Dave and Dharm DeMystify
A unique perspective of Fintech formed through decades of designing and delivering online financial services.
Episodes
EP 159: Demystifying Trust, AI Agents, and the Future of Digital Commerce with G2A
In this week’s episode, Dave is joined by Bartosz Skwarczek, Founder and Chairman of G2A, for a fascinating conversation about trust, artificial intelligence, and how digital marketplaces are preparing for the next era of online commerce.
Bartosz shares the story behind G2A’s growth from a small gaming business in Poland to one of the world’s largest digital entertainment marketplaces, serving mo
EP 158: Demystifying AI Adoption, Culture, and Transformation with SynthWise
In this week’s episode, Dave and Dharm are joined by Ben Sheedy, co-founder of SynthWise, for a fascinating conversation about one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today: not whether to adopt AI, but how to do it successfully.
Ben shares the story behind SynthWise and how his own experiences experimenting with early language models revealed that AI adoption is far more than a technolog
EP 157: Demystifying Super Apps, Hyper-Personalisation & the Future of Banking with Freedom Bank
In this week’s episode, Dave is joined by Vyacheslav Kim, CEO of the Freedom Super App and Managing Director at Freedom Bank, for a fascinating conversation about how super apps are reshaping banking by integrating financial services with everyday lifestyle experiences.
Vyacheslav shares the story behind building the Freedom Super App, which started with the acquisition of a small bank with just
EP 156: Demystifying Personalisation, Neurodiversity & Financial Inclusion with Coracle
In this week’s episode, Dave and Dharm are joined by James Tweed from Coracle for a fascinating conversation that sits at the intersection of education, technology, and financial services, and challenges how we think about inclusion in a digital world.
Coracle is an EdTech company delivering secure, offline digital education to prisons across the UK, giving learners access to a wide range of cont
EP 155: Demystifying Vibe Coding and AI Development with Sergio Gago
Hosts Dave and Dharmesh explore how AI-powered “vibe coding,” autonomous agents, and real-time software creation are reshaping the future of development with Sergio Gago, CTO of Cloudera.
Sergio, a former leader at Moody’s and now CTO at Cloudera, is at the forefront of AI-driven data platforms. He introduces the concept of vibe coding, a new paradigm where developers (and increasingly non-develo
EP 154: AI’s Impact on Economies, Governments, and Society with Moody’s Ratings
In this week’s episode, Dave is joined by Marie Diron, Global Head of Sovereign Ratings at Moody’s Ratings, for a fascinating conversation about how artificial intelligence could transform economies at a national level, far beyond its impact on companies and individuals.
Marie shares insights from Moody’s Ratings latest research examining how AI may affect three critical pillars of sovereign anal
EP 153: How AI could transform UK mortgages and community banking with Finova
Hosts Dave and Dharmesh explore how artificial intelligence, later-life lending, and turnkey core platforms are reshaping the future of UK financial services with Gareth Richardson, Finova's CEO.
In this week’s episode of the Demystify Podcast, Dave and Dharmesh are joined by Gareth Richardson, CEO of Finova, for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the forces quietly transforming UK core
EP 152: Demystifying how Commody is fractionalising the collector car market with Vilius Oškeliūnas
In this week’s episode of the Demystify Podcast, Dave and Dharmesh sit down with Vilius Oškeliūnas, wealth manager and co-founder of Commody, for a fascinating discussion about the intersection of traditional finance, blockchain infrastructure, and petrolhead passion.
Vilius shares how Commody was born from a simple but powerful idea: connecting serious car collectors with enthusiasts who dream o
EP 151: Demystifying why AI is forcing a rethink of wealth management with Alpheya
Hosts Dave and Dharmesh are joined by Roger Rouhana, co-founder and CEO of Alpheya, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping wealth and trading infrastructure.
In this week’s episode of the Demystify Podcast, Dave and Dharmesh sit down with Roger Rouhana, co-founder and CEO of Alpheya, for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation about the transformation underway in wealth management
EP 150: DEMYSTIFYING AI-NATIVE CORE BANKING WITH SLAVO VOJACEK & RICKY MARCON OF OPENCOREOS
This week Dave sits down with Slavo Vojacek and Ricky Marcon, co-founders of OpenCoreOS, for a frank conversation about what “core banking” needs to become in an AI-native world.
Slavo (a distributed-systems engineer turned core-banking specialist) and Ricky (a product and business-builder with deep delivery experience) argue that the industry is at a new inflexion point: real-time payments, gro
EP 149: FROM BOARDROOM TO BREACH: DEMYSTIFYING CYBERSECURITY FOR LEADERS
In this episode, Dave and Dharm are joined by Alice Violet, founder of Alice Violet Creative and host of the Cyber Made Human podcast, for a wide-ranging and refreshingly human conversation about the current state of cybersecurity.
