Five questions for: Innovate Finance’s Charlotte Crosswell

Leading the independent industry body for the UK’s fintech sector Charlotte Crosswell has a broad overview of the movements of this flourishing industry.

Crosswell has led Innovate Finance since August 2017, before which time she was CEO of Nasdaq NLX in London and before that Head of International Business Development at the London Stock Exchange.

How did you get involved in FinTech?

I’ve been working on technology and finance since the mid-90s, so I was always destined to work in FinTech! Having seen the Tech sector boom in the 90s has shown me the playbook for FinTech development.

What's the most exciting thing happening at the moment in your part of the industry?

The adoption by global financial services institutions of FinTech solutions, as they realise they can achieve their goals faster by partnering and learning from the new players.

With players like Monzo, N26, Revolut, etc under the spotlight, is FinTech facing a ‘troubled’ period?

Looking back at tech in the 90s, there will always be some companies that achieve where they want to be, and others who won’t be as successful. To develop innovation, we have to push the boundaries while keeping regulation at the right levels to protect the end consumer. FinTech is still showing us the art of the possible.  

What's the long term plan for Innovate Finance?

We are now looking for more global partnerships as UK FinTech companies expand overseas and international companies look to the UK for a new consumer base. We always want to be in the heart of that ecosystem globally.