Six influential experts in financial services IT

Why do some financial services companies seem to deliver great customer service, grab all the media attention and, frankly, make all the money while others frustrate and flounder?

Could the difference be the way they use technology in the workplace? There’s no right way to do IT in the finance sector, but the rise of the ‘fintech’ sector has changed people’s understanding of what’s possible.  Here’s a selection of our favourite thought leaders:

Gary Turner

@garyturner
Sector: Accountancy
Has worked for: Xero

Under Gary Turner’s reign as co-founder and UK Managing Director, accountancy software company Xero have increased their revenue from £50,000 to a projected £20M this year. He writes for the Xero blog, where he advises on everything from gaining a global reach through technology to being a tech savvy entrepreneur.

Gemma Godfrey

@GCGodfrey
Sector: Investment strategy
Has worked for: Brooks Macdonald, Credo Capital

You’re likely to recognise Gemma Godfrey. A business commentator for BBC, CNBC, Sky and the financial times, she’s now putting her efforts into her new online financial service, Moo.La. Having been a head of investment strategy at a two top asset management companies, a speaker, a columnist, oh and a quantum physics graduate, she’s a voice worth listening to.

Chris Skinner

@Chris_Skinner
Sector: Financial services analyst
Has published: thefinanser.com, The Digital Bank

Chris Skinner is one of the biggest voices in the financial tech discussion. For good reason, too: He’s the founder and chair of the Financial Services Club and a bestselling author on digital banking. His blog is a great read, and he knows a lot about the history of finance on the web.

Paolo Cuomo

@pgc_at_work
Sector: Insurance
Has worked for: Beazley, Charles Taylor

Paolo Cuomo established the data warehouse behind Beazley, the big shot specialist insurance company and drove them towards a digital transformation. His blog is a great source of inspiration when it comes to using emerging tech in the insurance sector.

Eileen Burbridge

@Eileentso
Sector: Venture capital
Has worked for: Skype, Yahoo, HM Treasury, Passion Capital

Earning her stripes in Silicon Valley, Eileen Burbridge is currently the financial technology envoy for the HM treasury and a member of the prime minister’s business advisory group. Needless to say she’s a big deal, and has a lot of faith in London’s influence in the financial tech world, having founded the one of the leading  venture capital firms in Europe.

Chris Gledhill

@cgledhill
Sector: Mobile consumer finance
Has worked for: Tata Consultancy, Secco

Beginning as a web developer and data specialist for a variety of companies including Barclays and Shell, Chris Gledhill is now the founder and CEO of Secco Bank. His knowledge and experience as a consultant for financial technology services has given him a good vision of the future in consumer finance.

The time is now

These six gurus of finance technology have a lot to teach us about the ways we can use IT in financial services to improve workplace productivity, customer engagement and ultimately great business results. Encouragingly, the UK seems the place to be when it comes to digital advances and success in financial services, and as our experts have proven, is a great environment for financial services to flourish.