing momentum across industries and governments, the shift toward digital trade finance is no longer a possibility, it is already underway.

 

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]]> https://blog.cfte.education/future-proofing-trade-finance-the-role-of-tokenisation-standards-and-collaboration-by-saloi-benbaha/feed/ 0 CFTE at Singapore Fintech Festival – CFTE Blog https://blog.cfte.education/cfte-singapore-fintech-festival/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cfte-singapore-fintech-festival https://blog.cfte.education/cfte-singapore-fintech-festival/#respond Wed, 22 Nov 2017 13:59:53 +0000 http://www.cfte.education/blog/?p=742 CFTE’s Fintech tour of Asia came to a grand conclusion at Singapore Fintech Festival, the biggest Fintech event in the … Read More "CFTE at Singapore Fintech Festival – CFTE Blog"

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]]> CFTE’s Fintech tour of Asia came to a grand conclusion at Singapore Fintech Festival, the biggest Fintech event in the world attracting crowds of over 25,000 people from 100 countries.
And what a conclusion it was.
A huge bravo to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for organising a spectacular event that drew world-class speakers and members from the global finance community and beyond.
From Startups to Fintechs, Regulators, Financial Institutions, Venture Capital Firms, Insurance companies and Universities, they all came together to explore new ways to support global economic growth through Fintech innovation.
With so many talking points, we highlight our top 5:

#1


Collaboration and knowledge sharing is at the forefront of the fast-growing global Fintech ecosystem, and this was evident at Singapore Fintech Festival. The announcement of the formation of the ASEAN Fintech Network, a platform to connect Fintech hubs across the ASEAN region echoed CFTE’s mission to act as a gateway to connect Fintech communities and people from across the world. 

#2

In his keynote speech, Ravi Menon, MD of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, outlined a number of forward-thinking strategies and initiatives that demonstrated Singapore’s position as a leader in the Fintech sector.
For us, his points on nurturing the right talent to help drive innovation in Fintech plus the opportunity for Fintech to deepen financial inclusion are two subject areas where we strongly align.
#3

CFTE’s first event in Singapore was our highest highlight where we welcomed 200+ invitees and students to come and share. 
The event was centred on two evening sessions that dived deep into the growing influence of Fintech on the financial services sector.
The main session focused on helping professionals build the skills to help them transition from traditional to digital finance. A line-up of distinguished guest speakers helped to guide discussions and debate on how finance is transforming traditional career paths and included:
:: Tram Anh Nguyen, co-founder of CFTE
:: Huy Nguyen Trieu, CEO of The Disruptive Group & co-founder of CFTE
:: Gina Heng, co-founder of LATTICE80
:: Janos Barberis, Founder of SuperCharger
:: Veiverne Yuen, co-founder & CIO of tryb
:: Choy Siew Kai, Head of Data and Analytics at GIC
There were two-panel discussions on the night. 
In the first, Tram Anh moderated the panel “HOW TO ACQUIRE THE SKILLS OF FINANCE 2.0″ with Gina Heng, Janos Barberis and Veiverne Yuen sharing their insights.
The second panel, “HOW TO BRIDGE TRADITIONAL FINANCE TO DIGITAL FINANCE, was moderated by Huy who was joined by Choy Siew Kai to discuss the impact of Big Data in finance.
CFTE’s co-founders, Tram Anh Nguyen and Huy Nguyen Trieu presenting CFTE’s vision at the ‘The Future of Finance’.
Packed crowds watched on as the ‘evening of conversations’ between guest speakers enthralled with the debate.
Tram Anh proceeding over the first panel of the evening, “how to acquire skills of Finance 2.0”.
The first session of the evening involved Supercharger, Asia’s leading Fintech Accelerator. They illuminated proceedings by highlighting the progression of Hong Kong’s Fintech ecosystem. A discussion panel consisting of alumni graduating from their Fintech accelerator program provided insights into front-line innovation in finance.
SuperCharger Founder Janos Barberis talking about Hong Kongs vibrant FinTech ecosystem
SuperCharger’s MD, Veronica Kuznetsova, on a discussion panel with Alumni from their Fintech accelerator.

#4

In a week full of memorable events, the Around Fintech in 8 Hours graduation ceremony was the ultimate highlight for us. It was both a proud moment and a major milestone for everyone at CFTE as we continue to rapidly advance our objective of delivering Fintech education globally.
Participants – some of them flying in from Australia and Taiwan – received their Certificate of Completion from our co-founders Huy Nguyen Trieu, Tram Anh Nguyen and Senior lecturer on Around Fintech in 8 Hours, Janos Barberis and guest speaker on our online course Veiverne Yuen.
The event also marked the beginning of the next chapter for Around Fintech in 8 Hours, with the announcement of the opening of registrations for the 2nd session.

