“Spotlight On…” is our regular executive briefing on innovation, business development and technology – bringing together senior perspectives from across the business landscape to share, inspire and collaborate.

Spotlight On... RegTech and Innovation

Mark Demo – Head of Industry and Strategy, AcadiaSoft https://www.acadiasoft.com
Elizabeth Sipiere – Head of Business Development, Legerity https://www.legerityfinancials.com
Michael Imeson – Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live (moderating) https://live.ft.com

00:05 Moderator’s welcome from Michael Imeson
00:30 Introduction to panellists
01:09 Introduction to the topic
03:09 Presentation from Elizabeth Sipiere, Head of Business Development, Legerity
11:28 Presentation from Mark Demo, Head of Industry and Strategy, AcadiaSoft
24:02 Elizabeth Sipiere – IFRS 17 was issued in May 2017 but won’t be effective until January 2022. Why should insurers be thinking about it now when it’s still 2.5 years away?
26:10 Elizabeth Sipiere – why are some firms not going down the RegTech route and sticking with traditional methods?
27:53 Mark Demo – How has the fact that the uncleared margin rules (UMR) are being phased in over four years – from Sept 2016 to Sept 2020 – affected the development of your platform?
32:25 Elizabeth Sipiere – In developing your accounting software for IFRS 17, how closely did you work with the IFRS Foundation and the IASB, which are responsible for the standards? Were they easy to work with?
34:41 Elizabeth Sipiere – What about the financial regulators – the FCA or PRA in the UK for example? Do they have to be involved?
35:22 Mark Demo – What has been the significance of ISDA’s development of SIMM – the Standard Initial Margin Model? And how widely is it now used?
38:36 Elizabeth Sipiere – Legerity’s IFRS SaaS is based on AWS’s cloud platform. What are the advantages of AWS over other cloud providers? What are the advantages of customers using the software on a cloud platform versus installing it on their own, on-premise servers?
41:54 Mark Demo – What other services does AcadiaSoft provide? And do you build them all in-house, or buy them in?
43:55 Elizabeth Sipiere – What would you like listeners to remember most about what you’ve said?
44:50 Mark Demo – What would you like listeners to remember most about what you’ve said?
47:07 Michael Imeson’s concluding remarks

Spotlight On… White Papers: The Do’s and Don’ts

Our four participants in this webinar consisted of an experienced moderator and industry experts:

Michael Imeson (Moderator) – Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live
A financial journalist, Michael specialises in writing, editing and conference chairing for Financial Time Live, publishing companies and banks, and owns an editorial services agency.

Mike Wilson – CEO and Founder, ditto and RegTech Forum
Mike founded ditto in 2008. An award-winning marketing, communication and business development practice. Founded in 2016, RegTech Forum is dedicated to the regulated community, its service providers and investors.

Charlie Corbett – Commercial Editor, Euromoney Magazine & Author of The Art of Plain Speaking.
Charlie has worked as a senior financial journalist and editor at the FT Group, Wall Street Journal, Euromoney and Morningstar.

Richard Cook – Director, Champion Communications
Richard Cook is the founder and managing director of Champion Communications, an award winning B2B PR company, dedicated to helping technology companies sell more through earned media.

