Fintech Chatter: Conversations with Fintech Leaders

Hosted by Dexter Cousins | Founder, Tier One People

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Episodes

375

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

370+ episodes. 40+ countries. The podcast fintech leaders actually listen to. Fintech Chatter is where founders, executives, and investors behind the world's most ambitious fintech companies share their journey. We cover topics like raising capital, scaling internationally, hiring leadership teams, and the challenges of building with emerging technologies across payments, crypto, AI, wealth, insurance. If it's in Fintech we've got you covered. Hosted by Dexter Cousins, founder of Tier One People, Australia's dedicated executive search firm for fintech and and the Digital Economy. With 200+ executive hires across the sector and a decade of running his own business, Dexter brings an operator's lens to every conversation. New episodes biweekly. If you're building, investing, or leading a fintech company - this is your podcast. Follow Dexter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/ Follow Tier One People: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tier-one-people

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 10, 2026Episode 37341 min

Exclusive! Constantinople and MOVE Bank Migration

If you're building an executive team to scale your Fintech, start at tieronepeople.com Move Bank has become the first bank in the world to move its entire operation, technology, product, operations and compliance, onto Constantinople's platform. In this episode Dexter Cousins is joined by Move Bank CEO Mike Currie and Constantinople co-CEOs Macgregor Duncan and Di Challenor. They unpack an 18 month migration of around 25,000 members that cut cost to income by roughly 30 percent. It is a story about culture and courage as much as technology, and what it means for every customer owned bank in Australia. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:36 Inside Move Bank and how the partnership began 2:48 A banking operating system 4:55 Busting the CEO killer myth 8:26 Fintechs reputation problem 10:26 Why a domestic team mattered 13:12 Challenger culture - Building a true partnership 17:00 Go live - A world first transformation 21:03 Synthetic scale and the problem with mergers 24:35 Going global 31:02 The next decade of AI 31:49 Advice for bank CEOs 39:39 Where to find Move Bank Find out more. Move Bank: https://www.movebank.com.au Constantinople: https://www.cxnpl.com ** Connect With Dexter ** https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/ Follow us LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/fintech-chatter-podcast Contact us - https://tieronepeople.com/contact/ Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

July 26, 2026Episode 37234 min

Sam Everington and Mark Bernhardi: How Starling's Tech Now Runs Other Banks

If you're building a fintech leadership team, start at tieronepeople.com - executive search for Fintech. Sam Everington joined Starling Bank ten years ago as one of its first twenty employees. He led the build of the technology that has made Starling a Fintech giant - 4.5 million customers and a 9% share of UK business banking. Mark Bernhardi leads Engine's growth across Australia and New Zealand, having previously held technology roles at Atlassian, nCino and Westpac. Both join Dexter Cousins on a special episode of Fintech Chatter Podcast recorded at the World Credit Union Conference in Sydney July 2026. Engine is the software business Starling spun out four years ago to license its platform to other banks. Sam and Mark explain how Engine gets banks like AMP live on a full core banking platform in under twelve months. They also discuss the opportunity for mutuals and credit unions to compete with much bigger banks and offer their customers the Starling Bank experience using technology platforms like Engine. Sam Everington LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sameverington Mark Bernhardi LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/mark-bernhardi Engine by Starling: https://enginebystarling.com Tier One People: https://tieronepeople.com Dexter Cousins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

