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

How can we bring tech and finance together to create a better world, one that would be around for the next century and centuries thereafter?  Our most vulnerable populations are increasingly facing impossible choices with rising inequalities and worsening impact of climate change. There is no time to waste: We must make sure that our actions can help to create opportunities for those who don’...

If you give a kid one $100 bill, what would they do with it? How do you teach a kid the discipline of saving especially when it is so easy to spend and consume? And where (and whom) can they turn to, to even learn the basics of money management and investing? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Stephanie Foster chat with Mac Gardner, Founder & CEO of FinLit Tech, two-time author of Th...

It is often said, digital technologies are driving transformative change in our society. But at what cost? As consumers, do we truly understand how information is being collected and used, and the associated risks and implications? Can we truly trust companies enough to just ‘click and ignore’? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Barb Maclean chat with Hessie Jones, Venture Partner at MATR Ven...

If you have seven minutes to showcase a fintech idea, what would you say? In a world full of unicorns, or even decacorns, the next best thing might just be at your fingertip, waiting to be discovered. In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Mary Wisniewski chat with Jim Bruene, the Godfather of FinTech and Founder of Finovate, reminiscing the good old days of what once was, and looking at what has...

Remember the song by Pattie Page, “How much is that doggie in the window?” If the virtual worlds continue to proliferate, are we going to ask, “How much is that doggie in the metaverse?” In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Arun chat about the evolution from Web2 to Web3, the promise of decentralized tech in a creator-led world, and the challenges that we still need to overcome. In a world...

Much has been written about the Great Resignation where people have left their jobs in search of more meaningful work and personal fulfillment. We are at a critical juncture in history; how we work, where we work, and when we work, are all being redefined. What might work look like when the dust is settled and how can we help to reshape the culture? In this episode of One Vision, Theo, along with...

One step forward, two steps back. Despite increasing awareness and promises from corporations, metrics such as the gender pay gap and funding for female founders have barely budged. How then, can we truly move the needle for workplace gender equality in financial services and beyond? In this episode of One Vision, Theo chats with Nadia Edwards-Dashti , co-founder of the Harrington Starr Group, on...

Artificial intelligence is embedded in almost every aspect of our lives, from financial services to healthcare, retail, and beyond, and will play an increasingly important role in everything we do and what we create. But we have merely scratched the surface of what the technology can deliver; ample opportunities exist for us to build solutions that can work together with humans and help us make be...

A significant amount of money has been invested in FinTech in the past decade; according to CFTE, the FinTech sector is now equivalent to 38% of the banking sector in terms of market capitalization. If FinTech was considered a city, it would rank 3rd as an employer in financial services, after New York and London. In a world where we are playing buzzword bingo on a seemingly daily basis, how do we...

How can we create an environment where innovation thrives? In a world where we are constantly distracted by dazzling new technology, it is easy to get caught up with cool toys and forget what we are trying to do. In this episode of One Vision, Theo chats with Dave Cunningham, Chief Commercial Officer at LexTego on lessons learned around bringing innovators, creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders tog...

As the saying goes, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” — have you ever wondered what stops people in their tracks, and how we can overcome obstacles in our lives? As it turns out, you can use the power of the mind to rewire your brain and achieve the extraordinary.  In this episode of One Vision, Theo chats with Frederique Murphy, author of “Lead Beyond the Edge: The bold path to extraordinary r...

How well are women and communities of color being represented in financial services? And how many brilliant ideas don’t get the opportunities they deserve because we are not listening to all the voices? Many people assume that we have a pipeline problem, that there are no women or prominent female leaders in financial services. But that cannot be further from the truth. We don’t have a pipeline pr...

What makes a community? And what comes to mind when you see the word, community? A common bond, perhaps — around our mutual love for technology, and a conviction to bring inclusive finance to more in our society. Or perhaps a love of music, craft beer, and human connection. In this episode of One Vision, Theo chats with Lisa Moyle, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder VC Innovations / Fintech Tal...

There is no lack of Buy Now, Pay Later news in fintech, with hundreds of BNPL startups around the world vying for a piece of the pie. The trend has also attracted the attention of established giants, from Citi, J.P. Morgan Chase, and American Express, to Apple, PayPal, and Amazon, all competing for customers who want the ability to spread payments over time. Even the B2B space is catching on, with...

From opening a bank account and rebuilding credit, to finding employment and securing housing, the challenges that millions of justice-involved individuals and their families face are immense. How then do you design for a community of 20 million people who are trying to get back on their feet? If not now, then when? In this episode of One Vision, Theo chat with Yassi Hadjibashi and Keith Armstrong...

What role do cloud solutions play within today’s financial services industry? How has the infrastructure and partnership ecosystem evolved to support the needs of the global market? In order to compete in today’s fast changing world, how can fintechs of all sizes best embrace and accelerate innovation? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with Briana Frank and Chris Rosen from IBM...

When we talk about innovation, oftentimes we think about those in technology. But innovation goes beyond artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum computing. Beyond the bits and bytes, it is also about changing mindsets and thinking critically and differently. It is about being comfortable with the uncomfortable. It is about allowing ourselves the time and opportunity to learn to be clumsy an...

By now, you have probably heard of influencer marketing. But what exactly does that entail in the B2B context? And what are the success factors and pitfalls that brands need to be aware of? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with Tim Williams, CEO of Onalytica, on how different organizations are engaging with influential experts and employee advocates from content creation and so...

In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with Alessandro Hatami, Managing Partner of Pacemakers, and co-author of Reinventing Banking , on bank innovation and the past, present, and future of financial services. In a world where everything is connected and innovation is everywhere, it is time to rethink the role we play in society. The most promising transformational model for the bank...

Digitization doesn’t mean putting old wine into new bottles. Beyond simply digitizing products and reducing friction, to succeed in the outcome economies, fintechs must learn to build trust through transparency and engagement, and unlock hidden value in banking. In this episode of One Vision, Theo chats with Paolo Sironi about his new book, Banks and FinTech on Platform Economies, lessons learned...

If 2020 was the “New Normal”, what was 2021? What have we learned from the uncertainty and challenges from all aspects of our lives, and how will the financial services industry fare in this new year? Will we finally move out of the pilot villas and make banking better, not just for businesses and consumers, but for the bankers themselves? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with...

As we bid farewell to 2021, how would you remember the year that was the “new normal” or the “great resignation”? For some, this may have been a record year with funding and innovation. For some others, this may be a year for reflection and recalibration. Or perhaps changes and uncertainty are simply part of the new reality we are in. Regardless of where you are geographically and what role you pl...

This episode is sponsored by PayPal. Learn more about PayPal Pay Later at paypal.com/trust .  Consumer behavior has changed quite dramatically since the pandemic, with increased adoption of digital wallets, touch-free payments, and ecommerce solutions. The platform economy, along with innovation that seeks to enhance customer experience across mobile, digital, and physical channels, has...

Canada fintech funding soars to a record $2.2B in 2021 YTD, according to CB Insights. With 90 percent of the market being dominated by six big banks, however, one would imagine the dynamics between incumbents and fintechs would play out a bit differently than what we may find in other markets. In this new episode of One Vision, Theo and Bradley chat with Sue Britton, Co-CEO of FGS, on the open ban...

How do we move beyond the low hanging fruit and create something that brings about real change? How can we entice more incumbents to join the chorus of younger fintechs and insurtechs to tackle climate change, a challenge that extends beyond borders and across generations? In this episode of One Vision, Theo and Arun chat with the masterminds of WhiteSight, Afshan Dadan and Sanjeev Kumar, on green...