Nigel Morris, one of Wales’ first fintech disruptors, the managing partner of QED Investors and co-founder of Capital One Financial Services, will take to the main stage at the first Wales Fintech Festival this June for a fireside chat exploring his career journey, entrepreneurial experience and passion for investing.
FinTech Wales, the independent membership association for the fintech and financial services industry in Wales, is holding Wales’ first Fintech Festival at Swansea Building Society Arena on June 3rd.
Nigel will be joined by Justin Basini, Co-founder and CEO of The ClearScore Group, for the fireside chat during the morning session, hosted by FinTech Wales Chair, Sarah Williams-Gardener.
As co-founder and Managing Partner at QED Investors, Nigel has helped support and scale some of the world’s best-known fintech brands, including ClearScore and Credit Karma, which was acquired by Intuit for $7 billion in 2020.
Nigel said of his involvement in the festival:
“Wales has an incredible story to tell. There is highly competitive fintech and financial services talent here, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a growing ecosystem that deserves global recognition. The Wales FinTech Festival provides an excellent opportunity to showcase everything Wales has to offer to an audience of investors, founders and innovators.
“Swansea is a city I have a deep personal connection with through my Welsh heritage and my investment in Swansea City Football Club, so it makes this event even more special for me.
“Every founder’s journey is different, so I’m looking forward to sharing what went well, what didn’t go so well, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I’m also keen to offer practical advice to the start-ups attending the festival on what investors look for in fintech and financial services businesses.
“There are some outstanding companies being built in Wales today. Events like this are critical to shine a spotlight on this emerging ecosystem and provide connections to the global investment community. I hope my conversation with Justin and Sarah helps inspire founders and gives them the confidence and insight they need to scale their businesses globally.”
Justin Basini, Co-founder and CEO of ClearScore Group, said:
“Some of the world’s most exciting fintech innovation is being developed from the UK, and Wales plays a huge role in that. The Wales Fintech Festival is a brilliant opportunity to bring together entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders to celebrate the talent, ambition and innovation that exists here.
“I’m looking forward to joining Nigel and Sarah for what I hope will be an honest and insightful conversation about building fintech businesses, scaling globally and creating companies that genuinely improve customers’ financial wellbeing.”
Sarah Jones, CEO of FinTech Wales, said:
“Nigel has been a huge champion of FinTech Wales and our ecosystem for many years and has been incredibly supportive of what we’re trying to achieve through the first ever Wales Fintech Festival, so we are delighted to welcome him to the stage alongside Justin Basini, one of the UK’s most respected fintech entrepreneurs and co-founder of one of the country’s leading fintech success stories, ClearScore.
“Bringing together leaders of Nigel and Justin’s calibre for the festival is a huge moment for Wales and highlights the growing strength and international reputation of our fintech ecosystem. Their experience building, scaling and investing in globally recognised fintech businesses will provide invaluable insight and inspiration for founders, investors and future talent attending the event.
“This festival is about putting Wales firmly on the global fintech map. We have exceptional businesses, talent and innovation here, and this is a unique opportunity to showcase that to a worldwide audience while creating meaningful connections between founders, investors, industry leaders and future talent.
“The fireside chat is just one part of our packed agenda for the day. Other sessions include a fireside chat with Anne Boden MBE, founder of Starling Bank and one of the UK’s most influential fintech founders; a live pitch competition judged by some of Wales’ leading business figures, including Admiral Group founder Henry Engelhardt; a Future Talent Showcase; discussions on cross-sector collaboration; and panels covering AI, fintech for good, and the stories of businesses built in Wales that are now leading on the global stage. The festival will also feature exhibitors and provide extensive networking opportunities, ensuring attendees leave with valuable new connections and potential collaborations to take forward.
“We’re also excited to welcome Nick Perrett, founder and CEO of Prosper, and Hattie Moll, Prosper’s CMO, who will host a special live podcast session with Welsh fintech leaders Damon Chapple, Co-CEO of Sonovate, and Dafydd Jones, founder of venture capital firm Flamingo. The session will explore the journeys, challenges and opportunities involved in building and scaling successful businesses from Wales.”