July 17, 2026Episode 37145 min

Peter Jones - Nimo Industries: Breaking into Mutual Banks

Looking to take your leadership team to the next level? Start at tieronepeople.com Peter Jones co-founded Nimo Industries with Leann Jones after living the core banking problem himself as a mutual bank CEO. Ten years ago he decided solve the problem for himself. Today, Nimo is a platform serving over 20 Australian banks and lenders, entirely bootstrapped. In this episode of Fintech Chatter Dexter asks Peter how his mutual sector background shaped the product. Peter shares his journey bootstrapping a bank grade technology platform through APRA-grade compliance. And shares real examples of how mutual banks are growing nationally on the Nimo platform. About Peter Jones Peter Jones is co-founder and COO of Nimo Industries, the Melbourne fintech building loan origination and core banking technology for Australian mutual banks, credit unions and non-bank lenders. Before starting Nimo in 2016, he spent close to two decades in banking, including as CEO of Plenty Credit Union and in roles at ANZ, NAB and ME Bank. What we discuss Why living the “CEO killer” problem of fragmented core banking as a mutual bank CEO shaped how Nimo builds its platform How Nimo has stayed 100% self-funded for close to a decade Why Nimo dropped the word “startup” for “scale up” internally, and how that shift changed hiring standards How South West Slopes Credit Union used Nimo to drive its open banking and CDR strategy How one mutual bank client went live on Nimo's platform in five to six weeks and a regional bank hit 30% growth and landed national exposure Why critical thinking, not competency-based interviewing, is now Nimo's deciding hiring factor Why Nimo is opening the door to outside investment after a decade of bootstrapping Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:32 Understanding Nimo's Banking Solutions 05:45 The Journey of Building Nimo Industries 12:48 Addressing Regulatory and Technology challenges in Mutual Banks 18:45 Building Trust with Mutual Banks 21:51 Talent Acquisition Strategies in a Competitive Market 29:07 Navigating Growth and Recruitment Challenges 32:25 Lessons Learned from a Decade of Business 34:38 The Importance of Resilience and Adaptability 36:36 Cultural Fit in Scaling Teams 38:08 The Role of Mindset in Organizational Success 43:53 Navigating Change and Embracing AI 47:45 Opportunities for Nimo Links & resources Peter Jones LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjonesaust/ Nimo Industries website: https://nimoindustries.com/ Nimo Industries LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nimoindustries/ Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

July 13, 2026Episode 37038 min

Andy Taylor - Stakk: The Ten Year Overnight Success.

If you're scaling a fintech leadership team, start at tieronepeople.com Andy Taylor is the founder and CEO of ASX-listed Stakk Limited (ASX: SKK), an embedded trust and fraud prevention platform used by Chime, Robinhood, T-Mobile and H&R Block. In this episode Andy breaks down Stakk's proposed US$63 million acquisition of document intelligence firm ParaScript, and how the deal turns a decade of building into an AI-powered fraud detection engine. I ask Andy about Stakk's pivot from consumer neobanking under the Douugh brand into B2B infrastructure. He shares where the business is headed next as it expands into healthcare. Before Stakk, Andy co-founded SocietyOne, Australia's first peer-to-peer lending platform, and later founded Douugh, an AI-first neobank that listed on the ASX pre-revenue. He has spent close to two decades building fintech businesses in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Find out more - https://stakk.tech/ Chapters 00:00 Welcome to FinTech Chatter 01:16 Introduction to Stakk and Andy Taylor 03:44 The Journey of Stakk: From Douugh to Success 10:54 Reflections on Society One and Early FinTech Days 17:17 Navigating Challenges in the Current FinTech Landscape 23:15 Consumer Behavior Shifts and Market Dynamics 25:55 Future Expectations for Stakk 34:55 Advice for Founders Facing Adversity Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

June 29, 2026Episode 36946 min

Steve Hind | Lorikeet: The $50m AI Startup Every VC Wanted In.

If you're looking for AI Native leaders - start at www.tieronepeople.com Steve Hind is the co-founder and CEO of Lorikeet, an Australian AI startup that has raised more than $50 million USD to build AI concierges for high-regulation businesses in fintech, healthcare and energy. Lorikeet's customers include Airwallex, Linktree and Eucalyptus, the telehealth company recently acquired by Hims & Hers in a deal worth up to $1.15 billion. Before founding Lorikeet with former Google Brain researcher Jamie Hall, Steve worked in product roles at Stripe and climate tech company Watershed, following an earlier career at BCG and Bridgewater Associates and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He first connected with Dexter in 2019 while working in Silicon Valley. Here's what they discuss in this episode: 00:00 Introduction 01:32 Understanding Lorikeet and Its AI Concierge Solutions 05:54 The Origin of Lorikeet and Its Founding Story 09:50 Navigating the AI Landscape and Company Growth 12:49 Regulatory Challenges in FinTech and AI Compliance 15:12 The Role of AI in Compliance and Customer Relationships 20:03 Steve's Career Journey and Lessons Learned 23:51 The Art of Startup Hiring 28:34 Navigating AI's Impact on Work 33:36 The Future of Work and Leadership 39:05 Optimism in the Age of AI 41:57 Advice for Aspiring Founders Find out more about careers - https://www.lorikeetcx.ai/careers Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

