Reinventing Banking and Finance

Originally a Commercial Banker, Helene Panzarino is a highly experienced Fintech Programme Director, exited entrepreneur, educator and author. Her most recent role was MD of the global Rainmaking Colab Fintech Programme, a world-first, post-accelerator programme for Series A+ FinTechs and Tier 1 financial institutions. Responsible for the Inaugural Programme of Education and Events for Innovate Finance, she is also an Associate Director of the LIBF Digital Banking Centre, the Lead Fellow and creator on a world-first Fintech Pathway in a Masters in Tech Entrepreneurship Degree for UCL, and co-creator and lead delivery partner on the Imperial College FinTech Executive Education Programme. Her specialist subject areas are Digital Banking and Alternative Finance (SMEs). She is also the CEO of the Banking Lab (London) enabling community banks and building societies to engage with the global Fintech community. A regular judge, speaker and moderator for the banking and Fintech awards and conferences, Helene was a BSI Fintech representative for the UK in Brussels and has been named on the Computer Weekly 100 Women in Tech Award 2018-19.

Alessandro Hatami is the founder and managing partner of advisory firm Pacemakers.io, specialising in driving digital transformation in payments, financial services and banking organisations. He has been driving digital innovation for over 15 years at firms such as the Lloyds Banking Group, PayPal UK, PayPoint.net and GE Capital. He is a non-exec director of Cashplus Bank, mentor to several fintech start-ups and an investor in a number of early-stage tech companies. He is a well-known figure in European fintech and is a frequent speaker at events across the globe. His book Reinventing Banking and Finance (2021), also published by Kogan Page, was rated Best Overall Book on Banking of 2021 by Investopedia.com in the US. He is based in London, the UK.