Based in the heart of the UK’s cybersecurity ecosystem in Cheltenham, Alice brings a unique perspective shaped by her journey from luxury travel marketing to senior ro
EP 148: DEMYSTIFYING HUSPY CURRENT STATE OF PLAY WITH ZIAD NASSAR
In this episode, Dave and Dharm welcome back Ziad Nassar, Deputy CEO of Huspy, one year after his first appearance on the show. And what a difference a year makes.
Ziad shares how Huspy has evolved from a UAE-based mortgage innovator into one of the fastest-scaling proptechs in EMEA, now active across the UAE and Spain with expansion under way in Saudi Arabia. Backed by a US $59 million Series B
EP 146: DEMYSTIFYING BANKING EVOLUTION BEYOND LEGACY FOUNDATIONS WITH BEN GOLDIN OF PLUMERY
In this episode, Dave and Dharm sit down with Ben Goldin, CEO and Founder of Plumery, to explore how digital banking needs to evolve beyond its legacy foundations.
With more than two decades in banking technology — including senior roles at Mambu and Backbase — Ben shares his deep insights into what’s broken in today’s digital banking architectures and how Plumery is reimagining them for a compos
EP 145: DEMYSTIFYING 30 YEARS OF HPS WITH CEO ABDESLAM ALAOUI
In this special 30th-anniversary episode, Dave is joined by Abdeslam Alaoui, co-founder and CEO of HPS, to reflect on three decades of transformation in payments and digital finance. He shares how HPS has evolved from a regional firm into a global powerhouse, quietly powering everyday transactions around the world—from mobile payments to digital loans—without most users even knowing.
The conversa
EP 144: DEMYSTIFYING MOODY'S GENAI STRATEGY WITH CRISTINA PIERETTI
In this episode, Dave and Dharm sit down with Cristina Pieretti, Head of Digital Content and Innovation at Moody’s, to explore how one of the world’s most data-driven organisations is reimagining itself through Generative AI.
Cristina reveals how Moody’s moved rapidly from early experiments to launching its first commercial GenAI product, the Moody’s Research Assistant, which became the company’s
EP 143: DEMYSTIFYING HOW AI NATIVE BUSINESSES WILL USE FACTS WITH NEAL MANN CEO OF NOAN
In this episode of the Dave and Dharm Demystify show, Dave Wallace sits down with Neal Mann, co-founder of Noan, a platform pioneering the creation of a “facts layer” for AI-native businesses. Neal draws on years of experience working with the C-suite at global corporations to reveal the hidden chaos behind most companies’ knowledge structures. He explains why AI often fails in business contexts a
EP 142: DEMYSTIFYING AI AND THE FUTURE OF ADVICE WITH HELENA WARDLE FOUNDER MONEY MEANS
In this episode of Dave and Dharm Demystify, the 2 D's sit down with Helena Wardle, a Chartered Financial Planner and founder of the fintech Money Means, to explore how technology is transforming financial advice.
Helena explains her motivation for building AIDA, an AI-powered digital advisor designed to make quality financial guidance accessible to people who traditionally couldn’t afford it. Sh
EP 141: DEMYSTIFYING THE STATE OF CRYPTO WITH STEPHANIE EMILE OF BINANCE
Dave and Dharmesh are joined by Stephanie Emile, General Manager of Binance FZE based out of the UAE, to demystify the evolving world of crypto, regulation, and adoption. Stephanie shares her journey of building Binance’s regulated home in Dubai, where the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has emerged as a pioneering, crypto-native regulator.
The conversation explores how the UAE’s forwa
EP 140: DEMYSTIFYING MCP SERVERS WITH DAVID JARVIS CEO OF GRIFFIN BANK
In this episode, the hosts welcome back David Jarvis, co-founder and CEO of Griffin, for his second appearance on the show. The discussion centres on the emerging concept of agentic banking and Griffin’s development of the MCP server. David explains how the MCP server enables AI models to interact with banking APIs using a configuration file, significantly enhancing automation and functionality.
