London Fintech Podcast

Blockchain has been discussed for over a decade, but its real impact in institutional finance is only now beginning to take shape.In this episode of the London Fintech Podcast, Tony Clark speaks with Yuval Rooz, CEO of Digital Asset and Co-Founder of Canton, about how blockchain infrastructure is evolving to meet the needs of global capital markets.At the centre of the conversation is the Canton Network: a public, privacy-enabled blockchain designed to bring blockchain rails to financial markets at scale. Yuval explains how Canton is addressing one of the biggest barriers to institutional blockchain adoption: privacy and control over sensitive financial data, while still enabling interoperability across markets and participants.They discuss why traditional financial infrastructure struggles with fragmented data and settlement delays, how blockchain can confirm the validity of data across multiple institutions, and why tokenisation, stablecoins, and programmable assets could transform how markets operate.The conversation also explores the growing intersection between blockchain and AI, and why financial infrastructure needs to be prepared for a future where automated agents transact and make decisions at scale.📌 Topics covered• The 11-year journey building institutional blockchain infrastructure• Why privacy is critical for blockchain adoption in capital markets• How the Canton Network enables interoperability across financial institutions• The role of stablecoins in reducing settlement risk• Tokenisation and the representation of real-world assets on blockchain• Preparing financial systems for AI-driven transaction volumes• The future of crypto markets and financial infrastructure🔗 Learn more Tony Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tclark100/The London Fintech Podcast: https://londonfintechpodcast.comYuval Rooz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuvalrooz/Digital Asset: https://www.digitalasset.com/Canton Network: https://www.canton.network/NextWave Consulting: www.nxwave.comWhat I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Talk-About-When-Running/Go Beyond the Podcast: https://resources.nxwave.com/hub/london-fintech-podcast?c=cG9zdDo5OTI5NzY%3D&nav=aHViX3BhZ2U6MTA%3D&s=null#Blockchain #InstitutionalFinance #Toenization #Stablecoins #DigitalAssets #AI #FinancialInfrastructure #FinTech #CryptoInnovation #LondonFintechPodcast

As AI accelerates across financial services, the real competitive advantage is no longer just analytics — it’s decision intelligence.In this episode of the London Fintech Podcast, Tony Clark is joined by Jamie Hutton, Chief Technology Officer of Quantexa, to explore how organisations are moving beyond dashboards and manual analysis toward context-driven, automated decision-making.Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Quantexa is one of the UK’s standout post-pandemic unicorns, scaling globally with over $100m+ ARR and recognised as a leader in the Decision Intelligence category by Gartner.Jamie explains how Quantexa pioneered entity resolution and graph analytics to help organisations connect fragmented data, resolve real-world entities, and uncover patterns across risk, fraud, compliance, and growth. The conversation dives into why data quality and context are foundational for AI, how decision intelligence differs from traditional BI, and why siloed data continues to hold enterprises back.They also discuss Quantexa’s journey from a kitchen-table startup to working with 30 of the world’s top 50 banks, the trade-offs of building highly extensible enterprise software, and how the company is evolving its platform for faster deployment, lower TCO, and AI-native use cases — including agentic AI.If you’re thinking about AI adoption, enterprise data strategy, or how to turn information into action at scale, this episode is a must-watch.📌 Topics covered• What decision intelligence really means in the AI era• Entity resolution, graph analytics, and connecting siloed data• Why AI fails without trusted, contextual data• Fighting financial crime — and finding growth opportunities• Building enterprise-grade platforms from day one• From customisation to productisation at scale• Agentic AI, unstructured data, and what’s next for Quantexa🔗 Learn moreTony Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tclark100/The London Fintech Podcast: https://londonfintechpodcast.comJamie Hutton: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/huttonjamieCheck out Quantexa’s website: https://www.quantexa.com/?utm_medium=partners&utm_source=london_fintech_podcastAccess a complimentary copy of the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Decision Intelligence Platforms report: https://www.quantexa.com/resources/2026-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-decision-intelligence-platforms/?utm_medium=partners&utm_source=london_fintech_podcast&utm_campaign=701Nz00000jrM0YCheck out Quantexa's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@QuantexaNextWave Consulting: www.nxwave.comGo Beyond the Podcast: https://resources.nxwave.com/hub/london-fintech-podcast?c=cG9zdDo5OTI5NzY%3D&nav=aHViX3BhZ2U6MTA%3D&s=nullThe Anxious Generation: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic-ebook/dp/B0CGWS3JQ6

