The FStech Podcast

On 11 March, Revolut was granted a full UK banking licence after a four-year process. Revolut's cofounder and chief executive, Nik Storonsky, described the decision as the culmination of "a long-term strategic priority".


In the short term, the bank has said nothing will change for customers. This raises a key question: if Revolut could already offer lending without a full UK licence, why go through the long and complex process of becoming a fully regulated bank?


In this FStech podcast senior reporter Isaac Hanson speaks with Christoph Stegmeier, a senior partner in consultancy Simon-Kucher's global banking practice, to explore what the licence can tell us about Revolut's strategic priorities, and how the bank might change as a result.

As Global Capability Centres reshape the financial services landscape, one question stands out: how do leading banks balance in-house innovation with strategic partnerships to drive real transformation?


In this compelling FStech video podcast, Bouke Hoving, Global CIO Wholesale Banking, ING and Sudip Lahiri, Executive Vice President and Head - Europe & UKI, Financial Services, HCLTech reveal how they're co-creating value through a hybrid model that goes far beyond traditional partnerships.


Discover how ING is modernising its wholesale banking platform whilst maintaining customer centricity at its core. Learn why strategic partners are now seen as true collaborators, not just service providers, and how shared ownership drives innovation at scale.


From AI and automation to talent strategy and core modernisation, this conversation explores the practical realities of digital transformation - including how organisations are evolving from GCC 1.0 cost centres to GCC 3.0 innovation hubs.


Whether you're navigating cloud migration, platform standardisation, or building future-ready teams, this episode offers actionable insights on creating partnerships that deliver lasting impact.


Listen now to understand how collaboration, not competition, is shaping the future of banking.

Early-stage FinTech is entering a new era. Macroeconomic headwinds, rising consumer expectations, and tighter capital markets are reshaping how innovation is funded and how success is defined. For founders and investors alike, navigating this landscape requires a sharper focus on fundamentals, smarter capital deployment, and a deeper understanding of where real opportunity lies.


In this FStech podcast senior reporter Silvia Iacovcich speaks with Thomas Cuvelier, partner at early-stage venture capital firm RTP Global to explore how the firm is investing its $1 billion early-stage fund to back the next wave of FinTech startups.


The venture capital specialist will examine where the firm is placing its bets, how it's thinking about risk, and what it looks for in founders in today's cautious funding environment.

How are leading financial institutions turning regulatory demands into strategic advantage? In this FStech podcast, sponsored by BMC Software, we explore how DataOps and AI are reshaping operational resilience across the sector.


Drawing on the new report, "Shaping the future: The strategic role of DataOps and emerging technologies in enhancing operational resilience for modern financial services, " our discussion explores why a third of firms now place DataOps at the centre of their resilience strategy, and how barriers such as poor data quality, limited automation, and cultural resistance are being overcome.


Listeners will discover practical steps for building a data-driven culture, overcoming implementation challenges, and using automation to transform compliance into a true and lasting competitive edge.

Trust has always been the cornerstone of banking, but in today's AI-driven landscape, how do financial institutions balance personalisation with privacy whilst maintaining customer confidence? In the second episode of FStech's three-part video podcast series sponsored by HCLTech, Sudip Lahiri, Executive Vice President & Head of Financial Services for Europe & UKI at HCLTech examines the critical relationship between data trust, transparency, and responsible AI implementation in financial services.


Sudip joins FStech to explore how banks can transform data trust from a compliance requirement into a strategic competitive advantage. As customers become increasingly informed and cautious about their personal information, institutions must navigate the delicate balance between leveraging data for enhanced services and maintaining the highest standards of privacy protection.


Moving beyond theoretical frameworks, we delve into practical governance structures that enable responsible AI deployment. From establishing centralised AI governance offices to implementing explainable AI systems that demystify decision-making processes, discover how leading financial institutions are building transparent, accountable AI capabilities that strengthen rather than compromise customer relationships.