EP 139: DEMYSTIFYING THE AI FUTURE... (PART 1) WITH CIARA CONWAY OF TESCO BANK
In this powerful episode of Dave and Dharm Demystify, technologist and financial services veteran Ciara Conway joins Dave and Dharmesh for a frank and wide-ranging conversation about demystifying the forces shaping our future. The trio take on some of the biggest questions of our time: What happens when innovation is driven by profit above all else? How will AI and automation reshape our world of
EP 138: DEMYSTIFYING HOW LLOYDS IS REIMAGINING PAYMENTS AND INNOVATION WITH THEA LOCH
In this episode, Dave and Dharmesh are joined by Thea Loch, Head of Digital Payments at Lloyds Banking Group, for an insightful discussion on the evolving landscape of digital payments and innovation within one of the UK’s largest banks. Thea offers a deep dive into Lloyds’ efforts to modernise its infrastructure, streamline legacy systems, and enhance customer experience while maintaining resilie
EP 137: DEMYSTIFYING WHY CUSTOMER RESEARCH IS CRITICAL TO PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WITH BRENO OLIVEIRA OF PAYABL
In this episode, recorded in Limassol, Cyprus at the Reflect Festival, Breno Oliveira, Head of Product at Payabl, shares insights from his presentation on the evolution of the checkout experience. He discusses how Payabl is helping merchants across Europe streamline and unify their payment solutions to meet rising consumer expectations.
Breno delves into the findings of a recent research study co
EP 136: DEMYSTIFYING THE ROLE OF BANKS NOW, WITH CHRISTIE H.KRISTENSEN OF DANSKE BANK
In this episode, the conversation centres on embedded finance and digital transformation with Christie Kristensen, Partnership Manager at Danske Bank. Christie shares her experience working across fintech and banking, and how Danske is evolving to meet the needs of corporate clients by embedding financial services directly into enterprise systems such as ERPs and treasury platforms.
The discussio
EP 135: DEMYSTIFYING THE ROLE OF AGENTIC IN BANKING WITH ROB DUNLAP OF ZAFIN
In his episode of the Dave and Dharm Demystify Show, host Dharm is joined by Rob Dunlap, Head of Product Innovation at Zafin, to discuss the evolving landscape of agentic AI and its applications in banking.
Rob had previously lead AI initiatives at IBM before joining Zafin making him a great subject matter expert for demystifying agentic banking.
The conversation delves into the definition and
EP 134: DEMYSTIFING AGENTIC AI WITH JIM ROWAN, US HEAD OF AI DELOITTE
In this episode of the Dave and Dharm Show, Jim Rowan, Head of AI at Deloitte US, provides a deep dive demystification into the evolving impact of AI across the enterprise landscape.
Jim shares insights from his role leading AI innovation and internal transformation at Deloitte, highlighting how organisations can leverage AI not only for operational efficiency but also for long-term strategic re
EP 133: DEMYSTIFYING THE LATEST TRENDS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WITH JOST HOPPERMANN AND DON FREE
In this episode, we delve into the complex and ongoing journey of digital transformation in banking with two leading voices in the field: Don Free, formerly a lead analyst at Gartner, and Jost Hoppermann, formerly a lead analyst at Forrester. Now operating as independent experts at Angry Rabbit, Don and Jost bring candid insights into how digital transformation is unfolding across banking tiers an
EP 132: DEMYSTIFYING THE USE OF AI IN SME BANKING WITH DAVID SOSNA FOUNDER OF SYMPERA.AI
Join hosts Dave and Dharmesh as they dive into an illuminating conversation with serial fintech entrepreneur David Sosna. David, known for founding groundbreaking fintech companies like Actimize and Personetics, shares his journey from pioneering data-driven solutions for fraud detection to enhancing customer financial management with insightful digital tools.
In this episode, David unveils his l
EP 131: DEMYSTIFYING TREASURY SERVICES WITH CARL SLABICKI OF BNY
This week, we are delighted to host Carl Slabicki, Executive Platform Owner for Treasury Services at BNY. Carl dives deep into the evolving world of treasury services, highlighting BNY's immense scale; moving over $3 trillion daily, and the vital role they play globally, supporting banks, corporates, fintechs, and government entities.
In this insightful discussion, Carl reveals how treasury servi
EP 130: DEMYSTIFYING THE FINTECH HUB OF LITHUANIA WITH GRETA RANONYTE
In this episode, Dharmesh sits down with Greta Ranonytė, Head of FinTech Hub LT, to explore what is driving Lithuania’s rise as a leading FinTech destination. Greta outlines the country’s key advantages, from seamless access to the EU market post-Brexit and progressive, FinTech friendly regulation, to a deep talent pool, especially in compliance and anti-money laundering.
They delve into the evo
EP 129: DEMYSTIFYING THE FINTECH STREAM OF INVEST LITHUANIA WITH AGNE KLIMAVICIENE
In this episode, Dharmesh speaks with Agnė Klimavičienė, who leads the FinTech stream at Invest Lithuania—a governmental agency under the Ministry of Economy and Innovation focused on attracting foreign investment.