June 16, 2026Episode 36842 min

Clayton Howes - MoneyMe: The leadership shift every founder must make to scale

If you're scaling a fintech leadership team, start at tieronepeople.com Clayton Howes is the CEO of MONEYME (ASX: MME), an Australian non-bank lender that has originated over $5 billion in consumer credit and now manages a $1.9 billion loan book across personal loans, credit cards, and car finance. In this episode, Clayton walks through the full 13-year journey: bootstrapping from a desk-sized office, listing on the ASX in December 2019, acquiring SocietyOne during the Ukraine invasion, and engineering the Horizon technology platform that now powers everything. 0:00 Introduction 1:34 What MONEYME does and 13 years of milestones 3:37 From corporate to founder 5:32 Why consumer finance over any other vertical 9:53 Why consumer fintech is the hardest category 11:25 The ASX listing decision 14:38 The SocietyOne acquisition 19:53 The Horizon technology platform 23:00 Leadership evolution from player to coach 28:37 Staying close to the front line 32:28 Why the office is always full 36:18 Product innovation and the path forward 42:10 Careers at MONEYME Links Clayton Howes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytonhowes/ MONEYME Website: https://www.moneyme.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** Hire exceptional Fintech Talent ** https://tieronepeople.com/ ** Connect With Dexter ** https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/ Follow us LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/fintech-chatter-podcast Contact us - https://tieronepeople.com/contact/ Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

May 31, 2026Episode 36744 min

$480 - $4.7bn Australia's OG Peer to Peer Lender: Michelle Bagnall - Bank First

Looking to upscale your fintech leadership team? Start at tieronepeople.com Michelle Bagnall is the CEO of BankFirst, a mutual bank with 92,000 members and $4.7 billion in assets that exists to serve nurses and teachers in Australia. In this episode she tells Dexter the origin story of a bank that started with $480 in a shoebox, explains why nobody at BankFirst gets paid a bonus, and makes the case that mutuals were the original fintech startups. 00:00 Introduction 03:08 The Origins of Bank First and Peer-to-Peer Lending 05:30 Understanding Mutual Banks and Their Model 10:54 Competing with Big Banks and Neo Banks 14:24 Leadership and Culture at Bank First 21:15 Finding Passion and Purpose in Banking 31:04 Bank First's Role in Supporting Members During Economic Challenges 36:00 The Complexity of Financial Solutions and Collaboration 40:47 Opportunities at Bank First Links Michelle Bagnall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-bagnall/ BankFirst: https://www.bankfirst.com.au Tier One People: https://www.tieronepeople.com Dexter Cousins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/ Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

May 25, 2026Episode 36639 min

Why AI Will Rewire the Entire Finance Sector. Jamie Twiss - Beforepay Group

Fintech Chatter is presented by www.tieronepeople.com - executive search for Fintech. In this episode Dexter chats to Jamie Twiss CEO of Beforepay Group (ASX: B4P) and Carrington Labs. Jamie joined Beforepay pre-IPO, turning them from a startup into a profitable ASX-listed fintech writing 40,000 small loans a week with a 99% repayment rate. Jamie and Dexter discuss why Beforepay is on a mission to disrupt the payday lending sector, and provide a fairer system based on advanced credit risk models. They also discuss the other business of Beforepay Group, Carrington Labs. Jamie explains their expansion into North America, supporting US lenders with the Beforepay credit risk platform, and why he believes AI will fundamentally rewire financial services. 01:00 Introduction to BeforePay Group 02:50 Understanding Consumer Lending and Risk Management 06:13 The Role of BeforePay in Economic Challenges 09:03 Product Evolution: From Pay Advances to Personal Loans 12:10 Carrington Labs: Expanding into the US Market 14:54 Journey into FinTech: From Big Banks to Startups 17:58 Navigating Market Changes Post-IPO 21:12 The Importance of a Diverse Educational Background 23:50 Company Culture and Leadership Values 26:59 The Future of AI in Lending 30:09 Looking Ahead: What’s Next for BeforePay Group Find out more - https://www.beforepay.com.au/ Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