00:04 Welcome and Introduction from Michael Imeson – Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live (Moderator)
00:31 Introducing the panel
01:42 An Introduction and background to White Papers
04.14 Format of the Webinar
04:36 Mike Wilson – CEO and Founder, ditto and RegTech Forum – Introduction and White Paper Insight
07:18 Charlie Corbett – Commercial Editor, Euromoney Magazine & Author of The Art of Plain Speaking – Introduction and White Paper Insight
10:00 Richard Cook – Director, Champion Communications – Introduction and White Paper Insight
11:30 What makes a White Paper useful from a publishers and readers perspective?
11:42 Richard – Answering what makes a White Paper useful. “Consequences of output”
12:32 Mike – Answering what makes a White Paper useful. “Offering an asset to start a conversation”
14:16 Charlie – Answering what makes a White Paper useful. “The so-what test”
16:15 The Do’s. How do you work with client to decide subject matter and write a content plan?
16:34 Mike – Answering subject matter choice and writing content plan. “Identify desired outcome”
18:08 Richard – Remarks on subject matter choice and content plan
19:28 Charlie – Remarks on subject matter choice and content plan. “It needs to be owned, it needs to have a single message”
21:30 Conclusions as a Call To Action
21:42 Mike – Remarks on collaborating within a White Paper
23:00 How prominent should the sales message be in a White Paper?
23:24 Richard – Remarks on sales message within White Papers
24:38 Charlie – Remarks on sales message within White Papers
26:04 Mike – Remarks on longevity of White Papers
26:30 Richard – Remarks on reception of audience and competitor engagement
27:00 Charlie – Remarks on specific aims and core messages
27:32 Mike – Answers – What are the important things you should NOT do?
29:59 Charlie – Answers – What should you NOT do?
30:26 Richard – Answers – What should you NOT do?
31:25 Richard – Remarks on length of White Papers
32:02 Mike – Remarks on turnaround time of White Papers
33:36 Charlie – Remarks on engagement of White Papers
35:23 Mike – Remarks on collateral assets of White Papers
37:48 Charlie – Remarks on raising attention of White Paper
38:09 Mike – Discusses the article ‘Top 5 reasons White Papers win business’
40:04 Charlie – Discusses his book “The art of plain speaking”
43:11 Richard – Answers – How would you go about writing a White Paper to be used by an Editor?
44:18 Charlie – Remarks on editor and journalist relationships
44:52 Mike – Remarks on the cost effectiveness of White Papers
46:04 Mike – Answers – How do you get to the end product and balance the relationship between writer and client?
47:52 Charlie – Answers – How do you charge for writing or publishing a White Paper?
50:00 Richard – Answers – How do you tackle client publicity doubts?
53:00 Charlie – Answers – What are the best and worst White Papers you’ve read?
53:50 Mike – Remarks on his best White Paper
55:12 Richard – Remarks on his best White Paper
56:35 Michael Imeson – Concluding questions.
56:48 Mike, Charlie and Richard – Final advice for White Papers
57:45 Michael Imeson – Round up and Thanks

Spotlight On... Transformation & Disruption

Panel:
– Alex Cardona – Co-Founder, https://www.codat.io/
Codat is focused on making financial integrations as simple as a click of a button. They build developer-friendly infrastructure that gives businesses the ability to create their own next-generation products.

– Garrett Cassidy – Co-Founder, https://www.trezeo.com/
Trezeo are helping provide financial certainty and stability to theex self-employed/gig-economy, through their income-smoothing business account and supporting mobile app.

– Gareth Mee – Co-Founder, https://www.disruptcx.com/
DisruptCX design and deliver transformational customer experiences in a natural, human-like manner. Treat your customers consistently across all channels with seamless contact centre integration.

– John Byrne – CEO, https://www.corlytics.com/
Corlytics’ RED is a free centralised feed of regulatory notices from global regulators. The app scans regulators  in near real-time and users can choose five global regulators to appear in their feed and receive push notifications or RED alerts on content related to those regulators.

– Michael Imeson – Senior Content Editor (Moderator) https://live.ft.com/
A financial journalist, Michael specialises in writing, editing and conference chairing for Financial Time Live, publishing companies and banks, and owns an editorial services agency.