Agnė outlines the strategic measures Lithuania has implemented to nurture its FinTech sector, including supportive regulation, targeted talent development, and financial incentives su
EP 128: DEMYSTIFYING QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY WITH QUSIDE'S STEVE TAKHAR
Dave and Dharm dive deep into the fascinating world of quantum technology with special guest Steve Takhar, Quside's Chief Revenue Officer.
Steve brings a wealth of experience from traditional IT infrastructure, and in this episode, he shares his journey into the quantum realm. He demystifys Quside’s mission—a company that has been pioneering quantum photonic chipsets since 2018. These cutting-edg
EP 127: DEMYSTIFYING THE CURRENT STATE OF AI WITH DR CHARLEYNE BIONDI OF MOODY'S
Welcome to another insightful episode of the Dave and Dharm Demystify podcast. In this week, Dave and Dharm take an in depth look into the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence with expert guest, Dr. Charleyne Biondi from Moody’s, who specialises in blockchain and AI developments.
Dr Biondi shares invaluable insights from Moody’s recent 2025 AI Outlook report, highlighting how AI is
EP 126: DEMYSTIFYING QUANTUM COMPUTING HARDWARE WITH YUVAL BOGER OF QuERA COMPUTERS
Welcome to another deep dive into the world of quantum computing! In this episode, Dave sits down with Yuval Boger, Chief Commercial Officer of QuEra Computing, to explore quantum technology's fundamentals, breakthroughs, and real-world applications.
Yuval demystifies the core principles of quantum computers—how qubits exist in multiple states simultaneously, unlocking computational advantages th
EP 125: BEYOND RESILIENCE WITH LEDA GLYPTIS
In this episode we are joined by the brilliant and always insightful Leda Glyptis. Leda is celebrating the launch of her latest book, Beyond Resilience, and we’re diving deep into the ideas behind it.
From the staggering failure rates of digital ventures to the patterns of success that go beyond sheer resilience, Leda shares her journey of researching and interviewing industry leaders to uncover
EP 124: DEMYSTIFYING NATWEST BOXED'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AA WITH ANDY ELLIS
In this episode, we demystify one of the biggest embedded finance deals in the UK! We sit down with Andy Ellis, CEO of NatWest Boxed, to explore its groundbreaking partnership with the AA, one of the country's most trusted brands.
This strategic collaboration is set to revolutionise how financial services are embedded within everyday journeys, making banking and insurance seamless for millions of
EP 123: DEMYSTIFYING CREDIT SCORING WITH TOM EYRE CO-CEO OF LOQBOX
In this episode, Dave and Dharm sit down with Tom Eyre, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Loqbox, a company on a mission to improve financial wellbeing through credit building and education.
Since launching in 2017, Loqbox has helped over 1,000,000 individuals build credit histories and financial resilience. Tom takes us behind the scenes, sharing the inspiration behind Loqbox—born from personal experienc
EP 122: DEMYSTIFYING VENTURE CAPITAL IN THE MENA REGION WITH KHALED TALHOUNI OF NUWA CAPITAL
In this episode, we welcome Khaled Talhouni, Managing Partner, Nuwa Capital, who shares insights into his 17-year journey as a venture capitalist focusing on emerging markets, particularly in the Middle East. Khalid discusses the establishment of Nuwa Capital in 2021, its $100 million early-stage fund, and its significant investment in FinTech, which accounts for 30% of their portfolio.
Khaled ex
EP 121: DEMYSTIFYING QUANTUM IN 2025 AND QUANTUM INDEX WITH STEVE SUAREZ
Welcome to the latest episode of the Dave and Dharm Demystified Podcast, where we dive deep into the world of innovation and emerging technologies.
Today, we’re thrilled to be joined by Steve Suarez, CEO of Horizon X and former Head of Innovation at HSBC, who is helping shape the future of quantum computing in financial services.
Steve brings unparalleled insight into the transformative power o
EP 120: DEMYSTIFYING BIAN WITH HANS TESSELAAR OF BIAN AND SAKET SINHA OF IBM
In this episode, Hans Tesselaar, Executive Director of Banking Industry Architecture Network (BIAN) and Saket Sinha, Sr. Partner & Global Vice President - Financial Services IBM, explain the role and impact of BIAN in the financial industry.
They introduce the organisation as a not-for-profit standards body to make the financial industry more agile and standardised.
They discuss IBM's collabor
EP 119: DEMYSTIFYING DORA WITH SIMON PHILLIPS (SECUREACK) AND ALEX TASIOULIS (CLOUDIFIED.IO)
In this episode, we demystify the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and explore why it matters for financial institutions.
