Rhetoriq

Many companies use social channels to push their campaigns. But to be truly successful and effective requires more than broadcasting. It requires an engaged online community and a thoughtful content strategy. Above all, it needs enthusiastic team members - since they are the true voice of your brand. Relationships still matter, and this is especially true for conversations carried out on digital platforms.In this new episode of One Voice, as Theo and Bradley chat with Danielle Guzman, Global Head of Media & Content at Mercer, a thought leader, and an influential voice on social media known for her authenticity. Tune in for an inspirational discussion on using technology to enable human conversations. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For the first time ever, there are now more people on Earth over the age of 65 than there are under the age of five, a result of increased longevity coupled with declining birth rates. In the U.S. alone, 20 percent of American adults will be 65 and older by 2030. How prepared is society to cater to the financial needs of the fastest growing demographic? In this episode of One Voice, Bradley and Theo chat with Liz Loewy, co-founder and COO of EverSafe, a fintech company that monitors the financial health of older adults and families for fraud, identity theft, and age-related issues. While much of the technology innovation tends to focus on younger generations, Liz made the case that there is a big opportunity in safeguarding the assets and financial well-being of those who are older. After all, technology should be age-agnostic too. And we can’t agree more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today we launch the first episode of our rebranded podcast 'One Vision'. One Vision is the convergence of views and dreams of the global innovation community that yearns for a sustainable future. A future that looks greener and truly egalitarian.We live in times where everything we do needs to be thought through in terms of their implications on the planet we call our home. We live in times where the world is truly global, yet there is a lot of work to be done to ensure equal opportunities for all. We live in times where innovation can speed up the process of getting to a sustainable future for all of us, and for the planet. One Vision is a forum that will discuss all these aspects and explore opportunities for us to do better for the sake of humanity.We will bring to you stories across the world that align with our thesis, our dream and our views on an inclusive world and a future. In today's episode, Theo, Brad and Arun discuss their vision for this podcast and how it aligns with their ambitions. See acast.

As we rolled out the previous episode discussing what we think lies ahead on Fintech landscape, we saw several ask from people on what they would like to see as well. So, Theo kickstarted a Twitter crowdsourcing attempt to get a Fintech wishlist. We then spent sometime discussing that on this week's podcast.We start with Diversity as that was the biggest ask from Twitteratis. For instance, despite efforts across the ecosystem, we still see a massive difference in funding for women led startups. This is something we should see addressed soon.The other key ask was sustainable finance. We had highlighted this as a key area that would start seeing more and more focus in the last episode. Since then we have seen some big news with Mastercard investing into Doconomy and other climate conscious efforts from Fintechs.Fintech education was one key ask from the crowd. Theo and Brad feel there is a strong case for a proper course, where as Arun felt that with the quality of online content on Fintech, we only need Fintec

As 2020 approaches, what would you see in the world of financial services? How will China’s influence play out in Asia and beyond? What is the next evolution of challenger banks and super apps and will fintech finally move beyond payments? Can big societal challenges such as sustainability and the climate crisis finally make meaningful strides in how and where we invest? In this episode, Arun, Theo, and Bradley make their own predictions on what may make 2020 eventful – or not. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A constantly evolving connected environment, coupled with consumer demand for all things digital, is leading to unprecedented cybersecurity challenges. While consumers are becoming more comfortable banking and shopping online, investments in maintaining security and preventing data theft and breaches often lag behind. Data breaches continue to make the headlines in North America, with an estimated 60 million Americans being affected by identity theft. The U.S. also suffers from a higher attack rate overall, compared to Canada and the U.K. How do we balance data privacy and security – with convenience and a frictionless customer experience? In this new episode of “The Other 50”, Theo and Brad chat with security expert Alissa Knight on her most recent project that has uncovered security challenges with 30 banks. In this API economy, security must not be an afterthought. Incumbents and startups alike must take the necessarily steps to safeguard consumers’ data and assets – and to provide the necessary mecha

Thanksgiving is fast approaching in the U.S. As we gather along with fintech friends and families and reflect on the year that was, what are some notable moments?In this episode of Rhetoriq, Arun, Brad, and Theo reflected on an eventful year, from mega industry deals to partnerships between unlikely bedfellows; from industry leaders in the East, to laggers in the West. While we continue to see funding pouring in, especially for fintech challengers that claim to be revolutionizing the financial services industry, are we truly achieving inclusion? Is a great user journey just a lipstick on a pig?How do we define purpose, and build sustainable business models to better serve local communities and those forgotten demographics in our society? We also touch upon the biggest risk to businesses, societies and to the next few generations - climate risk, albeit only in brief.Tune in for this week’s brand new episode – The FinTech Thanksgiving. And thank you – for being part of our ecosystem. See acast.com/privacy