#5

The prospect of Fintech to solve many of societies problems, particularity with regards to helping the billions of underbanked people in the world is a very important subject matter for CFTE. Hence why the Fintech awards, which recognised numerous innovative solutions to explicitly specified problem statements, were so impressive. It was also a great honour for CFTE to be involved in the selection process for the winners.

#6

A number of participants on Around Fintech in 8 Hours graduated after the event. So not to feel left out we presented certificates shortly before departing back for London!


If you wish to learn and get your Fintech Foundations right, please join our second session, which is now open for registration.

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]]> https://blog.cfte.education/cfte-singapore-fintech-festival/feed/ 0 CFTE opens registration for second session of Around Fintech in 8 Hours at Singapore Fintech Festival – CFTE Blog https://blog.cfte.education/cfte-opens-registration-second-session-around-fintech-8-hours-singapore-fintech-festival/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cfte-opens-registration-second-session-around-fintech-8-hours-singapore-fintech-festival https://blog.cfte.education/cfte-opens-registration-second-session-around-fintech-8-hours-singapore-fintech-festival/#respond Wed, 15 Nov 2017 12:50:31 +0000 http://www.cfte.education/blog/?p=707 Following the success of the first session of Around Fintech in 8 Hours, an online Fintech Foundation course, CFTE is … Read More "CFTE opens registration for second session of Around Fintech in 8 Hours at Singapore Fintech Festival – CFTE Blog"

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]]> Following the success of the first session of Around Fintech in 8 Hours, an online Fintech Foundation course, CFTE is pleased to announce that registrations for the second session, which is released on 11th December, have opened. And to celebrate Singapore Fintech Festival, there is a special £50 discount off the course (discount code: ‘SFFCFTE’) valid until Sunday 19th November 11.59pm.
The announcement was made at CFTE’s inaugural event in Singapore, The Future of Finance, the central focus of which was helping professionals understand how to build new skills in a world of digital finance.
 
CFTE co-founder, Tram Anh Nguyen outlining CFTE’s vision for education in finance

It was the stage for the graduation ceremony for participants from the first session to collect their certificates – some of them flying from Australia or Africa – and was held in partnership with LATTICE80, the world’s largest Fintech hub and SuperCharger, Asia’s leading Fintech accelerator.
 
Graduates from the first session of Around Fintech in 8 Hours receiving their certificates in front of packed crowd

The event was the opportunity for participants of Around Fintech in 8 hours to meet and discuss with LATTICE80’s Co-founder, SuperCharger’s Founder, Tryb’s CIO and GIC’s Head of Data and Analytics, and exchange about the skills required in a fast-changing world of finance.
 
Attendee putting her questions to the panel

Around Fintech in 8 Hour was launched with backing from 20 senior leaders from the financial industry, with the expressed goal of helping professionals working in finance – wherever they are in the world – to acquire a solid understanding of the core Fintech concepts transforming financial services.
Feedback from participants has helped to validate a number of key aspects of Around Fintech in 8 Hours. Zahid Kalolwala, GM at Oman Exchange said of the course:

“Am extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to attend and complete this exceptional course from CFTE. Best Fintech content, speakers and readings one could squeeze into 8 hours, a MUST DO Course for all that are close to and or follow Fintech!”

 

Winner of an exclusive prize draw for a free seat to Around Fintech in 8 Hours

Troy Hector, Director of technology and Innovation at Cloud Africa stated the course gave him a sound “theoretical framework” in Fintech and added:

“The Around Fintech in 8 Hours programme provided a comprehensive overview of the global developments in the Fintech sector. The video lectures, course materials and module assessments served as valuable resources to reinforce the learning experience.”

One of the first participants to complete the Around Fintech in 8 Hours

Registrations have now opened for the second session which will be released on 11th December 2017. From 11th December, participants will have 6 months to complete the online course, which takes on average 8 hours to finish. And to celebrate Singapore Fintech Festival, there is a special £50 discount off the course valid until Sunday 19th October 11.59pm.  To redeem, enter code: ‘SFFCFTE’ at checkout >> here.
 
