The Finanser’s Week: 17th December – 23rd December 2018

December 23, 2018 by Chris Skinner

The main blog headlines are …

The top blog posts of 2018

Just looking through the stats for the last year and it gives you an insight into what’s hot and what’s not. So here are the ten most popular blog posts of 2018: In at Number 10 is: Who are the hottest FinTech firms and Influencers …

Did 2018 live up to expectations?

As usual, I began the year with a bunch of predictions. I always like to end the year by going back and reviewing them. My own predictions were a little bit off. I said the main four things that would happen this year were: Getting …

A word of advice to conference organisers …

As a professional conference goer, I have certain routines. My main focus is to learn and, although I won’t attend every session, I will attend many. Unfortunately these days, the wandering mind and desperate need to get to the next level of Candy Crush, means …

From innovation theatre to real innovation

I was listening to a great discussion about innovation (again) amongst a group of innovative bankers. As the conversation progressed, it made me reflect on a few things. In particular, how the conversation about innovation has changed over the past decade. Just before the financial …

Come the revolution, who’s first against the wall?

I present regularly to retail, commercial and investment banks, wealth managers and fund managers, insurance companies and more about how technology is transforming everything. I often can feel a sense of cynicism in the room. We’ve heard all this before and yes, I’ve pointed this …

And the top headlines this week are ...

Square makes a second attempt to break into banking - CNBC

Square is making another attempt to break into banking. Approval of the plan would allow the payments company to operate without going through outside banks and intermediaries.

Cashless revolution 'happening too fast' as millions of consumers face exclusion from shops and restaurants - The Telegraph

JPMorgan tries to streamline spending in tech arms race - Financial Times

New digital division set up to better manage bank’s $10.8bn technology budget

MPs call for resignation of Lloyds Bank CEO - Financial Times

Bank criticised for response to fraud at HBOS branch

Bank CFOs Are Embracing The Digital Future - Forbes

In many ways, these are good times for banking CFOs. Their knowledge and expertise are in great demand throughout the organization, and CEOs are increasingly turning to them as highly trusted advisors at the enterprise level.

Malta To Get A Blockchain Bank - CCN

It seems that Malta is about to get a bank that will finally begin servicing crypto and blockchain companies as well as high net worth individuals, who until recently, have been shunned by traditional banks on the so-called ‘Blockchain Island’.

Ex-president of only bank charged with fraud in US crisis bailout program gets 6 years prison - Boston Globe

The former president of the only financial institution criminally charged in connection with the federal bank bailout program was sentenced Monday to six years in prison for covering up the bank’s troubled condition in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

If you thought 2018 was bad for markets, a cocktail of fears is set to make 2019 even worse - Business Insider

Rising interest rates around the globe combined with tensions over geopolitics and trade mean the start of 2019 in markets may look just as volatile and turbulent as this year.

Australia bank NAB's CEO to take long holiday around inquiry report release - Reuters

National Australia Bank Ltd said on Monday its CEO will take about two months leave around the scheduled release of a major report into the country's finance sector, prompting a rebuke from a shareholder group.

Brexit hasn't broken UK plc but it has stopped vital repairs - Guardian

The chance to mend the British economy’s well-documented problems is being lost in a sea of uncertainty It was supposed to be over by Christmas, yet the never-ending chaos that is Brexit and the search for a deal keeps rumbling on. Theresa May might have survived her confidence vote

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Chris M Skinner

Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, TheFinanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand (as well as one of the best blogs), a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal's Financial News. To learn more click here...