Joining us are cybersecurity and cloud experts Simon Phillips (CTO, SecureAck) and Alex Tasioulis (Cloudified.io), who shed light on the regulation’s core requirements and practical implications.
Key insights from our discussion include:
> What DORA really entails
EP 118: DEMYSTIFYING THE EVOLUTION OF MONUMENT FROM BANK TO TECH LEADER WITH STEVE BRITAIN
In this episode, we revisit Monument Bank's journey and uncover a significant transformation.
Joined by Steve Britain, CEO of Monument Technology, we explore the split between Monument Bank and its new tech-focused sibling, Monument Technology.
Steve shares insights into how Monument Bank's cutting-edge, cloud-native platform, a system designed specifically for the cloud, powers the bank and a
EP 117: DEMYSTIFYING MASTERCARD'S QUANTUM STRATEGY WITH STEVE FLINTER
In this episode, Dave and Dharm sit down with Steve Flinter, Distinguished Engineer at Mastercard, to demystify the company's innovative work and perspectives on quantum computing.
Mastercard has been at the forefront of quantum exploration, investigating how this groundbreaking technology can tackle complex challenges more efficiently than classical computing. From optimising machine learning mo
EP 116a - DEMYSTIFYING PERSONALISATION IN BANKING WITH ED MASLAVECKAS CEO OF BUD
In this episode, Dave and Dharm interview Edward Maslaveckas, CEO and one of the founders of the fintech company Bud.
Ed discusses his background, the inception of Bud in 2015, and their initial failures and lessons learned while trying to build a financial product distribution platform akin to a 'money supermarket for millennials.'
He explains their challenges before open banking regulations,
EP 116b - DEMYSTIFYING AGENTIFICATION AND AI AGENTS IN BANKING WITH ED MASLAVECKAS CEO OF BUD
In this episode, we welcome back Ed Maslaveckas from Bud to demystify the intriguing topic of 'agentification.'
They delve into Bud's development and use of agentic models in the financial services sector, emphasising how these models differ from traditional AI agents.
Ed explains that while standard agents can perform specific tasks within their own ecosystem, agentic models can interact with
EP 115 - DEMYSTIFYING LEGACY MODERNISATION WITH IRENE SANDLER, CMO OF MECHANICAL ORCHARD
In this episode, we focus on one of the most significant challenges in technology for enterprises today: legacy modernisation. Joining us is Irene Sandler, Chief Marketing Officer of Mechanical Orchard. Irene demystifies Mechanical Orchard's approach to addressing the complexities of legacy systems using innovative approaches, including AI and socio-technical design. We also discuss how legacy sys
EP 114b - DEMYSTIFYING THE FUTURE OF FINANCE WITH RONIT GHOSE OF CITI
In this episode of Demystify, hosts Dave and Dharmesh explore the future of finance with special guest Ronit Ghose, who leads Citi's Future of Finance think tank. Broadcasting from Dubai's vibrant tech hub, Ronit shares his perspectives on the city’s meteoric rise as a global financial and tech powerhouse and reflects on how it contrasts with traditional hubs like London and New York.
Ronit disc
EP 114c - DEMYSTIFYING INVESTMENT PLATFORMS WITH NADINE MEZHER CMO AND COFOUNDER OF SARWA
In this episode, Nadine Mezher, co-founder of Sarwa, opens up about her mission to transform investing in the Middle East, making it within reach for everyone. From humble beginnings in Dubai to a thriving community of more than 180,000 registered users across the region, Nadine shares Sarwa’s journey of growth, resilience, and relentless innovation. We explore the heart of Sarwa’s offerings—robo-
EP 114d - DEMYSTIFYING VIRTUAL ASSET REGULATION WITH VINIT SHAH GM OF VARA
In this episode of Demystify, recorded in the heart of Dubai, Vinit Shah, a senior advisor to the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), takes us behind the scenes of Dubai's ambitious approach to virtual asset regulation. Shah, who has been shaping Dubai’s financial landscape since 2003, shares his journey in establishing VARA in early 2022, with the goal of creating a secure, progressive spa
EP 114a - DEMYSTIFYING DUBAI FUTURE LABS WITH ITS DIRECTOR KHALIFA AL QAMA
In this episode, the 2 D's delve into the transformative work of the Dubai Future Labs with its Executive Director, Mr Khalifa Al Qama. DFL is a place where cutting-edge AI, autonomous systems, and urban solutions are being crafted to shape tomorrow’s cities. We uncover the story behind breakthrough projects, like a ventilator developed during COVID-19, which exemplifies how the centre turns advan
EP 113 - DEMYSTIFYING LLOYDS NEW BRAND AND MOBILE APP WITH GEMMA DALEY AND SURESH BALAJI
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of customer-centric design with two influential leaders from Lloyds Banking Group. Joining Dave and Dharm are Gemma Daley, Consumer Experience Design Director, and Suresh Balaji, Chief Marketing Officer. Together, they explore Lloyds’ journey towards becoming an experience-led brand, sharing insights on the recent overhaul of their mobile app and brand
EP 112 - THE EVOLUTION OF OPEN BANKING IN THE UK WITH CHARLOTTE CROSSWELL OBE AND HENK VAN HULLE
In this episode, the 2 D's are joined by 2 special guests to discuss the evolution of open banking, specifically the role of data sharing in financial services.
