FinTech Forward 2020 celebrates the digital future

Financial technology leaders will convene on June 2 at FinTech Forward 2020, a virtual summit hosted by Board Studios Inc. Designed to showcase the future of financial technologies, the event will feature fireside chats with app developers, device manufacturers, cybersecurity experts, payment processors and financial service specialists, according to Konstantinos Papakonstantinou, CEO at Board Studios, a full-service video content marketing company.

Board Studios, which produces a variety of virtual industry events for B2B clients, decided to expand its FinTech Edge video podcast series into a virtual summit. Launched in March 2020, the series highlights fintech innovation. FinTech Forward takes a deeper dive into fintech’s future through a diversity of viewpoints from industry thought leaders, event organizers stated.

When Papakonstantinou asked her to participate, The Green Sheet's Dale Laszig immediately agreed. “My company, Board Studios, is working closely with fintech companies,” he said. “And it was only natural to join forces with Dale Laszig, senior staff writer at The Green Sheet. Together, we shared the vision to democratize fintech stories, connect the ecosystem and foster closer relationships. On the show, we ask senior execs to share their successes and what got them there—and we actively facilitate connections.”

“I’ve enjoyed taking part in FinTech Forward interviews,” Laszig said. “They’ve provided opportunities to reconnect with people I’ve interviewed and meet new innovators in our space.”

Multiple discussions, trends

Papakonstantinou pointed out that the primary objective of FinTech Forward is to get senior fintech execs to open up and share their journeys, struggles and visions for the future. Their insights are relevant to the entire ecosystem, strategic partners, investors and clients, he stated.

“We haven't incorporated much ‘live’ networking during the Summit, but we'll be talking to speakers and attendees, and if there's enough demand, we'll host live Zoom shows with workout groups and facilitate a speed-dating type of networking event so participants can meet as many partners and colleagues as efficiently possible,” Papakonstantinou said. He noted that signing up for the free event, even if they can’t attend, will provide registrants with access to replays and follow-up speed-dating networking opportunities.

Papakonstantinou thanked the fintech community for its great response and support and affirmed that Board Studios will continue to work with fintechs around the world, helping to amplify their message during these challenging times. Board Studios will leverage its expertise in storytelling, interviewing and public speaking to help fintech startups look their best and tell a compelling story, he stated.

Agenda highlights

Papakonstantinou noted that while the overarching theme of FinTech Forward is “What does the future of fintech look like and who's getting us there?” the show touches on multiple trends, underscoring the tremendous innovation occurring in every nook and cranny of fintech, Papakonstantinou stated. Additional agenda highlights include the following:

• Why mobile-first solutions are the future of commerce: Jeremy Nicholds, CEO, Judopay

• The benefits of unattended commerce: serving communities and frontline workers: Paresh Patel, CEO, PayRange

• Crushing financial crime with predictive AI: Mark Gazit, CEO, ThetaRay

• Digital empowerment for SMBs: turning your POS into a competitive advantage: RJ Horsley, president, SpotOn

• How paytech can help SMEs in a post-COVID world: Ray Brash, CEO, PPS

• Fraud prevention is broken. ... Have you thought about the downsides? Jimmy Fong, chief commercial officer, SEON

• Why open ecosystems are the future of digital payments: Andrey Tikhonov, CEO, Advanced Mobile Payment

• Six key trends shaping the evolution of payments: Mark Bunney, director, go-to-market-strategy; Brad Giles, senior vice president, marketing and sales enablement, Ingenico Group

• Creating a winning online payment strategy for your e-store: Mike Camerling, CEO, AEVI

• Leveraging the six D’s of exponential technologies: Deborah Reuben, CEO, TomorrowZone

• What does the future of mobile payments look like? John Cragg, CEO, MYHSM; David Poole, global head of mobile solutions, MYPINPAD

• Powering the IoT with high-speed connectivity: Chris Baird, CEO, OptConnect

• Solving cashflow challenges with automated AR: Garima Shah, president, Biller Genie

• Has paytech focused too much on the consumer at the expense of merchants? Suneera Madhani, founder and CEO, Fattmerchant

• What banks need to borrow from big tech’s playbook: Vaduvur Bharghavan, CEO, Ondot Systems

• Balancing security and convenience in digitized financial services: Sameer Hajarnis, eSignature practice leader, OneSpan

• E-payments challenge: working together to improve global payments: Michaël Petiot, head of alliances and partnerships, Worldline

Board Studios will host its next FinTech Edge event later this year, Papakonstantinou stated. “FinTech FAST Forward” will feature fintech startups from around the world. He added that Board Studios video content marketing strategists will help participants create compelling five-minute pitches and share them with an eclectic group of investors and strategic partners.

New to better normal

Laszig observed that COVID-19’s impact on the payments ecosystem was a recurrent theme at FinTech Forward 2020. Interviewees frequently referenced the pandemic’s accelerating effect on digitization; many expect digital and mobile adoption rates to continue to soar in a post-COVID world, she noted.

Jeremy Nicholds, CEO at Judopay, agreed that consumers, businesses and brands may never return to previous levels of physical intimacy. This makes it imperative for fintechs to support new, safe and enjoyable ways to move money—ways that reflect global sentiment about physical interaction, he stated.

“Now is the time we need to rise to the challenge of ensuring this capability is available to those who need it, and those who need to be able to deploy new technologies quickly,” Nicholds said. “New normal could mean a better normal if we get this right.”

To register for the conference, which includes post-event content and networking opportunities, visit summit.thefintechedge.com/ .

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