May 10, 2026Episode 36737 min

Fred Schebesta: 20 Years of Finder, Beating ASIC, and Why Stablecoins Already Won

Fred Schebesta co-founded Finder in 2006, grew it to five markets over 20 years, won a landmark Federal Court case against ASIC over the Finder Earn product, and is CEO of Finder Ventures. In this episode of Fintech Chatter we cover where Finder Rewards is going, why stablecoins have quietly won the crypto race, what actually makes an employee irreplaceable in the AI age, and what Australia’s regulatory environment is costing the innovation economy. What we discuss How Finder built from Google search arbitrage in 2006 to a five-market platform in 2026 Finder Rewards: the cashback product giving Australians $250–$500 on everyday switches Why the cost-of-living crisis has reset who uses fintech products and why The moat question: brand, data, and regulation as defensible advantages in the AI era Stablecoins and DeFi: why USDT’s market cap now exceeds Ripple’s The Finder Earn case: ASIC, the Federal Court, and what it cost Australian fintech innovation Why Australia keeps losing crypto and fintech builders to Singapore and Dubai What makes an employee essential in 2026 (and what doesn’t) AI adoption: why not using it is the same as refusing to use a computer in 1995 Discover Finder Rewards - https://www.finder.com.au/finder-rewards Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn

April 27, 2026Episode 36642 min

Chris Brycki - Stockspot: Building Australia's Largest Robo-Adviser

If you're scaling your fintech leadership team, start at tieronepeople.com Chris Brycki founded Stockspot in 2013 with no income, no office and no VC, and built it into Australia's largest automated investment service with $1.5 billion under management. In this episode, Chris and Dexter discuss what it actually takes to build an enduring fintech in Australia: staying lean, rejecting growth-at-all-costs capital, and never losing sight of the customer. About Chris Brycki Chris Brycki is the founder and CEO of Stockspot, Australia's first and largest automated investment service. He left a career on the institutional side of finance in 2013 to build a lower-cost, evidence-based alternative to traditional financial advice, and has since made money for 99.3% of clients who have invested with Stockspot for at least a year. What We Discuss How Chris validated Stockspot's concept with friends before writing a single line of code Why he walked away from institutional finance to start a business with no income The Fat Cat Funds Report: how naming and shaming underperforming super funds drove real industry change Why paid marketing fails when you're competing against CBA's use-it-or-lose-it budget How Stockspot has made money for 99.3% of clients invested for at least a year Why Chris rejected VC and how that decision shaped everything that followed The discipline required to avoid meme stock temptation during the 2021 trading frenzy What nearly $500 million in client profits means in terms of real lives changed Why the next generation of fintech will be built with smaller teams and less capital raised Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background of StockSpot 05:14 The Journey of Entrepreneurship 12:16 Growth Strategies and Media Influence 16:19 Regulatory Challenges in FinTech 20:03 Staying True to Core Values 25:57 The Future of FinTech and AI 30:11 The Evolution of Founders and Startups 35:07 Impact of FinTech on Society 39:10 Maintaining Innovation and Customer Focus Links and resources Chris Brycki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycki/ Stockspot: stockspot.com.au Fat Cat Funds Report: https://www.stockspot.com.au/fatcat/ Fintech Chatter: fintechchatter.com Tier One People: https://tieronepeople.com/ This show is brought to you by Tier One People, where we work with founders like Chris to find the 1% who redefine what's possible. If you're scaling your leadership team, start at tieronepeople.com. Send us Fan Mail Connect on with Dexter Cousins on Linkedin Hire Exceptional Fintech Talent Subscribe on LinkedIn