Charlotte Crosswell, chair of the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT), and Henk Van Hulle, CEO of Open Banking Limited, explain how open banking enables access to data from multiple banks, creating richer profiles for co
EP 111b - DEMYSTIFYING QUANTUM COMPUTING AND Q DAY WITH SERGIO GAGO OF MOODY'S
In this episode of the "Dave and Dharm Demystify Show," Dave and Dharm reconnect with Sergio Gago from Moody's to explore the fascinating world of quantum computing and its implications for the financial industry.
Sergio, the MD of AI and Quantum Computing at Moody's, explains quantum computing's complexities and fundamental differences from classical computing. He delves into the concept of qub
EP 111a - DEMYSTIFYING THE BUSINESS USE CASES FOR AI WITH SERGIO GAGO OF MOODY'S
In this episode, Dave and Dharm sit down with Sergio Gago, MD of AI and Quantum Computing at Moody’s, to delve into AI's impact and inner workings in the financial industry.
Sergio provides a fascinating look into how the company utilises extensive data for risk assessment and informed decision-making.
Sergio discusses the evolution of data collection and the crucial role of curating and mainta
EP 110 : DEMYSTIFYING HOW TO USE GEN AI FOR CUSTOMER PROPOSITIONS WITH UDAY AKKARAJU OF BOND.AI
In this episode of the Dave and Dharm Demystify show, the 2 D's are joined by Uday Akkaraju, founder and CEO of Bond.ai.
Uday demystifies Bond.ai, an artificial intelligence firm dedicated to repairing the fractured relationship between consumers and financial institutions. He shares his unique background in human-centred design, cognitive psychology, and intelligent virtual agents, which eventu
EP 109: DEMYSTIFYING FINTECH IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA WITH SAID MURAD OF GLOBAL VENTURES
In this episode, Saeed Murad, Senior Partner at Global Ventures, joins Dave and Dharm to demystify the dynamic fintech ecosystem in the Middle East and Africa. With a current population of over 1.5 billion, expected to grow to 3-4 billion, and a significant youth demographic, the region is ripe for innovation and expansion.
Saeed discusses how the UAE and Saudi Arabia are rapidly becoming global
EP 108: DEMYSTIFYING HOW TO DISRUPT HOME BUYING WITH ZIAD NASSAR OF HUSPY
In this episode, Dave interviews Ziad Nassar, the Chief of Staff of Huspy, a Dubai-based real estate everything app. Ziad shares his journey and Huspy's evolution from a digitised mortgage broker to a comprehensive platform for home buying in Europe and the Middle East.
Huspy is looking to disrupt the home-buying process. The fact that 30% of all homes in Dubai touch the platform is a testament t
EP 107: DEMYSTIFYING THE EVOLUTION OF TRADING AND DATA CENTRES
In this episode, hosts Dave and Dharm are joined by John Bryant from Options Technology and Eleni Coldrey from Equinix to discuss the evolution of trading technology and data centres over the past 16 years.
John Bryant is the Field CTO at Options Technology, bringing 16 years of experience in improving IT solutions and trading platforms for financial services. Eleni Coldrey a business development
EP 106: DEMYSTIFYING CAREEM'S EVERYTHING APP, WITH ABHISHEK TRIPATHI, HEAD OF PRODUCT CAREEM PAY
In this episode of 'The Dave and Darm demystify show,' special guest Abhishek Tripathi, Head of Product at Careem Pay, discusses his role and Careem's evolution from a ride-sharing app to an 'everything app' offering over 15 services, including payments, food delivery, and more across 10 countries and 80 cities.
Abhishek explains Careem's efforts in solving payment challenges and its approach to
EP 105: DEMYSTIFYING INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS WITH EDDIE HARRISON, CPO OF NAVRO
In this episode, Eddie Harrison, CPO of Navro, discusses how Navro solves payment challenges for e-commerce platforms and online businesses.
Navro focuses on helping businesses collect money in countries where they lack banking relationships and simplifying global money transfers. They offer solutions for payment acceptance, international banking infrastructure, and payouts to suppliers.
