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FStech: How did you get into the sector?Paul Thomas: I was fortunate to be offered an opportunity to work at Bloomberg in London when it was still a relatively small organisation. During this time I saw a rapid change in the use of technology in the front office, coupled with the emergence of derivatives as a new asset class. I also saw the rise of a host of new technology in the risk management space, which ultimately led me to co-found my own software company developing front office trading systems.

FStech: Who has been the biggest influence on your career?PT: There have been many influencers in my career who have inspired me during the last 25 years – from technologists and business strategists to sales and marketing leaders – all of whom have demonstrated the importance of delivering value to the customer.

FStech: Who in the sector inspires you and why?PT: Currently there are a number of business models which have not only created innovative technology but have also positively ‘disrupted’ a financial sector, vertical or business process for the benefit of the consumer of that service. These firms are incredibly inspiring as they constantly look to reinvent technology for greater customer good.

FStech: Which IT professional do you most admire?PT: I’ve been fortunate to have recently worked in the payments space at a particularly innovative time when technology and changing regulations have allowed new market entrants to threaten the status quo. It is currently these companies, and the IT professionals leading them, I admire the most.

FStech: Is there anything that you dislike or that frustrates you about the sector?PT: Yes, the lack of understanding of the value that great marketing and exceptional product management can bring to the B2B space. All we have to do is look to the B2C world to see the exceptional value that these disciplines can provide to the successful development of disruptive businesses, as well as to the bottomline.

FStech: What technology can’t you live without?PT: My smartphone and all the apps that allow me to work and play anytime, anywhere.

FStech: How do you relax?PT: I have been a cyclist all of my life so you’ll often find me cycling in Richmond Park or the Surrey Hills. I’ve also embarked on my second year of competing in triathlons, having successfully completed three last year.

FStech: What was your last banking experience both online and on the High Street and were they positive experiences?PT: After years of using my High Street bank to transfer money overseas, I am now a hugely satisfied and loyal customer of several smartphone enabled international money transfer companies. From a branch perspective, I have been recently helping my daughter with a post-graduate personal development loan application. I was amazed to experience a process that lasted four months and involved the resubmission of the same paper work three times due to it being lost twice! There’s no doubt that this process was extremely manual and lacking the technology investment required to deliver a positive customer experience.

Paul Thomas, managing director, Provenir

www.fstech.co.uk

Q&A

46 February 2015

talking heads

Provenir’s clients include HSBC.

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