SHAPING FINTECH INNOVATION
Greg Palmer, VP and Director of Fintech
Strategy at Finovate
With a career that spans military service, recruitment, and the world of B2B events, Phill Hirons has brought a unique perspective to his role as Managing Director at TechEx Events. Having transitioned from the RAF to producing major global conferences, Phill has been instrumental in driving the growth of TechEx, a leading event series in the B2B enterprise technology space. In this interview, Phill shares insights into his professional journey, his vision for TechEx, and how the event industry is evolving in the face of technological advancements, sustainability challenges, and changing market dynamics.
Finovate’s Journey
With years of hosting one of the most prominent fintech event series globally, can you share the pivotal moments that shaped Finovate’s growth and relevance in the fintech industry?
Finovate first launched in 2007, and by 2011, it was growing rapidly. Key industry milestones, such as the passing of PSD2 and the rise of cryptocurrencies, have certainly played a role in shaping its trajectory. However, the biggest driving force has been the evolving expectations of banking customers. As more consumers demand high-tech solutions from their banks, it creates opportunities for innovators to push the industry forward. The most exciting part? We’re still just getting started!
Demonstrating Innovation
How does Finovate select and showcase the most impactful fintech innovations during the event, and what criteria are most important in the selection process?
Finovate is built around live demos of the latest fintech innovations. Companies have just seven minutes on stage to showcase their working products—no PowerPoint slides or pre-recorded videos allowed.
To participate, companies must first submit an application detailing what they plan to demo. From there, we carefully select the most innovative and impactful solutions to feature. Our goal is to present our audience with technology that is relevant, cutting-edge, and ready for realworld implementation—all while being mindful of everyone’s time. There’s no more efficient way to experience the latest advancements in fintech!
Tackling Industry Challenges
Fintech is evolving rapidly with new challenges like regulatory pressures and technological disruptions. How does Finovate equip its participants to navigate these changes successfully?
Simply put, we bring in leading subject-matter experts to share their insights with our audience. With the fast pace of fintech, it’s nearly impossible for banking executives to stay on top of every industry shift. That’s where our speakers and panelists come in—they provide perspectives, best practices, and key knowledge to help attendees navigate these changes effectively.
Impact of Emerging Technologies
Technologies like AI are reshaping the financial sector. How is Finovate adapting to include discussions and demonstrations around these transformative trends?
Our model has always been about showcasing the latest innovations, and emerging technologies like AI and machine learning have naturally become a major part of that. However, at Finovate, the focus isn’t just on the technology itself—it’s on what it enables and the real-world benefits it delivers.
Today, the vast majority of fintech demos incorporate AI or ML in some way, but what truly sets them apart is how they help banks enhance security, improve customer acquisition and retention, streamline credit decisions, and more.
Our stage isn’t just about discussing AI—it’s about demonstrating what’s possible with AI that wasn’t achievable before.