00:03 – Welcome from Michael Imeson
00:30 – Introducing the Panel
01:35 – A few words on Transformation & Disruption
03:50 – Alex Cardona – Co-Founder, Codat – Introduction and Story
05:00 – Garrett Cassidy – Co-Founder, Trezeo – Introduction and Story
06:02 – Gareth Mee – Co-Founder, DisruptCX – Introduction and Story
06:37 – John Byrne – CEO, Corlytics – Introduction and Story
07:55 – What wider opportunities does technology offer the financial services sector? What other noteworthy projects, services or products – other than your own – stand out for you, ones that are truly transformational and disruptive?
16:35 – Garrett Cassidy explains what Trezeo mean by an “income smoothing service” for the self-employed and how it works.
20:14 – Gareth Mee discusses DisruptCX’s Natural Language solution. Voice recognition has been around for some time, what’s different about DisruptCX’s software?
23:49 – Alex Cardona gives a real-life example of one Codat’s APIs being used by a bank to integrate its systems with the systems of its SME customers.
26:25 – Corlytics is working with a uk bank to develop a solution that allows the bank to track updates to regulations in the FCA’s handbook. John Byrne explains how Corlytics came to work with the bank on this, and discusses the solution.
30:56 – What are the barriers or obstacles to innovative technology?
Audience Questions:
52:05 – What advice would you give to new fintech’s and start-ups working with large banks today? Any advice on how to cut through the red tape and barriers and get a sale?
56:09 – How do you convince customers to trust you?
57:20 – What is – or is going to be – the most disruptive technology-enhanced development of all in the retail finance sector?
59:05 – Thanks

Spotlight On... Personal and Career Development

With a panel including:

Andrea Dermody – Global Inclusion & Diversity Lead, State Street
Andrea is responsible for building and driving inclusion and diversity strategy for EMEA including developing innovative and industry leading development initiatives for diverse talent and leveraging employee networks as drivers of development.

Peter Matthies – Founder, Conscious Business Institute
Peter is a former software entrepreneur and venture capitalist. The Conscious Business Institute empowers organizations by helping evolve next generation leaders, creating collaborative teams, and realising inspiring, purpose-driven cultures.
Find out more about the Conscious Business Ambassador Program here: https://bit.ly/2MyT8Y9

Elise Finn – Founder, Elise Finn
Elise has over 20 years experience working with senior professionals who want to achieve their highest potential in Leadership, Marketing and Business.
Download Elise’s “9 best life hacks to get your health, your relationships and your finances back on track” here: https://bit.ly/2MxsNKd

Michael Imeson – Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live (Moderator)
A financial journalist, Michael specialises in writing, editing and conference chairing for Financial Time Live, publishing companies and banks, and owns an editorial services agency.

00:05 – Welcome from Michael Imeson – Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live (Moderator)
00:32 – Introducing the Panel
01:26 – A few words on Personal and Career Development
04:10 – Andrea Dermody – Global Inclusion & Diversity Lead, State Street – Introduction and Story
06:08 – Peter Matthies – Founder, Conscious Business Institute – Introduction and Story
08:08 – Elise Finn – Founder, Elise Finn – Introduction and Story
11:01 – How is Personal and Career Development different now from how individuals, and their employers, approached the matter 10, 20, 30 years ago?
17:43 – How successful has State Street been in the area of Personal and Career Development?
19:16 – Is the gender pay gap actually a seniority level pay gap?
20:05 – Andrea on the gender pay gap
21:13 – Peter on the gender pay gap
22:45 – Elise on the gender pay gap
24:21 – Peter – What is it about the Conscious Business Institute that sets you apart from other organisations?
26:51 – What makes Elise Finn stand out from other coaching organisations?
28:25 – Andrea – How do you ensure work/life balance doesn’t increase staff costs and damage productivity?
32:09 – Elise on Work/Life Balance
33:30 – Peter – How do you deal with hopeless cases?
36:23 – Elise – How do you point out to people their weaknesses?
37:34 – Andrea – How do you identify unconscious bias in somebody and how do you treat it?
39:26 – Elise – Do business leaders primarily serve others, or themselves? How do you coach your clients to get this balance right?
42:36 – Peter on business leaders getting the balance right between doing well for themselves, whilst also being fair to their workers
44:35 – Andrea on cultural differences – How does the approach differ from region to region?
47:19 – Elise – What sort of cultural differences do you notice with clients?
48:33 – Elise on Continuing Professional Development
49:49 – Peter on Continuing Professional Development
50:27 – Elise – Is there anything we’ve missed in this discussion?
51:49 – Peter – Do you ever coach people on the importance of work/life balance?
53:50 – Which firms or CEOs do you think are setting the high water mark that other firms should follow as examples?
57:01 – What would you say is the most important piece of advice listeners should heed when planning their personal and career development?
59:01 – Thanks

