Fintech Chatter: Conversations with Fintech CEOs and Founders

Hosted by Dexter Cousins | Founder, Tier One People

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Episodes

369

Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-AU

About the show

350+ 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 what's actually working. We cover topics like raising capital, scaling internationally, hiring leadership teams, and the challenges of building with transformative 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 specialist executive search firm for fintech and transformative technology. With 17 years placing CEOs, CTOs, CPO's and country managers across the sector, Dexter brings an operator's lens to every conversation. New episodes biweekly. If you're building, funding, 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

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60 recent

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.comClayton 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 Introduction1:34 What MONEYME does and 13 years of milestones3:37 From corporate to founder5:32 Why consumer finance over any other vertical9:53 Why consumer fintech is the hardest category11:25 The ASX listing decision14:38 The SocietyOne acquisition19:53 The Horizon technology platform23:00 Leadership evolution from player to coach28:37 Staying close to the front line32:28 Why the office is always full36:18 Product innovation and the path forward42:10 Careers at MONEYMELinksClayton 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-podcastContact us - https://tieronepeople.com/contact/Send us Fan MailConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe 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.comMichelle 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 Lending05:30 Understanding Mutual Banks and Their Model10:54 Competing with Big Banks and Neo Banks14:24 Leadership and Culture at Bank First21:15 Finding Passion and Purpose in Banking31:04 Bank First's Role in Supporting Members During Economic Challenges36:00 The Complexity of Financial Solutions and Collaboration40:47 Opportunities at Bank FirstLinksMichelle Bagnall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-bagnall/BankFirst: https://www.bankfirst.com.auTier One People: https://www.tieronepeople.comDexter Cousins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/Send us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

May 25, 2026Episode 36640 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 Group02:50 Understanding Consumer Lending and Risk Management06:13 The Role of BeforePay in Economic Challenges09:03 Product Evolution: From Pay Advances to Personal Loans12:10 Carrington Labs: Expanding into the US Market14:54 Journey into FinTech: From Big Banks to Startups17:58 Navigating Market Changes Post-IPO21:12 The Importance of a Diverse Educational Background23:50 Company Culture and Leadership Values26:59 The Future of AI in Lending30:09 Looking Ahead: What’s Next for BeforePay GroupFind out more - https://www.beforepay.com.au/Send us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe 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 discussHow Finder built from Google search arbitrage in 2006 to a five-market platform in 2026Finder Rewards: the cashback product giving Australians $250–$500 on everyday switchesWhy the cost-of-living crisis has reset who uses fintech products and whyThe moat question: brand, data, and regulation as defensible advantages in the AI eraStablecoins and DeFi: why USDT’s market cap now exceeds Ripple’sThe Finder Earn case: ASIC, the Federal Court, and what it cost Australian fintech innovationWhy Australia keeps losing crypto and fintech builders to Singapore and DubaiWhat 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 1995Discover Finder Rewards - https://www.finder.com.au/finder-rewardsSend us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

April 27, 2026Episode 36643 min

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

If you're scaling your fintech leadership team, start at tieronepeople.comChris 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 BryckiChris 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 DiscussHow Chris validated Stockspot's concept with friends before writing a single line of codeWhy he walked away from institutional finance to start a business with no incomeThe Fat Cat Funds Report: how naming and shaming underperforming super funds drove real industry changeWhy paid marketing fails when you're competing against CBA's use-it-or-lose-it budgetHow Stockspot has made money for 99.3% of clients invested for at least a yearWhy Chris rejected VC and how that decision shaped everything that followedThe discipline required to avoid meme stock temptation during the 2021 trading frenzyWhat nearly $500 million in client profits means in terms of real lives changedWhy the next generation of fintech will be built with smaller teams and less capital raisedChapters00:00 Introduction and Background of StockSpot05:14 The Journey of Entrepreneurship12:16 Growth Strategies and Media Influence16:19 Regulatory Challenges in FinTech20:03 Staying True to Core Values25:57 The Future of FinTech and AI30:11 The Evolution of Founders and Startups35:07 Impact of FinTech on Society39:10 Maintaining Innovation and Customer FocusLinks and resourcesChris Brycki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycki/Stockspot: stockspot.com.auFat Cat Funds Report: https://www.stockspot.com.au/fatcat/Fintech Chatter: fintechchatter.comTier 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 MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

