Loyalty Reimagined with Starling Bank: Closing the Gap Between Payments and Customer Experience
In the Hot Seat
Customer loyalty is much more than points and perks. Ruwani Hewa, Director of Payments at Starling Bank, jumps in the Hot Seat to discuss how data-driven intelligence is redefining what it means to build trust in financial services. We explore where traditional banks go wrong, how customer understanding can reshape engagement, and why digital design and personalisation now determine retention. This episode is about turning data into meaningful, measurable relationships. Key Takeaways. [:01] Denise Johansson puts Ruwani Hewa, Director of Payments at Starling Bank, in the hot seat....
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Embedded Finance, The Real Impact: How Embedded Finance is Redefining Financial Services From The Inside Out
In the Hot Seat
When payments disappear, the real competition begins, for trust, attention, and loyalty. In this episode of In the Hot Seat, Denise Johansson is joined by Emelie Eriksson, Head of SEB Embedded, for a rapid-fire deep dive into the future of embedded finance. From the weight of legacy systems to the risks and rewards of giving up control, they explore why embedded finance is more than a product shift — it’s a full-blown strategic reset. Tune in for sharp takes on trust, regulation, and the partnerships redefining financial services from the inside out. Key Takeaways. [:01]...
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Rethinking Financial Inclusion with Alessandro Hatami
In the Hot Seat
Inclusion isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s a huge economic opportunity. Alessandro Hatami from Pacemakers.io joins the hot seat to discuss how a large portion of the population remains outside the financial system despite advances in technology. Alessandro highlights how providers can gain new customers and fuel growth by removing outdated barriers and more actively serving the underbanked. Key Takeaways. [:01] Denise Johansson puts Alessandro Hatami, fintech advisor, thought leader, founder of Pacemakers.io, and co-author of the book Inclusive Finance, in the hot seat....
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Charged Up: How Octopus Electroverse is Powering the EV Revolution
In the Hot Seat
Is your fleet prepared for the next decade of the EV transition? Rachel Beaton from Octopus Electroverse joins the discussion to share insights on the full picture of what’s ahead — from educating drivers and navigating chargers and lease cycles, to understanding government incentives, manufacturing shifts, and the opportunities in the second-hand market. With technology evolving quickly and fleets playing a pivotal role in adoption, this conversation provides practical guidance for planning a smoother transition and staying ahead of the curve. Key Takeaways. [:01] Denise Johansson...
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Mobility Unlocked with Shuttel: How We’ll Work, Move, and Live in the Future
In the Hot Seat
The future of mobility is shared, fast, fluid, and frictionless! Joëlle Stokkel of Shuttel jumps into The Hot Seat for a conversation about optional ownership, commuting as a custom-fit experience, the rise of flexible mobility benefits, how tech, sustainability, and data are reshaping policy, and why mobility might just be your next big recruitment tool. Key Takeaways. [:00] Denise Johansson puts Joëlle Stokkel, Innovation Manager at Shuttel, in the hot seat. [2:59] It seems the main hurdle is not the amount of mobility options, but rather their connectivity and personability....
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Beyond Resilience: What it Really Takes to Build, Lead, and Last
In the Hot Seat
There are no silver bullets, but there is a pattern to success. This episode of In The Hot Seat welcomes back fintech strategist and author Leda Glyptis to unpack what it truly takes to build, lead, and last in an industry where 95% of startups fail. From redefining success as “the art of not dying” to the difficult introspection founders have to do when they hit a wall, Leda and Denise offer up an alternative to toxic hustle culture and break down why experience, boundaries, discipline and leadership are key. Key Takeaways. [0:00] Denise Johansson puts Leda Glyptis, author and...
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The Winning Perspective for Business from an Olympic Perspective
In the Hot Seat
From podiums to businesses. Elite sports and high-performing businesses operate under the same unforgiving principles: driving performance requires inspired leadership, clear goals, strict planning, good team dynamics and a healthy serving of resilience. The question isn’t if you need all this but whether or not you have what it takes to implement it. The hot seat welcomes paralympic powerhouse Birgit Skarstein, Chief Inspiration Officer at Enfuce, to clear a path forward. Key Takeaways. [0:00] Denise Johansson puts Birgit Skarstein, Paralympian gold medallist, world — and European...
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With Fortitude — Tackling SDG 16 with Passion and Purpose
In the Hot Seat
Waiting for regulation is boring, you don’t need permission to shake up the world! Marja Innanen, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Finland, Monika Liikama, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Enfuce, and Juspal Manic, CRO at Featurespace, sit in the hot seat for a provocative discussion on UN Sustainable Development Goal 16's overlooked challenges of peace, justice, and strong institutions. Listen in for hot takes on impending regulation and what to do about them, why SDGs are only ever an opportunity for growth, and why you should aim for 100% when outsmarting fraudsters. ...
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Navigating the AI Wild West: A regulatory and payments-focused deep dive
In the Hot Seat
Wild West or world of opportunity for fintechs? Charles Kerrigan, Partner at CMS London, and Matt Williamson, SVP at Endava jump into the hot seat. Listen in for insights on what the most recent AI revolutions might mean for fintechs, the types of regulations being put forward, the impacts of horizontal versus vertical regulation, why GenAI is an expert tool for experts, and what early-adopting organisations might be doing wrong when it comes to their data. Key Takeaways. [0:00] Denise Johansson puts Charles Kerrigan, Partner at CMS London, and Matt Williamson, SVP at Endava, in the hot...
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Pleo x Enfuce: A Nordic Love Song- Keeping the Love Alive in Fintech Partnerships
In the Hot Seat
Ready for a steamy tech love story?. Thorbjørn Fink, COO of Pleo joins Denise for a spicy chat in the hot seat. Learn from Pleo and Enfuce’s love story about building winning partnerships, maintaining great communication, making compromises and navigating the occasional rough patch. Denise and Thorbjørn discuss learning the right love languages, building trust, and dealing with a partner if the shoe doesn’t fit. Key Takeaways. [0:00] Denise Johansson puts Thorbjørn Fink, COO of Pleo and longtime business partner, in the hot seat. [3:42] Being a supplier is one thing, being a...
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