One Vision Podcast — Fintech, Banking, and AI with Theodora Lau

What does the future hold for a cashless economy? The day when all of us might have digital wallets with a selection of digital currencies might not be too far out to the future, according to Richard Turrin, author of new book “Cashless”, and an expert on China’s fintech developments and the digital currency revolution. In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with Richard about the cu...

Beyond developing renewable energy, how do we react to the social and economic challenges faced by humanity? Are we meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future — and the ability of subsequent generations to meet their own needs? What role does technology play and what are our collective responsibilities in promoting a broader spectrum of digital inclusion?  In this episod...

Over 1 billion people in the world today cannot prove their identity, and the challenge is not limited to the developing world. In the U.K. alone, 15% of the population do not have a passport or driver’s license. In contrast, Estonia, with a population of 1.3 million, leads the world with its national ID card system, where every citizen has an electronic identity and where all the records are tied...

In the age of accelerated digital and tech spending, how do we choose our innovation and investment priorities — at the same time, keeping up with competitive pressure and changing customer needs? Looking back in the year that was — knowing what we know now, what would we have done differently? How do we best meet our customers where they are?  In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley...

In 2020, U.S. VC firms deployed a vast amount of capital, but not only did the portion of funds to female founders drop, so did the funding to female-led startups. As the impact of the COVID-19 continues to be felt, closing the global gender gap has also increased by a generation from 99.5 years to 135.6 years, according to the World Economic Forum.  In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Br...

When the COVID-19 pandemic first arrived, it was a shock to all of us as something of this scale was simply without precedent. The world we knew stopped in its tracks.   When we finally get over the initial shock, those who are parents and caregivers are faced with the next set of questions. How can we best protect our loved ones with the new normal? What is the new work life balance, if...

Extreme weather conditions are occurring more often all around the world, from wildfires in the U.S. and Australia to severe flooding in parts of Africa and Asia. As a society, we are facing a global crisis: Over 1.2 billion people could be displaced from their homes by 2050 due to the effects of climate change. Urgent action is needed to combat the immense challenges we face. Recent pledges by bi...

While few would disagree that financial inclusion is an inequality in our modern day society that still needs to be resolved, and that improving economic prosperity of everyday people is an attainable goal that we should all aspire to - we might not always agree on the path to get there. If we have learned anything from the fintech boom, it’s that having access by itself isn’t enough. Perhaps part...

Can we turn conversations into actions? Can we put consumers in the heart of everything we design in this new digital era? With 1 billion people still lacking access to technology, how can we be more thoughtful in creating alternative solutions to achieve equal outcomes for those on the other side of the digital divide? While we might feel every day is like Groundhog day, as our guest reminds us,...

The global pandemic may be a wake up call to a new age, one where the value of our work and the leadership we can provide is reflected back to the improvement to the community to which we belong. One way we can succeed in building a very different future — one much more equitable — is to appreciate how interdependent we really are, how everything in our life is a series of connected systems, both...

What does the future of retail banking hold? Beyond the endless debates on cash and branches, what are some of the things that we would actually look forward to in the near future? Will AI finally transform one of the oldest and most important industries of modern civilization? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley caught up with an old friend Elias Ghanem, Global Head of Market Intellig...

How do you build something that delights customers? Conventional wisdom would say that we need to talk to the customers and better understand their needs. But let’s be honest. Beyond the endless surveys, when was the last time your bank actually talks to you, the customer? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley talk to Billie Simmons, co-founder of Daylight. To Billie’s point, LGBTQ...

Whether you are an incumbent or a fintech startup; a community bank or a credit union, our industry’s goals should ensure that there are better financial outcomes throughout the lives of every customer and every community — beyond those already privileged and already profitable. Tune in to this week’s One Vision episode, where Theo and Bradley chat with Ramsey Alwin, CEO of National Council on Agi...

Asia is home to more than half of the world’s population. It is also a hotbed for fintech innovation. From super apps and social ecommerce in China, cryptocurrency in Hong Kong, to digital identity and payments in India, there is never a dull moment. Despite the dizzying pace of development, the party is just getting started. In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Arun dive into the eclectic mix...

Is college education a ticket towards prosperity and job security — or a bottomless pit of student loan debt? If you live in the U.S., that is a $1.7 trillion dollar question.   Student loan debt impacts all financial aspects of a consumer; and the burden is amplified for first generation college students and people of color, who don’t typically have access to generational wealth. With w...

What does digital transformation really mean? Can banking truly be helpful? How can we be more thoughtful as we innovate, without leaving populations behind? For this week’s episode of One Vision, we move north across the border to Canada, where Bradley and Theo chat with Barb MacLean, Director, Application Development at Celero, on banking in Canada. Fun fact, do you know that ninety percent of C...

Despite everything that has happened globally in 2020, fintech - as an ecosystem - was quite active. Some would even say, productive. What is happening with the mysterious East, especially with the Republic of India, a country with over 1.3 billion people? Tune in to a fun conversation with Theo and Bradley, as they chat with Urvashi Prakash about local innovation, funding, big tech, and regulatio...

In an industry where the business model is largely detached from consumers’ financial well-being, what is our purpose and what are our principles? Can we govern ourselves to make good decisions? Can we truly prevent the abuse of power and maintain transparency? Can our industry act as a true global fiduciary, or must there always be a conflict of interest? As we look forward to the next decade and...

Talent is equally distributed. Opportunities are not. According to the latest Money Tree Report, startups in the top three states in the U.S. (California, Massachusetts, and New York) raised 74% of funding in 2020. This begs the question, how will entrepreneurs in other states get the necessary funding and support when the pie is not equal? How does the imbalance in turn impact local businesses an...

What makes someone influential? It’s not just about having an informed voice on a particular subject, or eye-popping social media metrics. It’s more about how you engage and create conversations, and how you develop and engage in a community that really matters most. Don’t miss this week’s episode of One Vision, where Theo and Bradley chat with global fintech influencer, Spiros Margaris, on lived...

We are all familiar with the systemic racism in our society and its long lasting generational impacts. In a recent report by Brookings, it was revealed that the "400 richest billionaires have more total wealth than ALL 10 million Black American households." To encourage a more diverse and inclusive community, we must create different pathways to technology. As the past nine months have demonstrate...

While there is no lack of challenger banks disrupting the digital banking space for consumers, what about the needs for marketplaces? Can we make sending, receiving, and storing money much simpler than it is today? Who would aspire to be the most boring company in fintech? For a fintech company that has just raised a $27 million round led by a16z, Moov is anything but boring. Tune in to our latest...

It will be hard to find one word or even one phrase to describe 2020. For many, it was a year of broken dreams and hardship. A global pandemic, coupled with a racial reckoning, leaving many of us feeling lost and exhausted. But within the moments of the bad and ugly, there were good. The experiences that we share have brought many of us closer together, and made us realize that we share much in co...

We all start getting older the minute we are born. Yet, somehow, magically, after a moment of arbitrary time, getting older ceases to be sexy. Worse, our society associates this with decline — and treats ageing as a disease needing to be cured. Is this negative attitude and bias towards age driven by our culture? In this day, how do we leverage technology to change our perception of ageing, and tr...

In an industry where fees play a large part in one’s business models, is it possible for banks to make money off of customer success rather than unfortunate circumstances? Where we are enabling access to financial products, how do we use data to help customers do so responsibly?  In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with Curt Queyrouze, President of TAB Bank, a passionate beli...