About CFTE
CFTE is an education platform supported by senior leaders from the largest institutions, startups and universities. It addresses the needs of professionals in finance and technologists to up-skill in a rapidly changing industry being transformed by emerging technologies. For more information, see http://www.cfte.education

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]]> https://blog.cfte.education/cfte-opens-registration-second-session-around-fintech-8-hours-singapore-fintech-festival/feed/ 0 The Around Fintech Update #2 – CFTE Blog https://blog.cfte.education/around-fintech-update-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=around-fintech-update-2 https://blog.cfte.education/around-fintech-update-2/#respond Wed, 08 Nov 2017 18:36:38 +0000 http://www.cfte.education/blog/?p=692 In our previous update, we put the spotlight on Doris, the first-ever person to be certified for Around Fintech in … Read More "The Around Fintech Update #2 – CFTE Blog"

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]]> In our previous update, we put the spotlight on Doris, the first-ever person to be certified for Around Fintech in 8 Hours.
But as more and more people complete the course from across the world we’d like to share their feedback so you can hear what they had to say about CFTE’s first online Fintech course.
“The lecturers were amazing and of course the guest speakers were excellent as well. This is the first online course I have taken and it’s so wonderful!”
“Being an avid follower of Fintech, I was looking for a foundation course in Fintech from a long time….This foundation course could be excellent starter to anyone who wants to pursue an MBA in finance systems/Fintech/Fintech marketing.”
 “The overall program was well structured, practically informative and constructively encouraging, specifically for an entrepreneur of a Fintech startup …I look forward to the next level progression of the Around Fintech in 8 Hours program.”
 “The CFTE course is very thoughtfully structured and designed. I am extremely satisfied with all the lecturers, guest speakers, content, and attached links”
We’re very proud to receive this feedback, especially after all the work that has gone into the making of the course. From day one our goal has been to deliver the very best content by working with the very best industry experts so that everyone working in finance has the opportunity to learn how their industry is changing.
For this reason and for all those who missed the 29th October registration deadline, we are pleased to announce that we will be launching another batch of Around Fintech in 8 Hours beginning in December. 

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]]> https://blog.cfte.education/around-fintech-update-2/feed/ 0 Asia: The Land of Fintech Opportunities – CFTE Blog https://blog.cfte.education/asia-land-fintech-opportunities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=asia-land-fintech-opportunities https://blog.cfte.education/asia-land-fintech-opportunities/#respond Fri, 03 Nov 2017 18:15:52 +0000 http://www.cfte.education/blog/?p=656   This week CFTE began its Asian Fintech tour of the region’s biggest Fintech hubs including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam … Read More "Asia: The Land of Fintech Opportunities – CFTE Blog"

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]]>  
This week CFTE began its Asian Fintech tour of the region’s biggest Fintech hubs including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore.
Why?
The potential for Fintech in Asia is massive.
From serving the under-banked, through increased access to financial services, to improving economic prosperity for millions, the potential for Fintech to have a positive impact in Asia is huge.
The good news is that a number of key developments (other than the growth of China!) are creating strong tail winds to enable the Fintech sector to grow and allowing entrepreneurs, startups, and financial institutions to bring more innovative financial solutions to market.
So before we dive into what we’ve been up to this week and our plans for the coming weeks, it’s worth having a look at some of the developments contributing to the growth of Asia’s Fintech ecosystem…
 

The jigsaw starts to take shape

The region has a huge base of predominantly mobile users, which is increasing year-on-year, with the estimated number of digital consumers expected to reach 1.7bn by 2020, according to a report published by McKinsey & Company.
The trend of growing digital adoption combined with a less developed conventional banking infrastructure makes the region ripe for new Fintech solutions that provide more accessible banking services, especially for the millions of under-banked in the region.
In addition to demographic and economic factors, Asia’s regulators are giving the Fintech sector a big boost.
Note: with the financial industry being so heavily regulated, regulatory support is vital for allowing Fintech development to advance.

Singapore pushes the SMART city initiative

A forerunner for innovation in regulation in Asia, the Monetary Authority of Singapore has been quick to adopt best practices from London, the world’s no.1 Fintech hub.
They have implemented a number of initiatives to create a favourable environment for Fintech growth. Initiatives such as the establishment of regulatory sandbox, which is a programme designed to allow Fintech solutions to be tested in a controlled environment, plus an increased focus on job creation and public-private sector collaboration is allowing homegrown and foreign companies to use the city-state as a platform to expand into the rest of Asia’s fast-growing economies.

