Dave and Dharm DeMystify

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 conversat...

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...

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...

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. She...

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 forwar...

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. T...

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...

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...

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 con...

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 discussion...

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 imp...

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 rein...

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...

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 la...

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 servic...

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 evolv...

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 such...

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 no...

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-edge...

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 tha...

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 w...

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...

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 experience...

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 exp...

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 of q...