While much of the financial world is racing to keep up with AI and the rapid institutionalisation of blockchain and crypto, another powerful technology has been quietly advancing in the background for decades — quantum computing.In this episode of the London Fintech Podcast, Tony Clark is joined by Christopher Jensen, Portfolio Manager & Director of Digital Asset Research at Franklin Templeton, to explore what quantum computing really is — and why it could have profound implications for digital assets, cryptography, and financial infrastructure.Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s most innovative asset managers with over $1 trillion in AUM, recently published a paper titled Digital Asset Security in the Quantum Era. Chris joins the podcast to unpack the research, explain the real risks quantum computing poses to today’s encryption standards, and outline how the industry can prepare for a post-quantum world.They discuss why Bitcoin’s quantum risk is concentrated in legacy address formats, how crypto-agility will create a new trust premium for assets and custodians, and why blockchain governance — not panic — is the key to navigating this transition. The conversation also explores smart contracts, post-quantum upgrades, and why the biggest systemic risk may be “harvest now, decrypt later.”The episode looks at how major financial institutions are already testing quantum-resistant approaches, why this shift may be comparable to Y2K or IPv6, and how the intersection of AI and quantum computing could accelerate change across financial markets faster than many expect.Whether you’re an investor, technologist, or finance leader, this episode offers a grounded, practical view of one of the most important — and least understood — risks facing digital finance.📌 Topics covered• What quantum computing is and why it matters for finance• How quantum machines threaten current cryptography• Bitcoin’s exposure via legacy address formats• Post-quantum cryptography and crypto-agility• Blockchain governance and upgrade coordination• Smart contracts and post-quantum migration• “Harvest now, decrypt later” risks• Institutional readiness and custody implications• AI, quantum, and the future of financial infrastructure• What investors should consider over the next 5–15 years🔗 Learn moreTony Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tclark100/The London Fintech Podcast: https://londonfintechpodcast.comChristopher Jensen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjensen2001/Franklin Templeton: https://www.linkedin.com/company/franklin-templeton/Franklin Templeton Digital Assets Insightshttps://www.franklintempleton.com/insights/disruptive-technology/digital-assetsFranklin Templeton Digital Assets on Xhttps://x.com/FTDA_USDigital Asset Security in the Quantum Era: https://franklintempletonprod.widen.net/s/zqcgfsrm8f/insight-article-digital-asset-security-in-the-quantum-era-dasqe-fl

