Consumer behaviours are changing fast, meaning banks and retailers must rise to meet these evolving needs and deliver transparency, value and flexibility at the point of sale. Divido’s whitelabel platform connects banks, retailers and partners, transforming retail finance to create a new way to control and configure payments.
What attracted you to Divido?
Divido is one of Europe’s top 100 fastest-growing companies and last year closed a landmark $30 million Series B funding round. There is a hugely talented team here that have built a robust technology platform and quality client list, so the foundations have already been laid.
What is the size and scale of the retail finance market?
The retail finance market is expected to be worth $2.5 trillion this year, shaped by changing consumer behaviours. The way people pay for goods and services is undergoing extraordinary transformation as consumers seek more value and control, while retailers seek to make it easier to buy.
What are the biggest trends affecting the retail finance market?
Divido is uniquely positioned to help both retailers and banks. The Woolard Review into the consumer credit market is the first step towards greater regulation, particularly into Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), the most prominent form of retail finance. As a result, trailblazers who have operated in this unregulated space will have to make significant changes. This opens the door to traditional lenders, such as High Street banks, to gain ground due to their familiarity with the regulatory landscape.
More from Interviews
- A Chat with Ziad Mabsout, Co-Founder & CEO at Wealth Creation Platform: Vennre
- A Chat with Jaime Bosch, CEO and Co-Founder at AI Voice Transformation Company: Voicemod
- Digital First in a Digital World: Interview With Paul Stapley of Logicalis
- SPAYZ.io: Building Payment Solutions With Law in Mind
- A Chat with Claire Goodall, CEO at Telehealth Company: Well by Vertis
- The Digital Shake-Up: Modernising Shareholder Communication in 2025
- A Chat with Marina Guastavino, Co-Founder and CMO of Directo Extension
- Meet Kash Sangha, Co-Founder at Integrated Marketing Agency: Creative Ideaz
For retailers, we predict consumer trust to be a key battleground. By inviting BNPL firms to put logos on their website, and in many cases, take them away from the site altogether, retailers have handed control of their brand experience and customer journey to BNPL providers. Therefore, reclaiming control is crucial for retailers, not only to deliver a better experience for customers, but avoid any reputational risk as well.
Tell us about your background in tech startups?
I will join Divido as CEO in April, but have spent the past eight years at Currencycloud, most recently as Chief Growth Officer. I was employee number 20 there, and in that time the team has grown to almost 500, becoming one of the most successful fintechs in the UK. Before that, I held senior positions at American Express and Microsoft. The UK tech scene is thriving, and I am hugely excited to work alongside the amazing team at Divido.
What does 2022 look like for you?
To me, 2022 looks like opportunity! To have the chance to lead a talented team in one of the most dynamic sectors of the fintech market is an incredible opportunity – and I cannot wait to get started!