We de
EP 104: DEMYSTIFYING DATA CENTRES WITH BRUCE OWEN MD OF EQUINIX UK
This episode is recorded in a data centre in Slough with Bruce Owen, UK MD of Equinix.
Bruce talks through his background and Equinix's role as a leading data centre provider. The discussion covers the essential function of data centres in housing critical IT infrastructure, their importance to national economies, and their connection to various digital services.
The conversation also delves int
EP 103: Customer-Centric Innovation in Finance with Anette Brolos and Erin Taylor
In this podcast episode, hosts Dave and Dharmesh welcome authors Anette Brolos and Erin Taylor to discuss their new book "Customer-Centric Innovation in Finance".
Erin, an anthropologist, and Anette, an economist, share their journey into studying financial behaviours and founding Finthropology, a company that combines finance and anthropology.
In discussing their book, they emphasise the impo
EP 102: The Startup, Dubai Fintech Summit Special with Roger Rouhana, Founder and CEO of Alpheya
Roger Rouhana, founder and CEO of Alpheya, talked to Dave and Dharm at the Dubai Fintech Summit.
Roger discusses Alpheya, a B2B wealth tech platform delivering AI-first solutions to institutional clients. Roger explains the need for digitalisation in the wealth management sector and the unique features of Alfea's cloud-native and AI-first platform.
Roger also discusses the challenges and oppor
EP 100: The Bank, Dubai Fintech Summit Special with Mohamed Abdel-Razek, Head of Tech Mashreq Bank
In the episode, Dave and Dharm speak with Mohamed Abdel Razek, Mashreq's Head of Technology, during the Dubai Fintech Summit.
Mohamed shares his tech background, which spanned various industries like telco, oil and gas, and fast-moving consumer goods before joining the financial sector. He discusses bringing insights from other industries into banking technology, focusing on digital transformati
EP 99: The Hub, Dubai Fintech Summit Special with Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub
The episode features a conversation with Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub and Fintech Hive, discussing the rapid growth of Dubai's FinTech ecosystem over the past seven years.
The focus is on creating a supportive environment for FinTech startups with initiatives like regulatory sandboxes, access to capital, co-working spaces, and talent development. The hub aims to be a global lea
EP 101: The Neobank, Dubai Fintech Special with Jayesh Patel, CEO of Wio Bank
In this episode, Jayesh Patel, the CEO of Wio Bank, shares insights on establishing a neobank in Dubai.
He discusses the vision behind Wio Bank, focusing on serving tomorrow's businesses and customers through improved banking apps, embedded finance, and banking as a service.
Wio's success lies in focusing on SMEs first, prioritising user experience over technology, and understanding the divers
Ep 98: BaaS in the USA with Arcady Lapiro of Agora
Arcady is a veteran, serial fintech entrepreneur!
Over twenty-four years ago, he was part of the founding and management of a challenger digital bank that grew to over $37bn in assets. The same group then launched the 1st generation of BaaS solutions, and with that, they grew to over $60bn in assets under custody.
Now, he is the founder and CEO of Agora, a third-generation banking platform at
EP 97: Banking Technology + with Riaz Syed, Founder and CEO of Infinant
Riaz Syed is an experienced professional who has worked in the banking technology industry for over 30 years. He has witnessed the market evolve and change during this time, and his incredible experience has led him to establish Infinant. By sitting on top of existing cores, Infinant's powerful Banking Technology + platform Interlace empowers banks to embrace the digital revolution in a way that w
EP 96: Ahoy There! Breaking the Mould in Banking Technology with Nelson and Matt from SaaScada
Nelson Wootton, Founder and CEO, and Matthew Breadon, CCO of SaaScada, join us to discuss how frustrations with broken promises and the speed and agility of the Core Banking providers were the driving forces behind setting up a company with a new product that offered a modern alternative. The product is cloud-based, plug-and-play, multi-tenanted, and named after Pirates!
EP 95: FINTECH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SAM EVERINGTON CEO OF ENGINE BY STARLING AND CARLTON HOPPER OF GFT
In this latest episode of the Demystify Podcast, Sam Everington, CEO of Engine by Starling and Carlton Hopper, UK Managing Director of GFT, discuss their partnership.
