Celebrating the UK's best fintechs

Colin Payne is a distinguished leader in financial innovation, currently serving as the Head of Innovation at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Chair of the Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN) convening over 90 national regulators to build a powerful, collaborative network.

In these roles, he spearheads strategic initiatives to foster growth through responsible innovation, such as the newly launched AI Lab, Sandboxes and TechSprint Programme.

Before joining the FCA, Colin was the Senior Director at PwC, where he delivered programs across the GCC, including national payment strategies and digital asset initiatives with Central Banks in the region.

He has also held Partner and EVP positions at EY and Capgemini with an early tenure at Apple working with Steve Jobs.

With over 30 years at the forefront of technology and change, Colin has built an award-winning portfolio designing and deploying world-class innovation.

He has held honorary positions at Kings College and Middlesex University.

Janine Hirt is the CEO of Innovate Finance (IF), the industry body representing the world-leading UK FinTech sector. Having joined the initial IF leadership team in 2015 first as Head of Community then Ecosystem Director, she moved into the COO role in 2017 before stepping up to lead the organisation in 2021. Janine is passionate about driving transformation to create a more democratic, transparent and inclusive financial services sector for all. Her professional career has been marked by roles that sit at the intersection of policy, international relations, and industry, including senior positions at Chatham House, (the Royal Institute of International Affairs) and the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Janine has been selected as one of the top 50 most influential women in UK tech by Computer Weekly for the last three years running and has been included in the Women in Trade Association Powerlist for the past two years.  Janine is a regular speaker at international conferences and has been featured in broadcast media and print publications including Sky News, BBC World News, ITN Business, CityAM, Forbes, and the Financial Times.

Janine received her BA Magna Cum Laude from Boston College, JYA at Oxford University, and her MSc from the London School of Economics. Janine is an American, British, Swiss and German national who calls London and NYC home.