FinTech Wales has appointed Sarah Kocianski as its new CEO.
A FinTech and InsurTech strategist with over a decade of industry experience, Kocianski has worked with global organisations, scaleups and startups from across the financial services industry and beyond.
She has experience聽working with a number of FinTech membership groups, including Qorus, and sits on the committee at聽WVC:E, where she works with the VC industry to improve equality in the investment ecosystem, benefitting investors and founders alike.
Prior to this, Kocianski led strategic insights at Founders Factory where she supported financial services partners including Aviva with their FinTech investment strategies.
She was also the head of competitor Strategy at聽11:FS, a challenger consultancy that delivers benchmarking, research, and consultancy for banks, insurers, governments, regulators and startups across the world.
On her appointment, Kocianski said: 鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely over the moon to take on the CEO role at FinTech Wales and will be using my experience to help support the wider FinTech ecosystem in Wales.
鈥淗aving worked with FinTechs in countries all over the world, I know first hand the harsh realities of founding and scaling a fintech business, particularly when it comes to funding and investment strategies.
鈥淲ales has such an amazing reputation as a FinTech hub 鈥� which is thanks to the innovation and talent we have here.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to continue the significant work that the FinTech Wales team does to support these businesses, and champion what Welsh FinTechs have to offer on local, national and global stages.
鈥淭his is a great time for FinTech and with a lot of resources already at our fingertips in Wales, as well as our inherent drive and passion, I鈥檓 confident we can do even more to make Wales an influential FinTech hub on a global level.鈥�
Outgoing CEO and new FinTech Wales chair, Sarah Williams-Gardener, commented: 鈥淒uring the search for a new CEO, our aim was to find a leader with extensive experience to support and foster the growth of Fintechs in Wales.
鈥淪arah epitomises this ideal, boasting invaluable knowledge in the industry. Her expertise and unwavering dedication to support FinTechs underscore her alignment with FinTech Wales鈥� mission.
鈥淚 am confidently handing the baton over as we embark on the next stage of evolution to ensure sustainability allowing us to continue to nurture and grow the Welsh fintech ecosystem. Sarah is joining a brilliant team and I am delighted to support her having been elected as chair.鈥�
Launched in April 2019, FinTech Wales offers help and support to its network of members, and uses the power of the collective voice to be heard by politicians, governments and influencers in the financial services space.
As well as nurturing and supporting those businesses already in Wales, it aims to develop an ecosystem that will encourage and attract new fintech companies to start or scale in the region.
A five-year, 拢1.6 million investment in FinTech Wales was announced by聽聽in June 2022, with the two organisations working closely together in partnership to deliver on CCR鈥檚 commitment to establish Wales as a leading FinTech sector in the UK.