April 12, 2026Episode 36534 min

10 Years of Raiz: $2.1 Billion - What's next? CEO, Brendan Malone

Brendan Malone, CEO of Raiz Invest, joins Dexter Cousins to mark 10 years since Raiz launched to Australian retail investors. From a joint venture with US micro-investing app Acorns in 2015, Raiz has grown to $2.1 billion in funds under management, over 330,000 active monthly users and over $5.5 billion invested for Australians. What We DiscussHow Raiz started as a joint venture with US app Acorns in March 2015 before listing on the ASX as Raiz in April 2018The roundup innovation that put $2.2 billion to work for 340,000 Australians through small amounts consistently over time.Why Raiz expanded into Southeast Asia, the 280 million person opportunity in Indonesia and what made it harder than expectedThe ASX listing as a capital strategy when VC appetite for fintech was thin in 2018Brendan's frustration with CDR after a decade of roundtables, policy submissions and no meaningful consumer outcomeHow a 42-person team manages $2.2 billion using AI and machine learning, and why Brendan would not start again from scratch even in the AI eraRaiz's product roadmap including the Raiz Kids ecosystem and why Brendan expects consolidation among micro-investing platforms within the next few yearsThe endurance principles shared by Australian fintechs that have survived a decade: stay close to customers, resist the bright shiny things, and stick to the strategyKey Timestamps01:00 Celebrating a Decade in Business02:11 The Genesis of Raze and Early Challenges05:13 Breaking Down Barriers to Investing08:08 Innovative Wealth Management Solutions10:49 Growth Plans and Market Strategies13:18 Exploring Southeast Asia's Market Potential15:50 The Scale Game: Financial Inclusion in Indonesia18:28 Lessons from Early Adopters: The CDR Experience19:51 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in FinTech23:04 Customer-Centric Innovation: Listening to the Market24:19 The Impact of AI on Business Transformation28:21 Building an Ecosystem for Sustainable GrowthLinks and ResourcesRaiz Invest: raizinvest.com.auBrendan Malone on LinkedInTier One People: tieronepeople.comThis show is brought to you by Tier One People, where we work with founders like Brendan to find the 1% who redefine what's possible. If you're scaling your leadership team, start at tieronepeople.com.Send us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

March 31, 2026Episode 36450 min

David Hyman- MonoAI

David Hyman co-founded Lendi Group in 2013 and built it into Australia's largest non-bank mortgage platform with a $107 billion loan book, 5 million customers, and $350 million in annual revenue. He stepped down as CEO in January 2026 and within weeks was building his next company.In his fourth appearance on Fintech Chatter, David joins Dexter to talk about Mono AI, a platform business that helps established companies become AI native before a leaner AI native competitor makes them irrelevant.They cover the difference between human motion and agentic motion, why the CTO is often the biggest blocker to AI strategy, what ElevenLabs's $2 million revenue per employee tells you about the next three years, and the two traits (curiosity and high agency) that separate people who will thrive in this transition from those who won't.David also explains the Mono AI wedge model, why he's building a global AI business from Sydney, and what roles the company is actively hiring for now.This episode was recorded just before the major job losses at Block and Atlassian. It is one of the most practically important conversations on this show to date.Find David on LinkedIn or visit monoai.coTier One People: tieronepeople.comSend us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

