Chris Skinner's blog

Shaping the future of finance

Bankers should not be retailers [Wells Fargo]

5,300 Wells Fargo employees have been caught faking customer account openings in order to hit their sales targets. That sounds pretty disgusting doesn’t it, but it’s nothing new.  In fact, we here in old America or, as some call it, Britain, have been living with this for half a decade. During the 2000s, leading up…

What is a bank?

I was at a conference the other day when the presenter showed this quote from the Wall Street Journal: The question is so simple it seems silly: What is a bank?  Of course you know the answer. A bank pools savings and then allocates that capital. Simple, right? But that’s just the start.  In 2016 a…

The future CIO is not a CIO

As mentioned last week, the CIO’s role is changing from running an empire of maintenance engineers to organising a distributed development organisation. The change in the role is one from a hierarchical control structure, where everything is proprietary and internal, to a flattened organisation that is open and broad. Much of the developments will come…

The Finanser’s Week: 4th September – 11th September 2016

  Here are our key posts for the past week … Do banks need a CIO? I was talking with a technology firm the other day.  They offer everything from cloud to core systems.  Their issue is that the competition wins every time.  Not IBM.  Not Accenture.  Not TCS.  Not FIS.  Not SAP.  Not any…

The developer-driven bank

Building on yesterday’s blog (Do bank’s need a CIO?) , the key misunderstanding is the role.  Most banks thing the CIO is there to run the technology.  They’re not.  That’s what they used to do.  That’s not the job for the future. First and foremost, the person leading technology developments in any incumbent bank of…

Do banks need a CIO?

I was talking with a technology firm the other day.  They offer everything from cloud to core systems.  Their issue is that the competition wins every time.  Not IBM.  Not Accenture.  Not TCS.  Not FIS.  Not SAP.  Not any of the big names you could mention in such areas.  No, their competition is the CIO….

India’s billion digital identities

I’ve blogged a lot about digital identities, but failed to cover an in-depth review of the largest identity program in the world: Aadhaar.  It’s been very remiss of me, but I’ve been waiting for the right moment and now seems to be that moment. Aadhaar is well known for those in the identity field, but…

Which countries are leading financial inclusion?

Building upon Friday’s discussion of how the system treats the poor, there are interesting movements afoot at the Brookings Institute.  If you’re not familiar with Brookings, it is one of America’s oldest Think Tanks and provides independent research into social sciences, particularly economics, governance and foreign policy, for the US Government. The Institute has a…

Financial Services Club Season Q4 2016

I don’t often highlight the Financial Services Club’s forthcoming meetings, but felt it worth just noting a few upcoming specials.  Join the Club if you want to come along: Financial Services Club England September 6 Future Applications of the Blockchain Technology – Leanne Kemp, Founder and CEO, Everledger September 20 The Refugee Crisis is also an…

The Finanser’s Week: 29th August – 3rd September 2016

Here are our key posts for the past week … How the system crushes the poor Building on yesterday’s discussion of the digital divide turning into a human divide*, I find it intriguing how we talk incessantly about financial inclusion and how technology will bank the unbanked.  It is our dream.  But is it just…

Chris Skinner Keynote, April 2025, Europe

Intelligent Money: Our Future Is Where We Do Not Think About Money, As Our Money Thinks For Us

What is the future?

Learn more

Learn more about Chris

About Chris Skinner

The Past, Present And Future Of Banking, Finance And Technology

Fintech expert Chris Skinner: countries need digital transformation to remain competitive

Join me on Linkedin

Follow Me on X!

Hire Chris Skinner for dinners, workshops and more

Learn directly from from one of the most influential people in technology, gain insights from the world's most innovative companies, and build a global network.

Chris’s latest book

Order now

Chris Skinner’s ‘Intelligent Money’ Book Launch Event

Top 40 UK Fintech Blogs

Lifetime Achievement Award

Kids creating the future bank | TEDxAthens

Alex at the Financial Services

Gaping Void's Hugh MacLeod worked with the Finanser