Spotlight On... Blockchain

Panel:
Michael Imeson, Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live (Moderator) – https://live.ft.com/
Andy Coyne, Co-founder & CEO, Cobalt DL – https://www.cobaltdl.com/
Gareth Mee, Managing Director, Invenica – https://www.invenica.com/
Oliver Kemmis, CTO & Director of Consultancy Services, comitFS – https://www.comitfs.com/
Richard Crook, CTO, Chorum
Patrick Curry OBE, Director, Sedicii – https://www.sedicii.com/

00:06 – Welcome from Michael Imeson
00:45 – Introducing the Panel
02:28 – A few words on Blockchain
04:29 – Andy Coyne, Co-founder & CEO, Cobalt DL – Introduction and Story
07:14 – Gareth Mee, Managing Director, Invenica – Introduction and Story
08:56 – Oliver Kemmis, CTO & Director of Consultancy Services, comitFS – Introduction and Story
10:19 – Richard Crook, CTO, Chorum – Introduction and Story
12:18 – Patrick Curry OBE, Director, Sedicii – Introduction and Story
17:50 – What wider opportunities does blockchain technology offer the financial services sector? What other noteworthy projects, services or products – other than your own – stand out for you?
34:38 – There are quite a few obstacles in the way of distributed ledger technology fulfilling its potential. What are those barriers, whether they be technical, operational, cultural, cost, regulatory or whatever?
40:35 – With respect to the commodity trading houses, has there been interest for adoption of shared ledger tech within this market sector?
42:04 – How would that work across many different CTA’s and FI’s, would one firm build an open source platform? Thanks.
44:55 – How comfortable would regulators be with the use of single identity on a Blockchain, given the dubious history of reliance and current jurisdictional restrictions on origin of data to be relied upon?
51:21 – Advanced legislation in Blockchain
52:59 – If there’s one thing you’ve said during this webinar that you’d like participants to remember, what is it?
57:35 – Thanks

Spotlight On... InsurTech

Panel:
– Michael Imeson, Senior Content Editor, Financial Times Live (Moderator) – https://live.ft.com/
– Dietmar Kottmann, Insurance Partner EMEA, Oliver Wyman and driving force behind the InsurTech Radar – https://www.oliverwyman.com/index.html
– Elizabeth Marvan, Co-founder & CEO, Rhisco – https://rhisco.com/
– Harry Franks, Founder & CCO, Zego – https://www.zego.com/
– Jeremy Wood, Founder & CEO, Legerity – https://www.legerityfinancials.com/
– Rudi Damhuis, Director of Risk Analytics and Asset Modeling, Legal & General – https://www.legalandgeneral.com/

Chapters:
00:05 – Welcome from Michael Imeson
00:51 – Introducing the Panel
03:34 – A few words on InsurTech
06:15 – Dietmar Kottmann, Insurance Partner EMEA at Oliver Wyman – Introduction and Story
07:37 – Elizabeth Marvan, Co-founder & CEO at Rhisco – Introduction and Story
09:43 – Harry Franks, Founder & CCO at Zego – Introduction and Story
11:04 – Jeremy Wood, Founder & CEO at Legerity – Introduction and Story
13:12 – Rudi Damhuis, Director of Risk Analytics and Asset Modeling at Legal & General – Introduction and Story
14:55 – Why is InsurTech so important to the insurance sector as a whole, not just to your own company? What wider opportunities does it bring?
29:58 – What are those barriers, and how can they be overcome?
42:09 – Question from the audience – “I disagree with Elizabeth: regulation is not the key reason to enter the InsurTech arena. This may be true for reactive companies, but more proactive companies with full-fledged ERM programmes are way ahead of regulation. Comments?”
43:14 – Question to Rudi on Risk Management
47:30 – Question for Dietmar on investment going into Insurance Technology
50:24 – Guest Panelist – Gerard de Vere of InsurTech Ireland
53:34 – If there’s one thing you’ve said during this webinar that you’d like participants to remember, what is it?
56:09 – Thanks