Sam outlines their strategy to scale by having partnerships like GFT implement their platform so that his team at Engine can focus on being the best banking platform company. He highlights that this not only accelerates their geogr
EP 94: NEXT GENERATION FINANCIAL SERVICES WITH CHARLIE PLATT OF SAP FIONEER
Charlie Platt is the Managing Director of Banking at SAP Fioneer. He talks about the history of the business and the advantages of it becoming a standalone business separate from SAP. He explains how the decision was made and the significant investment the company received. Charlie also discusses the continued strong partnership between SAP and Fioneer, with Fioneer utilising SAP's infrastructure
EP 93: MODELLING CLIMATE CHANGE RISK WITH LUKKY AHMED OF CLIMATE X
In this enlightening episode, we talk with Lukky Ahmed, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Climate X, a trailblazing firm at the vanguard of highlighting climate risk through technological innovation.
With a rich background in international banking and expertise in risk management, regulatory change, and consultancy, Lukky shares how his experiences perfectly positioned him to address the critic
EP 92: EMBRACING FINTECH AND THE GREEN AGENDA WITH THE VICE MINISTER OF FINANCE OF LITHUANIA
In this episode, we are very honoured to have Vaida Česnulevičiūtė Markevičienė, the Vice Minister for Finance for Lithuania, as our guest.
The Vice Minister tells about why Lithuania embraced the fintech opportunity and how it put a plan in place to ensure success. She discusses the importance of Government and Enterprise collaboration and how they have created a centre of excellence for fintec
EP 91: LETTSPAY AND GRIFFIN BANK WITH GARRETT FOXON AND ADAM MOULSON
The guests on this week's fascinating show are Adam Moulson, COO of Griffin Bank and Garrett Foxon, CEO of LettsPay. Lettspay provides client accounts for Landlords, which are underpinned by Griffin's banking licence.
While the Lettspay solution sounds relatively niche, it plays in a massive market with over 4.5 million landlords in the UK and over 15000 real estate agents.
Garrett talks about
EP 90: GRIFFIN, A BRAND NEW UK BANK, WITH DAVID JARVIS CO-FOUNDER AND CEO
David Jarvis is the CEO and co-founder of Griffin. Griffin is the UK's only full-stack Banking-as-a-service bank. It is a very young organisation, receiving its license in March 2023.
David talks to us about his background working in development infrastructure for companies such as Airbnb in California, how he moved into the fintech space, and then how he jumped to founding a bank in the UK.
D
EPISODE 89: SAUDI FINTECH WITH NAIF ABUSAIDA OF HAKBAH
In this episode, our guest is Naif AbuSaida, the CEO and founder of Hakbah, a Saudi Arabian fintech focused on group savings. Naif talks us through his fascinating background, from being a media personality to working in utilities before moving into banking.
Naif tells us about how it was whilst undergoing chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer that he re-assessed his life and decided he wanted t
EPISODE 88: BAAS BANKING WITH ANDY ELLIS OF NATWEST BOXED & NOAH SHARP OF VODENO
Dave and Dharm chat with Andy Ellis, CEO of NatWest Boxed, and Noah Sharp, CEO of Vodeno, about Banking As A Service.
Boxed is a new BaaS provider from the banking heavyweight NatWest and European BaaS provider Vodeno. Rather than develop its core banking BaaS solution, NatWest partnered with Vodeno.
In this episode, we learn why NatWest partnered rather than built or used its own platform. Andy
EPISODE 87: WHAT BANKING CAN LEARN FROM TELECOMS WITH HERVE MANCERON
Herve Manceron is the founder and CEO of Skaleet, a French SaaS-based core banking provider.
Herve started out in Telecoms, which many recognise as a vertical that is similar to banking. Herve clearly explains the similarities and what banking can still learn from an industry that has already gone through a technology transformation leveraging cloud technology.
During his time in Telecoms, he wa
EPISODE 86: EMBEDDED BANKING SUCCESS WITH CHRIS DEAN AND CHRIS TREMONT
Chris Tremont is Chief Digital Officer of Grasshopper Bank and Chris Dean is CEO of Treasury Prime, the embedded banking platform that Grasshopper uses.
EPISODE 85: CONVERSATIONAL INTERFACES IN FINANCIAL SERVICES WITH ZOR GORELOV OF KASISTO
Zor Gorelov is the founder and CEO of Kasisto the conversational AI company focused on Financial Services. Zor has a long history with conversational interfaces, having worked on them at Bell Labs over 30 years ago. He talks to us about his views on how and where to deploy these interfaces. We discuss the success of Kasisto and how it is now deployed in over 50 financial services companies of all
EPISODE 84: DEFI WITH U-ZYN CHUA OF CAKE GROUP
U-Zyn Chua is the CTO and co-founder of Cake Group, a company focused on simplifying decentralised finance (DeFi) for retail users. He has been deeply involved in the cryptocurrency sector since 2009, starting with Bitcoin. His entry into the crypto world was motivated by his interest in cybersecurity and cryptography.
In the early days, he actively participated in Bitcoin forums, earning some Bi
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