Hong Kong building momentum

Singapore is not the only forward-thinking territory looking to capitalise on Fintech opportunities. Regulatory sandboxes have been implemented in both Malaysia and Hong Kong as both countries look to spur the growth of their respective Fintech ecosystems.
For example, Hong Kong has taken steps to implement progressive policies that seek to animate Fintech activity. The annual Hong Kong Fintech festival attracts thousands every year from across the world and the Fintech innovation hub serves as a focal point for collaboration between different actors in the industry

Malaysia pushing towards Fintech ambitions

Similarly, in Malaysia, Government-linked bodies such the Malaysian Economic Development Corporation (MDEC), the Securities Commission and the Central Bank of Malaysia are all working to create a framework to allow for increased Fintech innovation.
For example, in addition to implementing a regulatory sandbox, they have also taken steps to progress guidelines on key areas of Fintech development such as cryptocurrencies and e-KYC (Know Your Customer, which allows customers to open an account online without face to face verification).
These policies are laying the groundwork for Fintech startups to bring new solutions to market and pressing incumbent financial institutions to develop new Fintech solutions. A report from PWC notes that 51% of incumbents now collaborate with Fintech startups.

Vietnam sowing the seeds of change

Vietnam has also taken important steps to accelerate the growth of its Fintech sector. Earlier this year a Government-backed Steering Committee outlined a roadmap to build their ecosystem.
As with other regions progressing in Fintech, a sound regulatory framework forms a central component of their plans to support an ecosystem that already has startups offering services in P2P Lending, mobile payments, wealth management and blockchain.
 

CFTE’s Asia tour

As Fintech becomes a central focus for many of Asia’s economies, education, the cornerstone of human endeavour, has a central role to play if Fintech is to reach it’s potential in Asia.
It’s a fundamental point. Without the right knowledge, entrepreneurs cannot be made, startups cannot grow and incumbent financial institutions cannot deliver more innovative digital solutions.
Thus investing in human capital is a crucial pillar in nurturing the growth of Fintech.
With this in mind, CFTE is in Asia, to fulfil our mission of collaborating with the very best partners to deliver education at scale, globally.
 

Stop 1: Hong Kong

Our first stop was in Hong Kong for start of HK Fintech Education week.
The week kicked off with ‘Fintech Education Day’, where Prof. Douglas Arner, Janos Barberis (both on the academic board of CFTE), CFTE’s Co-founder Huy NGUYEN TRIEU and Joelle Woo, took to the stage for unveiling the launch of HKU Fintech MOOC.

We are very proud and honoured to be associated with the first Fintech MOOC in Asia and to be working together with HKU and SuperCharger on this project to democratise the knowledge of Fintech.
 

Stop 2: Malaysia

For the second leg of CFTE’s ‘Asian Fintech Tour’, we arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Malaysia is making huge strides to turn itself into a Fintech hub for the ASEAN region. Amazing government support from the likes of MDEC and new partnerships with ecosystem builders such as SuperCharger Fintech Accelerator is helping build momentum for more Fintech solutions to come to market.
This week, in partnership with SuperCharger it was an absolute pleasure for us to deliver a Masterclass to senior leaders from Malaysia’s finance community to support their objective of building a vibrant Fintech sector.

 

Stop 3: Vietnam

Next week, CFTE’s co-founder, Tram Anh Nguyen, will join Huy as they arrive in Vietnam on Monday the 9th for the annual Vietnam e-payment Forum,
As hinted above, with mobile use proliferating in the region, new mobile payment solutions represent a significant growth channel for Fintech, especially in Vietnam.
This year’s event will feature a number of keynote speaker including Huy. Senior leaders from Vietnam’s finance community and some of the world most renowned Fintech entrepreneurs will join him. For more information on the event, click here.

 

Stop 4: Singapore

The final leg of the tour will see both co-founders in Singapore for the Singapore Fintech Festival – a weeklong event that brings together the Fintech community from across the globe to promote knowledge sharing and the uncovering of new opportunities in Fintech.
During the festival, CFTE will be hosting a very special event in partnership with LATTICE80, the world’s biggest Fintech hub.
CFTE’s Co-founders, Huy Nguyen Trieu and Tram Anh Nguyen will be joined by prominent guest speakers such as Gina Heng (CEO of LATTICE80), Janos Barberis (Founder of SuperCharger Fintech Accelerators) Veiverne Yuen (Co-founder and CIO of tryb) and Choy Siew Kai (MD at GIC) for an “Evening of Conversations”.
Discussions will focus on the future of finance and the digital skills that professionals need to learn in order to set themselves apart in a financial landscape increasingly being re-shaped by Fintech.
The event is free of charge so if you’re in Singapore, please do join us!

 

Join us on Social Media

Join us on our Fintech Tour of Asia on social media as we’ll be documenting the events in real-time from the ground. Find CFTE on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook and become part of our journey.

The post Asia: The Land of Fintech Opportunities – CFTE Blog appeared first on CFTE.

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