Close to 20 local and global experts have been locked-in to speak at New Zealand’s premier ‘fintech’ conference scheduled for November 3 in Auckland.
Binu Paul, Finnotec organiser, said delegates attending the conference, the second in a planned annual series, would also be eligible for 6.5 CPD points authorised by the Institute of Financial Advisers (IFA).
“It’s a sign that the NZ fintech sector is really coming of age,” Paul said. “We have a secured an excellent and diverse range of speakers from both here in NZ and offshore who can provide insight into the rapidly-developing fintech world.”
Latest confirmed Finnotec presenters include: Alexia Hilbertidou, GirlBoss NZ founder; Pavel Bains, CEO of Singapore-based blockchain developer Bluzelle; Sebastian Olivera, head of the Uruguayan fintech industry group; Andrew Corbett-Jones, adviser to the UK Department of International Trade; and, Lachlan Heussler, NZ managing director of online business lender, Spotcap.
“We’re really pleased to see some big names getting behind this initiative,” Paul said, with Spotcap and the Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) organisation recently joining as Finnotec sponsors.
Andrew Barnes, head of Perpetual Guardian, said Finnotec offered a “fantastic platform” for all fintech providers to showcase their propositions.
Barnes said the Finnotec concept was a “natural fit” for Perpetual Guardian subsidiary, Kōwhiri, which was a leader in the NZ online wills business.
“At Kōwhiri we want to lead the way in the creation of a strong New Zealand brand in the global fintech sector,” he said. “We know that technology plays a huge role in improving people’s lives, and makes essential products and services much more accessible and affordable.”
ATEED general manager attraction and investment, Dean Butchers, said the Auckland City Council agency had a “targeted” program to support the growth of fintech in NZ.
“Technological change will increasingly transform the customer-driven financial economy,” Butchers said. “The potential of digital technology to disrupt traditional financial services, the impact of mobile payment methods, and the use of data and analytics, and artificial intelligence, will all be hugely influential.”
He said ATEED was committed to helping the Auckland fintech sector grow both through supporting local firms and attracting global innovators.
If ATEED could tempt international firms to the city that would “fuel the growth of Auckland fintech companies by matching them to domestic and offshore capital investors,” Butchers said.
After bursting through the Auckland Hilton Hotel’s capacity last year’s inaugural conference, Finnotec has relocated in 2017 to the larger Langham Hotel.
Paul said while the change of venue would accommodate a larger crowd, Finnotec was expected to sell out ahead of time.