2019 has been a busy year for emerging technologies, especially for artificial intelligence (AI). From healthcare to financial services; from digital surveillance to education, new use cases have come and gone – along with news headlines on the dangers and opportunities of such power.Slowly – but surely though, AI is beginning to transform financial institutions’ relationship with their customers, as well as their relationship with money. From mobile banking, customer service, and beyond, incumbents and startups have been deploying various tools that serve to provide a more seamless customer experience. Combined with advanced data analytics, financial institutions can now empower consumers to “self-drive” their finances towards a desired goal, instead of merely providing insights based on historical transaction data (e.g. how much did I spend on Starbucks last month.) No wonder many in the business consider AI to be a must-have in order to remain relevant and competitive.Join Theo in this week’s new episode o

Description for this week's episode: 2019 has been a whirlwind year for payments. Multiple mega deals were made and unlikely alliances between strange bedfellows have been forged. While we are still busy with plastics in the U.S., and finally enjoying the convenience of contactless payments, China has leapfrogged the world with their e-wallets ecosystem. All across Asia, big technology giants, such as Alibaba and Tencent in China, Grab and Go Jek in Southeast Asia, and Line in Japan and Korean, super apps play an increasingly dominant role in consumers’ lives beyond payments to other banking services. Will we see the West copying the trend from the East? Join Theo and Brad in this week’s new episode of “The Other 50”, where they talked with Stephanie foster about global payment trends, digital adoption, and social responsibilities. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Digital only banks have been gaining popularity in recent years, especially in developing economies that previously lack formal financial services infrastructure. Apps such as M-Pesa (in Kenya), Alipay and Tencent pay (in China), and Nubank (in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico) provide their consumers with a convenient and cost effective means of banking via mobile phones. Even fintech startups that previously offered investment services only are rushing to add banking to their portfolio. Despite the popularity, however, one crucial question remains: How sustainable are their business models? Most of these startups have yet to turn a profit and are largely dependent on massive venture capital. In this week’s “The Other 50” podcast, Theo and Brad chat with Tanya Andreasyan, MD and Editor-in-Chief of FinTech Futures, where they talked about the state of challenger banks and fintech funding, and what the future holds. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nothing like a natural disaster to bring us back to reality. Food, shelter, water … power and clean air - the basic modern day necessities that we need to survive. Things that we take for granted. When it comes down to it though, it is the human connection - the communities that we live in and the bonds that we forge, that matters. For most of us who look at new technology products day in and day out, it is easy to become jaded and forget about our roots. Banking is not about creating the next new shiny gadget; nor is it simply about lending more money faster and easier. It is ultimately about serving people and closing the gaps in our society. In this new episode of “The Other 50”, Theo and Brad chat with Mary about her passion in banking and fintech, reflecting on the realities of modern day consumer finances, and the need for financial services industry to go back to our roots and do more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is there a growing fallacy around financial inclusion? Are we simply creating a new form of imperialism by taking financial services applications built in countries like the U.K. and attempting to export them to markets like Brazil, Uganda, India, and China? How inclusive is financial services if we are not considerate of differing economic conditions and the intricacies of daily life? Can we truly meet global financial needs, or is the industry too focused on digital technologies rather than the reality of the human condition? We must create a new hope. In this week’s podcast episode of The Other 50, Theodora Lau and Bradley Leimer have an engaging and free-ranging talk with Nina Mohanty on personal social responsibility, consumer debt, open banking, FinTech, financial services business model innovation, and financial education and how it impacts us individually. Learn about Nina’s passion about FinTech’s ability to drive broader financial inclusion and financial literacy, and her views on women's empow

What is the future of financial services? By channeling the spirit of Schrödinger's cat, we must properly debate our industry’s purpose, we must showcase every issue and provide proper context. Is the industry losing sight of who we serve and our impact on society as we pursue profit? Have we lost something in the nuance between High Street and Wall Street and that of Main Street and real conversations happening around kitchen tables? Sometimes it takes the mind of an economist to find that middle ground. In the inaugural interview of our Other 50 podcast, we make sure we get a little uncomfortable, in order to spark change and take off the blinders of blissful ignorance.Theodora Lau and Bradley Leimer talk with Ghela Boskovich, Head of Fintech & Regtech Partnerships at Rainmaking Innovation, and Founder, Global Ambassador of FemTechGlobal. Prepare to be informed, entertained, and challenged by one of the leading voices in global fintech and regtech.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and o

Gender inequality is more than statistics or sensational headlines. It not only impacts women, but also their families, businesses, and society as a whole. When you uplift women, you inject more voices, ideas, and perspectives, in what we do and how we do things. As diverse as our customers are, how do we expect to understand their needs if we ourselves are homogenous?How would we bring innovative ideas to modern day banking when we ignore the talents (and the needs) of half of our demographics? ‘The Other 50’ is a new Rhetoriq series – featuring amazing women in fintech and finance. We want to look beyond gender – and inspire our listeners with their work and their life stories. Each of us is unique – and we all have a role to play. Together – all genders – we can create a better and more inclusive society for all. Let’s give voice to those who aren’t always heard. Let’s invite more people to the dinner table. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