🎙️ In this episode of the London Fintech Podcast, Tony Clark speaks with Søren Westh Lonning, CFO of Pleo, about how finance leaders are navigating an era of growing complexity, higher expectations, and mounting pressure — and why too many organisations are still making decisions based on hindsight rather than foresight.Søren shares Pleo’s growth journey, scaling from €65m to €165m in ARR in just three years, and explains how the company has evolved from a simple expense management tool into a comprehensive spend and cash management platform designed to support real-time, confident decision-making across finance teams.Drawing on insights from Pleo’s Decision-Making Report, the conversation explores a stark reality facing finance leaders today: 58% of financial decision-makers — and 65% of CFOs — are making more high-level decisions than ever before, yet confidence remains low. Nearly half have experienced decision-freeze, and 41% of decisions are made without full confidence, often due to fragmented systems and a lack of contextual, real-time data.Tony and Søren unpack what’s driving this — from rising geopolitical and economic pressures to greater business ambition — and discuss how modern finance teams can rethink strategy to stay effective. Central to this shift is enabling teams to move from hindsight to foresight, using real-time visibility, analytics, automation, and AI to guide decisions before opportunities are missed.The episode also dives into how Pleo helps finance teams build trust across the business, forge stronger data-driven partnerships, invest more intelligently, and ensure cash works harder through smarter optimisation. Søren reflects on maintaining culture during rapid scale, the role of strategic partnerships, and practical advice for FinTech founders looking to achieve lasting product-market fit.📌 Topics Covered• Why CFOs are under more pressure — and less confident — than ever• Insights from Pleo’s Decision-Making Report• The cost of decision-freeze and fragmented financial data• Moving finance teams from hindsight to foresight• Real-time visibility, analytics, and AI in modern finance• Scaling from expense management to full spend & cash management• Maintaining culture and trust during rapid growth• Strategic partnerships and the future roadmap for Pleo🔗 Learn More:Tony Clark: linkedin.com/in/tclark100The London Fintech Podcast: https://londonfintechpodcast.comPleo: https://www.pleo.io/enSøren Westh Lonning: https://www.linkedin.com/in/s%C3%B8ren-westh-lonning/Pleo Decision-Making Report 2025: https://content.pleo.io/en/decisions-report-2025Explore Pleo Embedded Finance: https://embedded.pleo.io/news/pleo-embedded-official-launchPleo Cash Management Suite: https://www.pleo.io/en/cash-managementNextWave Consulting: https://www.nxwave.com/Go Beyond The Podcast: https://resources.nxwave.com/hub/london-fintech-podcast?c=cG9zdDo5OTI5NzY%3D&nav=aHViX3BhZ2U6MTA%3D&s=nullOn My Watch: Leading NATO in a Time of War: https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Watch-Leading-NATO-Time/dp/0008708746How Big Things Get Done: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Big-Things-Get-Done/dp/1035018950/

In this episode of the London Fintech Podcast, Tony Clark sits down with Susanne Chishti to explore the growing pressure on CFOs operating in today’s increasingly complex financial environment, from geopolitical shocks to shrinking margins and fragmented data systems.This conversation is created in collaboration with Pleo, and highlights their work in modernising the CFO’s office through real-time visibility, automated treasury workflows, and embedded finance capabilities that unify spend across the business.Tony and Susanne dive deep into findings from Pleo’s Decision-Making Report 2025, including:💡 Over 50% of UK decision-makers experience “decision freeze” due to a lack of real-time data💡 Finance teams spend 26+ hours per week on manual treasury tasks💡 Many organisations still make decisions based on “feeling” rather than evidence💡 Fragmented systems slow down business agility and innovationThey also unpack how tools such as Pleo Embedded (their new embedded finance solution) and the Cash Management Suite are helping CFOs automate treasury operations, consolidate financial data, and accelerate decision-making with greater clarity and control.Whether you're a CFO, operator, finance leader, or founder, this episode offers practical insights into the future of financial decision-making — and why integrated tooling is now essential rather than optional.🔗 Learn More:Tony Clark: linkedin.com/in/tclark100The London Fintech Podcast: https://londonfintechpodcast.comPleo: https://www.pleo.io/enSusanne Chishti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannechishti/Pleo Decision-Making Report 2025: https://content.pleo.io/en/decisions-report-2025Explore Pleo Embedded Finance: https://embedded.pleo.io/news/pleo-embedded-official-launchPleo Cash Management Suite: https://www.pleo.io/en/cash-managementNextWave Consulting: https://www.nxwave.com/Go Beyond The Podcast: https://resources.nxwave.com/hub/london-fintech-podcast?c=cG9zdDo5OTI5NzY%3D&nav=aHViX3BhZ2U6MTA%3D&s=null"From Good to Great" by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Great-Companies-published-HarperBusiness/dp/B00E327SVA/ref=asc_df_B00E327SVA?mcid=ff85ddadb41e3021bd513644d3a153d5&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=781457465012&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6936681774339943281&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045984&hvtargid=pla-2444989498790&psc=1&hvocijid=6936681774339943281-B00E327SVA-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1