March 3, 2026Episode 36310 min

4000 Jobs Gone. What to do next.

Block Just Cut 4,000 Jobs. WiseTech Cut 2,000. Here's What To Do Next.Last week was a wake-up call for anyone working in fintech and tech in Australia.Block — the company behind Square, Cash App, and Afterpay — cut more than 4,000 employees. That's nearly half the company, down from over 10,000 to just under 6,000. The stock surged 24% on the same day. Afterpay is still headquartered in Sydney, and Australian staff have been directly affected.The same week, WiseTech Global announced 2,000 job cuts over two years — 29% of their workforce. CBA quietly cut 300 roles, mostly in technology. All three cited AI as the driver.In this video, Dexter Cousins breaks down what actually happened and gives you three practical steps to take today if you've been affected or think you might be next.Chapters00:00 Navigating Job Loss in FinTech01:39 How Your Experience Is In Greater Demand Than Ever03:02 Avoid Three BIG Mistakes03:49 Career Balance Sheet05:03 Identifying Opportunities05:45 GTM Strategy — Quick Wins07:09 Building Momentum and NetworkingCareer Balance Sheet - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hLJJQl2B_h1u00G46sNxlhGNRXXZlCv6/viewPart 1 - https://tieronepeople.com/2025/11/14/find-fintech-jobs/Part 2 -https://tieronepeople.com/2026/01/12/professional-networks-job-hunting/Part 3 - https://tieronepeople.com/2026/02/16/professional-brand-first-principles/Send us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

February 22, 2026Episode 36248 min

Checkbox AI CEO: $23M Series A After 9 Years Bootstrapping

🔥 We find the 1% who redefine what's possible - Executive search for fintech → https://tieronepeople.comCheckbox AI just raised $23M at $100M valuation serving enterprise customers SAP, PepsiCo, Telstra, and Woolworths. CEO Evan Wong shares the 9-year journey from bootstrapped startup to enterprise legal AI platform, competing against $5B+ valuation businesses like Harvey.📊 KEY METRICS:• US$23M Series A at $100M valuation (total of US$29m raised)• 100+ enterprise customers including Fortune 500• Capital Raise will be used to expand into the US market• Named in Gartner's 2025 Hype Cycle for Legal Tech• 9-year journey from founding to Series A ⏱️ CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to Checkbox AI and Its Journey02:26 Understanding Checkbox AI's Role in Legal Tech06:27 The Evolution of No-Code and AI in Legal Solutions10:50 Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Legal AI12:58 The Importance of Customer-Centric Product Development18:49 Building for Enterprise: Lessons Learned25:58 Scaling Efficiently in the Age of AI28:38 Embracing an AI-First Mindset31:19 Navigating Fear and Shame in Entrepreneurship35:09 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs39:51 Finding Energy and Passion in Work40:52 Building a Resilient Organization44:23 Future Plans and Growth Strategies🔗 EVAN WONG:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theevanwongCheckbox AI: https://www.checkbox.ai📰 EPISODE SOURCES:Checkbox Series A Announcement: https://www.checkbox.ai/news/checkbox-raises-23-million-series-a-to-become-the-front-door-for-in-house-legal-teams📺 ABOUT FINTECH CHATTER:Australia's leading fintech podcast with 350+ episodes reaching 30,000+ fintech professionals in 40 countries monthly.🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly conversations with fintech leaders⭐️ Give a 5 star review💬 COMMENT with your thoughts on this episodeSend us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

February 8, 2026Episode 36133 min

One Million Aus Customers - Matt Baxby, Revolut

Tier One People placed Matt Baxby as Revolut Australia's founding CEO. Six years later: 1M customers, profitable. The right leader changes everything. Looking for your next hire? Contact Dexter Cousins for a confidential discussion.Welcome back to Fintech Chatter Podcast - In our first episode of 2026 Matt Baxby reveals how Revolut reached 1M customers and saved Australians $250M in FX fees while achieving profitability. Discover the hiring secrets, growth strategy, and vision to become Australia's #1 finance app.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Milestone Achievements06:45 New Products12:08 Banking License Update14:06 Why Revolut has outlasted other Neobanks16:37 6 Years at Revolut, One Million Customers.20:09 What makes someone successful at Revolut?24:46 Why Revolut's "work from anywhere" policy works.28:04 What's next for Revolut?31:33 Careers at RevolutLinksRevolut Careers: revolut.com/careersRevolut Australia: revolut.com/en-AUDiscuss Hiring: tieronepeople.com/contactSend us Fan MailContact: info@tieronepeople.comConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

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