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Fintech Connect: Share. Network. Grow.
Fintech Connect: Share. Network. Grow is a webinar and virtual networking event brought to you by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission and the Canadian Trade Commission. This event is part of NZTE’s Expo Business Leverage Programme, which aims to help maximise the global opportunities offered by Expo 2020 Dubai for New Zealand exporters.
The event will kick off with a webinar featuring local and international speakers in the fintech industry and will be followed by a 30-minute speed networking session that will give you an opportunity to connect with fellow delegates in quick 3-minute rotating meetings.
The virtual meeting hub will remain open for the following three business days, allowing you to continue networking and schedule follow-up 1:1 meetings.
Confirmed speakers:
- Leigh Flounders, Middle East Technology Advisor, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (event MC)
- Kostia Shinderman, Investor + Impact Advisor + Entrepreneur in Residence
- Carmen Vicelich, Founder & CEO, Valocity Global and Board Member, Fintech NZ
- Micah Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Grabba Technologies
- Rebecca Schot-Guppy, Chief Executive Officer, Fintech Australia
- Faisal Huda, Director Digital Services, PwC
- Amir Yazdanpanah, Managing Director, MEA, Flybits
- Gabrielle Inzirillo, Head of Market Development, Financial Technology & Innovation, Financial Services Regulatory Authority, Abu Dhabi Global Market
- Mercedes Vela Monserrate, Associate Director – Sustainable Finance, ADGM Authority, OAbu Dhabi Global Market
Who should attend?
New Zealand companies in fintech or related industries that are interested in understanding more about and connecting with peers from Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
Why attend?
Australia is establishing itself as a respected player in the fintech industry and was ranked 6th globally in the 2021 Global Fintech Rankings. Their “early adopter” and “can do” attitude, combined with a supportive regulatory environment means they are well placed to take advantage of the fintech revolution.
Canada is seeing significant growth in the tech sector and is now home to approximately 700 fintech companies. Within the Canadian fintech ecosystem, three verticals are particularly well-positioned for growth given current market trends. These include RegTech, WealthTech, and personal financial management (PFM) tools.
In New Zealand, the ease of doing business combined with investment in infrastructure and a simple regulatory system, have provided the ideal conditions for tech innovation. This has helped our tech sector to flourish and fintech is now the fastest growing tech sector, representing over 25% of the overall sector’s revenue growth, with a 5-year CAGR of 31%.
Fintech has undergone rapid growth in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), making the country the largest fintech hub in the MENA region. The sector has flourished due to the visionary initiatives of financial free zones, supportive government policies and a young, tech-savvy population that is eager to adopt the latest fintech innovations. It provides an ideal ecosystem for fintech companies to flourish, including accelerator programmes and collaborations with global names like Microsoft and Visa. The UAE has climbed 6 places to be ranked number 28 in the 2021 Global Fintech country rankings.