All around us, examples of artificial intelligence and algorithms are not hard to find. Our homes and smartphones are equipped with personal assistants such as Alexa and Siri, listening in to our conversations and learning our habits. Our consumption of all things digital, from music to news and merchandise, are increasingly being analyzed and shaped by algorithms. Some schools have even begun experimenting with personalized learning systems.From warehouses to call centers, such emerging technology is helping us become more efficient. But have we stopped for a moment and wonder, what do we want technology to do for us in the future? What kind of world do we aspire to – as a human race? Are recommendation engines creating unintended siloes, making our society more polarized?  In this episode of Judge Me By My Cover, Theodora Lau and Bradley Leimer talk about “The New Dark Age”, a book by James Bridle on the dark side of technology. Just as every technology advancement can be used for good or evi

Everyone should have equal access to the building blocks of prosperity. We must strive to create more opportunities for people to truly thrive, to create an environment without economically induced fears or setbacks. Simply being included in the formal banking system will never be enough. Being fully embraced by the full arsenal of services provided by the financial system is what is required.But gaining that access is uneven at best, and geared toward the very wealthy at worst. Think back to when you were born, and more specifically where you were born. On our planet, there are seven and a half billion people. Everybody has a different journey, a different choose your own adventure if you will, yet one whose starting point no one gets to choose.This is why we must strive to make banking better. In this episode Bradley Leimer talks with Kosta Peric, Deputy Director, Financial Services for the Poor at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation about his background at SWIFT and Innotribe, and the Gates Foundation’s&

Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem is one of the fastest growing in the world with over 3000 startups. It has a diverse mix of sectors, from fintech and ecommerce to advertising, software, and B2B, as well as a diverse mix of entrepreneurs, with 45 percent of them identifying as female and 35 percent of founders from overseas.The Greater Bay Area initiative, with the goal of developing an ecosystem to rival that in San Francisco and New York, is also significant. With 70 million people between the regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, that combined population is more than the whole of the UK and twice that of Canada, and accounts for 12 percent of China’s GDP.In today's episode of Red Envelope, Theodora Lau talks to Karena Belin, CEO and Co-Founder of WHub. They talk about the hot trends in HK innovation ecosystem. HK has had several key headline grabbing updates off late (pun intended). The Faster Payments System (FPS) launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) marks a significant milestone in paym

Japan is known as the most ultra-aged society globally, where one in four Japanese citizens are 65 or older. This fact, combined with healthy lifestyles and one of the world’s longest life expectancies, means that Japan must rapidly address longevity-related challenges alongside providing some unique lessons for our global society. In this episode of Red Envelope, Theodora Lau and Bradley Leimer bring you thoughts from the FINSUM event in Japan. The conference covered a variety of topics from the future of payments, fintech innovation, and the evolving world of financial services covering more specifically the impact of big technology firms, artificial intelligence and ethics, the role of data, and much more.Theo and Brad discuss the opportunities for Fintech in Japan - where ageing is a critical social factor. Japan is the only country in the world with a national public holiday called Respect for the Aged Day, or Keiro no Hi — to honor the country’s aging citizens. Japan’s public and private sectors e

When apple announced their iPad, there was a discussion on how different it was from a laptop. It was indeed differentiated, and one major research identified that, accessing a large screen device at a simple press of a button is a major difference.This episode of Rhetoriq is slightly different, where Theodora Lau and Bradley Leimer talk about the apple card. The launch of the Apple Card has caused quite a stir – amongst the Apple loyalists and naysayers alike. The loyalists marvel at the ease of activation and digital issuance. The naysayers criticize it as not being “revolutionary” – that there is nothing new nor extraordinary about it. Some mocked Apple for even coming up with a card at all – seemingly forgetting that not merchant has the ability to accept Apple Pay.  However, the user experience is now controlled by the handset operating system, i.e., Apple and Android, enabling new suites of applications and industries from digital health to personal financial management tools; from on-demand s

Can regulatory policies make or break an innovation ecosystem? And how equipped are the research capabilities of regulators in large economies, to make some of those policies? Fintech has been a field where regulators have had a major effect on growth and maturity of innovative business models.In this episode of Red envelope, Nidhi Prabhu from Mumbai, joins Arun Krishnakumar and Theodora Lau. Nidhi started her career in the academia, moved into India's Central Bank (RBI), and then into Medici's research. In a career that spans across academia, policy making, research and Fintech innovation, she has seen policies make or break business models in India.Fintech startups have matured from novelty to niche and moved toward becoming considerable contenders by entering the mainstream in every major market around the world. Emerging markets, like China and India, have led the way as companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, and Paytm are flourishing.Various initiatives have been undertaken by the government and regulators